Dramaturgy and Coaching
My approach to dramaturgy is one of deep, bespoke engagement with you as a unique, individual artist. Whether you’re a first-time writer with a rough draft you can’t quite wrangle or a seasoned professional in search of a new outside eye, whether you’re a playwright crafting your own script or a director investigating what the dead have left behind, whether your play is set in a living room or in a post-apocalyptic hellscape, I am here for you. All I ask is for you to be fully committed to your craft and to your play. Give me that, and I can help.
The offerings below should fit most situations. That said, they may not fit yours! If you have something different in mind, or you’re just not sure which offering to select, please do reach out. I’m happy to consult, so we can make a plan together. Again, I’m here for you.
All sessions are on Zoom, unless you’re NYC based. If you are in NYC, I’m happy to meet in person.
Let’s get started!
“Steven is a skilled, devoted and caring reader and adviser who knows how to help dramatic artists define and clarify their goals, and also how to balance that with how audiences will experience the finished work. So often, when a writer turns to somebody for help, the conversation seems good in the moment but then of limited help once it comes time to actually write. Steven's insights are all actionable.”
— Michael Gural-Maiello, Playwright (Success in Contemporary Corporate Praxis)
Offering One: Diagnostic
Sometimes, you just need an outside eye. This offering is for those who have an existing script that needs a close reading and clear, actionable feedback. My role here is to help you understand what the script is doing at present and to offer advise on how to push the story further.
Whether yours is a first draft or a tenth draft, I’d be thrilled to help you further realize your play’s potential and expand on your own vision. When we’ve finished, you’ll have a clear plan for how to do exactly that.
The script analysis session is up to 1.5 hours.
Cost: $200 US
Offering Two: Revision
This offering begins with the same diagnostic session outlined in Offering One, but continues with another read and a second script analysis session. This gives you the chance to make revisions based on our work together and receive feedback on those changes.
Take as much time as you need between my initial feedback and our follow-up session! One month, one year: each revision has its own sense of time.
If you’ve already selected Offering One, you can upgrade to Offering Two by paying the difference of $150.
Each script analysis session is up to 1.5 hours.
Cost: $350 US
"As a dramaturg, Steven really helped to clarify all the murky stuff that came with writing an audio play for the first time. There was something so easeful in the process of working with him that made me feel comfortable to share my work. In his Playwriting and Adaptation course, his writing exercises, tasks and sessions overall made each week so much fun. I always look forward to more. He strikes a good balance of challenging us as artists but also understanding our needs and where we're coming from."
— Raiya Basalamah, Actor and Playwright (Beautiful)
Next Offering: The Work Continues…
Want to keep going after we’ve finished Offering Two? I have a play I’ve been writing and rewriting since 2007… So trust me, I get it.
If you’d like a fourth, fifth, sixth, or twentieth script analysis session, I offer those at a fixed rate.
Each additional script analysis session is up to 1.5 hours.
Cost: $150 US
Early Offering: Sounding Board
Do you have an idea (a big idea, an exciting idea, one that keeps you up at night), but no clue how to turn that idea into a draft?
Sometimes we just need someone with whom to brainstorm. And it helps for that someone to be a dramaturg, someone who can point us towards what our meandering thoughts must eventually become: a play.
Early brainstorming periods are, for me, some of the most thrilling. I’d be so happy to join you at the beginning of your ride.
The brainstorming session is up to 1.5 hours.
Cost: $100 US
"I retained Steven to dramaturge two short plays I had in development. He read them more than once, carefully and insightfully, and in two separate 90-minute sessions with me, offered his critique, both in big picture and small picture terms. I could not have been happier with the results. With tact and sensitivity, he identified those elements of the plays that were missing or needed refinement or could be improved. In short, he delivered precisely what I was seeking, a thoughtful, professional and constructive reading. I have no reservations in rcommending him to other dramatists, aspiring or otherwise.
— Michael Posner, Journalist, Biographer, and Playwright (Dead of Winter)
Continuous Offering: Coaching
This offering is for playwrights looking to forge a consistent, successful practice, one that becomes the foundation for not just one play, but a lifetime of plays.
I am a firm believer that there is “no right way to do it.” There are an infinite variety of ways to write and to approach writing. That said, sometimes finding your ways of writing (and writing productively, and joyfully) can be easier with an outside, seasoned guide to help you find your way.
This offering is customizable, but the intention is that we will meet regularly (once each week, once every other week, etc.) for up to 1.5 hours at a time. Ahead of each meeting, send me any new pages, or ideas, or found text you’d like to discuss. Week by week, session by session, we’ll work together to hone your writing and your practice.
Each session is up to 1.5 hours.
Cost: $100 US/session
Alternate Offerings: For Directors and Actors
Are you a director or actor looking for an outside perspective on a script you’ve been investigating? If so, I’m more than happy to offer script analysis for artists of all kinds, not just playwrights!
Let’s have a quick phone call to discuss what our time together might look like.