Introduction to Playwriting Course
Taught by Professional Playwright, Laura Wheatman Hill
- June 26 – August 28, 2025
- 10-week online course
- Meets each Thursday for two hours
About Laura Wheatman Hill
Laura Wheatman Hill (she/her) earned her BA in Theatre (directing) and English as well as her MAT from Willamette University. She teaches theatre, writing, and English to students of all ages in public and private schools as well as for theatre companies and as an individual acting coach and humanities tutor. She has worked with Oregon Episcopal School, Temple University, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Northwest Children’s Theatre, Willamette University, and others.
Her play, Tips for Raising My Daughter, was part of Theatre 33’s 2020 season and was a finalist for Portland Civic Theatre Guild’s New Play Award. She is a resident artist at Theatre 33 and has served as their dramaturg for the last three years, working with playwrights such as award-winners Yussef El Guindi and Sara Jean Accuardi as part of the company’s new play development workshop. Additionally, she teaches a scholarship-based outreach program through Willamette University/Theatre 33, which includes a ten-week playwriting class for high schoolers throughout Oregon. This year marks her fourth as co-writer for the Tails of Terror Live Show, a storytelling and music event.
Laura writes cultural criticism for numerous publications including The Daily Beast, Slate, Business Insider, and others. Laura lives in Portland with her two children and two dogs. You can read her work at https://www.laurawheatmanhill.com/ and on New Play Exchange. She is a member of Dramatists Guild and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.
Course Description
In this ten-week course, we will read plays together, and learn and practice the fundamentals of playwriting. A dynamic series of writing exercises and inspirational assignments will help young writers learn the very specific art of writing for the stage — plot, character, language, and spectacle — we'll explore what makes this art form unique. The course will culminate in a reading of student work by actors from the Willamette University Theatre Department.