The Blue Hill Public Library and ISLE Theater Company are cosponsoring a program on character writing with Playwright Eliya Smith on Thursday, July 25 at 7PM in the library's Howard Room.

How do writers create unforgettable characters? What traits do theater’s most indelible characters share? What distinguishes a character that bores an audience to tears from a character whose success makes us cheer?

Character is the cornerstone of dramatic writing. We care about plays because we care about the people who populate them. Dramatize a character compellingly, and the rest of the story falls into place. Fail to bring a character to life, and the play is dead in the water. 

In this workshop with playwright Eliya Smith, we’ll discuss techniques for developing good characters, and then incorporate those ideas into our own writing. We’ll begin by studying excerpts from great plays, identifying techniques for humanizing or complicating characters. Then, we’ll conduct a short scene analysis, dissecting a dramatic interaction that pits characters’ objectives against each other, and sharpens character through action. Finally, we’ll perform a guided writing exercise. Participants will leave the course having created a short scene or monologue that can serve as the foundation to a longer piece of writing.

This program is free and produced in collaboration with ISLE Theater Company. For more information, please email Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or call the library at 374-5515.