Bitesize Playwrighting is a new initiative and competition for schools from touring theatre company Tamasha, intended to support secondary school Drama teachers continue to teach their subject during the coronavirus lockdown. As a physical art form, many Drama teachers are struggling to teach their subject remotely, but there is one part of the theatre-making process which can continue while we are all isolated, and that is playwrighting.
In our series of short videos, each no longer than 5 minutes,  artistic director, playwright Fin Kennedy, and members of the Tamasha Playwrights group walk students through the playwrighting process step-by-step. Each clip introduces a different element of drama, from creating believable Characters, to the Inciting Incident which brings them together, to writing realistic Dialogue, considering the scene’s Location, and structuring a simple Plot. Each video is constructed around a practical exercise for students to complete, all intended to build up everything they need to write their own 5-minute scene for two Characters.

The videos below are numbered and arranged in order as a Scheme of Work for students to complete, with flexibility for teachers to use them in whatever way is most helpful, across days, weeks, or even a whole term. The videos are also accompanied by a suite of downloadable written playwrighting resources, including worksheets for students to complete offline.

All the Bitesize Playwrighting films are free, thanks to generous support from the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Garfield Weston Foundations, and will remain online permanently for teachers to use in years to come.

http://www.tamasha.org.uk/education/bitesize-playwrighting/

To motivate students Tamasha are also holding a competition.

They’re inviting all students who complete the course and write a 5-minute scene to send it to us for a 30th September 2020 deadline. All plays we receive will get some tailored notes from one of the Tamasha Playwrights group, and some will be offered some one-to-one mentoring and an invitation to complete a final draft for publication. They’ll compile the winning entries into a digital volume celebrating young people’s playwrighting, and make it available to all participating schools and for free download on our website.

To take part, please email aitor@tamasha.org.uk to register your school