Spring 2026
Playwriting: Writing Your Truth
Dates: January 26, 2026 - May 06, 2026Day/Time: Monday; Wednesday 10:05 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
Level: 200-Level
Certificate: Global Humanities
Instructor: Aimée Michel, Simon's Rock at Bard College
Most writers will tell you that in order to write, you must read…and what you read should be the best. I will add that what you read should also be diverse, in cultural and historical perspective, in style, and in origin. Dramatic writing is meant to be performed, authentically, in front of a live audience. It is visceral, immediate and speaks human truths powerfully. Over the course of the semester we will be reading plays as well as working on our own playwriting. As we read drama from around the world, spanning over a century, we will study how other dramatists have constructed their plays and solved problems that present themselves to the playwright. We will discuss these plays each week. We will also be writing our own scenes in response to weekly writing prompts. Each week students will bring in original writing and together we will read it aloud. We will then respond as a group to the writer with constructive feedback. It is my hope that, inspired by the plays we are reading together and each others’ courage, students will begin to hone their authentic dramatic voices and write their own truths.
Credits: 3 US / 6 ECTS