Associate Professor of Theatre W. Langdon Brown will lead a workshop in adaptation of literary works for stage and screen during the fall 2004 semester. The workshop will be a collaborative, hands-on experience for writers who have specific interest in writing plays and screenplays. Prior experience is desirable but not required. Participants will pursue a variety of exercises designed to hone analytic skills, scenario plotting, cultural transposition, and calculation of audience psychology. Participants will write adaptations and respond to the adaptations of other participants. Course work will also focus on the work of several writers who will be visiting the Institute during the fall semester who have adapted their work for stage or screen, including Peter Sheridan, Neil LaBute, Jessica Hagedorn, and Roddy Doyle.

This workshop is scheduled for twelve Monday evenings, (September 20 � December 6) from 6 to 9:00 p.m. The class will be held on the University at Albany uptown campus. The workshop is offered for both University at Albany undergraduate credit and non-credit and will be limited to twelve writers. To be considered, submit writing samples to the Writers Institute according to the guidelines listed below. Due to the volume of manuscripts received from previous workshops, we must insist that you follow the guidelines exactly.

Guidelines for Workshop

1. All manuscripts must be typewritten or printed from a computer, and double-spaced (for fiction) or properly formatted (for dramatic writing).
2. Submit no more than 15 pages of dramatic writing (screenplays, plays, dramatic monologues, teleplays, etc.) or fiction that has been written recently. The submission may be a combination of genres, and it should certainly be representative of your work. Please include a brief, unsigned letter of interest.
3. All submissions must include one separate cover sheet with name, address, work and home telephone numbers, and the title(s) of the piece(s). University at Albany students must indicate their class year and major on the cover sheet. Do not put your name on any other pages of your submission.
4. Be sure to keep a copy of your work, as your manuscript will not be returned to you.
5. University at Albany students may enroll in the class as ATHR300 by permission of the instructor. Admission to the workshop will be granted by the submission process listed in these guidelines.
6. Manuscripts delivered in person will be accepted up until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 30. Mailed manuscripts must be postmarked not later than Wednesday, August 25, 2004. Faxes or e-mails will not be accepted.
7. Notification of acceptance will be by Thursday, September 9th. Please do not call regarding the status of your manuscript. We regret that neither Dr. Brown nor the Institute can comment on manuscripts by writers not selected.
8. Mail manuscripts to:

Brown Adaptation Workshop
NYS Writers Institute
New Library 320
University at Albany, SUNY
Albany, NY 12222