A black box can be transformed into a witch’s grotto, a bloodied basement, even the vast vacuum of space, but because of the budgetary and spatial limitations many theaters face when mounting play festivals, there’s a sense among some that the stage is not well suited to telling stories in the speculative genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. The reality is that this cannot be further from the truth; playwriting as a medium has never been limited to realism, and indeed, the very essence of what makes a play ‘theatrical’ often arises from playwrights’ attempts to realize characters, worlds, and plots that are ‘larger than life.’ Over three weeks of table readings, craft discussions, and generative writing exercises, The Weird, Wild, and Wonderful participants will broaden their theatrical imagination and get a stronger sense of what is possible within speculative scripts, both for physical stages and radio outlets. Although the class will not have a formal workshop component, participants will be given space to work on scripts during and between class meetings, as well as opportunities to share excerpts from pieces in progress.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: Optional
• Workshopping Drafts: None
Sam Heyman (he/they) is a gay, non-binary playwright, fiction writer, and educator based in Nashville, TN. A graduate of Denison University and a long-time member of The Porch, Sam has written, taught, performed, learned, and lived in the Nashville area for much of his life. Their prose has been published in Hashtag Queer, Typehouse Literary Magazine, and Ordinary Space, and their plays have been presented and produced on physical and virtual stages across the country, including the podcasts Theatrical Shenanigans, Gather by the Ghost Light, and Broken Arts Entertainment, the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival in 2024 and Atlanta Jewish Artists' Chametz-Off in 2025. Sam’s plays have been developed with support from the Sewanee Writers Conference, the Lambda Literary Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, the Valdez Theatre Conference, the Desert Playwrights Retreat, and the Midwest Dramatists Conference, among other organizations. Sam is passionate about new play development, adapting his own fiction for the stage, and experimenting with form in whatever way he can. Currently, Sam serves as the producer of the monthly virtual Playwrights Thriving Reading Series and facilitates play readings for friends and colleagues as he is able.
"I went from knowing almost nothing about playwriting to feeling capable of actually creating something cool. Thanks, Sam!"
"Sam taught an excellent class. I liked the blend of instruction and practical exercises. More playwright content, please!"
"This was a great class that felt very accessible as someone just entering this specific sphere of playwriting, but also back into creative writing in general after years out. Sam delivered good examples of the subject matter and breakdowns that gave thought and insight."
