Playwriting for Children’s Theater
A course by Piers Torday, Children's Author and Playwright
Bring your ideas to life on stage by learning how to write plays for children and families, from the initial idea to opening night
The thrill of watching a story unfold live in the theater creates lasting memories for adults and children alike. These magic moments are what children's author and playwright Piers Torday aims to capture in his work. He’s written multiple novels, including The Last Wild Trilogy, and sell-out theater adaptations such as The Box of Delights and Christmas Carol.
In this online course, Piers teaches you how to write plays for children and families, from the initial idea to opening night. Learn how to bring your story to life on stage by composing a script and preparing it for live performance, as well as how to pitch and promote your play idea. Tell heart-warming tales and put on a show your audience will never forget.
If you’re also interested in writing books for young readers, Piers shows you how in his first course Introduction to Writing a Children’s Fantasy Novel
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 24 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know Piers Torday and his journey through the world of words, from writing children’s books to plays. Discover some of the other authors and playwrights who inspired him to become a storyteller.
Take a front-row seat and explore the history of family theater. See what it takes to put on a live show, along with the challenges and creative opportunities involved, whether it’s your own story or an adaptation.
Next, Piers introduces you to the key components of a play, starting with the structure. Learn to develop the conflict, time, and place, as well as how to create compelling characters and engaging dialogue.
Once you’ve written your draft, it's time to bring it to the stage. Piers takes you through the preparation process for a live performance, from script workshops to casting, rehearsals, and previews.
In the final act, discover how to maximize your strengths as a writer beyond the manuscript. Learn to pitch your play idea and, once produced, promote the live show to make it a hit.
- 100% positive reviews (21)
- 1,356 students
- 16 lessons (2h 44m)
- 24 additional resources (4 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Write the first scene of a play or stage production aimed at children and families.
Who is this online course for?
Both aspiring and experienced writers, as well as anyone who wants to learn how to tell family-oriented stories on stage.
Requirements and materials
Basic notions of writing and live theater are required.
As for materials, you need a pen and paper, or a word processor.
Reviews
Piers Torday
A course by Piers Torday
Piers Torday is an author, playwright, and educator from Northumberland, England. As a children’s author, he is dedicated to harnessing the power of imagination through creative writing. The art of writing has always been present in Piers' life: He wrote his first cartoon at age seven, which was about a superhero called Super Sid, and won a competition in a local newspaper. His father, the late Paul Torday, is the author of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, which was later adapted into a film.
For Piers, writing children’s novels is a way to engage young readers, inspire them to ask big questions, and shape the minds of tomorrow. His most notable work includes The Lost Magician, The Frozen Sea, The Last Wild Trilogy, and There May Be a Castle. Piers also received the Guardian Award for Children’s Fiction in 2014. In a review for the trilogy, The Times states that Piers is “the new master of books for children.”
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Welcome to Theatreland
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It’s Showtime!
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Preparing a Live Performance
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Adaptations
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U3
Putting on a Show
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Creating Conflict
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Characters: The Art of Change
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Establishing Some Rules
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Time and Place
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Dramatic Dialogue
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U4
Bringing Your Story to Life
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From Draft to Production 1
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From Draft to Production 2
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Rehearsals
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Previews
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U5
The Pitch
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Getting Your Work Commissioned
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How to Market Live Shows
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FP
Final project
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Playwriting for Children’s Theater
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
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Get front-row seats
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
This course is designed for those with some experience in theatre or creative writing, but motivated beginners interested in adapting stories for stage or writing for young audiences will also benefit.
You should have basic storytelling or theatre knowledge. Familiarity with dramatic writing, literature, or live performance is helpful, but not strictly required.
You’ll learn techniques for adapting books and films for the stage, crafting scripts for young audiences, collaborative theatre-making, creating dramatic tension, and using special effects, puppetry, and staging to bring stories to life.
Yes, the course focuses on writing and adapting stories for young and intergenerational audiences, including content selection, structuring scenes, and engaging children through dramatic storytelling.
Yes, you’ll discover creative solutions for staging magical effects, using puppetry, special effects, and inventive scene design to adapt fantastical elements for live performance.
The course explores collaborative methods like devised theatre, script workshops, and integrating actor feedback, equipping you to work effectively within creative teams.
Yes, you’ll learn the basics of securing adaptation and performance rights when working with existing novels, fairy tales, or films for stage productions.
Units 2 and 3 are the best for content related to playwriting techniques. I wish they were even more detailed, and the entire course was focused on those.
This was a fantastic course so comprehensive. Both inspiring and pragmatic! I especially appreciated seeing the live walk through with actors. Thank you!
Piers es un excelente docente! Sus clases y enseñanzas son motivadoras. Muy recomendable!
Me gusta mucho el curso, es muy práctico y entretenido. Lo único es que me gustaría escucharlo doblado en español.
Maravilloso curso. Lo veo cada vez que me siento perdida a la hora de empezar a escribir una nueva obra de teatro.