The Power of One: The Solo Play for Playwrights, Actors, and Directors

The one-person play has a long and distinguished history, as well as being (a) one of the most economical forms of theatre and (b) a wonderful showcase for an actor, a playwright, and a director--especially when all three are the same person! Dean of American playwriting texts, Louis Catron offers an outstanding guide for playwrights, actors, and directors who are interested in working in this form. He demonstrates techniques of writing, acting, and directing that encourage the reader to create a personal theatrical experience, whether a full-length play or one as short as a one-act. Among the special qualities in the book are: discussions and illustrations of the actor/playwright collaboration; important and helpful tips for solo play actors, directors, and playwrights; and numerous examples of actual solo play scripts. The Power of One includes examples of actors who have written and performed their own one-person plays and carved out rewarding professional careers for themselves. Catron provides illustrations of those who have found the monodrama a remarkably gratifying experience--people like Patrick Stewart, Anna Deavere Smith, Lily Tomlin, Hal Holbrook, Jane Martin, and many more. Also in this book is a historical overview of the solo play that illustrates its long and distinguished history, material not found in other theatrical texts.

Also by Louis Catron and available from Waveland Press: The Director's Vision: Play Direction from Analysis to Production, (ISBN 9781577666769); The Elements of Playwriting (ISBN 9781577662273); and Playwriting: Writing, Producing, and Selling Your Play (ISBN 9781577665644).

Titles of related interest also available from Waveland Press: Crawford et al., Acting in Person and in Style, Fifth Edition (ISBN 9781577666646); Dean-Carra, Fundamentals of Play Directing, Fifth Edition (ISBN 9781577666486); and Patterson, Stage Directing: The First Experiences, 2E (ISBN 9781478615408).