Registration opens:
September 20th, 2025

Playwriting with Mark Smith *

True Lit 2025

As a playwright, your most important tool is words.

You build a character with not only what they say and how they say it, but by what they want and what they do to get it. You begin by creating a world in which the characters function. And then you have to think about some important basics: how do you start the scene, how do you keep the dramatic tension going, and how do you arrive at a satisfying ending?

This workshop is an exploration of playwriting and its basic fundamentals. Where do you get an idea for a play? We all have ideas buzzing in our heads and this workshop will help you get those ideas on the page to tell a story. The workshop includes writing exercises and play discussions as well. The core focus of the workshop is on developing your voice as a writer. Each participant will write a short piece to share their voice!

Mark Landon Smith is a Playwright, Producer, Actor, Casting Director and Theatre Executive. As Playwright he has 17 published scripts which are produced around the world and include three foreign translations/publications, an Off-Broadway production and an AATE Distinguished Play Nominee. As Producer he has produced stage productions, feature films and shorts including the short film "Love Comes In Many Flavors", winner of the Bentonville Film Festival 10 for 10, and produced and co-produced the films "Parker's Anchor" (winner of the 2017 Bentonville Film Festival)“The Man in the Trunk”, “Door in the Woods” and the multi-award winning micro short film “Sad Psycho”. He also received the 2020 Arkansas Governor's Arts Award and was featured at the Southern Storytellers event sponsored by Arkansas PBS and featured on an episode of Arkansas PBS Celebrating Holidays series. He is the Executive Director of Arts Live Theatre and host of the podcast series "Chit Chat Talk" and co-founder of Phunbags Comedy Improv and the Screenplay Development Group. As actor he has appeared with TheatreSquared and in several feature films including "Mindcage", “Trail of Vengeance” and "Killers of the Flower Moon". He has also cast several feature films and commercials.

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