crystal skillman
Courses Taught:
PLAYS IN PROGRESS Mentor
“One of the hardest things for a playwright, no matter what their accomplishments, can be to really conquer structure. Inspired by my own production experiences as a dramatist who also is a book-writer for musicals, and a comic book-writer, I love helping imaginative playwrights in that painful act of pulling off the band-aid of creating a game plan for the new theatrical work you’re creating. Using techniques from TV, comic book, and musical theater writing, I like to lead writers through several creative methods of plotting to see what works for you. I believe great dialogue comes from great action, and intention in a writer’s craft. I love helping writers find that balance between keeping their voice and developing their craft to be even stronger. The dramaturgical ‘ ricks’, and insight that I share, is always with one goal in mind: to make sure the playwright I am working with is able to understand these devices so they be their own dramaturg in the future. This will allow the writer to be able to be to listen to feedback, but always be in the driver’s seat as they make the strong choices necessary to create the play they want to create. I would be a great fit for those whose work must be a play, is theatrical and/or uses genre, and whose work speaks to today.”
Interests: strong dramaturg, timely, theatrical, structure, unique voice, modern, darkly funny, plays and musicals, comic books
CRYSTAL SKILLMAN’s plays include Geek, Cut, King Kirby, Pulp Vérité, and Rain and Zoe Save the World, just announced as the winning script for the 2018 Earth Matters On Stage (EMOS) New Play Competition. She also is the recipient of an NY Innovative Theater Award, and her work is a three times NY Times Critics Pick. Crystal is also the musical theater book-writer of Mary and Max, just announced for Theatre Calgary’s fall 2018 season, as well as Postcard American Town (composer/lyricist Lynne Shankel), both with director Stafford Arima. Her work in comic books and TV includes writing for “Adventure Time”, and the original upcoming comic book Eat Fighter, written with her husband Fred Van Lente. Together they also penned the play King Kirby. Their pilot Paper Heroes was named one of the top three pilots by in the Break Break contest and one of the top fifty in the Launchpad Pilots competition. Crystal teaches Playwriting at Pace University and at ESPA/Primary Stages. Crystal is represented by UTA.