Genres: Drama and Comedy for Stage
What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?
The most rewarding moment I’ve experienced as a playwright was the first time I sat in an audience and watched a cast and crew perform my work on stage. I still get a very big thrill when I have the opportunity to see my work performed.
What kind of research goes into writing your novels and how much time does it take?
I write stage plays rather than novels (so far) and a fair amount of research goes into most. Moreso for period pieces and/or when settings are outside of my personal experience.
If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?
Read often and write every day.
What have been some of the biggest helps for developing your writing skills? Written resources, classes or conferences, fellow writers you’ve learned from or have mentored you, other?
Pressure cooker writing experiences. I often work with a theatre group in Houston that frequently produces an evening of short comedy plays (complete works, not sketch comedy) and all ticket sales go to charity. On Friday night, eight selected playwrights are randomly assigned parameters (line of dialogue etc…), a genre, and actors. Playwrights have twelve hours to write a complete ten-minute play. Saturday morning playwrights turn in the play and briefly pow wow with their randomly assigned director. Directors and actors rehearse, costume, prop, and block the plays. They’re off-book for two performances that evening. The shows are always amazing. The pressure of having to write a complete work in twelve hours is a fantastic push for me. I’m better with a deadline!
What made you consider writing in the first place?
I’ve always enjoyed writing, even as a kid, but never considered writing for the stage. When one of my children became involved in community theatre, I started stage managing, etc. and kept finding myself critical (internally) of aspects of a play we were producing. Could I do a better job? I decided I’d give writing for the stage a go. I experienced lots of support and some success, but most of all I enjoyed it, so I kept going.
What is your goal/dream as an author?
My dream as a playwright is publication so that there is a chance of production when I’m no longer here to promote my own work. My dream as an author is to write my first novel.
AWARDS:
Winner, National Scriptwriting Contest, Theatre Suburbia, 2014
Winner, Best Use of Genre, Cone Man Running, 2017
Winner, National Playwriting Contest, Theatre Suburbia, 2017
Winner, Best Script, Cone Man Running Productions, 2018
BIOGRAPHY:
Kris Thompson joined the playwriting community in 2014 but admits to a life-long love affair with writing. She has enjoyed full length, one act, and monologue production by theatres and groups such as Theatre Suburbia, McKinney Repertory Theatre, Theatre of Owensboro, Cone Man Running, Vox Feminina, Scriptwriters/Houston, Not Toronto Players, Boiling Point Players, The Beacon Theatre, Baytown Little Theatre, City Theatre, Gillette Community Theatre, M.T. Pockets Theatre, Northfield Mount Hermon School, Little Wonder Radio Plays, Zodiac Playhouse, Brave New World Repertory Theatre, The University of Central Missouri, Iowa State University Theatre, and Way Off Broadway Community Players. Kris is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the National New Play Network.
Websites:
http://kristhompsonplaywright.com/
https://newplayexchange.org/users/13186/kris-thompson
https://www.dramatistsguild.com/members/kristhompson
Social media:
https://www.facebook.com/kris.g.thompson
San Gabriel Writers' League 