People's attention spans are shrinking. William Shakespeare wrote plays in five acts. Henrik Ibsen wrote plays in three acts. Most modern plays are performed with just one intermission or sometimes no intermission at all. There are, of course, many great scripts that are classified as one acts not meant to be a full evening's entertainment. … Continue reading Have a minute? Read a Play!
Theatre
BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS opens in two days on August 1
Dropping a quick note about the opening weekend of my play BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS on Friday, August 1 at the Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Carolina. I will be pretty busy the next several days so will pop back in after the weekend. Meanwhile I have scheduled a couple of unrelated posts to keep … Continue reading BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS opens in two days on August 1
One week from opening and Parkway Playhouse has Released Cast interviews on their Blog
My excitement grows as the opening of my play BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS will open one week from tonight at the Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Caroline. The theatre has recently published interviews with all of the cast members as well as the director, the fight choreographer, and intimacy choreographer. (Yes, there is both fighting … Continue reading One week from opening and Parkway Playhouse has Released Cast interviews on their Blog
“Happy Birthday Leonard” can now be found in a new anthology
Way back in June 2022 I attended a production of my short play HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEONARD at the Seventeenth Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival by Theatre Odyssey in Sarasota, Florida. It was directed by Amanda Schlachter and featuring Jenny Aldrich Walker and Julee Breehne. It is one of my most produced scripts and I have seen … Continue reading “Happy Birthday Leonard” can now be found in a new anthology
An article about the production of my play BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS
I found an article in advance of the production of my play at the Parkway Playhouse coming in August. I've included a link to here if you are interested in reading it and forwarding it to anyone in North Carolina who may wish to see it... https://www.ourlocalcommunityonline.com/2025/07/07/history-comes-alive-at-the-parkway-playhouse
Bloodletting In these Hills has started rehearsals
In September 2024 my script BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS won the Appalachian Playwriting Festival at the Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Carolina. Part of that prize included a production in their 2025 summer season. It is scheduled to be mounted on August 1-3 and 8-10. I've had the pleasure to speaking with the director Elizabeth … Continue reading Bloodletting In these Hills has started rehearsals
First Prize for my New One-Act Play
In the last few months I complete a new one-act play titled "Father is Back in Town." Anytime I complete a new script it can take time for me to pass it around to friends to read and comment on and then it can take months for perspective theaters to read it, consider it and … Continue reading First Prize for my New One-Act Play
In Memoriam – Gene Hackman
We recently lost a very talented and versatile actor who was one of my favorites - the brilliant Gene Hackman. The mysterious macabre details surrounding his passing at age 95 has created an unfortunate distraction from his career achievements. You can find his extensive filmography in the mainstream media obituaries that I will not try … Continue reading In Memoriam – Gene Hackman
Throwback Thursday – Ancient Acting
For no particular reason I am resurrecting a memory from very long ago, way back in my high school days. It was there I contracted the Theater Bug which infests me to this very day. From acting to theater management to playwriting, it consumes me still. Back in Cooper City High School in Florida, circa … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – Ancient Acting
A Throwback Thursday In Memoriam – The Amazing Kreskin
I am a faithful reader of the New York Times Obituary column, because they provide a concise historical insight to a person of consequence. Usually a great read. And sometimes I discover more about someone that had an impact on my life or I met on my travels. I try to note those in my … Continue reading A Throwback Thursday In Memoriam – The Amazing Kreskin
‘SPY BIRDS’ is a finalist
I wrote SPY BIRDS earlier this year as a tongue in cheek modern spy tale of international intrigue and double crossing secret agents. The ten-minute play has two male and one female roles. SHORT+SWEET is an international group of short works festivals that spans several continents. It specializes in ten-minute plays and short film festivals. … Continue reading ‘SPY BIRDS’ is a finalist
Finally – a word from the mountain
About a week ago I got word that my full length script BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS had won the Appalachian Playwriting Festival at the Parkway Playhouse in the lovely mountain town of Burnsville, North Carolina. I would have loved to linger and breathe the clear, cool mountain air but jumped on my motorcycle to hurry … Continue reading Finally – a word from the mountain
And the winner of the Appalachian Playwriting Festival is … ME!
Pictured from left to right: Bottom row: Director Erika Tyner, Playwright Walter Thinnes; Top row: Addison Amos (stage directions), Tom Harrison (Quinn), Austin Dakota Whitehead (Joshua), Lily Bartleson (Anna), Olivia Woodford (Lillian), Alan Steele (Caleb) The Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Carolina has announced that the winner of their Appalachian Playwriting Festival, based on the … Continue reading And the winner of the Appalachian Playwriting Festival is … ME!
In Memoriam – James Earl Jones
While it is true that people die everyday, it is not everyday that we lose a giant such as James Earl Jones. A great man in size, in voice, in talent, and in our memories. He passed away yesterday at 93 years of age. Of course, I have seen many of his films and reveled … Continue reading In Memoriam – James Earl Jones
Burnsville Bound
In just two short weeks I will find myself among the good people of Burnsville, North Carolina. In this charming mountain town the Parkway Playhouse is presenting the Appalachian Playwriting Festival. My full-length play BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS was selected as one of three scripts to get a reading in the festival. I'm looking forward … Continue reading Burnsville Bound
Are Tonight’s TONY AWARDS Relevant?
Tonight's broadcast of the TONY Awards on CBS and Paramount + are recognized as the ultimate awards for live theater in the country. But they are limited to about a total of about 40 theaters in a narrow strip of land on a narrow island at the center of New York City. When I lived … Continue reading Are Tonight’s TONY AWARDS Relevant?
My play is now a podcast
Some of you may recall a new short play I wrote a few months ago working with the Pulp Stage in Portland, Oregon. They required that I use no stage directions, achieving any information and development entirely through dialogue. Their focus is on supernatural and paranormal topics and have a good team to help develop … Continue reading My play is now a podcast
Special 3 Day Throwback on a 60th Birthday Part 3
Finishing up my three day salute to a fantastic theater I once managed - the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center (currently named the David H. Koch Theater). An astounding and beautiful arts space opened this month in 1964 and shown here through original architectural photography. As it happens it will soon be in … Continue reading Special 3 Day Throwback on a 60th Birthday Part 3
Special 3 Day Throwback on a 60th Birthday Part 2
And now Part 2 of my salute on the 60th birthday of the New York State Theater (renamed David H. Koch Theater) at Lincoln Center that I managed in the early years of this century. Yesterday we saw a couple of early construction photos from 1964. Above is the architectural photo of the finished building … Continue reading Special 3 Day Throwback on a 60th Birthday Part 2
Please tune in this evening to hear a live reading of brand new short plays
A reminder that tonight (Monday, April 1) at 6 PM Pacific/9 PM Eastern, there is a special one time free reading of three brand new short plays that you can visit virtually. One of them is mine. The links: To visit the YouTube feed:www.tinyurl.com/pulptube To visit the Facebook feed:https://fb.me/e/uvzziLVgr About three weeks ago I joined … Continue reading Please tune in this evening to hear a live reading of brand new short plays
Upcoming World Theatre Day Highlights
March 27 is World Theatre Day and as a playwright I have two events in 2024 I am looking forward to. I've featured them on this blog and my playwright website, so a quick reminder. I have written a new short play under the guidance of The Pulp Stage in Portland, Oregon. Written in the … Continue reading Upcoming World Theatre Day Highlights
An Interesting Playwriting Exercise
Recently I was contacted by The Pulp Stage, (www.pulpstage.org) a theatre company based in Portland, Oregon. They had read one of my short plays on The New Play Exchange and wanted to offer me an agreement to write a new short play with them. The pay was only a small royalty, but they would work … Continue reading An Interesting Playwriting Exercise
My script will get a reading in North Carolina in September!
The Parkway Playhouse of Burnsville, North Carolina has selected my script BLOODLETTING IN THESE HILLS to be part of their 2024 Appalachian Playwriting Festival in September. Three scripts will get a staged reading open to the public and one of those will be given a fully staged production in a following season. The Parkway Playhouse … Continue reading My script will get a reading in North Carolina in September!
A “Happy Birthday, Leonard” Update
As I told you recently, my short play "Happy Birthday, Leonard" will receive a performance in central Connecticut on February 17. Just got some updated information and wanted to pass it along. Crappy Valentine's Day After the annual commercial push to buy chocolate and flowers in the name of a long-dead saint, join Theater Makers Lab … Continue reading A “Happy Birthday, Leonard” Update
In Memoriam – Chita Rivera
The Broadway stage lost one of its greatest stars when Chita Rivera passed away at the age of 91. I was very fortunate to see her in a number of classic Broadway productions. The very first Broadway show I ever saw was the original production of the musical "Chicago" back in 1976 which featured Chita Rivera, Gwen … Continue reading In Memoriam – Chita Rivera
Walter Thinnes 
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