Back in the early 2000’s I wrote my first play. It was a comedy of course. And at the time, the great Tony-winning theatre director, Jerry Zaks was out in Los Angeles transitioning into multi-camera sitcom directing. I was teaching him camera blocking (which is like a ballplayer learning how to hit from Bob Uecker).
Anyway, I asked if he would graciously read my play. How great to get feedback from a real theatre professional!
He read it, and we met for breakfast to discuss it. He said he loved the first act – the characters, situation, it was very funny. He was really having a good time with the play and then somewhere in the second act (to use the exact same reference) he said, “It turned into Virginia Woolf. What happened?”
I explained that I was worried that since this was a stage play it would appear I was writing a sitcom unless I included some heavy dramatic passages. In this case I had a couple really throw off the gloves and tear into each other.
Jerry said I should lift out that part completely. It wasn’t necessary. My comedy was about real characters facing problems that were serious to them and that’s all that mattered. Stop trying to be Edward Albee.
It was a relief to rewrite that section more in line with the rest of the piece and I have not fallen into that trap since. That was maybe the best playwrighting advice I ever received. Thank you, Jerry Zaks.
Dramatic scenes need to be organic; they need to be earned. And if a comedy doesn’t warrant that, then don’t shoehorn them in.
But the theatre’s message that comedy can’t be taken seriously even gets into the heads of comedy playwrights. Or at least those starting out. So stand your ground I say! Even though it’s a crazy, almost reckless position, dare to make your comedies funny.
from By Ken Levine
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