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Becoming a Playwright

There is a small community theater here in New Port Richey, Florida. It happens to be celebrating its 100th birthday this year, 2026.

A young woman named Daisy Thomas spoke at my Rotary Club, providing information about the Richey Suncoast Theater. She noticed that I was an author from my name tag, and suggested that I look into the Playwright Workshop lead by director Robert Grogan.

I felt it was time to try something different. So, I checked it out. The program is comprised of Robert, the director, want-to-be playwrights, and actors.

Following some initial training, I began to create my first play, based on my novel I Am Everett. I quickly learned that writing a play is very different than writing a novel. My first few attempts were woefully wanting.

I decided to team up with an actor friend, Mark Mainardi. We've been working on developing this play since January. I'm beginning to understand the basics and feel like we're making progress.

Will this play ever see the light of day on a stage? I don't know, but I suppose one never knows.

(By the way, that piano in the picture is Everett. He lives in the piano room of my house.)

EXCERPT

Everett

Act I, Scene i

PLACE: West Central Florida. A parlor with two sets of French doors center upstage, revealing a pillared lanai and a pool with a small waterfall outside. Lush, wooded area in the background. A black grand piano stands center stage.

There is a door SR. A desk and chair are located Downstage near this door. There is another door SL.

TIME: Mid-morning, early Summer.

AT RISE: Jerry enters SR. He walks around the piano, inspecting it. He folds the front lid back and opens the main lid using the long prop. He backs away, stands with arms akimbo, admiring his new acquisition.

JERRY

(Jerry pulls out his cell phone and places a call.)

Hi Steven. It’s here – the old Everett I just bought. Yeah, it looks great. Could you come over and take a look at it? Great. Thanks.

(Jerry sits on the piano bench and plays a tune. He stops mid-tune and puts both hands on the piano above the keyboard, nodding with satisfaction.)

Wow!

EVERETT

I love the way you play. It helps make me feel alive again.

JERRY

(Jerry flinches with surprise and looks around, trying to determine who spoke.)

Hello? Who’s that?

EVERETT

It’s me, the piano. I didn’t mean to startle you.

JERRY

(Jerry gives the piano a confused look.)

What?

EVERETT

I am Everett, this piano. I said that I love the way you play. It tells me that you love the music.

JERRY

(Jerry looks under the piano, then inside the piano.)

Is this some kind of joke?

EVERETT

No. It really is me. My name is Everett. May I have the pleasure of your name?

JERRY

(Jerry gets up and paces.)

Pianos can’t talk.

EVERETT

Yes, that’s true, but I’m not just a piano. I am Everett.

Random Updates

April 2026 - I will miss the workshops this month. I have three book shows this month and two of them fall on the second and fourth Saturdays. Those are the two days a month that we meet. I will continue to work on the play, and I plan to ask Mark to review and critique them.