Discover The Diogenes Hotel by Nic Medaris

Why I chose to write a play and the process.

I’m so glad you’ve arrived. This Play has truly been a passion project for me. As an actor, I have had the pleasure of reading many scripts and getting to meet different playwrights. I've always been inspired and wondered what the process of writing a play would be like. So when the opportunity provided itself with the Capstone course I decided there was no better time to try. My research began in the only way I knew, researching the most famous entertainment in the genre. Over the course of 3 weeks, I enjoyed 8 full-length plays, 3 murder mystery novels, and 3 films in the genre. A few of these works included films by Alfred Hitchcock, Novels and Plays by Agatha Christie, Ryan Johnson's Knives Out, and a more recent classic novel The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Through my research, I learned about the different ways a mystery can develop, the effect when a murder occurs in a different place in the plot (near the beginning, middle, end, etc.), the different types of killers, the group solving the murder, and so on. After extensive research, I was ready to begin the process of writing but realized as it was my first time I could use some help. So I got in contact with my current theatre teacher and director, Siouxsie Easter, who has a background and has taught courses in playwriting. She gave me the direction to start with a "brain dump" and write whatever comes to mind and see where the plot takes me. After I finished the preliminary writing, the rough draft, she told me to wheedle out what doesn't and begin working on the second draft. In addition to her feedback and direction, Mrs. Easter got me in contact with Alex Riad, a playwright, and educator who has a master's from Juilliard in playwriting. With the assistance of these two, the show is now on its second major draft. As writing is a very long and complicated process the show is not finished. Even though the course may be over I plan to continue the writing process and working with Mrs. Easter and Mr. Riad on this show and hope to one day get the show published! I hope you enjoy the current status of the play as much as I have enjoyed working on it!