How To Type A Play Professionally


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Starting a New Scene or New Act

I begin new acts and new scenes on new pages. At the top, in the center, I type ACT I or Scene 2 or whatever, double space, then begin. I include the title of the play only on the first page of dialogue, since it is repeated with the page numbering on all subsequent pages.

MY WONDERFUL PLAY
ACT I
Scene 1
or
ACT II
Scene 3

The Cast List

At the top of the page following the title page, I center and underline CAST OF CHARACTERS, in all caps. The next line, centered, is "(In order of appearance)," which is the usual way a cast is introduced. After a double space, I start with the characters, their names in all caps, a dot leader tab (if possible) about halfway across the page, then the brief description. I usually tell the gender, age, and a few short characteristics of the person - not the character's entire history. That's what the play is for.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
(In order of appearance)

HAMLET................................Prince of Denmark, 24 years old,
                                              insecure, yet determined.
MACBETH.............................King of Scotland, 35 years old,
                                              power-hungry, but a bully.

The Time and Setting

Brief descriptions, with the titles centered and in all caps are all that are necessary for this information.

TIME
The time is a spring morning in 1968.

SETTING
The action takes place in the living room and garage of MACBETH's posh suburban home near Madison, Wisconsin.

The Acts and Scenes

Again, brief descriptions are sufficient.

ACT I           MACBETH's living room, 9:30 a.m.

ACT II
    Scene 1   MACBETH's garage, that afternoon.
    Scene 2   MACBETH's living room, that evening

Page Numbering

The title page has no page number. I number the Cast, Time, Setting, and Acts and Scenes pages at the bottom, centered, using lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). Usually, they all fit on a single page, separated by triple spacing.

The first page of dialogue I don't number, but I start on the second page and every page thereafter, using a header. On the first line is the name of the play in all caps. If the play is a one-act, I following the play name with a hyphen and page number.

MY WONDERFUL PLAY - 2

If the play has multiple acts, I put the act and page number on the next line under the play name.

MY WONDERFUL PLAY
I - 2

Only acts require any change in numbering; not scenes. While I'm drafting, I restart the numbering on the first page of ACT II (and ACT

The copyright of the article How To Type A Play Professionally in Playwriting is owned by Dave Brandl. Permission to republish How To Type A Play Professionally in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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