Dwayne Craft at Bob Jones now a published playwright
Dwayne Craft, drama teacher at Bob Jones High School, has had five of his plays published. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – B. Dwayne Craft has added another word to his resume … “published.”
Craft, drama teacher at Bob Jones High School, will have two plays published by Brooklyn Publishing in 60,000 catalogues this fall and three plays by Dramatic Publishing in 2015.
His motivation to write plays stemmed from a lack of scripts that challenged his students. “These are extremely smart kids. Right now in high schools, there are very few scripts with large casts that aren’t silly, trite or just plain bad,” Craft said.
A playwright who produces his or her own play can collaborate with actors and strengthen the script, he said.
His “Ridiculosis by Proxy,” an absurdist play, is a “manic romp through the hysteria surrounding a new disease,” he said. “Lies About High School” is a “comedic take on the first days of high school as remembered by seniors.”
“The Drowsy Professor” satirically looks at our culture’s viewpoints on scientific discoveries. Another satire, “The Perfect Ending” humorously remembers “1950s’ culture mixed with end-of-the-world hysteria,” Craft said.
Craft’s “The Last Illusion” blends magical realism and drama to examine Harry Houdini’s last days.
Four of his plays received “Best of Show” at the state-level Trumbauer Drama Festival. “The Drowsy Professor, “The Perfect Ending” and “The Last Illusion” represented Alabama at Southeastern Theatre Conference; ‘Drowsy’ was runner-up to SETC’s best show.
Playwriting’s major disappointment involves writing a scene, re-reading it and realizing “it just doesn’t work,” Craft said. “The real work … happens in editing and ‘workshopping.’ Scripts don’t breath until an actor has brutalized it a little bit.”
A Madisonian for 35 years, Craft has taught at Bob Jones for 21 years.
Craft earned a bachelor’s degree at Athens State University and master’s degrees at Florida State University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
His wife Katelyn teaches art at Creekside Elementary School. Their daughter Kennedy is 3.5 years old. They’re expecting son Barrett Daniel any day now.
To give script feedback, email to bdwaynecraftplaywright@gmail.com. For publisher information, visit brookpub.com or dramaticpublishing.com.
