Rachel uses playwriting in the classroom to help students understand literary terms firsthand. While getting the students to write, the residency also helps students understand script analysis, pace, and dialogue. In addition to helping students become comfortable with literary terms, the residency provides skills that extend to essay writing and in-depth analysis of texts.
Rachel Washington received her MFA in Playwriting from the University of Arkansas. She has taught with Trike Theatre, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and University of Arkansas. She received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where she majored in Theatre and Gender Studies. Her recent credits include producing the Undergraduate Playwriting Project (Arkansas Theatre Collective) and becoming a finalist for KC/ACTF Region VI Rosa Parks Award, Latinodad, and the Paula Vogel Award for her play Give Me Shelter, También. Her thesis play Kill/Shot received a workshop production through the University of Arkansas in March 2015. She will be teaching as an adjunct professor at Northwest Arkansas Community College and is the artistic director of the Arkansas Theatre Collective.
- Preferred Age Level
- Middle/Junior High; Senior High
- Geographic Availability
- statewide
- Time Availability
- December 18-January 18; May 10 - August 21; Will need advance notice during Fall and Spring.
- Special Needs
- I will need either a projector or white erase board. Students will need pencils and lots of paper to write. Depending on the lesson plan, students may need access to a computer lab.
- Specialty
- playwriting