University of Virginia Library

Future in Playwriting

There are two things which I
don't want to happen as a result of
this disappointing venture. One, I
don't want Mr. Pilkinton to be
discouraged. There are too few
promising young writers in the
theatre today, and he has proven
that he has the intellect and, on the
evidence of the final scene, the
sense of theatre to have a future in
playwriting. But he has to realize
that there's more to writing a good
historical play than simply
reconstructing the basic facts.

Secondly, I don't want the
Virginia Players to shy away from
original scripts. Student playwrights
- at least those of promise - have
to be encouraged, just like all other
theatre artists. And with a little
good fortune, maybe the next time
the Players give birth to an original
script, it won't be stillborn.

—Ed.)