Notable playwright Andy Bragen has been sharing his expertise with Ohio State graduate students this spring.

Bragen has been teaching a playwright course Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
A Manhattan resident, Bragen has written many plays and taught at multiple colleges. He describes the life of a playwright as risky but rewarding.

A graduate of Brown University’s Master of Fine Arts program in literary arts, Bragen has won many awards including the 2008 Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission. This award was created to encourage the writing of plays that in addition to other guidelines consider the relationships between truth, power, history and personal responsibility.

Bragen won the Biennial Commission for his play “Ranch Home.”

Bragen’s class includes 10 Master of Fine Arts actors and one director. In this intimate class setting, they are set up in a circle to encourage open communication.

In his class, Bragen has students write, read and discuss plays.

“When they start writing their own stuff, it’s important that they hear a play to fully understand what it is,” Bragen said. “Which is what makes sharing your plays with classmates so important.”

Bragen’s class has a wide range of ages and experiences, but he finds it important to treat them with respect.

“The nice thing about teaching this course is that graduate students are less distracted so it’s a lot easier keeping them focused,” Bragen said. He said he enjoys graduate students so much because they are choosing a career in theater and are extremely dedicated.

While Bragen is teaching, he continues to work on projects. One of his current projects is a play titled “This is my Office.” It will be performed in Providence, R.I., this summer, but he is also incorporating his OSU graduate students.

“The play is written as a one person show, but I am hoping to use most, if not all, of the MFA actors here,” Bragen said.

Bragen does not describe teaching as his true calling, but he does feel it is an important part of being a playwright. He considers himself almost a freelance playwright.

“I write plays and send them out to theaters,” Bragen said. “Sometimes I am commissioned, sometimes I teach class.”

He describes his work as always having to work on a few things at once because there is a great deal of uncertainty in the field.

But one aspect that does not vary is that he never writes a play with money in mind, Bragen said.

Bragen said that “This is my Office” is currently his favorite play. He has written the play as a tribute to his father.

“This play is remembering him and his checkered employment history. He was fired from every job he ever held,” Bragen said. “This play represents him and what he stood for. It’s very exciting.”

Bragen says that he would describe himself as a local person. He is living in the same neighborhood he grew up in. He says that he truly values the sense of community.

“I love that New York is very much about neighborhoods,” Bragen said. “I love the community and that’s why I am always writing about it.”

In the future, Bragen said he hopes to continue to write, and to a lesser extent teach, as well.

“I hope to live my life as an artist,” Bragen said. “And also not starve,”