Angelo Parra is an award-winning playwright who has received national acclaim for several of his plays. He teaches theatre and playwriting at SUNY Rockland. Angelo is the founder and director of the Hudson Valley Professional Playwrights Lab and president of the board of Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York.

Introduction. Part I: Catching the Playwriting Bug. Chapter 1: Introducing the Art and Craft of Playwriting. Chapter 2: Living the Life of a Playwright. Chapter 3: What Makes a Play. Chapter 4: Starting with an Idea. Chapter 5: Finding Your Play's Theme. Part II: Creating a Blueprint for Your Play. Chapter 6: Putting Your Story in Focus. Chapter 7: Creating Full and Rich Characters. Chapter 8: Dialogue: The Most Important Tool in Your Toolbox. Chapter 9: Practical Considerations: Staging, Cast, and Audience. Part III: The Nuts and Bolts of Putting Your Story Together. Chapter 10: The Beginning: Finding a Starting Point for Your Play. Chapter 11: The Middle: Developing Your Story Line. Chapter 12: The Climax: Bringing the Confl ict to a Head. Chapter 13: The Resolution: Wrapping It All Up. Chapter 14: Giving the Musical Special Consideration. Part IV: The Show Must Go On. Chapter 15: Getting Your Play Read and Making Revisions. Chapter 16: Rehearsals and Premieres: Nail Biting 101. Chapter 17: Promoting Your Play and Getting a Production. Part V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 18: Ten Things Every Playwright Should Know. Chapter 19: Ten Hallmarks of a Great Play. Chapter 20: Ten Playwrights You Should Know and Emulate. Appendix: Formatting a Script. Index.