Titles

THE PLAYWRITING SEMINARS > CONTENT > TITLES >

'My influence [for DANCING ON MOONLIGHT] comes directly from jazz. If jazz men like Miles Davis and Max Roach were not doing what they were doing in terms of sound and music, I would not be able to do the stuff I am attempting to do. . . . I tell you, man, more often than not, with the stuff I'm getting into now, I'm gonna take a beating -- Jazz? What is this sound? What is this you're talking about?'

-- Keith Glover

The best titles come as flashes of insight as you're writing the play or even before you put that first stage direction on page I-1. When titles really catch fire, they're often intuitive responses to the play you're creating.

You've got a choice of either Descriptive or Metaphoric titles. Most playwrights use Metaphoric titles because of the added messages they can send through them to readers and audiences. But a good descriptive title can still pack a lot of interest, so consider both . . .