About the Course
Students will need either a laptop or notebook for writing.
Writing for Stage & Screen is designed for aspiring screenwriters, playwrights, and lyricists who want to unleash their storytelling potential. In this elective, students will explore the art of writing captivating scripts for both film and live performance. Through hands-on workshops, creative exercises, and personalized feedback, they will learn to craft compelling characters, structure engaging plots, and write authentic, dynamic dialogue.
Whether students are passionate about creating dramatic scenes for film or weaving together lyrics and storylines for musical theater, this course provides the tools and techniques to transform ideas into fully realized scripts. By the end of the program, students will have written original pieces ready for performance or production—building a strong foundation for future creative work.
This elective offers an inspiring and collaborative environment for emerging writers to hone their craft and gain real-world experience. No prior experience is necessary, just imagination, curiosity, and a passion for storytelling.
While this elective can be taken on its own, is is designed to pair perfectly with the core Summer@Cornish morning Film Intensive program.
We encourage students to enroll the morning intensive to build a strong foundation, then expand their skills and interests through these afternoon electives.
Explore the morning Film Intensive [here], or email plus@cornish.edu with any questions.
How the Summer@Cornish Program Works
Design your own schedule: full days, morning Intensive only or afternoon Electives only!
Three Ways to Participate
• Full-Day Program
• Half-Day Program
• Single Elective
Full-Day Program
• Morning Intensive: Monday–Friday, 9 AM–12 PM
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• Afternoon Electives: Monday/Wednesday/Friday) & Tuesday/Thursday, 1 PM–4 PM
Half-Day Program
Students can select a combination of:
• Only morning Intensive
• Only two afternoon Electives
Residency Program (Optional Add-On)
Available to Full-Day students:
• Evening & weekend activities
• Extra studio time
• On-campus supervision and housing
Related Theater Classes
Musical & Theater Intensive + Audition Prep & Performance
This four-week intensive is designed for student performers eager to deepen their training in acting, musical theater, and live performance. Modeled after Cornish College of the Arts’ BFA approach, the program blends rigorous acting and movement study with practical audition preparation to help students grow as both artists and performers
Costume Design
Costume Design introduces students to the creative role of a costume designer as part of a collaborative production team. Students will explore hands-on design methods, including developing visual concepts, experimenting with form and silhouette, and creating model pieces to bring ideas to life. Through guided research in style, character, and
Technical Theater
Learn how live performances are brought to life through the world of technical production. Each day, students will work in a professional backstage environment to gain a real understanding of what it takes to run a performance from behind the scenes. This elective is ideal for students who love music, theater, dance, or any form of live performance
Voice for Musical Theater
In this class, students will strengthen skills for confident singing, focusing on character-driven vocals, ensemble singing, and general singing technique. Each student will have the opportunity to sing solo material, as well as group singing. If this is your first time dipping a toe in the world of musical theatre, or if you're looking to brush up
Dance for Musical Theater
Dance for Musical Theater explores how movement in performance has rapidly evolved over the past decade, from the rise of hip hop and street styles on Broadway to the influence of viral choreography on social media. Students will study the cultural shift in musical theater and gain an understanding of the movement styles shaping the industry today
Acting for Stage and Screen
This intensive introduces students to the actor’s instrument, their body and voice, and the habits required for healthy performance. It builds foundational skills, concepts, terminology, and goals that future training will expand upon. Students will explore the body as a complex and unified system, gain awareness of physical mechanics, and learn
