 Drama: January 31, 2024 Issue [#12375] |
This week: Drama for Political and Social Justice Edited by: Joy  
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“When the Rule of Law disappears, we are ruled by the whims of men.”
Tiffany Madison
“The world howls for social justice, but when it comes to social responsibility, you sometimes can't even hear crickets chirping.”
Dean Koontz, Deeply Odd
“People don't move into action because of statistics. They move because of their hearts.”
Rivera Sun, The Roots of Resistance
"Drama is action, sir, action and not confounded philosophy. "
Luigi Pirandello
"Drama is life with the dull bits cut out."
Alfred Hitchcock
Hello, this is Joy , this week's drama editor. In this issue, we are going to take a look at drama for political and social justice.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Come to think of it, most dramatic writing is not only just for the fun of it or to have the readers pass a good time. There is more to any dramatic story or poem and for the dramatic works on stage and film.
As I have mentioned in an earlier newsletter, I always ask myself, “Why the drama?” This question resonates in me from several angles, and one of those angles is political and social justice.
Writing drama for political and social justice means creating a narrative that not only entertains, but also educates, raises awareness, and inspires action on important issues. If there is a problem you see in your community, city, or country, you the writer may choose to bring it into the open through your pen or keyboard, as the case may be.
Then, how would you go about it? Since you already have chosen your specific issue, you’ll need to understand the nuances of it. For that, you’ll need to educate yourself and find out about all the information that may have something to do with it, such as real-life cases, statistics, historical context, and the current state of affairs.
Next, as in any other dramatic work, you’ll need to develop relatable, multi-dimensional characters. These characters, in themselves, should be able to embody and reflect the different views and perspectives to humanize your specific issue. Also, your story characters should be able to showcase the complexity of the entire issue and its side events and ideas.
For example, In a Doll's House (1879) by Henrik Ibsen, through the main character, the play explores the theme of women's rights and gender roles. It is said to have shocked audiences at the time by challenging the traditional roles of women in society. Then, sometimes, as writers, we cannot avoid shocking people, can we!
A compelling plot-- with a clear beginning, middle and end—should be your next concern. This plot should introduce the conflict, tension, and obstacles the characters need to overcome that are directly related to the social and political issue at hand.
This brings to mind the novel Les Misérables (1862) by Victor Hugo, as it addresses problems of social injustice, poverty, and the struggle for redemption. This novel must have created such waves in its time that, later on, it was adapted into several plays and musicals.
In addition, other writing ideas and ploys can also enrich the specific dramatic piece we set out to write. Those could be incorporating real, relatable events into the story to give it credibility and a sense of urgency. One thing to be careful here is to be respectful and sensitive to the real people who are affected by these events and issues. This may mean using literary devices such as symbolism and metaphor to avoid being explicit and also to let you the writer add more layers to the story.
This type of dramatic writing usually ends with a call to action to leave the readers with something to think and do. Sometimes, in a play, this is done with the characters moving to the forestage and lecturing the audience. In my humble opinion, this could take away from the story or the importance of the issue. So, I would propose to just tell the story and let the readers make up their minds about any action to take.
In essence, the most valuable idea on the subject has to be approaching the issue with respect. Fact is, numerous dramatic works have played a significant role in pushing forward political and social justice; and if you decide to make a difference through your stories, I hope your writing succeeds to encourage empathy and understanding and to inspire change.
Until next time! 
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 Enjoy!
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 This Issue's Tip: Rather than preaching or being didactic, show the impact of the issue on your characters' lives through their actions, choices, and dialogue.
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Feedback for "Why the Drama?"
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StephBee 
Joy, what a really thoughtful and inspiring NL. Our houses where we grew up will always resonate with us and provide us with stories. A lot of my stories are New England centered simply for that reason.
Thanks, Steph. The applause for that idea in that NL goes to Princess Megan Snow Rose  .
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Beholden 
Thank you very much for including my short atory, Memory Calls, in your Editor's Picks section.
Thank you for writing it. :-}
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