PSU Magazine Winter 1988

W riters take a long time to de– velop, according to Peotter, usually requiring two years to get the structure down and feel secure with how to build a play. Playwrights must learn to deal with an issue without preaching and get their message across in a way that captivates rather than insults or patronizes. In the third year style emerges, but glimmerings of true talent are obvious from the beginning. How can Peotter hope to see her students mature in a one- year course? She keeps in touch with many of them and works with a few on a free-lance basis concentrating on more advanced projects and providing script consulting. But she never lets her students or former students forget the reality of theater. "Writers today are going to make their living in film and television," said Peotter. This can mean survival to a playwright, and according to Peotter, play writing is a solid base for screen writing. One of Peotter's most successful stu– dents, Doug Soesbe, is now a Hollywood screen writer and novelist. "Pauline was wonderful at instilling dramatic structure which is applicable across the board regardless if you are writing for the stage or screen," said Soesbe. " It was an in– credible course and it was really largely responsible for a lot of what's happened ." Soesbe is the first to admit he has had an amazing year. He signed a three picture contract, divulging only that the first is a suspense thriller, and Berkeley Books bought his second novel "Odean," a hor– ror novel about a theater that is being torn down and how it enacts revenge on a small town. A 1976 MA graduate in play writing, Soesbe has been an executive story editor at Universal and most recently Tri Star. As a story editor he worked on scripts with the writer and picture executives. Last year he supervised a movie, from writing through production, which stars Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. "If you have talent and do the work, you can make it," remarked Soesbe. "They want people who can write. They are desperate for talent here." And , Soesbe says, the monetary awards for screen writing are enormous. PSU 16 His advice to beginning screen writers is to keep writing until they have something good , and try to get it read by a studio. But he warns that a mailed script from an unknown writer is unlikely to be read . Los Angeles is the place to be for the serious writer, but Hollywood picture companies rarely buy an original screen play; they are looking for talent and will hire that writer to work on something of theirs. " I found myself in a very curious posi– tion when I was a story editor," said Soesbe. "One day it occurred to me I had become the person I came here to meet." But like Peotter, Soesbe enjoyed reading and encouraging new writers. "He was a fine writer when he was here," recalled Peotter. She saw that special spark in Soesbe's work that has set students like himself, Klementowski , Gage, and many others on to better things. Peot– ter feels she can teach format and the technical aspects of play writing to almost anyone. "But I also have to be honest," said Peotter. "I've had students that have written and written and written and it just doesn't have the spark, and that hurts. I cannot give that gift." She has also seen the same thing in acting - a love for the art but the quality, whatever it is, that makes an actor great is missing. P eotter started out wanting to be an actress. Fortunately for her students she turned to play writing and eventually teaching. She received her bachelor and master degree from Stanford University, where her first play was pro– duced. During breaks at Stanford Peotter took classes at Portland State, and it was Asher Wilson, head of the Theater Depart– ment in 1964, who brought her onto the PSU faculty. Thanks to Peotter, Portland State's play writing program has a national reputation for excellence. She has been involved for the last seven years in the American Col– lege Theater Festival (ATCF) serving as regional and national chairman of play writing awards. Through ATCF she met playwrights throughout the U.S. and received a Bronze Medallion in 1986 from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Per– forming Arts for service to ATCF and her New Plays program at PSU. Peotter's personal interest in acting and writing has been put aside for her teaching, producing and directing. She tells her students and new playwrights, " I don't want to rewrite your play and I don't want to tell you how you should do it. My job as a director is to get inside your play and your head. You tell me how you want to get there and I'll drive. As a play writing teacher I'm mapping for you. This is where I can be of the most service." Leigh Coffey, playwright, social worker, and former student of Peotter's, can testify that the service Peotter brings to playwrights is a rich one. "I always though it would be kind of incredible to have your work come to life," said Coffey, "and it is. I think anybody who has worked with Pauline and had the opportunity to have their work done would say that." The first play Coffey wrote at Portland State, "Rabbit Weather," was later pro– duced in News Plays in Progress and has since been optioned by Raindrop Pictures, a Portland film company. Coffey is cur– rently working on the screen play. "There is a kind of urge to tell your stories," said Coffey. " Not in terms of the work being autobiographical , there is some of that, but it is more putting your point of view out there." Coffey, who took play writing seven years ago, is still working with Peotter, a situation the Portland State professor finds rewarding and exciting. "Things are start– ing to happen for Leigh ," said Peotter. Coffey does not work full time at her writing; she is a social worker for Portland Public Schools. But many of Peotter's former students do use their play writing skills to support themselves. "It is a golden age for playwrights," said Peotter. "This doesn't mean playwrights are going to be produced everywhere. What it means is they don't have to starve as a playwright, that they can do quality industrial and training tapes. They can say, 'I pride myself on do– ing the best job I can whatever my assign– ment.' That's a writer." 0