Broadway and Beyond: Turn Your Love of Theater Into Powerful Writing
Reviews, Essays, and 鈥楩an Fiction鈥�
Program Description:
Love the theater and have opinions about what makes for a great production?
Learn about the ways writers respond to theatrical productions: through reviews, essays, and fan-fiction. You’ll attend live performances on Broadway, research the production and source material, and develop your writing skills through the guidance of expert writing teachers.
What You’ll Learn
- Genre knowledge about various forms of writing
- Research skills to build and use background knowledge
- How to develop ideas and engage readers through various forms of writing
Activities and Projects
- Mentor Text Study: Analyze exemplar texts to support greater understanding of various forms of literary response
- Critical Analysis of a Theater Production: Attend, discuss, research and write in response to at least two theatrical productions
- Creative Writing: Generate and develop a piece of fan-fiction writing in response to an existing theatrical production
Real-World Connections
- Experience the excitement and excellence of live theater in NYC
- Practice transferable literacy skills to support current and future academic pursuits
- Engage in critical conversations to develop ideas
Skills You’ll Build
- Evidence based conversational and writing skills
- Expertise in writing process and how to move from idea generation to published texts
- Creative writing skills
- Giving and receiving peer feedback on written work
Dates: July 11 - 16, 2027
Times: 9:00am - 3:00pm ET
- Please Note: Once the two Broadway show times are confirmed, times for those two days may differ slightly to accommodate show times.
Location: In-person at Teachers College and NYC Broadway shows (TBA)
Price: $4,495
Questions: Email tcacademy@tc.columbia.edu
Instructor(s)
Kim Brooks is a Staff Developer at Teachers College Advancing Literacy (麻豆原创AL) who specializes in teaching writing. A lifelong Broadway fan, Kim brings theater off the stage and onto the page, helping students transform strong opinions, emotional responses, and creative ideas into polished writing. With extensive experience teaching essays, reviews, creative writing, and analytical response, Kim guides students in learning how professional critics, scholars, and fans write about live performance. She saw 40 Broadway and Off-Broadway plays and musicals in 2025, including Leslie Odom Jr. in Hamilton. Her favorite show of the last few years is Maybe Happy Ending by Will Aronson and Hue Park. .
Learning Objectives
By the end of the program, students will be able to:
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Identify and apply conventions of different forms of theatrical response, including critical reviews, analytical essays, and fan fiction.
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Analyze theatrical productions using specific evidence from performance, staging, and source material to develop thoughtful interpretations.
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Conduct research on theatrical productions and their source materials to build background knowledge and support written analysis.
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Develop clear, evidence-based arguments about theatrical performances, including a thesis-driven essay that communicates ideas to an audience.
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Apply the writing process from generating and developing ideas to drafting, revising, and refining a written piece.
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Create an original piece of fan fiction that responds creatively to an existing theatrical production.
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Strengthen writing through peer feedback and critical discussion, practicing how to give, receive, and apply constructive feedback.
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Communicate ideas about theater effectively to different audiences through discussion, analytical writing, and creative work.
Who Should Attend
This introductory course is designed for interested high school students (ages 14-17) who:
- Love theater and want to deepen their engagement with productions
- Enjoy expressing opinions and backing them up with evidence
- Want to strengthen their writing for college applications and beyond
- Thrive in collaborative, discussion-based learning environments
- Are ready to see NYC theater through a writer's eyes
No experience is required. Students will be required to provide writing samples prior to the start of the program.
Please Note: 麻豆原创 Pre-College courses are open to students ages 14-17. All courses are conducted in English and learners should have sufficient fluency to participate.
Upon Completion
Participants who successfully complete this program will earn a verified Certificate of Participation and an official Digital Badge—valuable credentials that can be shared on LinkedIn or digital portfolios.
View our sample program badge and certificate below:
