How to Adapt a Book Into a Stage Play
Have you read a classic novel?
Do you think that book can be good foundation of a stage play?
Is it the unfamiliarity that stopping you from converting this book into an epic play?
If the answer is “Yes” then you need to learn the basic rules of adaptation.
Do not worry; you won’t have to join a school of creative writing rather you can formulate an impressive script by following some simple directions, which have been detailed in this article. You must understand that talent is not everything and should be well equipped with the stage play writing techniques to adapt a book.
Instructions
-
1
First and the foremost thing you need to do is to check the copyrights of that book. If the book has been protected by copyright act then it is necessary to take permission from the author before making a play. Most of the times writers allow you to use the book freely, but sometimes they have some demands so keep that factor in mind.
-
2
Next thing you will do is to read that book over and again. This will help you in deciding whether you should adapt that book or not. Make sure that you understand the story and all the characters. In case of any confusion, ask a friend or family member to give a neutral opinion.
-
3
Another thing that you should consider is whether the book has a mass appeal or not. You must keep in mind that most of the master pieces are not for general public so it is better to decide your target audience first.
-
4
You should also decide how want to execute the story on stage. Remember, there is lot of difference in a simple book and a script. You may take liberties and there are also some restrictions in this medium. Above all, you will have to make the story appealing for the audience of your time.
-
5
After deciding the overall look of your production, now it’s time to start writing the script. You must start with making a list of important events and major characters in the story. You must have a sharp eye of an editor to remove the unnecessary things from the story. Pick those characters and events that you think have some significance in the story.
-
6
Arrange all the events in a sequence, make scenes and start writing dialogues. You must keep in mind that your characters cannot have long speech-like dialogues in a play. Keep your dialogues short and relevant.
-
7
After completing the script, review the whole script and remove unnecessary things to make it more grasping.
