What is found art?
I’ve always loved the surprise of finding art in unexpected places. Walls of steel that reshape the natural world. Detritus given new meaning when placed on a pedestal. A spiral jetty that demands a journey to behold it. The shock of incongruity takes us out of the ordinary. In the spirit of found art, I approach writing, editing, and dramaturgy by being open to inspiration while maintaining a commitment to craft. Art is found rather than forced, chanced upon only because we do the work in a spirit of discovery.
Who I work with
Writers of fiction and nonfiction, playwrights. Artists new to prose or longtime practitioners. Whether you’re seeking a coach, an editor, or a dramaturg, a one-time read or an ongoing working relationship, I look forward to reading your work and engaging in conversation.
How I work
We’ll discuss your project, its needs, and your desired outcome. I’ll offer options that range from general edits to deeper, developmental work, a proposed timeline, and upfront rates. You can choose between written feedback or a conversation. After consideration of your work, I’ll give you detailed analysis according to the goals agreed upon.
Story Development
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I served as Literary Manager and Director of New Play Development at Boston Court Theatre for over a decade, where I collaborated with hundreds of playwrights at every level of development. As a dramaturg, I work with a rigorous eye and generous heart. The focus of each play can vary radically, and I’m interested in discovering the challenges specific to each one. Whether one-on-one with a playwright or engaged in the larger conversation of a rehearsal room, I work to refine and expand, to help manifest the deepest story in the most vigorous way.
SCRIPT CONSULTATIONS are structured as one-on-one meetings with a playwright. We might meet one time or several, depending on your needs. A reading with notes starts at $450 for a play up to 120 pages. Contact me for pricing of longer plays or structured developmental packages.
I offer PRODUCTION DRAMATURGY specific to new plays. I’m interested in the process of taking a script from page to stage. This thrilling transformation, from one dimension to three, is an opportunity to clarify, hone, deepen, and discover. There’s an enormous amount of growth possible in the collaboration between director, playwright, and dramaturg, and I’m especially drawn to this moment-by-moment work as a play reveals itself.
In this work, I focus on three essential areas:
Within a rehearsal setting, I help to explore and explicate the intentions of a playwright.
Taking information from what’s discovered at table work and in rehearsal, I communicate with the playwright, often alongside the director, to facilitate rewrites
As the workshop or production journeys forward, I act as advocate for the playwright, ensuring that the story they envisioned is respected.
My rates for workshops start at $500, and for productions at $1,000. Pricing is dependent on budget and theatre size, as well as favored nations.
I’m available for AUDIENCE TALKBACKS as panelist, facilitator, or sole speaker. Please contact me for rates.
I’m available as a GUEST LECTURER in both undergraduate and graduate settings. I specialize in hands-on work: Playwriting; Script Interpretation; Script Development; Collaboration Between Director, Playwright, and Actors; Taking a Play from Page to Stage; as well as classes specific to Acting and Directing. Please contact me for rates.
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An award-winning author in both fiction and nonfiction, I work with writers to develop essays, stories, and novels. I offer feedback on where craft is working and the places where a manuscript would benefit from more attention. My interests lean toward narrative arc, character development, and language, as well as subtext, and drawing attention to areas of “heat” that may not have been fully developed yet. I’ll help to hone your vision and find clarity, emphasis, and voice.
MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATIONS are offered in a range of structures, from one-time line edits to work that develops over time. I like to engage with writers who are interested in elements of craft and on deepening their prose. If you are a writer of flash, short stories, novels, essays, or memoirs, please get in touch to discuss rates according to your needs.
I offer reduced rates to writers with disabilities or chronic conditions who are addressing these challenges in their work. Please contact me for information about my sliding scale.
As a theatre director and former actor, I’ve worked with writers on how to read their own (or others’) writing in public. I’m available for coaching and classes. One-on-one sessions begin at $60 for a half-hour. Please contact me for other rates.
I’m available as a Panelist or Interviewer, as well as Facilitator for talkbacks, book groups, or other variations. Please contact me for rates.
Public Speaking
Testimonials
To work with Emilie Beck is to work with a genius of story and story structure. My play would not be what it is today without her incisive reflections, her deep understanding of story, her intuitive artistry, and her gentle yet clear way of giving feedback. She took the time to truly see and understand where I was coming from and what story I wanted to tell; she met me where I was at and built a bridge with her feedback to help evolve my story into the best version of itself. She did not insist on her own way, but gave gems of wisdom, insight, reflection and feedback. She was an incredible collaborator and thinker. It would be a gift to work with her again and again.
—Carolyn Ratteray, Playwright
Emilie has worked in the theater for years, and brings a deep understanding of this complex craft to the process of play-making. She is a great collaborator, and also adept at leading a team of actors, playwrights, and designers. She is a gracefully relentless seeker of truth, who draws the very best out of people. She is whip-smart and has a deep confidence in her craft. But it is her absolute determination to find and share the difficult truths of the human heart and this complicated world of ours in her work that sets her apart.
—E.M. Lewis, Playwright
It is really thrilling to see this piece up and running. Thanks to you for your dramaturgy on this play. Your questions and insights were instrumental in helping me restructure the play and clarifying “whose story it is” (Jack’s over Tommy, rather than Tommy over Jack), and the importance of Dylan being more fully developed.
—Brad Erickson, Playwright
Whether reading a novel or short story, Emilie always brought a keen eye, impressive insight and great thoughtfulness to my work. She has a great sense of story, strives for clarity, while pinpointing the work’s energy and tension. She always respected the story I was trying to tell, seeking out the strengths without over-stepping--signs in my opinion of solid, excellent editing.
—Sarah Gauch, Writer
