DGI INSTRUCTOR & PLAYS IN PRGOGRESS MENTOR

VICTOR LESNIEWSKI

Interests: psychological realism, socio-political, world building

I believe in a strong sense of structure as a guide, so I like to work with playwrights to identify the major signposts in their narrative arc and rewrite with this knowledge in mind. I don't believe that structure need be applied only to Aristotelian stories, but believe in the benefits of identifying a structure in more experimental pieces as well. In terms of character development, I focus on how psychology is revealed through action. I want each writer I work with to find their own voice and, to that end, I promote the identification of the larger themes of a play, as well as analysis of how these themes are being conveyed to an audience. Request Victor as a PIP Mentor.

Victor Lesniewski's plays include The Fifth Domain (World Premiere at Contemporary American Theater Festival), Couriers and Contrabands (World Premiere at TBG Theatre in NYC, Critic Howard Miller’s Best of Off & Off-Off Broadway List), Cloven Tongues (World Premiere at The Wild Project in NYC), Where Bison Run (Ars Nova Out Loud Reading Series, NY Times Profile), Pipistrellus (The Dramatists Guild Fellowship), Khardal (Berkeley Rep’s The Ground Floor), Cold Spring (Ashland New Plays Festival), and The Hunt for Benedetto Montone (Ashland New Plays Festival). He is a former Uncharted Artist in Residence at Ars Nova and was the only American to be shortlisted for the inaugural Theatre503 Playwriting Award which included six writers culled from over 1,600 applicants. In addition to the above, he has also developed work at Roundabout Theatre Company, New York Theatre Workshop, Geva Theatre Center (NY), SF Playhouse (CA), Playwrights’ Arena (CA), Pioneer Theatre Company (UT), Northern Stage (VT), Palm Beach Dramaworks (FL), Benchmark Theatre (CO), and La Mama Umbria. He self-identifies as a PGM and is proud to sit on The Dramatists Guild’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access Committee.