I can remember the exact moment at which I realized I needed to join the Dramatists Guild. I had a very simple realization: there I was, sitting around waiting for the world to tell me I was a “real” playwright who deserved to be taken seriously, when I suddenly decided that what I actually needed was to take myself seriously. I was my own gatekeeper. Not only did I have the keys to the castle… I had the willpower to use them. And so I did.
Several years later, I found myself not only a proud member of the Guild, but also the official representative of the DC metropolitan area. And I consider it part of my raison d’etre to help other playwrights in my region achieve the same realization, if they haven’t had it already on their own. We all belong. I can’t say it any more simply than that.
Of course, there’s more to serving my region than that. I hold events, answer questions, take meetings, arrange ticket discounts for Guild members, and introduce myself to new playwrights whenever they move to town. And it’s an honor to do every last thing.
