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Meet THe Team
William Friedkin's 1973 film The Exorcist, based on William Peter Blatty’s novel and screenplay, is regarded by many as the scariest film of all time. This class will examine scenes from the screenplay and clips from the film, and discuss the film’s use of dread and anxiety to create a sense of terror in its audiences. We'll also have some short generative writing prompts using dread as a tool in our own work.
This class is ideal for screenwriters, playwrights, and prose writers looking to examine the structure of the supernatural horror genre. Writers will be able to apply our exercises and discussion to their current works in progress.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: None
• Workshopping Drafts: None
Jennifer Rumberger is a New York based playwright and essayist. Her recent productions include The Locusts with the Gift Theatre in Chicago, Night in Alachua County with Wildclaw Theatre and Open Blue Sky at Stella Adler/ Tisch School of the Arts. Jennifer’s work has been developed or presented in New York, Chicago, Houston, Miami, and Florida. She was a recipient of the 2021 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award and a 2022 Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. She is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University and performs her essays and nonfiction at live storytelling events. She received her MFA from Northwestern University.
"Jennifer is, in a word, awesome. She did a great job of making everyone feel welcome and guiding us through the subject matter."
