Playwright Spotlight: Get to Know David Hammers

Welcome to "Playwright Spotlight" — your exclusive backstage pass to the creative minds crafting the incredible plays featured in our Theatrefolk catalogue. Discover the magic, quirks, and genius of the playwrights who help bring the stage to life. Let's meet one of these exceptional playwrights who offers the chance for your student performers to shine in their spotlight.

What inspired you to start writing plays specifically for high school & middle school students?

Running a drama club at the schools I work at.

Can you share a bit about your creative process when developing plays that resonate with students?

I like to use humor a lot in my writing. So often a funny thought will occur to me and I will sometimes just think about how I could turn that one thought into a whole story.

Are there any challenges you face when writing for student performers, and how do you overcome them?

Knowing that drama clubs and classes can vary widely in size between schools, I find one of the big challenges is to write a play that can be scaled both up or down depending on the group preforming.

What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your plays?

Humor, creativity, individuality

How do you balance education and fun in your scripts?

All of my scripts to date have been based on some historical event or literary source, so they could be used to help teach about those things if a teacher wants to.

Can you share a memorable experience or feedback from a student performance that left an impact on you?

One of my plays involves a zombie apocalypse, and the students went to a Halloween store and bought me a severed zombie arm and all signed it. It was a great gift!

Any advice for teachers or directors looking to choose engaging and age-appropriate plays for their student performers?

Know your students well. It will help you to pick themes and plays that they can relate to and appreciate.

What is your favourite play you've written so far?

The Tragicomedy of Julia Caesar.

Anything else you'd like students and/or directors to know about you as a playwright?

I’m always willing to discuss my plays and help with staging ideas for any teachers or groups out there that want to reach out to me.