PULITZER PRIZE WINNER NILO CRUZ

May 2003
		Nilo Cruz, winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, takes your questions on his plays, playwriting and how winning the coveted prize may affect his life and work. RealAudio: Jeffrey Brown talks with Nilo Cruz, Pulitzer Prize winner for drama.

Forum introduction How much do you rely on intuition when you're composing dialogue? How much do you rely on formulas, and which do you use? Why did you feel you had to open up to the world and share your stories? Was it difficult? How did you prepare? Can I get a print copy of Anna in the Tropics? Did the idea [for the play] come to you during or soon after reading Tolstoy's masterpiece? Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Arts and Entertainment	Angel from California asks: Good evening, Mr. Cruz. I am seventeen years old, and fascinated with the power and elasticity of language. I aspire to write, but am unsure of the methodology. How much do you rely on intuition when you're composing dialogue? How much do you rely on formulas, and which do you use? Nilo Cruz responds: Dear Angel, I don't use any formulas in my plays. It's important to see and read plays to see how other writers deal with structure. I don't begin with any kind of structure. I begin to write a play with characters. I write scenes then I find the structure and the plot of the play through the scenes that I have written. I don't believe in writing outlines. Try joining a writing workshop. There's an institution in NY called Young Playwrights. You might want to contact them and ask what they offer.