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Vistas Lifelong Learning
  • Welcome
  • About Vistas
    • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Curriculum Committee
  • Membership
    • Join Vistas
  • Vistas Calendar
  • Courses and Programs
    • Current Courses
    • Book Clubs
    • Course Videos
    • How to Register
    • Past Courses
    • Become a Presenter
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Back to All Events

Writing Drama from History: Finding the Stories in Memoirs, Archives, Biographies

  • Monday, September 8, 2025
  • 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 13:00 15:30
  • Google Calendar ICS

Monday: September 8, 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Bethany Congregational Church
556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS member price: $20; non-member price: $30

Presented by: Meg Kruszewska
Meg (Malgorzata) Kruszewska’s most recently produced play, Tea with Ganna, Pearl, and Beatrice, provided a nuanced portrayal of three legendary local women—Ganna Walska, Pearl Chase, and Beatrice Wood. Like several of her other plays, it was based on biographies, archives, and public documents. This presentation will focus on how dramatists create characters and storylines based on factual evidence, but then also use fictional situations for better dramatic storytelling. The creative writer’s task differs from that of a historian or a journalist. Inspiration may arise from extensive archival research, but it then needs to be set aside in order to create the story. This writing process reflects a bigger question for those considering writing memoirs or family histories. How can character development and placement in a historical context help transform a mere chronicle of events into dramatic literature?

Writing Drama from History
Earlier Event: September 7
Save the date: Annual Fall Picnic
Later Event: September 9
Trees of Santa Barbara 1/4