Instructor Spotlight: Andy Boyd

What do you like to write?

My work could broadly be defined as political theatre, though I'm often more interested in exploring political questions than I am in trumpeting political answers. I am drawn especially to the dynamics of small subcultures, whether it's a Neo-Confederate colony in Brazil or an Occupy outpost in small-town Arizona.

My plays are typically built around an ensemble rather than a single main protagonist because I think the most interesting thing about being a human being is dialogue. Maybe that's also why I write plays.

Describe both your ideal and your actual writing routine.

My typical writing routine consists of several months of research, a month or two of frenzied writing, and then a year or more of rewriting, typically involving readings and workshops. I guess my ideal writing routine would maybe involve a more comfortable chair and a better brand of tea, but other than that I wouldn't change a thing.

Who is currently one of your favorite writers?

I'm currently obsessed with Caryl Churchill. I especially love the epic sweep of plays like Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and Mad Forest. I think she's the greatest playwright alive, and I bet we will read her in 500 years to know what it was like to live in the 20th and 21st centuries.

What else do you do? (Other work, hobbies, interests, etc.)

In addition to teaching writing I also tutor a wide variety of academic subjects. My hobbies include spending lots of time on the beach, watching movies, and listening to folk music.