Playwrighting doesn’t require a specific degree, but being good at it certainly requires prior experience in and appreciation for theater, which is why playwrights often have degrees in theater. A playwright’s level of success can generally be measured by where their work gets produced. At the beginning of their careers, playwrights usually get started writing plays for their own pleasure—many of which go unstaged—and gradually progress to writing plays that are produced by local or regional theater companies.
