--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In theater, the playwright is the boss…" description: "\"In theater, the playwright is the boss, period. The decisions will go through him or her. In movies, the writer is pretty far down on the list.\" — Trac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/tracy-letts-12197_boss_in-theater-the-playwright-is-the-boss-pe_1314700.png" --- # In theater, the playwright is the boss, period. The… ![“In theater, the playwright is the boss, period. The decisions will go through him or her. In movies, the writer is pretty far down on the list.” quote by Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/tracy-letts-12197_boss_in-theater-the-playwright-is-the-boss-pe_1314700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/tracy-letts-12197_boss_in-theater-the-playwright-is-the-boss-pe_1314700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/tracy-letts-12197_boss_in-theater-the-playwright-is-the-boss-pe_1314700.png) > “In theater, the playwright is the boss, period. The decisions will go through him or her. In movies, the writer is pretty far down on the list.” [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playwrights control theater scripts; film writers have less authority. **In simple terms:** Playwrights dominate theater; film writers less so. Key Takeaway Acknowledge creative hierarchy. Themes theatre film authority Mood critical insightful Type industry philosophical When to use this quote - stage productions - screenwriting - career negotiations - artistic vision Key Concepts creative control industry hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does medium affect creative control? - What can writers do to increase influence? A Different Perspective Collaboration can shift power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Her](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/her/) [Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/him/) [List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/list/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Movies Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies-writer-2294716/) [Period](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/period/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright/) [Playwright Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright-boss-4361721/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theater Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-playwright-1359487/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I suppose it is submerged realities that give to dreams their curious air of hyper-reality. But perhaps there is something else as well, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-suppose-it-is-submerged-realities-that-give-to-dreams-their-curious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think in theater the playwright is king. Those words are unchangeable. They are the reason that everything else flows from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-in-theater-the-playwright-is-king-those-words-are/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I don't worry about what everyone wants to see. I make movies that please a writer, director and myself. I always think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-zaentz/i-don-t-worry-about-what-everyone-wants-to-see-i-make-movies-that/) [Saul Zaentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-zaentz/) > [I definitely want to do more movies, and I'm also a writer, so I have a few screenplays that I'm working on, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-definitely-want-to-do-more-movies-and-i-m-also-a-writer-so-i-have-a/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [In the movies, the writer is just the servant, the employee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/in-the-movies-the-writer-is-just-the-servant-the-employee/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Well, one of the things we're supposed to be able to do as playwrights is write from a place of empathy, get into another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/well-one-of-the-things-we-re-supposed-to-be-able-to-do-as-playwrights/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [One of the things you hope you've done as a playwright is create roles that can sustain different interpretations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/one-of-the-things-you-hope-you-ve-done-as-a-playwright-is-create/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I'm just a Chicago actor who's a playwright. Even with the success of 'August,' the people in town who come to our theater know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-m-just-a-chicago-actor-who-s-a-playwright-even-with-the-success-of/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I want to be a playwright the way people are bank tellers. I want to keep doing it and have it go steadily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/i-want-to-be-a-playwright-the-way-people-are-bank-tellers-i-want-to/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [I did a thing called 24 Hour Plays, a thing they do every year on Broadway. 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I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I think the only real referent for anybody writing drama is probably Hamlet. You have the most extreme tragic drama, this sort of blood-boltered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-think-the-only-real-referent-for-anybody-writing-drama-is-probably/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) ## More by Tracy Letts > ['Killer Joe' provides a lot of red meat for the theater. Pam MacKinnon is the perfect director to shepherd a group of actors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/killer-joe-provides-a-lot-of-red-meat-for-the-theater-pam-mackinnon/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > ['Killer Joe' was originally written in 1991 and first produced in '93 at the Next Theater's Lab - a 40 seat black box theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/killer-joe-was-originally-written-in-1991-and-first-produced-in-93-at/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [“VIOLET: Oh, horseshit, horeshit, let's all say horseshit. Say horseshit, Bill. BILL: Horseshit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/violet-oh-horseshit-horeshit-let-s-all-say-horseshit-say-horseshit/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [The way we tell our stories on stage is that we use spoken word to convey action, and in movies, we use visual images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/the-way-we-tell-our-stories-on-stage-is-that-we-use-spoken-word-to/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I'm just a Chicago actor who's a playwright. Even with the success of 'August,' the people in town who come to our theater know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-m-just-a-chicago-actor-who-s-a-playwright-even-with-the-success-of/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I like Shakespeare, but I never know what the hell is going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-like-shakespeare-but-i-never-know-what-the-hell-is-going-on/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I don't know what it says about me that I have a greater affinity with the damaged. Probably nothing good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-don-t-know-what-it-says-about-me-that-i-have-a-greater-affinity/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [“You're thoughtful, Barbara, but you're not open. You're passionate, but you're hard. You're a good, decent, funny, wonderful woman, and I love you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/you-re-thoughtful-barbara-but-you-re-not-open-you-re-passionate-but/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [Divorce is an embarrassing public admission of defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/divorce-is-an-embarrassing-public-admission-of-defeat/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [Time wounds all heals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/time-wounds-all-heals/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [One of the things you hope you've done as a playwright is create roles that can sustain different interpretations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/one-of-the-things-you-hope-you-ve-done-as-a-playwright-is-create/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I never know what the hell I'm writing about, I never know what the next thing I'm writing about is, I never have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-never-know-what-the-hell-i-m-writing-about-i-never-know-what-the/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [“We covered this around Year Three, Bill: that you're the Master of Space and Time and I'm a spastic Pomeranian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/we-covered-this-around-year-three-bill-that-you-re-the-master-of/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I grew up in a small town, in a small community, and I would not have had access to great plays when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-grew-up-in-a-small-town-in-a-small-community-and-i-would-not-have/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I don't think I'd give advice. That never pays off. That's always a bad idea. If they follow your advice and it doesn't work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/i-don-t-think-i-d-give-advice-that-never-pays-off-that-s-always-a-bad/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) [Explore all 56 Tracy Letts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) ## More Boss quotes > [ME AND SUMMER GUNNA BE MOVING IN TOGETHER HELL YA ITS GUNNA BE BOSS!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/me-and-summer-gunna-be-moving-in-together-hell-ya-its-gunna-be-boss/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/) [Stephen Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henning/) > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [It is reassuring for people to feel they have a boss, someone who knows the answers and has charted the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/it-is-reassuring-for-people-to-feel-they-have-a-boss-someone-who/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [I don't have a boss or PR person, so I'm accountable to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/i-don-t-have-a-boss-or-pr-person-so-i-m-accountable-to-no-one/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [ I remember Robin \[Williams\] walked up to me after the last take and said, "Thanks boss! We nailed it!" That will probably be one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/i-remember-robin-williams-walked-up-to-me-after-the-last-take-and/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Your manager is your boss and tells you what to do, what to wear and who to be, so our relationship changed. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/your-manager-is-your-boss-and-tells-you-what-to-do-what-to-wear-and/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [I can't say it was challenging for me to shake the image of Frasier. I've been fortunate to have had a very interesting career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-can-t-say-it-was-challenging-for-me-to-shake-the-image-of-frasier-i/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Take lack of candor. ... I'm not talking about boldface lying, but a tendency to withhold information. That behavior is far more common, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/take-lack-of-candor-i-m-not-talking-about-boldface-lying-but-a/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“Pizza as a reward at work, gotta love it. Personally, I'd rather have that than a raise. Give me a pizza, boss, and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/pizza-as-a-reward-at-work-gotta-love-it-personally-i-d-rather-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Let me spell it out: with the psychotic boss, nothing you do is ever quite right. They set traps, asking you to do things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-me-spell-it-out-with-the-psychotic-boss-nothing-you-do-is-ever/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Browse all 1,833 Boss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In theater, the playwright is the boss, period. The decisions will go through him or her. 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