New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS): Playwright, theatre actor and director Mahesh Dattani and popular actress Lilette Dubey are joining hands to present Script Lab, a four-day scriptwriting residency workshop at the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa next month.

The Script Lab will be held from December 16-19.

The purpose of this workshop is to introduce playwriting, tap talent, assist with character development, constructive feedback and also to help writers turn a critical eye on their own works.

Dattani, the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, and well-known for writing plays like "Dance Like a Man", "Bravely Fought the Queen", "On a Muggy Night in Mumbai" and "Final Solutions", will lend his expertise on all aspects of storytelling during the residency program.

The workshop will focus on screenplay structure, character development, dialogue, theme, visualisation and dramaturgy.

The residency program will include two days of instruction, one day of mentorship and will conclude with dramatised readings of the plays in an outdoor setting at the festival.

Talking about the project and his experience of working with Lillete, Dattani said in a statement: "In the world of Indian theatre, there exists a major lacuna of scriptwriters and quality writer'' which needs to be addressed immediately.

"Keeping this thought at the forefront, Lillete and I felt that it was imperative to include this in a hands-on, yet fun format at the Serendipity Arts Festival, which is how the residency workshop was conceptualized. The four-day workshop in December will include devising, structure, scene-design and dialogue-writing as part of the training, and would be ideal for anyone who wants to take up scriptwriting professionally""

The registration fee for the four-day workshop is Rs 10,000, which will include boarding, all meals, mentorship and materials required for the program. For the same, 15 participants have been shortlisted.

Talking of her role as a curator, Lillete said:""For me, being a part of this festival is extremely exciting and exhilarating. To be able to put aside my role as a director, producer and actor and don the hat of a curator, with the freedom to explore and platform new genres, styles and forms of contemporary theatre from India and across the world."

Serendipity Arts Festival will be a multi-disciplinary arts event that will celebrate the diversity in art with a special focus on music, dance, theatre, crafts, visual arts, culinary arts and photography.