Full Length Play Project - The Scenario

You are going to write a full-length play as a culmination and final writing assignment of this class (due in January). To prepare an idea and get you started, please create a working scenario for this project.

Your scenario should be modeled after the chapters given to you in previous handouts: Structure (part one) and Structure (part two) from Naked Playwriting by William Downs and Robin Russin. Follow the steps below to create your working scenario:

1. brainstorm premises or ideas for a play. Use your journal. Jot down ideas, topics, characters, plots, themes, settings, etc. that you will want to write about. Start with the prompt: "I want to write about..." and try to finish the sentence. You can be as sketchy or precise as you feel you need to be at this stage.

2. Decide on a style. Do you want to write a comedy, tragedy, drama? Do you want to be realistic, absurdist, expressionistic, epic, etc.? (We are going to be covering these styles in class.) Either way, you should plan your play as a full length play (full length one act, two-act, three-act, four-act, or five-act play).

3. When you have decided (or not decided at this stage--remember you can always change your mind), flesh out and write a working scenario. Your scenario should include the following information (to be turned in to me by Dec. 12). (by the way, feel free to write more than one scenario and get the advice of friends or teachers which one would be best...the more you do, I'll reward with extra credit).

4. For help, use the handout given to you as a model. For ideas, consider the plays we have (and will) read.

5. Your scenario needs to include:
a. a working title
b. a place
c. a setting (description of)
d. a time
e. a cast of characters. Each character should have a brief description or goal in mind.
f. a list of possible acts
g. a list of possible scenes
h. a breakdown of each scene (or act) and which characters are involved and what their action might be in that scene. (Please break your scenes or acts down into rough French scenes).

Remember that nothing is set in stone. Anything can change during the writing process. You will, however, need to have a plan to write a longer work.