Thursday, September 22, 2016

David Mamet's Oleanna

LAB: (7:30 - 7:45 only)

Please spend the first few minutes of today's class working on your 2-person scene, using your monologue to anchor your story.

Make sure before you leave the lab today, that you take a look at this information about David Mamet.

David Mamet (you can learn more about this writer by clicking on the link and reading his short bio) is a popular playwright, screenwriter, novel writer, and director. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for Glengarry Glen Ross. His most recent plays include November (with Nathan Lane) in 2008, Race in 2009, and HBO's production of the series Phil Spector (2013) with Al Pacino & Helen Mirren.


Our next play will be Oleanna by David Mamet. William H. Macy starred in the original production (and the movie based on the play). Read a little about the play on the script. Sign up for various roles as we read today. In particular we will be discussing Mamet's use and style of writing dialogue.

HOMEWORK: Please read Amiri Baraka's play Dutchman. Answer the 6 discussion questions using textual evidence to support your answers. You will likely need more room than what is provided to adequately answer the questions. Write your answers SEPARATELY from the question handout sheet. Answers will count as a quiz grade for this play.

Read a few of Amiri Baraka's poems. Learn a little about who this writer was.

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