Play Project; Hamilton, An American Musical

This morning, please read these short articles (particularly if you are stuck for ideas!)

Jake Jeppson's Advice for Playwrights (how to get started!)
What actors want: Actors Imagine their Dream Roles (then ask your drama friends what kinds of roles they would love to play on stage...)
Time Management for Playwrights by Martin Zimmerman

Use your time in the lab to work on your play script projects.

2nd Period: Hamilton, an American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Review: All About the Hamiltons (New Yorker)
Review: "Why the show isn't as revolutionary as it seems"

As we read/listen to Hamilton, look for some of these Greek Tragedy elements in the libretto:

• A story based on history or historical legends
• Hubris (a tragic flaw or Hamartia of a character who feels he/she is too great, powerful, or perfect to make a mistake...this is usually taking the gods or fate for granted, or ignoring the natural reality of life, etc.)
• A good (or powerful) character comes to a bad end
• A peripety (turning point or change of fortune)
• An anagnorisis (a discovery)
• A chorus representing the populus (the people)
• Aristotle's 6 elements of a play: Character, Plot, Idea, Language, Music, Spectacle
• Stasimon (choral singing together)
• Stichymythia (alternating short lines of dialogue between 2 or more characters)
• Parados/exodus
• Deus Ex Machina (a contrived ending)

HOMEWORK: Please complete Hamilton and a paragraph analysis identifying the bulleted points. Due Tuesday. Please return scripts to the library or to me (if they were photocopies). Instead of hoarding the script we read, please take notes about the author, basic plot, setting, themes, characters, and conflicts in the play.