2-Person Play Draft, Day 2; 'Night Mother: Day 3 (conclusion)

Lab: (period 1)

Please continue writing your 2-person monologue play draft. Choose a monologue you have already written and place it either in the beginning, middle, or end of your scene. Create a second character and have that character enter before, just after, or during the monologue. Build your short play with a conflict between the two characters.

Refer to the handout for play script format if you need to. Formatting counts.

This scene will be due Monday, Oct. 3 at the end of our lab time.

If you haven't done so yet, read about Marsha Norman. 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman

Examine the following as we read:

• Structural Unity: all parts of the plot (exposition, rising action, turning point, climax, resolution, etc.) should work and fit together. Explain how the playwright has achieved structural unity in this play. How does exposition turn to rising action? How does the turning point (the play's crisis or a character's dark moment) lead to our climax? How does the playwright resolve the action of the play? How effectively do you feel this was done? Remember that the Inciting Incident is really part of the structural unity of the play: the point of attack, the inciting incident forces the protagonist into the action of the play's plot. What inciting incident occurs in the early scenes of the play? Identify when and what page this occurs on.
• Major Dramatic Question (MDQ): the hook that keeps an audience interested in a play; a dramatic question that a reader/viewer wants to be answered. What is the MDQ for this play?
• Major decision (x2): A decision a character makes in the plot that creates the turning point for their character. Choose either Jessie or Mama. What is the major decision for this character?
• The dark moment/crisis: the lowest moment of a character's struggle--when all the world seems lost, the fight unbeatable, the "darkest hour before dawn" -- a stunning reversal of fortune and sense of failure. Examining Mama's character, what moment would you say is her dark moment or crisis? 
• Enlightenment: When the protagonist understands how to defeat the antagonist. A revelation that begins the movement toward a climax. Does this play have an enlightenment? Which character(s) are involved in this enlightenment if it exists? If it does NOT exist, who might the author intend to have the "enlightenment"?
• Catharsis: Discuss the ending of this play with your partner. How did it affect you? If it did not affect you, why not? 
• Costumes/props: how are costumes and props used in the play. Which props become important? Why?

We will complete 'Night Mother today & discuss the play.

HOMEWORK: Complete the short play handouts.

'Night Mother: Part 2; 2-Person Monologue Scene Draft: Day 1

Lab: (until 8:00)

Please watch the following playwriting videos and take notes on what you learn:

• Video #1: Top Tips
• Video #2: Formatting a play script (optional viewing, for those who don't understand the form) and here if you still don't understand the format.

Then, brush off your monologue that you submitted/wrote last week. Choose to place this monologue in the beginning, middle or end of your short play scene.

Consider your status quo and inciting incident, use some of the tips you learned from the videos, and write.

Whichever position you choose for your monologue placement (beginning, middle, end...), create a second character and have that character enter before, just after, or during the monologue. Begin to build a short scene between this second character and your monologue character. Plan or write organically, but realize that some planning is a good idea so you don't get lost or hit a block.

Refer to the handout for play script format if you need to. Formatting counts.

This scene is not due yet.

If you haven't done so yet, read about Marsha Norman. 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman

Sign & check the participation sheet for this play. Note the page #'s you are responsible for if you choose to read a character part in the play.

Examine the following as we read:

• Structural Unity: all parts of the plot (exposition, rising action, turning point, climax, resolution, etc.) should work and fit together. Explain how the playwright has achieved structural unity in this play. How does exposition turn to rising action? How does the turning point (the play's crisis or a character's dark moment) lead to our climax? How does the playwright resolve the action of the play? How effectively do you feel this was done? Remember that the Inciting Incident is really part of the structural unity of the play: the point of attack, the inciting incident forces the protagonist into the action of the play's plot. What inciting incident occurs in the early scenes of the play? Identify when and what page this occurs on.
• Major Dramatic Question (MDQ): the hook that keeps an audience interested in a play; a dramatic question that a reader/viewer wants to be answered. What is the MDQ for this play?
• Major decision (x2): A decision a character makes in the plot that creates the turning point for their character. Choose either Jessie or Mama. What is the major decision for this character?
• The dark moment/crisis: the lowest moment of a character's struggle--when all the world seems lost, the fight unbeatable, the "darkest hour before dawn" -- a stunning reversal of fortune and sense of failure. Examining Mama's character, what moment would you say is her dark moment or crisis? 
• Enlightenment: When the protagonist understands how to defeat the antagonist. A revelation that begins the movement toward a climax. Does this play have an enlightenment? Which character(s) are involved in this enlightenment if it exists? If it does NOT exist, who might the author intend to have the "enlightenment"?
• Catharsis: Discuss the ending of this play with your partner. How did it affect you? If it did not affect you, why not? 
• Costumes/props: how are costumes and props used in the play. Which props become important? Why?

We will read and discuss part two of this play.

HOMEWORK: None.

Monologues/Monster; 'Night Mother: Part 1

Complete your second monologue draft. Your draft will be due at the end of our lab. Print out and turn in by end of period 1.

Dael Orlandersmith's Monster: Answer these questions (also due at the end of our lab):

1. According to Orlandersmith, what are some reasons she wrote this play?
2. List and briefly describe the characters and their role(s) in this play.
3. Identify the premise of this play.
4. Choose one monologue in the play and explain how the monologue develops a character. Use examples from the text as support.
5. Identify a major conflict for characters in this play. How does the playwright use this conflict to create an effective dramatic situation? Support your answer with textual evidence.

If you are caught up and if there is still time in the lab, you may move on to our next writing exercise/draft:

Use one of your monologues (either monologue #1 or monologue #2) and shape a short play around the monologue by introducing a second major character. Place your monologue either in the beginning of this play, the middle, or the end. Write the rest of the story after deciding where to place the monologue you have written. You may edit and reshape some details if you need to for your plot and theme. This draft is not due yet. Deadlines will be forthcoming.

At the end of the period, please pick up 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman from the library. We only have 11 copies of the play--so some of us will use the paper packet. When you have checked out the play, return to room 238 for the second part of our class.

Period 2:

Sign the participation sheet for this play. Note the page #'s you are responsible for if you choose to read a character part in the play.

Conflict:

Conflict is another name for drama--and so, it is an important aspect of all playwriting. While monodramas allow for good internal conflict (person vs. himself), or often talking about person vs. society--who ultimately stays off stage--a 2 person play is different. Here we can really see conflict (man vs. man) in action!

• Conflict: What traditional type of conflict is best represented here in this play? What other conflicts arise and how are these dealt with in the play? How does the conflict help us understand the characters and the theme of the play?
• Structural Unity: all parts of the plot (exposition, rising action, turning point, climax, resolution, etc.) should work and fit together. Explain how the playwright has achieved structural unity in this play. How does exposition turn to rising action? How does the turning point (the play's crisis or a character's dark moment) lead to our climax? How does the playwright resolve the action of the play? How effectively do you feel this was done? 
• Inciting Incident: the point of attack, the inciting incident forces the protagonist into the action of the play's plot. What inciting incident occurs in the early scenes of the play? Identify when and what page this occurs on.
• Major Dramatic Question (MDQ): the hook that keeps an audience interested in a play; a dramatic question that a reader/viewer wants to be answered. What is the MDQ for this play?
• Major decision (x2): A decision a character makes in the plot that creates the turning point for their character. Choose either Jessie or Mama. What is the major decision for this character?
• The dark moment/crisis: the lowest moment of a character's struggle--when all the world seems lost, the fight unbeatable, the "darkest hour before dawn" -- a stunning reversal of fortune and sense of failure. Examining Mama's character, what moment would you say is her dark moment or crisis? 
• Enlightenment: When the protagonist understands how to defeat the antagonist. A revelation that begins the movement toward a climax. Does this play have an enlightenment? Which character(s) are involved in this enlightenment if it exists? If it does NOT exist, who might the author intend to have the "enlightenment"?
• Catharsis: Discuss the ending of this play with your partner. How did it effect you? If it did not affect you, why not? 
• Costumes/props: how are costumes and props used in the play. Which props become important? Why?

We will read and discuss part one of this play. We will finish the play in class on Tuesday. Please bring your copies back with you to Tuesday's class.

HOMEWORK: None.

Monologue #2 Draft; Monster & The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year

Lab:

Task/Exercise:

Using the character questionnaire answers in your journal from last class, write a monologue that tells a revealing story about your speaker. The story should reveal your speaker's personality through the diction & dialogue you write. Use the details you wrote down in your journal to give you some ideas. Overall, be creative. A monologue should be interesting.

Think about who your character is speaking to and where this person might be when speaking. Indicate your setting through diction and details in the dialogue (not stage directions).

• Remember that monologues help develop character. It is helpful to have characters who want something (to achieve a specific goal)--so giving your character a goal to try to achieve is a good idea.
• Better yet: make sure your character's goal has a dramatic risk involved: what is at stake for this character? Why might this character NEED to tell us this story? What does the monologue reveal about the character's personality or history or beliefs or goals?
• Monologues can provide exposition, communicate the theme of the play or explain a character's thinking process. Monologues can describe a setting, comment about other characters or describe past events or future possibilities. They are used to develop characters and can move a plot forward. 
• Just like a good story, use specific details, imagery, and poetic devices like you would in a good short story. 

Write a draft of your monologue during our lab time today. If you finish, please print and turn in. You may begin reading the play Monster by Dael Orlandersmith--a monologue play. See homework below.

REMINDER: Please turn in any homework or late work from previous classes (see previous posts for details).

Period 2: Classroom:

Theatre vocabulary to know:

• Monologue: an extended speech delivered by one person/character.
• Dramatic Monologue: a long or extended speech delivered by one character addressing another character or group of characters.
• Interior Monologue: In fiction or prose, the description or speech (in 1st person POV, for example) where a character exhibits (shows/tells) the thoughts, feelings, and associations passing through a character's mind.
• Soliloquy: an extended speech by one person/character addressed directly to the audience. Usually, the character is alone on stage.
• Monologue Play (one-person show; monodrama): A solo performance, featuring an actor, comedian, or entertainer.
• Premise: the basic concept or idea of the play. Usually, the premise can be stated clearly in 1 sentence. "This is a play about..."
• Conflict: a struggle, clash, or fight between opposing forces; a battle; an active disagreement resulting from incompatible ideas, goals, or needs.

At its core, all plays are about characters in conflict. The five common types of literary conflict include:

1. Person v. Person
2. Person v. Self
3. Person v. Nature (also human nature)
4. Person v. Society
5. Person v. Fate, the Supernatural, or God

Please get into groups of 2-3. Read "The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year."

As you read the short one-act play "The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year" by John Guare, identify different ways in which the playwright uses conflict as a dramatic centerpiece for the comedy. Take note of the kinds of conflict that occur in the play and write down the type (see above) and a brief description as to what the conflict is. Turn in this analysis by the end of class today for participation credit.

HOMEWORK: Complete your monologue draft. Your draft will be due at the end of Friday's lab time. Read the play Monster by Dael Orlandersmith. Answer these questions (also due at the end of your lab Friday):

1. According to Orlandersmith, what are some reasons she wrote this play?
2. List and briefly describe the characters and their role(s) in this play.
3. Identify the premise of this play.
4. Choose one monologue in the play and explain how the monologue develops a character. Use examples from the text as support.
5. Identify a major conflict for characters in this play. How does the playwright use this conflict to create an effective dramatic situation? Support your answer with textual evidence.

Spic-o-Rama

Period 1: Truncated Lab.

We will only be in the lab until 7:50. Please turn in your homework from last class (see below) or any late work this morning during our lab time.

Turn in your Spic-o-Rama questions from our homework this morning as participation credit--see previous post for details about homework. (If you find yourself falling behind--make sure you note what is due each class period.)

How does the play showcase John Leguizamo's talent as an actor and writer? Be specific, using specific examples from the text. 

Why might Leguizamo have chosen the characters he did to portray in the play? Are some characters more vivid and interesting than others? What might be missing or what would you have liked to see more of or less of? How does the language of each monologue help characterize the speaker? Be specific by using textual examples to support your claims.

How does Leguizamo structurally put the play together to create an effective theatrical experience? Examine how the play is thematically connected or how it "moves" from story line to story line. How effective is this in your opinion? What strategies does Leguizamo use to keep a coherent whole for his play?

Discuss the importance of minority voices in theater. In your opinion do we need more minority voices--or is Leguizamo's portrayal of "spics" degrading or stereotypical?

During the lab time, complete the character design questionnaire for an upcoming assignment in your journal. Bring your completed questionnaire notes to our next class.

Character Questionnaire:

1

 Where does your character live?

Michael Adams, the novelist and writing professor, believes that setting is the most important element of any story. It's definitely true that character, if not story, in many ways grows out of a sense of place. What country does your character live in? What region? What specific street or place? Does he/she live alone or with a family? In a trailer park or an estate? How did he/she end up living there? How does he/she feel about it? Answer the question in a descriptive paragraph.

2

 Where is your character from?

In a similar vein, where did your character's life begin? Did she grow up running around the woods in a small Southern town, or learning to conjugate Latin verbs in a London boarding school? Obviously, this influences things like the kinds of people your character knows, the words she uses to communicate with them, and the way she feels about a host of things in her external world. Write a descriptive paragraph about where your character is from.

3

 How old is your character?

Though this might seem like an obvious question, it's important to make a clear decision about this before you begin writing--otherwise, it's impossible to get the details right. For instance, would your character have a cell phone, a land line, or both? Does your character drink martinis or cheap beer? Does your character still get money from his/her parents, or worry about what will happen to his/her parents as they get old? Describe the details surrounding the age of your character.

4

 What is your character called?

Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? According to novelist Elinor Lipman, absolutely not: "Names have subtext and identity. If your main characters are Kaplans, you've got yourself a Jewish novel, and if your hero is Smedley Winthrop III, you've given him a trust fund. Nomenclature done right contributes to characterization." Your character's name provides a lot of information--not only about ethnicity or culture--but about your character's age, background, and social class. A funny name is most appropriate for a comedy, a, realistic name for a realistic drama. Many names have a symbolic or cultural meaning that can help define a personality or become an ironic statement. Look up the meaning of the name you use and see how that might help shape the character. Add any notes/details after the name you choose for your character to remind you what details might be relevant in your play.

5

 What does your character look like?

Is your character tall enough to see over the heads of a crowd at a bar or to notice the dust on the top of his girlfriend's refrigerator? Does she deal with weight issues and avoid looking at herself in the mirror? Though you need not have a crystal clear picture of your character in mind, physical details help your readers believe in the character and help you imagine how your character moves through the world. Describe your character in specific details. Use imagery if necessary to allow readers to imagine the character in their imaginations.

6

 What kind of childhood did he or she have?

As with real people, many things about your character's personality will be determined by his background. Did his parents have a good marriage? Was she raised by a single mom? How your character interacts with other people--whether he's defensive or confident, stable or rootless--may be influenced by his past. Describe your character's childhood or early life.

7

 What does your character do for a living?

As with all of these questions, how much information you need depends in some part on the plot of your story, but you'll need some idea of how your character makes money. A dancer will look at the world very differently from an accountant, for instance, and a construction worker will use very different language from either one. How they feel about a host of issues, from money to family, will be in some part dependent on their choice of careers. Note that what your character does for a living may also affect his/her environment or setting or motivation. Describe your character's occupation.

8

 How does your character deal with conflict and change?

Most stories involve some element of conflict and change--they're part of what makes a story a story. Is your character passive or active? If someone confronts her, does she change the subject, head for the minibar, stalk off, or do a deep-breathing exercise? When someone insults him, is he more likely to take it, come up with a retort, or excuse himself to find someone else to talk to? Describe how your character generally reacts to conflict and change. Use an example to support your description.

9

 Who else is in your character's life?

Relationships--how people interact with others--reveal character. They're also excuses for dialogue, which break up exposition, offering another way of providing necessary information. Think about who will best help you convey this information, and what kinds of people would realistically be in your character's world in the first place. Make a short list or a few other character names and their relationship to your character.

10

 What is your character's goal or motivation in this story or scene?

In longer stories, plays, or novels, you will have to ask this question repeatedly. Many of your character's actions will result from the intersection of what she's trying to achieve and her personality, which is composed of everything you've invented in answering the above questions. When in doubt about how your character should behave, ask yourself what your character wants from the situation, and think about the answers you've given to all of the above. For each scene in a play, a character should have a short term goal--something the character wants from others in the scene. The character should also have a long term goal--something to achieve by the end of the story or play. This long term goal does not have to occur in the story, but it should be something the character wants ultimately. Write a short term goal and a potential long term goal for your character.

Period 1/2: Viewing of Spic-o-Rama.

HOMEWORK: None. If you didn't completed your questionnaire during the lab, please do so as homework. Bring your completed questionnaire to our next class. 

Town Hall Meeting; Spic-o-Rama

Please turn in your monologue draft (#1) and your homework on Talking With--see the previous post for details. If you did not complete your homework, please do so and turn in late. Remember that your work is not worth as many points if it is late--but late is better than never. Use your time in the lab to complete either of these assignments before we move to the town meeting assembly.

We have our Town Meeting this morning. Yesterday, the town meeting lasted 2 periods, so if we return to class, we will begin reading Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo. This is another type of monologue play. As you read, compare/contrast this script with Talking With. How is it similar/different? What staging effects does Leguizamo use (and to what effect?) Be prepared to discuss this essential question next class. See homework below.

HOMEWORK: Complete your reading of Spic-o-Rama. In regard to Spic-o-Rama, explain in writing and turn in next class (Monday) answers to these questions. When answering homework questions on the readings we do in class, please make sure you use textual evidence to support your answers:

1. How does the play showcase John Leguizamo's talent as an actor and writer? Be specific, using specific examples from the text. 
2. Why might Leguizamo have chosen the characters he did to portray in the play? Are some characters more vivid and interesting than others? What might be missing or what would you have liked to see more of or less of? How does the language of each monologue help characterize the speaker? Be specific by using textual examples to support your claims.
3. How does Leguizamo structurally put the play together to create an effective theatrical experience? Examine how the play is thematically connected or how it "moves" from story line to story line. How effective is this in your opinion? What strategies does Leguizamo use to keep a coherent whole for his play?
4. Discuss the importance of minority voices in theater. In your opinion do we need more minority voices--or is Leguizamo's portrayal of "spics" degrading or stereotypical?

Monologue Draft #1; Talking With (con't); Spic-o-Rama

Part 1:

Turn in your character description from last class.

For this morning's exercise, choose one of the two characters you described and place this character in a specific setting: a place, time, season, time period, location, etc. Include weather in your setting.

When you have settled on a setting and a character description, write a monologue from the perspective of your created character. Your monologue must be more than 200 words for full participation credit. Aim to finish your monologue draft by the end of period 1; if you finish today, please print and turn in your draft--otherwise, it will be due next class (please finish the draft for homework).

Talking With Analysis

Once you are done with your monologue draft, choose 1 of the monologues (between pages 13-69) and analyze it closely.

 Analyze how:

• the character hooks her audience, 
• how the character communicates meaning (what's the purpose/point of speaking?)
• how details and background description and details are presented to the audience, 
• how story and plot are interwoven into the monologue, 
• how language or diction is used to create visual imagery (metaphor, allusion, personification, symbol, simile, etc.), sound imagery (onomatopoeia, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, consonance, etc.), and
• how props or costumes are used (if any) help establish setting or character.

Write out your answers to be handed in as participation credit (complete in the lab). Make sure you have indicated what monologue you chose to analyze--and remember to put your name on your work!

Period 2: Talking With Discussion (continued)

• What did you think about the play as a whole? Did it surprise you or please you or frustrate you? Explain why you reacted to the play in this way.
• What is the premise of "Talking With"? In a sentence or two, explain what you think is the premise or main idea/theme of the play. Is this premise interesting? Do you think people would pay to see this play?
• The "audience" for each character changes as the play continues. How does the author help a viewer or reader understand who the character in question is "talking with..."? Overall, by the end of the play, who do you think the playwright Jane Martin is "Talking with...?" Support your opinion.
• What challenges and stage requirements are necessary to produce this play? How has Jane Martin anticipated a low-budget, black box theater being able to produce her play? What did you learn about staging from the monologues you read and watched?
• Why are the monologues in the order that Martin puts them? What is the reason to start and end the play with the monologues she does?
• After reading about Jane Martin, what amuses or interests you in her as a writer? How might the idea of "Theatricality" (artificial life involving conflict) infuse the script and the whole experience of seeing this play on stage?
• Other observations? As a writer, what did you notice? What do you want to talk about in regards to this play?

After our discussion, let's begin reading the play Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo. This is another type of monologue play. As you read, compare/contrast this script with Talking With. How is it similar/different?

HOMEWORK:

#1: Watch the following pairs of performances from Talking With. Compare/contrast the quality or effectiveness of the performer and write your analysis or critique of the monologue in a paragraph response (to be turned in as homework participation Thursday, September 15). There are 3 pairings.

To assist your answers: As you watch these scenes from Talking With, pay attention to how the playwright engages the audience and tells an interesting story that develops the single speaking character. Notice how the actor portrays this character. Are the author's words more effective or is the performance more compelling to you as an audience? What does this suggest about the nature of performance? Which performance was stronger than the other? Why? What might be some things you want to remember about writing plays for performers?

• Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)
• Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22) 

• Audition. (monologue, page 25-27)   
• Audition  

• French Fries (monologue, page 61-63)
• French Fries

#2: Complete Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo. Bring this script back with you next class for our discussion and analysis of the play. If you did not complete your monologue draft or monologue analysis, please complete as homework and turn in both Thursday, Sept. 15. 

Character Exercise; Talking With Discussion; Intro to Spic-O-Rama

LAB:

Playwrights use real people as models for their characters all the time.

This morning, let's start off with a little character writing exercise. From the internet find two separate pictures or portraits or photos of a person (or see some of the samples in the front of the classroom to use for this exercise). Choose two pictures.

Part 1:

Write a paragraph description of the two people in the photographs you chose. Try to answer details like:

A. Who is this character? [change the name/fictionalize this person if you know the subject's name or the subject is a famous actor/politician/celebrity, etc.--i.e., do not write about the real person in this photo!]
B. What is the most obvious personality trait of this character?
C. What is the most distinguishing physical feature of this character?
D. What motivates this character?
E. What life-changing event happened to this character either recently before or recently after this photograph was taken?
F. What does this character really think about what's happening in this picture? [If that is unclear, consider where this person was when the picture was taken, or who took the picture and for what purpose...]
G. Name two goals for this character? What might they want to accomplish?
H. Identify (make up) one secret that this character has never told anyone.
I. Add any other details you would like until you feel you know this character specifically.

When you have a good description of each of your characters (about a paragraph in length please), print a copy and turn in for participation credit. Then move on to part 2.

Part 2:

Select one of the two characters you described in part 1. Place this character in a specific setting: a place, time, season, time period, location, etc. Include weather in your setting.

When you have settled on a setting and a character description, write a monologue from the perspective of your created character. Your monologue must be more than 200 words for full participation credit. If you finish your monologue by the end of period 1, please print and turn in your draft--otherwise, it will be due Tuesday, next week.

While you are waiting for the end of period 1, please read about (and take notes concerning) Jane Martin. Prepare for our discussion on Talking With by reviewing (or completing) your reading and/or viewing the monologues.

Before the end of 1st period, spend a moment to read about Jane Martin here.

Classroom Activity:

Theater Vocabulary

Throughout this course, I will be using specific language related to the field of playwriting and/or writing in general. These terms are important for you to know/learn. They look nice on quizzes and tests. Always take notes on key information in this class. Practicing note-taking is also important for any student or writer.

Theatre vocabulary to know:

• Playwright: a person who crafts/builds/writes a play meant to be performed live on stage in front of an audience. Note the similarity to wheelwright or shipwright...)
• Play: refers to the script a playwright writes, as well as a theatrical performance. Play is also "joyous activity" often engaged in by children...like "make believe..." and "fun & games"
• Act: not only the verb referring to the activities of a performer (specifically an act-or) but also a significant dramatic chapter, division, or unit in a play. 
• Scene: not only the place where an incident occurred but also a sequence of action in a play.
• Beat: a short exchange of dialogue between two or more characters, usually focusing on a single topic. Many beats make up a scene in a play.
• Monologue: an extended speech delivered by one person/character.
• Dramatic Monologue: a long or extended speech delivered by one character addressing another character or group of characters.
• Interior Monologue: In fiction or prose, the description or speech (in 1st person POV, for example) where a character exhibits (shows/tells) the thoughts, feelings, and associations passing through a character's mind.
• Soliloquy: an extended speech by one person/character addressed directly to the audience. Usually the character is alone on stage.
• Monologue Play (one-person show; monodrama): A solo performance, featuring an actor, comedian, or entertainer.
• Premise: the basic concept or idea of the play. Usually, the premise can be stated clearly in 1 sentence. This is a play about...

TALKING WITH by Jane Martin:

TASK: Please read the handout about Jane Martin this morning. Follow up your reading with a 5 minute period of reading and analysis. Select one of the monologues in the collection and read it closely. Analyze how:

• the character hooks her audience, 
• how the character communicates meaning (what's the purpose/point of speaking?)
• how details and background description and details are presented to the audience, 
• how story and plot are interwoven into the monologue, 
• how language or diction is used to create visual imagery (metaphor, allusion, personification, symbol, simile, etc.), sound imagery (onomatopoeia, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, consonance, etc.), and
• how props or costumes are used (if any) help establish setting or character.

Write out your answers to be handed in as participation credit. Leave your answers by the end of class in the inbox. Make sure you have indicated what monologue you chose to analyze--and remember to put your name on your work!

TASK: After our analysis, let's conduct a class discussion on the play. Your response can include answers to any or all of these questions:

• What did you think about the play as a whole? Did it surprise you or please you or frustrate you? Explain why you reacted to the play in this way.
• What is the premise of "Talking With"? In a sentence or two, explain what you think is the premise or main idea/theme of the play. Is this premise interesting? Do you think people would pay to see this play?
• The "audience" for each character changes as the play continues. How does the author help a viewer or reader understand who the character in question is "talking with..."? Overall, by the end of the play, who do you think the playwright Jane Martin is "Talking with...?" Support your opinion.
• What challenges and stage requirements are necessary to produce this play? How has Jane Martin anticipated a low-budget, black box theater being able to produce her play? What did you learn about staging from the monologues you read and watched?
• Why are the monologues in the order that Martin puts them? What is the reason to start and end the play with the monologues she does?
• After reading about Jane Martin, what amuses or interests you in her as a writer? How might the idea of "Theatricality" (artificial life involving conflict) infuse the script and the whole experience of seeing this play on stage?
• Other observations? As a writer, what did you notice? What do you want to talk about in regards to this play?

After our discussion, let's begin reading the play Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo. This is another type of monologue play. As you read, compare/contrast this script with Talking With. How is it similar/different?

HOMEWORK:
#1: If you did not complete your reading of Talking With, please do so over the weekend. Watch the following pairs of performances. Compare/contrast the quality or effectiveness of the performer and write your analysis or critique of the monologue in a paragraph response (to be turned in as homework participation Tuesday, September 13). There are 3 pairings.

To assist your answers: As you watch these scenes from Talking With, pay attention to how the playwright engages the audience and tells an interesting story that develops the single speaking character. Notice how the actor portrays this character. Are the author's words more effective or is the performance more compelling to you as an audience? What does this suggest about the nature of performance? Which performance was stronger than the other? Why? What might be some things you want to remember about writing plays for performers?

• Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)
• Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22) 

• Audition. (monologue, page 25-27)   
• Audition  

• French Fries (monologue, page 61-63)
• French Fries

#2: Complete Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo. Bring this script back with you next class for our discussion and analysis of the play. You may feel free to complete your monologue writing assignment (although this will not be due officially until next class at the end of our lab time.)