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:
Period 2: Talking With Discussion (continued)
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?
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.
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?
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)
- 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment