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.