Historical Play Project: Day 3; Play Workshop; Lion in Winter/Picasso at the Lapin Agile

Please read this article: Inspiration from Artifacts: Writing Plays for the Future Inspired by the Past.

Then, this morning, please take the first 20-25 minutes to work on your historical play project. See below.

Historical Period Play Project:

• Pick a time period or historical figure and plan/outline a play.  Use your notes to do the following:
• Make a list of your potential characters: consider including a protagonist, an ally or confidante, a foil, an antagonist, and/or a messenger. Your protagonist/antagonist should be dynamic characters. You may include characters who are not real with your historical figure. Your historical figure may be a minor or major character.
• Create a dramatic triangle (see Oct 1 blog post/handout)
• For your protagonist/antagonist, choose a desire, motivation, and obstacle (the roots of action)
• Choose a suggested or realistic set
• Your play should include monologues to develop your characters, backstory, and theme or absolute truths
• Include theatrical conventions and Aristotle's 6 Parts of a Play: character, plot, idea/theme, music, language (well-written dialogue), spectacle
• Your play may include music, be a musical (with songs or poems), a tragedy, comedy, or drama
• Your play should start in status quo with the introduction of an inciting incident, include conflict and obstacles that complicate the plot to rise to a crisis or dark moment (turning point) for your protagonist(s), include an enlightenment, rise to a climax, and resolve.
• For advice on how to do these things, please look back through the blog (from September until now) and the handouts given to you or discussed in class. 
• Your draft will be due early December.

At around 8:00, we will gather in 2 workshop groups and conduct a workshop. After reading "Playwright's Best Advantage", please gather in these groups (please note, I may need to move some people around due to absences):

Group 1:

• Tali
• Valerie
• A'layza 
• Makenna
• Melinda
• Madison
• Wesley

Group 2: 

• Lesana
• Aalaysia
• Keniah
• Farhan
• Degraj
• Tia
• Liz
• Javant

1. Choose at least 1 of your 2 scripts and read the plays together. 

2. Actually read them out loud, please! 

3. The playwright should NOT read a part but listen to others read their work out loud. This is important. The playwright needs to hear his/her words in the mouth of other people. 

4. The playwright should complete the workshop form (handout). 

5. The other students in the workshop (even the ones reading out loud) should mark mistakes and/or problems with the script's formatting and content as they read (see handout rubric for details!); these marked-up scripts should go back to the playwright.

6. Discuss the play with your peers. What are its strengths & weaknesses? (see rubric)

7. The playwright should complete and turn in a workshop form (handout). 

8. Workshops may be carried over to our next class if needed.

Use the handout/rubric to help you give advice to your peers regarding their plays. Students whose plays are workshopped should complete a workshop form (see handout). You may revise your play draft(s) for your final portfolio, due in January.

At around 8:30, you will have the option of continuing your workshop or begin reading one of two "historical plays":

Choose one:

1. The Lion in Winter by James Goldman; (clip)

2. Picasso at the Lapine Agile by Steve Martin, (clip)

Read the play and complete a play analysis for it. Due Monday, Nov. 25.

HOMEWORK: Work on your play projects or revisions (not due yet). Read your chosen play. Complete a play analysis for Monday, Nov. 25.