What on Earth Gave You That Idea? - collecting ideas for plays

In groups of 1-3, please read and take notes on the article "What on Earth Gave You That Idea?" (Handout). Please take turns reading paragraphs or divide the work up. You are responsible for knowing the entire article, however, so please read it. Stop when you get to the top of page 6 and the heading "Is the Idea Half-full or Half-Empty".

You should, after reading the article, be able to define the term: Premises, answer: What kinds of experience help us come up with ideas, Give a few examples where ideas come from, define philosophy, and explain how emotion helps guide a playwright. Keep these notes in your journal/notebook for a test later.

After reading pages 1-6 with your group, spend another few minutes discussing and listing ideas for plays. Ask yourself: Where can I get a few ideas? What can I write about? What am I passionate about? What would others like to see? Make a list of play ideas in your journal/notebook.

Then wait for further instructions.

Monologue #2 - Exercise

At the beginning of class, take a look at the link: "People's Pictures."

Pick a photograph of a person that you'd like to work with. I'd suggest you avoid famous people and animals for this exercise (for example, don't pick Pres. Obama) because your monologue will be harder to justify.

Take 10 minutes to write a short monologue for this "character." Make sure you do the following:
1. Copy the picture into a word document. Resize the picture so that it's small.
2. Name the character. Give the character a new name (even if the picture gives you the real name)
3. Give your character a setting, a goal, and pick an audience for him/her.
4. Try to recreate a unique voice for your character.
5. Proofread and print out after you have completed this project in 10 minutes. Make sure your name is attached and that you have followed the rules above.

You will be given participation credit for an acceptable length monologue. Your work, as always, should be up to 11th grade creative writing standards. Partial credit will be given to students who turn in work that is incomplete or below grade level. No credit will be given to students who do not follow directions or do not turn in a monologue at the end of the assignment.

Monologue Samples

You will need a piece of paper or your journal for this exercise. Please put your name on the paper (as you will be handing it in at the end of class).

Please view the following clip about how to write a monologue. Take notes of important tips. Copy and paste the URL into your web browser to play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXO6Y0FJH3U&feature=channel


Here are a few monologue samples. Please watch and/or read each and write a short paragraph response noting the following (due at end of class):

A. Who is the character speaking?
B. Why is the character speaking?
C. To whom is the character speaking (the audience)?

Reading monologues:

1. Read Workout by Wendy Wasserstein (handout). Answer the 3 questions (who is the character, why is the character speaking, and to whom is the character speaking?) Turn to your neighbor when both of you have completed this portion of the exercise and share your answers.

2. Then alone, choose 3 monologues from the Monologue Database included on the link section of this blog. Answer the 3 questions for each monologue. Then move on to the next portion of this exercise:

With clip addresses, please copy and paste the URL address into your web browser.

Clips: (please be aware that content is meant for mature students. Please excuse the language and content of some of the monologues).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDjXVJbkAeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTRWgR-uero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKsYZnFvKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEVmAbxC14g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8B_D8fUlSU

Finally, after reading and viewing these monologues, what questions, comments, or observations have you made about writing (and performing) monologues?

Please turn in the monologue responses as today's participation work.

If you finish early, please write a second monologue including what you've learned about writing monologues.

Writing Monologue Tips

"Some of the most famous and memorable moments in theatre history – moments including phrases like, “to be, or not to be” or “now is the winter of our discontent,” which are internationally renowned – are from dramatic monologues.

Since Shakespeare’s time, the dramatic monologue has grown and developed to have countless uses in the world of theatre (as outlined in the article, What is a Monologue?), but the general definition remains the same: a monologue is a speech, usually somewhat lengthy, delivered by a single actor in a play or film.

But how do you go about writing a powerful and effective monologue? What follows is a look at the crucial elements to consider when you are working on your next theatrical monologue, whether dramatic or comedic.

Keep Your Character’s Voice Distinct and Consistent

Since a monologue involves a single character speaking for an extended period of time, you need to make certain that your character’s voice is distinct to his or her personality, and that it remains consistent, not only throughout the monologue itself, but also from before the monologue, and continuing through the remainder of the play.

This is not to say that your character’s monologue cannot reflect a change in attitude. Your character, for example, may be incredibly kind to her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend to her face and then turn around and perform a monologue about how much she hates her. What the audience needs to know is that this shift is intentional. If your intentions as the playwright are not clear, your writing will come across as inconsistent and your audience will quickly lose interest.

Pay Attention to the Rhythm and Shape of Your Monologue

Even though a monologue may be only a short part of a much longer play, it needs to have a shape and rhythm of its own. A monologue in any form is a story, so like any story, it should have (generally) a beginning, middle, and end. When writing your monologue, consider where its high point, or climax, is, and always make sure that every line is helping the audience get to and from that point effectively.

Without shape, your monologue will probably make it seem as though your character is either ranting or rambling. Use concise language and selective editing to keep your monologue from becoming dull or seemingly pointless – losing your audience’s emotional investment, even for five minutes, could keep them at a distance for the remainder of the play.

Know Your Audience, Know Your Audience, Know Your Audience!

This is by far the most important element of writing any monologue, and cannot be reiterated enough times. As you are writing (and later revising) your monologues, make certain that you know who your audience is. The word “audience” in this case is not referring to the group of people who will sit and watch a production of your play. Rather, the “audience” of your monologue is the person (or people) to whom your character is speaking when they deliver each specific monologue.

Knowing who your character is speaking to will shape your monologue significantly. It will give your character a distinct voice (imagine, for example, how differently you would address your mother and your best friend), a distinct attitude, and will help your audiences in production to understand what your characters’ intentions are.

Imagining that your character is speaking to “the world” or “to society” is not good enough – next time you are working on a monologue, try to revise your work with a specific audience in mind for your character, even if it’s just an experiment, and note how much stronger the piece becomes."

--Andrea Beca

Monologue #1 - Assignment

Last year, I made a point of explaining that to create an appropriate play script, a writer needs to consider 3 things:

1. Character
2. Place (setting)
3. Action

To create a situation for a character, a writer should know:
1. Who the character is and what the character wants
2. Where the character is physically
3. What the character is currently doing in that location or setting

Once these 3 questions are answered, the writer can COMPLICATE the dramatic situation by adding a simple "Oops", "But...!", or "Uh Oh!"

Example: Jane is a new playwriting student who wants to become famous. She has paid a lot of money to learn the craft of writing from a famous playwriting teacher whom she admires. She has just been asked by her teacher to explain why she wants to write plays in front of the entire class. Jane begins to tell her story to the rest of the class, but (Oops, but...!, Uh Oh) after a few minutes into her story she is noticing her classmates falling asleep and the teacher is looking annoyed with her. This motivates Jane to try another tactic.

Today, let's write a monologue. (Due: next class, Friday, September 4)

Create a character. Answer the 3 basic questions about your character, place, and action. Complicate the situation to make it dramatic.

Rules: Your monologue should only have one person talking (that's why it's a monologue!) and your monologue should reveal something unique or personal about your character. Your first draft should be no more than 2 pages (preferably one full page is great). The monologue should be written in standard play script format.

Please feel free to post questions here, or ask for help.

Assignment draft due: Friday, September 4

Playwriting Course Syllabus

Course Description:
During this course students will gain experience writing in the dramatic genre. This course focuses on writing for the stage while the second half of this course, *film studies, will focus on screen writing. Students will explore the dramatic genre by reading and viewing representative works by noted playwrights. These works will serve as a source of style and technique for the student in crafting his or her own writing and as a source of themes or issues to be explored. Students will workshop and revise their own plays. Ambitious students may have their final polished scripts produced in public readings. This year we will be working closely with SOTA’s Improv group to study skit and long-form improvisational writing.

Course Objectives:
• Students will gain a greater understanding of the requirements of the dramatic form
• Students will experience the role of the playwright in the collaborative art of theatre
• Students will write using the proper script format to create a variety of plays, scripts, short scenes and monologues
• Students will read, discuss, and analyze a variety of plays from established playwrights
• Students will read and act in staged readings of other students’ work
• Students will build writing skills in the areas of dialogue, characterization, plot, setting, etc.
• Students will experience the collaborative art of theatre with various Improv shows

Course Requirements:
• Participate in class assignments, readings and projects
• Keep a folder for handouts/work in progress/writing exercises
• Keep a writer’s portfolio of all completed and revised work
• Keep a playwriting journal or writing notebook for writing assignments and practices
• Communicate regularly and effectively with the teacher and peers
• Engage in the complete writing process
• Participate in writer’s workshops
• Attend school theatre and art/writing events
• Respect the rules and procedures of the school and classroom
• Read and write passionately, creatively and artistically!

Course Evaluation:
50% Portfolio, Journal, Writing assignments (scenes, monologues, plays, adaptations, journal, exercises, essays, etc.)
25% Test & Quizzes
25% Participation, attendance, effort, behavior, homework

Long Range Curriculum:
1st term: Introduction to playwriting; the one-act play form
2nd term: Development of the dramatic genre; the full length play form
3rd term: Full length play form (cont.); Improv Show featuring playwrights; final assessment

New Academic Year!

Our new academic year will begin with Playwriting in room A239 on September 2. The course syllabus will be posted September 1. See you soon!