After our unit test, please watch The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Abridged. We will finish watching this play next class.
Please turn in your historical comedy if you have not already done so.
Homework: None.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Unit Test - Friday, Oct. 16
Our class is not meeting again until Friday, Oct. 16. Please read "You Can't Take It With You."
Additionally, the test will cover the following:
The plays: For Colored Girls...Rainbow is Enuf (Nzotake Shange)
Monster (Dael Orlandersmith)
Talking With (Jane Martin)
Psycho Beach Party; Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; Lady in Question; Red Scare on Sunset (Charles Busch)
You Can't Take It With You (Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman)
Play Vocabulary:
Premise
Types of comedy: Sentimental comedy; romantic comedy; farce; satire; black/dark comedy; absurdist comedy
Aristotle's six elements of plays: plot, character, diction (dialogue), thought (theme), spectacle, song/music
Conflict (pg. 58)
Truth (pg. 58)
Structural Unity (pg. 60)
Inciting Incident (pg. 65. pg. 66)
Major Dramatic Question (MDQ) (pg. 64-65, pg. 68)
Major decision (pg. 65/pg. 66-67)
The event (pg. 65)
The three C's: Conflict, crisis, complication (pg. 68-69)
Rising Action (pg. 69-70)
The dark moment/crisis (pg. 70)
Deus ex machina (Pg. 71)
Enlightenment (pg. 71)
Climax (pg. 72)
Catharsis (pg. 72-73)
Ten minute play format
One act plays
Monologues/Soliloquies
Cross-dressing and theatrical tradition
Beach films
Generating ideas for plays
Additionally, the test will cover the following:
The plays: For Colored Girls...Rainbow is Enuf (Nzotake Shange)
Monster (Dael Orlandersmith)
Talking With (Jane Martin)
Psycho Beach Party; Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; Lady in Question; Red Scare on Sunset (Charles Busch)
You Can't Take It With You (Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman)
Play Vocabulary:
Premise
Types of comedy: Sentimental comedy; romantic comedy; farce; satire; black/dark comedy; absurdist comedy
Aristotle's six elements of plays: plot, character, diction (dialogue), thought (theme), spectacle, song/music
Conflict (pg. 58)
Truth (pg. 58)
Structural Unity (pg. 60)
Inciting Incident (pg. 65. pg. 66)
Major Dramatic Question (MDQ) (pg. 64-65, pg. 68)
Major decision (pg. 65/pg. 66-67)
The event (pg. 65)
The three C's: Conflict, crisis, complication (pg. 68-69)
Rising Action (pg. 69-70)
The dark moment/crisis (pg. 70)
Deus ex machina (Pg. 71)
Enlightenment (pg. 71)
Climax (pg. 72)
Catharsis (pg. 72-73)
Ten minute play format
One act plays
Monologues/Soliloquies
Cross-dressing and theatrical tradition
Beach films
Generating ideas for plays
You Can't Take It With You
Today, during 2nd period, we are getting the comedy "You Can't Take It With You". Please read this play for Friday as it will be used on your unit exam. Please check back to this post for additional information about the playwright and his connection to film.
Playwrighting Rubric
4 = Exemplary (A/A+): Play is written in correct (standard) playwriting format for actors/directors. Title is intriguing, symbolic, and/or original. Plot structure adheres to and enhances Aristotelian elements; Cause and effect is well done, logical and creative; conflict is intriguing and creative; the playwrights' message is universal and comments thoughtfully on the human condition; play has intriguing, original characters; setting is original and interesting, but also practical for theatrical space; stage directions are specific, producible, enhance the action of the play and do not get in the actor/reader's way; dialogue is original, compelling, appropriate for characters; characters have clear and appropriate motivation; there is a clear progression of conflict/events, leading to a dark moment (crisis), enlightenment, and climax for the protagonist; dialogue sounds natural; play follows the three unities of time, place, action (when appropriate); scenes are well developed, each ending with a climactic moment, constantly moving the plot forward; staging is creative, appropriate and play is clever and producible. Few minor grammar errors.
3 = Accomplished (B/B+): Play is written in standard publishing playwriting format, or format for actors/directors has a few mistakes. Title is appropriate, but may not be as clever or creative as 4 above. Plot is appropriate and uses several Aristotelian elements, but not to the same level as 4. Cause and effect is more or less appropriate for the situation; playwright has a message, but may not be as original or creative as 4. Setting is appropriate and practical, but not as clever or interesting as 4. Stage directions are used appropriately; dialogue is appropriate for verisimilitude of characters and setting; dialogue mostly sounds natural; play mostly follows unities, but may rely on one more than another; main characters have appropriate motivation, with some errors or lack of development; scenes are developed, but may not always progress the plot; staging is appropriate and producible, but not as clever as 4. Some minor grammar errors.
2 = Promising (C/C+): Play attempts standard playwriting format, but may have several errors. Title is present, but does not necessarily support theme, tone, or symbol. Plot borders on cliche or sentimentality; plot may lack some Aristotelian elements. Cause occurs without effect or there are errors in plotting; playwrights' message may be trite or melodramatic or over done; characters may be unoriginal, lacking motivation or development; setting is standard and largely uninteresting; dialogue sounds stilted or melodramatic, unreal; play does not always follow the unities; characters may lack motivation or play includes too many minor characters; scenes are sketchy or undeveloped, conflict is too easily resolved; scenes may not advance the plot; staging is awkward or expensive or cinematic; grammar errors distract the reader/actor.
1 = Beginning (D): Play is not in playwriting format. Title is absent or untitled. Play may be incomplete, plot and characters flat or undeveloped, or as a "2" but may also be late. Work is not up to 11th grade level or standards. Grammar mistakes and writing errors make reading difficult.
3 = Accomplished (B/B+): Play is written in standard publishing playwriting format, or format for actors/directors has a few mistakes. Title is appropriate, but may not be as clever or creative as 4 above. Plot is appropriate and uses several Aristotelian elements, but not to the same level as 4. Cause and effect is more or less appropriate for the situation; playwright has a message, but may not be as original or creative as 4. Setting is appropriate and practical, but not as clever or interesting as 4. Stage directions are used appropriately; dialogue is appropriate for verisimilitude of characters and setting; dialogue mostly sounds natural; play mostly follows unities, but may rely on one more than another; main characters have appropriate motivation, with some errors or lack of development; scenes are developed, but may not always progress the plot; staging is appropriate and producible, but not as clever as 4. Some minor grammar errors.
2 = Promising (C/C+): Play attempts standard playwriting format, but may have several errors. Title is present, but does not necessarily support theme, tone, or symbol. Plot borders on cliche or sentimentality; plot may lack some Aristotelian elements. Cause occurs without effect or there are errors in plotting; playwrights' message may be trite or melodramatic or over done; characters may be unoriginal, lacking motivation or development; setting is standard and largely uninteresting; dialogue sounds stilted or melodramatic, unreal; play does not always follow the unities; characters may lack motivation or play includes too many minor characters; scenes are sketchy or undeveloped, conflict is too easily resolved; scenes may not advance the plot; staging is awkward or expensive or cinematic; grammar errors distract the reader/actor.
1 = Beginning (D): Play is not in playwriting format. Title is absent or untitled. Play may be incomplete, plot and characters flat or undeveloped, or as a "2" but may also be late. Work is not up to 11th grade level or standards. Grammar mistakes and writing errors make reading difficult.
Complete Historical Comedy - Draft Due Today!
Your draft of the Historical Comedy project is due today. Please work on finishing the play. When you have completed the work, please send the file to my dropbox. Make sure your name is on the file please.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Charles Busch Test & Scene 3 of your Historical Comedy
Today on the index card, take until 8:25 to prepare a quick cheat-sheet for the upcoming test. You may want to include such things as character names, plot elements from the plays, and other details you feel you need to look up from our reading. If you enter class late or you do not check this blog at the beginning of class, you will not have sufficient time to complete this task.
When we take the quiz, you will be able to use YOUR card (not your neighbor's card) to help answer the two questions. This card should be turned in with your test booklet. Please answer the questions in complete sentences, using evidence from the text where appropriate to support your statements. It should be clear to me that you read and understood the play.
After taking the test, please turn in your essay booklet. You may proceed to completing your one-act historical comedy project. This first draft is due by the end of next class (Friday, Oct. 9). In your third scene you will want to reach a climax between your protagonist and antagonist. Your protagonist should either win or lose his/her overall goal and you should conclude the play. Again, your scene should be anywhere from 5-10 pages in script formatting.
HOMEWORK: Please read the rest of the handout "Structure, Part One: Story and Plot". Take notes on important vocabulary or concepts as you read.
When we take the quiz, you will be able to use YOUR card (not your neighbor's card) to help answer the two questions. This card should be turned in with your test booklet. Please answer the questions in complete sentences, using evidence from the text where appropriate to support your statements. It should be clear to me that you read and understood the play.
After taking the test, please turn in your essay booklet. You may proceed to completing your one-act historical comedy project. This first draft is due by the end of next class (Friday, Oct. 9). In your third scene you will want to reach a climax between your protagonist and antagonist. Your protagonist should either win or lose his/her overall goal and you should conclude the play. Again, your scene should be anywhere from 5-10 pages in script formatting.
HOMEWORK: Please read the rest of the handout "Structure, Part One: Story and Plot". Take notes on important vocabulary or concepts as you read.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Historical Comedy Project - Part II
Building on the first scene of your historical comedy project, write a second scene that either goes BEFORE or AFTER the events in your first scene. Feel free to either change the time period to show a connection between two distinct time periods, or feel free to write a previous or later scene building off of what you have already written.
Your second scene should develop main characters, increase dramatic tension by defining a theme or idea, and increase conflict. By the end of your second scene, a downfall or dark moment for your protagonist will help. Having an antagonist be responsible for this is a good idea. Remember the Empire Strikes Back! the best movies and plays have a dark moment or crisis that a major character (or all of the major characters) has to face. This is the character's lowest end and it is necessary to build a story up to its final climax.
In Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, for example, the dark moment comes in the form of gossip columnist Oatsie Carew, secretly Salizar the vampire hunter. The dark moment continues for the Succubus into the third scene, where we find out she has been reduced from stardom to charwoman.
Your second scene should also be the length of a 10-minute play. Try to build to 5-10 pages, script formatting. By the end of today's lesson, you should have scene 2 (and 1) completed.
For those of you who reach this goal, feel free to continue on to a 3rd scene (at least 5-10 pages in script formatting) where your protagonist and antagonist meet and their fates are decided.
Homework: Please finish reading either Red Scare on Sunset or The Lady in Question. You may, of course, also read The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. Perhaps there will be a quiz on one of these plays? Hint, hint.
Your second scene should develop main characters, increase dramatic tension by defining a theme or idea, and increase conflict. By the end of your second scene, a downfall or dark moment for your protagonist will help. Having an antagonist be responsible for this is a good idea. Remember the Empire Strikes Back! the best movies and plays have a dark moment or crisis that a major character (or all of the major characters) has to face. This is the character's lowest end and it is necessary to build a story up to its final climax.
In Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, for example, the dark moment comes in the form of gossip columnist Oatsie Carew, secretly Salizar the vampire hunter. The dark moment continues for the Succubus into the third scene, where we find out she has been reduced from stardom to charwoman.
Your second scene should also be the length of a 10-minute play. Try to build to 5-10 pages, script formatting. By the end of today's lesson, you should have scene 2 (and 1) completed.
For those of you who reach this goal, feel free to continue on to a 3rd scene (at least 5-10 pages in script formatting) where your protagonist and antagonist meet and their fates are decided.
Homework: Please finish reading either Red Scare on Sunset or The Lady in Question. You may, of course, also read The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. Perhaps there will be a quiz on one of these plays? Hint, hint.
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