Please examine the following elements in your paper and answer the following questions comprehensively and justify your answers with quotes from the play. However, this paper SHOULD NOT be a synopsis or re-telling of the script. Please have a clear introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and conclusion to your paper.
GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES
WHO
• Are the characters
• What relationships do they share?
• Family, Friends / acquaintances, Lovers, Enemies, Colleagues
• What changes occur in relationships
WHAT
• Social institutions & groups are represented?
• Vocational groups represented?
• Social classes represented?
• Political systems that govern the world?
• Economic system motivating behavior?
• Spiritual, ethical, religious or spiritual beliefs?
WHERE
• Does the story take place?
• National, regional & local sites in story?
• Interior/exterior locations
• Specific architectural or topographical features defining the space?
• Specific sites required for action of story (jail, bedroom, boardroom)
WHEN
• Does the story take place?
• What day, date, month & year for each scene?
• How much time passes before the story is complete?
• Is time used in a special way? Accelerated/Decelerated/Paused/Flashback
STRUCTURAL ACTION ANALYSIS
PROTAGONIST
• Who is it?
• What is their goal?
• What main action does the protagonist take in pursuing their goal?
SCRIPT STRUCTURE – Define and defend the following:
• Inciting Incident?
• Major structural climax?
• Major crisis?
BEGINNING STASIS
• What Given Circumstances are essential to what happens in the script?
• What are the key elements of the situation at the beginning of the play?
• What backstory is significant?
INCITING INCIDENT
• Identify the event that triggers the main action of the play
RISING ACTION & OBSTACLES
• Identify the main actionable events & obstacles/complications that lead to the climax of the play
MAJOR CLIMAX
• Identify the single moment in which the main action is resolved
• Justify why this is the emotional peak of the story.
• Does the protagonist have a paradigm shift (change the way they view the world?)
ENDING STASIS/RESOLUTION
• End Stasis: What are the most important things that have changed by the end?
• Describe the new state of balance at the end of a script.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTER SPINE /SUPER OBJECTIVE
• What goal is your character attempting to fulfil throughout the entire course of the play?
o This should be a deep-seeded psychological need or desire that takes them the entire script to either succeed or fail in accomplishing.
o This should be stated in a sentence or two, using an ACTIVE, GUTSY, ACTABLE verb.
CHARACTER BIOGRPAHY
• HARVEST CLUES
o What GC’s affect your character?
o How do the circumstances shape your character?
o What does playwright say about character in stage directions?
o What do other characters say about your character?
o What does your character say about themselves?
o What does your character do?
o What doe the clues suggest about the character’s psychology
o What is the most significant want your character has
o Why does he want to do this action
o What does he need
o Why does he need to do this action
o What lack in the character’s psyche do his actions fill
o CREATIVE INSPIRATION
o CHARACTER DOPPELGANGERS
o CHARACTER METAPHORS
o VISUAL / AURAL STIMULI
o OUTSIDE-IN EXPLORATION
SCENIC UNITS/BEATS
o Please select a monologue from the script (or a scene if your character does not have a monologue) you’ve chosen and score the monologue/scene clearly indicating the following:
o All beats within the monologue
o The objective for the monologue
o All tactics/strategies used to achieve the objective
o The target of the monologue