Activated Script Analysis: An Integrative Approach to Play Analysis through Creative Expression and Devised Theatre 9781032125398, 2022052475, 2022052476, 9781032125404, 9781003225058

Citation preview

Activated Script Analysis

Activated Script Analysis engages theatre students in traditional formative script analysis through a fusion of devised theatre and various modes of creative expression, dispelling the notion of script analysis as an isolated pen-to-paper task and reimagining it as a captivating and collaborative process. This book uses diverse, contemporary plays to model the script analysis process for each of four Theatrical Elements: Given Circumstances; Character; Setting; and Structure. By considering each of these elements, readers can uncover patterns and themes within a dramatic text. Woven throughout the study of each theatrical element are “Connections”: Personal Connections, which encourage readers to explore a theatrical element within their own lives, as though their lives were a script; Play Connections, which make abstract ideas presented in script analysis concrete through theatre-based play; Professional Connections, which examine how a theatre professional might analyze a script within their own work; and Performative Connections, which provide the opportunity for students to explore a theatrical element through performance using devised theatre strategies. At the end of each chapter, readers are given the opportunity to analyze a text through the lens of a Theatrical Element and to express their fndings through a variety of digital, written, visual, and performance-based modes of expression. Activated Script Analysis is designed for undergraduate theatre students and educators, to be used as the primary text in Script Analysis coursework or as a supplemental text in Acting or Directing courses.

The book includes access to downloadable templates and example videos, available at www.routledge.com/9781032125398. Elizabeth Brendel Horn (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Central Florida, where she teaches courses in Script Analysis and Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a director, applied theatre artist, and playwright.

Activated Script Analysis An Integrative Approach to Play Analysis through Creative Expression and Devised Theatre

ELIZABETH BRENDEL HORN

Designed cover image: © Shutterstock First published 2023 by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 and by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 Elizabeth Brendel Horn The right of Elizabeth Brendel Horn to be identifed as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Horn, Elizabeth Brendel, author. Title: Activated script analysis : an integrative approach to play analysis through creative expression and devised theatre / Elizabeth Brendel Horn. Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifers: LCCN 2022052475 (print) | LCCN 2022052476 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032125404 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032125398 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003225058 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Drama-Explication. Classifcation: LCC PN1707 .H67 2023 (print) | LCC PN1707 (ebook) | DDC 808.2-dc23/eng/20230216 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022052475 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022052476 ISBN: 978-1-032-12540-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-12539-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-22505-8 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058 Typeset in Dante and Avenir by Apex CoVantage, LLC Access the Support Material: www.routledge.com/9781032125398

to Ansley and Nolan, always

Contents

Acknowledgments

ix

1

Defning Script Analysis

1

2

Given Circumstances

23

3

Character

64

4

Setting

102

5

Structure

125

6

Conclusion

160

Appendix A: Suggested Plays

169

Appendix B: Defning Script Analysis Interactive Notes

173

Appendix C: Given Circumstances Template

175

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

178

viii

Contents

Appendix E: Character Template

185

Appendix F: Character Template Example: Mary Jane by Amy Herzog

189

Appendix G: Setting Template

196

Appendix H: Setting Template Example: somebody’s children by José Casas

198

Appendix I: Structure Template

201

Appendix J: Structure Template Example: Hype Man by Idris Goodwin

203

Appendix K: Rubric: Template

206

Appendix L: Rubric: Written Response or Creative Expression

207

Appendix M: Rubric: Production Team Final Project

209

Appendix N: Rubric: Devised Response Final Project

211

Appendix O: Sample Outline for Devised Response Final Project

213

Glossary

215

Index

220

Acknowledgments

Many generous hearts and creative minds helped shape this book, many of whom do not know the impact they have had on my work. I must frst begin with my students. Thank you to my former students at Timber Creek High School, whose willingness and eagerness to play emboldened me to explore how I teach and, more importantly, why I teach. To my students at the University of Central Florida, who provided invaluable feedback on my evolving practice, I am grateful for your part in this process. To my graduate teaching assistants who ofered insight into this methodology and critiques on early manuscript drafts—Morgan Cobb, Kimber King, Ralph Krumins, Madeleine La Roche, and Scott Savage—thank you for your curiosity and constructive criticism. A special thanks to my graduate teaching assistant, Olamide Oladeji, who contributed to the Suggested Plays appendix, and to the UCF graduate students and alumni who lent their talents to modeling student exercises: Andre Braza, Brittany McChesney, Victoria Micaletti, Nico Ren Watson, and Arius West. My heartfelt thanks to the following undergraduate students who agreed to share their exemplary student work: Rachel Burnes, Elle Koch, and Bellamy Kopesec—your engagement in the learning process inspires your peers (and your teachers, too)! Thank you to the Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at UCF for providing a vital space for faculty to revel in our not-knowing. It was as a new faculty member, full of self-doubt and insecurities, that I  signed up for the FCTL learning cohort that

x

Acknowledgments

encouraged the inquiry found within this book. To Michael Wainstein, Director of the UCF School of Performing Arts, thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and honest feedback. Thank you to my colleagues and peers: Julia Listengarten and Vandy Wood—for giving me that frst chance; Nikki Adkins and Sybil St. Claire—for serving as my cheerleaders and sounding boards; Emily Freeman—for being the best collaborator in all ways; and Megan Alrutz—for so many things, but specifcally for helping me to identify what was “bubbling up.” This book would not be the same without the incredible dramatic texts highlighted throughout. It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge the playwrights, and their agents and publishers, who allowed me to feature the plays used throughout this book: The Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust, Quiara Alegría Hudes, José Casas, Idris Goodwin, Amy Herzog, and Elizabeth Wong. Thank you as well to those peers who assisted in brainstorming and connecting me with playwrights, specifcally Roberta Emerson and Jim Helsinger. And many heartfelt thanks to the Routledge team, specifcally Lucia Accorsi, for guiding a frst-time book author through the process, and to Ivan Fuller for his generous feedback. Finally, my deepest appreciation to Book From Tape and Anthony Narciso Designs for their support in the production of the online content for this book. Lastly, thank you to my husband, Justin, for his love, patience, and support throughout the writing of this book. Thank you for believing in me and making scary things feel not-so-scary. I am forever grateful to be on this journey with you. *** Excerpt(s) from A RAISIN IN THE SUN by Lorraine Hansberry, copyright © 1958 by Robert Nemirof, as an unpublished work. Copyright © 1959, 1966, 1984 by Robert Nemirof. Copyright renewed 1986, 1987 by Robert Nemirof. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. “MARY JANE” Copyright 2018 © Amy Herzog. Excerpts used by permission from the author and Concord Theatricals Corp. “somebody’s children” Copyright 2009 © José Casas. Excerpts used by permission from the author. Originally published by Dramatic Publishing. Excerpts from HYPE MAN by Idris Goodwin used by permission from the author. Originally Published by Playscripts, Incorporated at www.playscripts.com.

Defning Script Analysis

1

Chapter Objectives: • To defne script analysis. • To introduce book content and structure. • To identify theatrical elements in a short dramatic text.

Introduction What is a theatre artist’s relationship to a script? A playwright is responsible for crafting the script, providing rich characters, story, and dialogue. This story is then brought to life by a comprehensive team of artists. Actors embody the characters, designers and technicians visually and aurally interpret the play, and directors ensure that the creative work of all artists honors the story being told in a unifed and cohesive way. Acting is more than memorizing lines. Directing is more than telling actors where to go onstage. Designing is more than grabbing the nearest available lamp when the script calls for one. Collectively, theatre artists are charged with more than simply putting on a play. Theatre artists are called to tell a story—to create a world on stage—that is rooted in deep analysis and inquiry inspired by the script itself. This is what unites theatre artists with a common purpose. This is script analysis. You may think of script analysis as boring or monotonous. You may see it as an isolating chore that contradicts many theatre artists’ DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-1

1

2

Defning Script Analysis

propensity toward collaboration. You may even view it as devoid of art. You may be reading this book as part of a prerequisite course, and thus, might see script analysis as a rite of passage to be endured before advancing to more engaging and dynamic upper-level coursework. This book, Activated Script Analysis, exists to challenge these notions by teaching script analysis in ways that are relevant personally, professionally, and practically to you as a theatre artist and student. The goals of this book are to introduce the script analysis process and to provide engaging and creative ways in which to apply it. This book is designed with undergraduate students in mind, as the primary text in a Script Analysis course, to be supplemented with fulllength plays, or to use within courses such as Introduction to Acting, Directing, or Playwriting. While this text is designed with students and course instructors in mind, it structurally provides exercises and assignments that can be extracted for an instructor’s use in tandem with other textbooks on the subject or for theatre artists to utilize in the rehearsal or design processes. The content in this text has been tested in online and in-person classes, and exercises have the fexibility to be completed individually or collectively to provide the greatest possible adaptability for course structure and the needs of instructors and students. “Tips for Teachers” are provided throughout to assist instructors with modifying exercises for varying modes of learning. This chapter provides an introduction to Activated Script Analysis and an overview of its structure. It then defnes script analysis and, fnally, encourages you to examine your prior knowledge of script analysis and to consider what you hope to gain from this book. This chapter culminates with the reading and analysis of a short dramatic text, which will allow you to identify what you already know about script analysis and to preview the content in the remainder of the book.

Personal Connection Consider the term “script analysis.” What do you already know about it, or what questions do you have? Take a moment to refect on what you expect from this book. What do you anticipate in your journey through this text, what do you think you will learn, and what do you hope to gain?

Defining Script Analysis

Depict your reflection through an image—one you capture with a camera or one you find through an online image search platform. As an added challenge, create or find an image that does not include a picture of yourself or any other humans. For example, you might use an image of an envelope, a doorway, or sunlight coming through leaves. To accompany your image, create a written title and a short paragraph explanation, as though it is a placard in a museum. Example:

Figure 1.1 Example image Source: Ideas de Madrid by Celso Flores. Creative Commons.

Title: Layers Explanation: I chose this image because I think this class will be about peeling back the layers of a script to see what is underneath. In this image, the papers are held together because they are all on the same wall. Without that wall, they would flutter away. I want to be able to discern what is most essential to a play while appreciating all of the bits and pieces that make the play more detailed and beautiful.

3

4

Defning Script Analysis

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: Images and “placards” can be displayed around a classroom space to create a gallery efect. Students can then tour the gallery. After students have had the chance to view one another’s images and placards, ask students to fnd an image that relates to their own (forming a pair) and then to fnd another pair that relates to their pair (to form a group of four). Within these groups of four, students can discuss the similarities and diferences within their group’s images and placards. Finally, students can create a title for their group’s “exhibit” to share with the rest of the class. Drawing parallels and identifying diferences in one another’s responses mimic the process of fnding patterns within script analysis. Online alternative: Students may post images, titles, and explanations in a group discussion post, allowing them to respond to what similarities or diferences arise. Alternatively, an instructor could suggest themes for student images (such as Anticipation, Growth, Hesitancy) as diferent boards in the online platform Pinterest. Students may then add their image to the Pinterest board where they feel it best applies and can comment on one another’s pins with their observations.

My Story I am an associate professor of Theatre, and I teach script analysis every semester. Having said that, it may surprise readers to learn that I never considered myself particularly adept at analyzing scripts. Perhaps, like some of you reading this text, as a young aspiring actor, I saw script analysis as a necessary evil between me and what I really wanted to be doing: acting; creating, imagining, and playing. I occupied myself with counting my lines and skipping over scenes my character was not in, and when my teacher told me I had to, I rushed through pages of backstory questionnaires and cherry-picked actions, scribbling them in the margins of my script only to soon be forgotten. My journey as an artist and educator led me to the felds of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), where I  taught classes and directed productions with youth ranging from pre-K to high school; and theatre

Defning Script Analysis

5

education, where I spent six years teaching high school and directing two to three productions per year. I  found that, as an educator and director, it became pressing that my students took the script analysis process more seriously than I did in my youth. I saw what a diference it made in their work. Recalling my own reluctance to take on the tedious and often repetitive pencil-to-paper task of script analysis, I instead tended toward more interactive, collaborative exercises, utilizing the same strategies that frst hooked my students to theatre. We moved, vocalized, imagined, improvised, and devised together, always through and with the dramatic text we were exploring. At the time, I did not think of it as teaching script analysis per se. In hindsight, the ways in which we explored and defned the world of the play using interactive exercises certainly contained elements of script analysis. It was in these spaces of working with youth that I began exploring the concepts woven throughout this text. My career led me to academia, where I began teaching and directing undergraduate and graduate students in my current post at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Among teaching more specialized courses in TYA, my frst semester on faculty I was also assigned the undergraduate course Script Analysis. Upon learning I  would teach this course, I  immediately found myself having the same negative preconceptions that caused me to dread the script analysis process as a young actor. I feared the undergraduate students taking the class might, as I once did, view script analysis as the obligatory chore standing between them and their artistry. I worried about the stigmas my students might possess about the subject, and, admittedly, I  still had my own. In my work with youth, I loved interactive exercises. Picturing a traditional Script Analysis class rooted in lecture and written assignments, I  felt unenthused about the prospect of teaching this course. I trudged on, however, teaching the class how I thought it had to be taught, modeling it after every course in the subject I had previously witnessed. In my second semester of teaching Script Analysis, I joined a small cohort of colleagues to study the principles of active learning, which the UCF Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning defnes as a “student-centered model that allows students to experiment with ideas, to develop concepts, and to integrate concepts into systems” (“Active Learning”, 2021). While many aspects of active learning are authentically woven into theatre coursework, my task in this group was to learn about strategies for engaging students through

6

Defning Script Analysis

collaboration and critical thinking, and to apply those strategies in one of my courses. That same semester a good friend and mentor came to visit. Comparing our calendars, she commented on how much she wished it ft into her schedule to attend my next class and watch me teach. “I don’t think it would be that much fun to watch,” I replied frankly. “It’s only Script Analysis.” “Think about how lucky they are to have you as their Script Analysis teacher,” she countered. “You have so many tools as a TYA practitioner that must make the process so much more vibrant.” Suddenly, it seemed so obvious. Here I was, studying active learning and already possessing so many techniques as an educator and youth theatre practitioner. Meanwhile, I  had completely ignored Script Analysis as a potential course in which to focus on engaging students through active learning, convinced that this was a course that could not possibly be made more active. My mentor had planted the seed that perhaps script analysis does not have to be boring or tedious—and neither does the teaching of it—just because it traditionally has been (at least in my own experience). Immediately after that conversation, I began to experiment with form within the class, seeking ways to activate the script analysis process. My students that semester went on a journey with me— one that involved pushing chairs aside, opting instead for movement and performance-based activities, and energizing discussions and debates. Sometimes, the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction, and student feedback indicated that they were unsure of where script analysis was in the class or how to analyze a script independently. But their willingness to play—paired with my newfound risk-taking as an instructor— allowed me to begin defning a script analysis pedagogy truer to myself as an artist and educator while still grounded in traditional form.

In This Book What you will fnd in this text is more than fun and games. While I pull heavily from my experience creating theatre with and for youth, the content in this text is designed for undergraduate students and educators (though it contains elements that are equally applicable to high school or advanced youth ensembles). In addition to building upon traditions in theatre with and for youth (most concretely that of Neelands and Goode, 2015), the exercises incorporated in this book are

Defning Script Analysis

7

also derived from devised theatre, most specifcally from Viewpoints and Composition (Bogart and Landau, 2004). Anyone considering this text should note, however, that it is not my intention to revolutionize the practice of script analysis as a whole. Instead, I aim to help students understand traditional script analysis as personally relevant, professionally applicable, and full of creative potential. This text does not discard the practicality of written script analysis. Rather, written work is paired with interdisciplinary forms of expression in formative and cumulative assessments. Having experimented with form and content in my own teaching, it is my belief that the ways in which script analysis can be made more dynamic work best when used in tandem with more traditional models. Konstantin Stanislavski’s system, upon which much of contemporary Western acting method is based, is well-articulated by the writings and pedagogies of David Ball (1983), Hodge and McLain (2009), Robert Knopf (2017), and James Thomas (2019), all of whom have infuenced this book. It is my hope that the work presented in this text builds upon traditional script analysis by incorporating opportunities for collaborative creation.

Feminism and Social Justice in Script Analysis My work in applied theatre and theatre for social change, in which I  have devised original performances with a multitude of diverse populations, has also impacted the structure and content of this book. In the evolution of my own pedagogy, I examined how to make the Script Analysis classroom a more socially just and inclusive space. Unsurprisingly, like much of theatre, introductory theatre classes often pass down content and structure from one generation to the next, thus perpetuating the studying of the same texts in the same ways. Often, these texts—both the dramatic texts studied and instructional course textbooks—are written through a white male heteronormative lens. As a white, cis-gender female, who was primarily educated by white, similarly privileged educators, I  began my teaching career using the same textbooks and plays I was taught as a student, unaware of the overwhelming whiteness within them. What began as a goal to incorporate more plays centering historically marginalized populations evolved into a deconstruction of my preconceived notions of script analysis and theatre education spaces. Hidden within the very construct of the traditional script analysis

8

Defning Script Analysis

process are hierarchical power structures, in which those in the most prevalent leadership positions (such as directors) read and analyze a text in solitude and then dictate to other theatre artists what they gathered from the text—thus centering their perspective in the process. Similarly, educational spaces traditionally operate with a hierarchical power dynamic that centers the perspective of the teacher. As Zaretta Hammond observes in her research on culturally responsive pedagogy, “It seems simplistic to think that students who feel marginalized, academically abandoned, or invisible in the classroom would reengage simply because we mention tribal kings of Africa or Aztec empires of Mexico in the curriculum” (2014, p. 3). Culturally responsive pedagogy is teaching and learning that draws connections between educational content and students’ cultures, languages, and lived experiences. The practice has a host of benefts for students: Hammond argues that not only does it allow marginalized students to feel safe, but the process of drawing connections between learned materials and prior knowledge also fuels cognitive development. For these benefts to take place, however, culturally responsive pedagogy must be more than surface level. Incorporating more plays written by historically marginalized artists was a good start but did not do enough to bring awareness to my own cultural positioning and those of my students (the University of Central Florida, where I am on faculty, is a diverse metropolitan campus of over 70,000 students and is a sanctioned Hispanic-Serving Institution). Through increased awareness of my own cultural positioning, I began to understand the ways the society in which I was raised impacts how I think, act, and operate. I was raised in a society that privileged white patriarchy, individualism over collectivism, and written and digital literacy over other forms of literacy. Despite my best intentions, these biases infuenced my teaching. Making my script analysis class more accessible to all of my students required deeper and more personal work. I am reminded of a 2021 workshop facilitated by Olmeca, a bilingual hip-hop artist, producer, activist and scholar, in which he detailed the roles within hip-hop culture, such as disc jockey, rapper, grafti artist, and dancer. Within hip-hop, each of these individuals critically organizes and analyzes ideas into an artistic, expressive medium, and hip-hop is richer due to each person’s part within the whole. As scholars of equity and diversity pedagogy Toby S. Jenkins, Gloria Boutte, and Kamania Wynter-Hoyte observe, “Black cultural praxis, or refective action with a Black emancipatory infuence, has always allowed freedom of movement, freedom of body, freedom of tongue, and freedom

Defning Script Analysis

9

of voice” (2021, p.  43). It makes sense, then, that academic spaces that have historically excluded the voices of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color, and continue to be dominated by white perspectives, are often limited in the ways in which students demonstrate the understanding of content or the mastery of a skill, even in arts areas such as theatre where creative expression should be the norm. As Jenkins, Boutte, and Wynter-Hoyte argue, the “intellectual and personal freedom” and “conscious movement” found in hip-hop culture can be “instructive and transformative” to educational spaces (2021, pp. 46; 43). Through grappling with my own privilege and position within theatre education, I  strive to make structural changes to help create a liberatory learning space where students feel seen, heard, and valued. While no curricular choices can take the place of deep and meaningful work related to culturally responsive pedagogy, it is my hope that the choices within this text will aid instructors in providing a richer educational experience to students of all backgrounds. (Here, I must also acknowledge the tensions in power that exist with my station as a tenured academic and the author of this book. There is an assumption of expertise bestowed upon educators and authors, yet what is represented in this book captures this current moment in my own learning and evolution. My hope is that anyone reading this book will feel empowered to play with the content that works for you and discard or alter what does not. I welcome the opportunity to be a part of your own journey and encourage you to feel as though we are in conversation as you move through this text.) With this goal, you will fnd this book features multiple plays written by Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color, queer, and/ or female playwrights, pulling predominantly from mid-century and contemporary works. Acknowledgments of identity, power, and privilege are woven throughout the content in this text. Issues such as identity markers, socioeconomic status, and land ownership are treated with care and with recognition of the diversity of cultural standards. Society is rapidly evolving, and as such, the terms used within this book may be dated; individuals are encouraged to adapt the content and templates provided in this book with updated language to ensure it is applied in a culturally sensitive manner. Perhaps, most importantly, taking the often solitary task of script analysis and exploring it in a collective, collaborative manner is derived from culturally responsive and feminist pedagogies. This practice serves to disrupt the individualism championed by white patriarchies

10

Defning Script Analysis

such as the United States, instead promoting more inclusive learning and research strategies. Furthermore, the multiple modes of expression applied throughout the “Connection” assignments, and the versatility of the “Creative Expression” assessments (both discussed later in this chapter), aim to counteract an educational system that prioritizes the written word as the dominant form of expression, making this text dynamic and approachable to a variety of students and artists. I encourage those using this book to engage in conversations not only about script analysis but also about how we approach issues of identity and diversity in how we discuss and explore plays. It is a core belief in how I teach script analysis that we cannot expect ourselves, as artists or readers, to detach our own identities and lived experiences from how we experience a play (after all, we would not ask that of our audience members). Instead, studying a diverse body of plays means we must recognize how one’s own intersectional identity relates to a play. We must acknowledge that others in the room may experience the same play diferently. And we must practice how to respectfully discuss plays that contain challenging themes such as race and culture. If script analysis is ever to be a collective task, then these elements are crucial to learning about the script analysis process.

Content and Structure While independent reading, annotating, and writing are a part of script analysis, and will be encouraged throughout this book, script analysis should also be woven throughout the theatre-making process, and doing so can be engaging, collaborative, and creative. It is in this belief that this book aims to activate the script analysis process—to connect you and your creativity to the experience. This text is divided into four main chapters, each focusing on one theatrical element: Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure. Each of these theatrical elements can help a reader identify patterns in a play. By considering each of these elements frst individually, and then collectively, one can uncover a multitude of clues left by the playwright within a dramatic text. Each chapter will highlight a featured play, used as an example to illustrate the written script analysis process for the theatrical element being studied. It is not necessary to read these example plays to understand the chapter, though each play is worthy of further study!

Defning Script Analysis

11

Featured Plays A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Mary Jane by Amy Herzog somebody’s children by José Casas Hype Man by Idris Goodwin

While reading the featured plays is optional, you should select a play to read on your own to complete the exercises within each chapter. Suggestions of well-suited plays are provided in Appendix A, or you may choose another (or read one assigned by your instructor). If you are short on time, or simply want to integrate musical theatre into your studies, “Musical Moments” provide examples of songs with lyrics that align well with the chapter content, which can be used in lieu of reading a full play. You are encouraged to read each play (or song lyrics) a minimum of three times—once for general appreciation, once for understanding, and once to begin dissecting the play as you complete the exercises within the chapter. As author and professor of creative writing Kiese Laymon observes, “You haven’t read anything if you’ve only read something once or twice. Reading things more than twice [is] the reader version of revision” (2019, p. 143). As a theatrical element is explored, you will fnd “Connections” throughout each chapter: Personal Connections, Play Connections, Performative Connections, and Professional Connections. As the name implies, the goal of these Connections is to help readers draw parallels between the chapter content, their lives, or the art form of theatre. Personal Connection exercises work best to access prior knowledge and preview chapter content. Play Connection exercises are designed to help students explore a specifc concept presented in the chapter. Professional and Performative Connections are intended to be paired with the analysis of a play. Exercises are placed throughout the chapters accordingly. • Personal Connections turn an analytical lens on your own life, as if your story is a play being written as we speak. These refective exercises will encourage you to examine elements of your own life as a precursor to considering those elements in a dramatic text.

12

Defning Script Analysis

• Play Connections use ensemble-based theatre games and improvisation exercises to make concrete an idea presented in the chapter content. • Professional Connections consider the specifc ways in which the script analysis process might be applied by professional theatre artists in various roles in a production. • Performative Connections allow you to demonstrate your understanding of an element of script analysis through creative modes such as acting, movement, or theatre design. Performative Connections may be completed individually or in a small group. While the Connections are designed to preview chapter content or to check for understanding, each chapter also contains cumulative assessments: Templates, Written Responses, and Creative Expressions. • Templates are written documents in which you are tasked with identifying quotes and examples from a script for the corresponding theatrical element. Each chapter guides the reader through the completion of the template, using a featured play to demonstrate how to format the template and examples of what to include. Think of templates as the homework of a theatre artist—these documents allow a reader to analyze a script by dissecting it into smaller parts; from these smaller parts, patterns and themes will begin to emerge. A template should be completed after the reader has read a play at least two times for appreciation and comprehension. • Written Responses, then, are the opportunity for a reader to articulate big ideas that emerged from completing a template. All Written Responses are similar in form, each asking a reader to describe their fndings and to refect on how completing the template deepened their understanding of the play. As it relates to a production, think of the Written Responses as the observations a theatre artist would bring to a table reading or production meeting. Written Responses share one or two ideas that are most important to one’s understanding of a play, enriched by one’s close reading of the text. • Creative Expressions can be used alternatively or in addition to Written Responses. As inspired by the aforementioned workshop conducted by hip-hop artist Olmeca, Creative Expressions recognize that theatre artists communicate in a variety of mediums. Each chapter provides ways in which disciplines such as visual art,

Defning Script Analysis

13

spoken word, or movement can be used to fulfll the same learning objectives of a Written Response. Through a diversity lens, Creative Expressions acknowledge the diverse cultural backgrounds and interests of students. While each chapter provides a specifc option, readers should feel free to generate modes of creative expression that speak to their own interests and best allow them to convey their ideas. Lastly, the concluding chapter of the book, Chapter 6, encourages the reader to refect on the skills and knowledge gained throughout the text and provides two options for a Final Project suitable to undergraduate theatre students. Both project options allow students to bring together all of the theatrical elements presented in this book for an in-depth analysis of a play. One option requires students to apply their analysis as members of a “production team,” working as performers, directors, dramaturgs, and/or designers. The second option uses multimedia performance and devised theatre strategies to generate a new performance piece that grows out of the script analysis process.

Professional Connection: Table Work Later in this chapter we will defne script analysis. Before we do, let us begin by reading and analyzing a short dramatic text. This may feel counterintuitive—you may be asking, “How do I do that if I haven’t yet learned about script analysis?” However, reading and discussing a script may reveal what you already know about script analysis and what questions you have. If you are working in a class or group, read the script aloud, pausing to discuss it as necessary. If you have been a part of a play production before, you have likely participated in a read-through, or table work, the practice of gathering artists at the beginning of the rehearsal process to read and discuss a play. This is an important time for helping theatre artists to become acquainted with one another and with the text prior to jumping into the process full force. It is likely that during this table work process, as you came together as artists to ask questions and make observations about the script at hand, you were engaging, in some level, in the script analysis process.

14

Defning Script Analysis

Any play of roughly ten minutes in length will work, and options are provided for you in Appendix A. Prior to reading the script, consider these questions: 1. Given Circumstances: What is one line in the play that reveals a clue about the time period or society in which the story takes place? 2. Character: What is one word you would use to describe one of the characters in this play? What is one line from the play that supports that description? 3. Setting: What is one line that refects the setting of the play? How does setting infuence the action of the play? 4. Structure: What is one moment that is important in this play? What quote from the script best encompasses that moment? Once you have completed your table read, read back over the play to complete the aforementioned questions. Then, in a few written sentences, refect on how it felt to read and analyze this short text. Did you learn script analysis terms that were new to you, or were you surprised by how much you already knew? Were there details about the play that you noticed once you read it in greater detail? What questions about script analysis do you have at this point in the book? If you are working in a group setting, discuss your responses with your peers.

Tips for Teachers This exercise is the only time in this book that I suggest reading a full script out loud. Because I prioritize reading texts featuring diverse playwrights and characters, reading a play out loud can prove culturally challenging if the class does not have students whose identity markers align with the characters. One option to help with this may be to read the script in a circle, so that each person reads one line of dialogue before moving on to the next person—in doing this, you avoid assigning people to roles but can still hear the lines read aloud. Another option is to modify the exercise so that it is a combination of silent reading and reading aloud. This allows you as the facilitator to select which moments to read out loud and to change readers with each new segment, again, avoiding the feeling that students are being “cast” in roles.

Defning Script Analysis

15

Defning Script Analysis From the chapter content thus far, we can conclude that the defnition of script analysis is the close reading and interpretation of a dramatic text, often for the sake of fully realizing the script in a theatrical production. When an audience watches a play, they usually see it once from beginning to end. Theatre artists have the beneft of reading a script multiple times, reading out of order, and stopping at important moments. If you have ever read a book or seen a movie more than once, you have likely noticed clues and details that went undetected before. To have overlooked such details as theatre artists, when given the opportunity to reread, break apart, and explore a dramatic text, indicates sloppy reading—which often, unfortunately, leads to sloppy productions. In this text, we will use formalist play analysis, not to be confused with the word “formal.” Derived from the Latin word forma, meaning “something that shapes,” formalist play analysis is defned by James Thomas in Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers as, “the search for playable dramatic values revealing a central unifying pattern that forms or shapes a play from the inside and coordinates all its parts” (2019, p. xvii). This process requires breaking a play apart and organizing it for the purpose of identifying patterns and relationships within a script. In this text, the Templates for Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure allow a reader to dissect a play into parts, which may then be moved about and categorized. Through the Written Responses and Creative Expressions provided in this book, you will then have the opportunity to articulate your observations about the patterns that emerge. See the online content for this book or Appendix B for a Defning Script Analysis Interactive Notes worksheet that may be used for the remainder of this chapter.

Aristotle’s Poetics Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote  the Poetics  during the fourth  century bce, making it the earliest surviving text on dramatic theory. In the Poetics, Aristotle defnes and refects on what theatre is; while many of his observations are archaic (for example, his belief that the tragic hero of a story should be a male), the six Aristotelean elements of drama defned and described in this text continue to infuence contemporary theatre. Aristotle’s breaking down of theatrical elements serves as an early example of formalist play analysis. Aristotle used these elements to defne what makes a piece of art theatre, as well as to assess

16

Defning Script Analysis

the quality of the plays he saw in performance. Aristotle ranks, in order from greatest to least importance, the following elements of drama: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Plot: The sequence of events in a play. Character: Those who inhabit a story. Thought: What a character thinks or feels.1 Diction: Expression through language and word choice. Song: The use of music.2 Spectacle: Any embellishments to the text.3

Aristotle had and continues to have an infuence on Western theatre. The work of every Western theatre maker can be connected to Aristotle’s analysis of theatre, whether the artists adhered to the ideas presented in the Poetics (such as the Neoclassical era, named for its return to classical ideals) or strayed from it (such as AvantGarde Theatre, defned by its experimental deviation from theatrical norms). Just as Aristotle did in the Poetics centuries ago, in this text, we are learning how to fnd patterns in plays. We are working toward a deep understanding of what makes the play work. As David Ball says in his book Backwards and Forwards, “You can’t efectively combine with something you don’t understand” (1983, p.  3). It is our job to make meaning for our audience using the script itself and the world that we create in response to that script. Again, to quote Ball: “The theater artist who perceives little on the page puts little on the stage” (1983, p. 4).123

Working Backwards Skilled script analysis comes not only from rereading a play but also from reading it backwards. Think about a significant event in 1 In modern context, this element is often expanded on to include the themes—the big ideas or overarching messages of a play. 2 Aristotle wrote this in reference to the Greek chorus, a group of unnamed citizens who spoke, sang, and moved in unison to offer commentary on the play. In a modern context, this element includes sung music, live orchestration, or recorded music. 3 Spectacle has evolved greatly since Aristotle’s writing but might include technical elements such as costumes and scenery, a flying character, an onstage death, fight choreography, a stage kiss, explosives, and so on.

Defning Script Analysis

17

your life: perhaps beginning your university studies, getting a job, or meeting that special someone. Working backwards, how many events can you link together without which this major event in your life would have never happened? If together these events were a chain of falling dominoes, would removing any singular domino stop the chain’s momentum? For example, maybe you met that special someone by bumping into them while you were walking to the restroom. Perhaps, you went to the restroom only because you spilled sauce on your shirt, which happened only because you ordered wings, which you ordered because your best friend just got back from visiting her aunt in Buffalo, New York. Life is fascinatingly interconnected, isn’t it? In Backwards and Forwards, David Ball calls these linked incidents actions—something that occurs that makes something else happen. As Ball says, “The play’s journey is contained within its actions, and getting there is half the fun” (1983, p.  10). To return to the dominoes analogy, each action is required to logically get to the next—no domino should be extraneous, and no dominoes should be spaced too far apart. Ball says, “Going forward allows unpredictable possibility; going backwards exposes that which is required” (1983, p. 15). If we look at a play only chronologically, infnite possibilities exist. If I were to drop a pen, it would probably drop to the foor. But what happens next? Possibly I bend over, pick it up, and place it back on the table. But a million other stories could exist from this initial action. Perhaps I release the pen, it falls to the foor. Then I bend to pick it up and twist my back. When I twist my back, I fall down; when I fall down, I cry for help; when I cry for help, my neighbor comes over; when she comes over, the door is locked so she breaks a window; when my neighbor breaks the window, a passerby calls the police; and so on and so on throughout the dramatic action. Looking at a sequence in reverse allows for fuller understanding. If a reader cannot understand how an action links to the next action, it is either bad playwriting or, more likely, bad play reading.

Asking “Why?” As we begin the process of breaking apart a text to identify patterns, a common refrain running through the reader’s mind should be, “Why?”

18

Defning Script Analysis

Why does she start talking about the weather instead of answering his proposal? Why did he show up in yesterday’s clothes to work? Why is there a gun in the desk drawer? Why is the play set in Philadelphia? Why did the playwright give the script this title? Anything that you do not understand is an indicator to ask why, return to the script, and search for the answer. This work should be symbiotic between the playwright and all of the theatre makers responsible for bringing the playwright’s work to life in a production. Let us imagine that a play requires the use of a door. One of my former teaching assistants, Scott Savage, provided this useful example, since a door can be viewed as a passageway into a new world, similar to turning to the frst page of a new script or sitting down to watch a live play. Like plays, buildings can hold any number of stories within—and the type of doorway might ofer clues as to what stories one might fnd inside. Consider the doorways depicted here:

Figure 1.2 A doorway Source: Pixabay, Pexels. Creative Commons.

Defning Script Analysis

Figure 1.3 Another doorway Source: Pixabay, Pexels. Creative Commons.

Figure 1.4 Another doorway Source: Pixabay, Pexels. Creative Commons.

19

20

Defning Script Analysis

Each of these doors tells a diferent story, so they could not be interchanged in a play. If a script called for a door and you were serving as the scenic designer of a production, you would use script analysis to fnd, or create, the perfect door to tell this story—whether one of the ones mentioned earlier or any number of other possible doors. Script analysis begins with the script, where we must ask “why?” every time we come to a detail we do not understand. The searching then extends to the theatre makers responsible for mounting a production, who must make choices refective of the details identifed in the dramatic text.

A Note on Alternative Playmaking Processes Finally, as we consider what script analysis is, let us take a moment to appreciate that there is more than one way to make theatre. In this book, we consider the most traditional model, where a production team works to bring to life a story created by a playwright. This model can vary—for example, in a new work where a playwright might work closely with a production team and might continue to edit the script throughout the rehearsal and production process. However, once a script is published, it is usually considered complete (though some playwrights will tell you a script never feels truly fnished!), in which case a production team looks for clues left by the playwright without the beneft of having the playwright involved in the process. In contemporary theatre, some plays are created through collective creation, or devising, in which a team of artists works together to make a play, a practice that became common in the 1960s and 1970s during the Avant-Garde theatre movement, though its history can be traced to sixteenth-century Commedia Dell’Arte. Oftentimes, in the devised theatre process, there may not be an assigned playwright or director. An ensemble might start with a story, a current event, or a question, or they may begin with theatre games and exercises to see what ideas emerge. As the ensemble continues generating improvised moments, these moments are edited, cut, and linked together until they develop into a script. While this text focuses on working with a completed script, as is common in a traditional play production model, a working knowledge of script analysis is benefcial whether you are a playwright developing a new script or an ensemble of theatre makers devising a script from scratch.

Defning Script Analysis

21

Chapter Summary Chapter 1 provided an overview of the general structure, objectives, content, and format of this book. We refected on our past experiences with script analysis and our expectations of this book. We examined how feminist and social justice lenses impact script analysis and the rationale of integrating interdisciplinary arts, collaboration, and devising into the script analysis process. Lastly, we previewed the book content through the table reading, discussion, and analysis of a short play, allowing us to access our prior knowledge and skills before exploring script analysis’s defnition and history. In Chapter  2, we will begin exploring the frst of four theatrical elements: Given Circumstances. Chapter Takeaways • Script analysis is a process benefcial to all artists involved in the theatre-making process. • Script analysis can be active, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. Such an approach can serve to disrupt traditional power hierarchies in theatre classrooms and spaces. • Formalist script analysis involves the process of breaking a script into parts and categorizing the pieces to identify patterns. • The four theatrical elements used to categorize parts of a script in this book include Given Circumstances; Character; Setting; and Structure. • Formalist script analysis can be found in the Poetics, written by the earliest known philosopher of theatre, Aristotle, when he identifed and ranked the elements of a play (plot, character, thought, language, song, and spectacle). • Reading a script “backwards” helps to reveal the logical and necessary sequence of events, like a chain of dominoes. • Asking “why?” while reading helps identify searchable clues in a dramatic text.

References “Active Learning.” University of Central Florida Faculty Center. https://fctl.ucf. edu/teaching-resources/teaching-strategies/. Accessed 26 August 2021. Ball, David. Backwards and Forwards. Southern Illinois UP. 1983.

22

Defning Script Analysis

Bogart, Anne, and Tina Landau. The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition. New York: Theatre and Communication Group. 2004. Hammond, Zaretta L. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. 1st ed., Corwin. 2014. Hodge, Francis, and Michael McLain. Play Directing: Analysis, Communication, and Style. 7th ed., Routledge. 2009. Jenkins, Toby S., Gloria Boutte, and Kamania Wynter-Hoyte. “Showing Out: Africanism and Hip-Hop Mindfulness as Black Cultural Praxis of Excellence, Resistance, Joy, and Love.” Journal of Efective Teaching in Higher Education 4, no. 2 (2021): 43–54. DOI: 10.36021/jethe.v4i2.184. Knopf, Robert. Script Analysis for Theatre: Tools for Interpretation, Collaboration, and Production. Methuen Drama. 2017. Laymon, Kiese. Heavy: An American Memoir. Scriber, 2019. Neelands, Jonathan, and Tony Goode. Structuring Drama Work: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama. 3rd ed., Cambridge UP. 2015. Thomas, James. Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers. 6th ed., Routledge. 2019.

Given Circumstances

2

Chapter Objectives • To defne given circumstances. • To understand how given circumstances establish the world of the play. • To categorize the lines of a dramatic text by given circumstances to interpret the patterns that emerge. • To apply an understanding of given circumstances in one’s personal life, in performance, and in the observation of professional theatre careers.

Introduction Any single person lives with a set of given circumstances. These are the circumstances that life—or in the case of a dramatic text, a playwright—gives a person. Some circumstances we have control over, while others we do not. Similarly, some of our circumstances may go unnoticed, while the impacts of other circumstances are more apparent. Consider the iconic red-headed orphan Annie, the protagonist of the 1977 musical Annie (book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin). After dreaming about “tomorrow,” Annie goes from living in an orphanage to being adopted by the billionaire Oliver Warbucks. The dramatic changes to Annie’s circumstances are an essential point of this plot. While this example is DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-2

23

24

Given Circumstances

extreme (and the plot of Annie is steeped in classism), it serves to illustrate a point: a person is afected by her circumstances and changes within them. This chapter explores the Theatrical Element of  Given Circumstances, a term credited to Russian theatre artist and pedagogue Konstantin Stanislavski, defned in Jean Benedetti’s 2008 translation of Stanislavski’s text The Actor Prepares as “the plot, the facts, the incidents, the period, the time and place of the action, the way of life” (pp. 52–53). Given circumstances are the societal, environmental, and situational elements that make up a play’s surroundings. These circumstances infuence the story of a person’s life and provide a foundation upon which rich theatrical narratives can unfold. As script readers, it is our job to search for the given circumstances in the play. At times, these given circumstances are blatantly stated, such as, “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene” from the prologue of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Other times, these circumstances are more subtly revealed or inferred. Stanislavski also describes given circumstances as “suppositions,” meaning we must at times use our deepest understanding of what is provided by the play to infer the remaining details using our imagination (2008, p. 53). Outside research, especially in plays set in real locations or time periods, or plays adapted from other forms of literature, can also aid in this process. In this chapter, we begin frst with the dramatic text. Those given circumstances that might be feshed out using external research will be addressed later in this chapter. Our frst and foremost goal is to look at the clues available in a dramatic text—since those clues are deemed most relevant by the playwright—to envision the world in which the play exists. However easy or difcult they may be to spot, identifying the given circumstances is only the frst step of the process. After identifying the given circumstances, we then observe those details collectively. From there, we can articulate the patterns and themes that emerge. This chapter will further defne and explore given circumstances, guiding the reader through the completion of the Given Circumstances Template. Along the way, Connections will allow you to link the chapter content to your lived experience, to the world of professional theatre, and to performance. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to apply the Given Circumstances Template to the reading of a dramatic text and to communicate the big ideas that emerge in a Written Response or Creative Expression.

Given Circumstances

Personal Connection In this personal connection, you will free write about your own life for fve minutes. To prepare, grab a timer. Imagine your life is a play. You will write about the world that surrounds you in this moment—the world of your “play”— in the following given circumstances categories. To do so, free-write for  one  minute about  each  category listed in the following as they exist in the world around you, for a total of five minutes. For example, in the category of “Community,” you might write about your friends, your family, your roommates, the neighborhood you live in, your school community, or your work community. Write whatever comes to your mind about your present-day life related to each of the following categories: 1. Time: year, month and season, day of week, date, time of day 2. Place:  continent, country, state or province, city, street, building, room 3. Community: friends, family, neighborhood, school, work 4. Government:  governmental structure, relevant laws, political climate, political leaders 5. Religion: dominant religious views of local or broad community, religious views of self or others within your household, how religious views infuence behavior, current events related to religion Let’s pause here to recognize that some of these areas might bring up sensitive subject matter about your circumstances. This brainstorm is for your own benefit, and it is your choice what you put to paper. If you are completing this in a group setting, you may have the opportunity to share with a partner or small group. What you choose to share is up to you. You can write your responses in bullet form or in paragraphs. Do not expect to get to every detail. Your goal here is to think of as many things as you can in one minute per category for a total of fve minutes.

25

26

Given Circumstances

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: If working with others, students may write independently and then share one or two observations about their own writing within a small group. Alternatively, the aforementioned categories of given circumstances may be written on fve posters and placed around the room. Participants may rotate to each of the fve posters, spending roughly one minute at each poster. The full group can then make observations about the similarities and diferences within each poster and on the posters collectively. Online alternative: If working asynchronously, an application such as Google Jamboard can be used to accomplish the poster variation described previously. Using Google Jamboard, create fve “boards” and type one given circumstances category onto each. Participants can visit each page of the Jamboard and add one or two items about their own life. They can then revisit the Jamboard to refect on the similarities and diferences they observe in a discussion post or a short answer response.

Theatrical Element: Given Circumstances As the previous exercise demonstrated, there are a lot of given circumstances that impact a person’s life. Just as you were able to write multiple specifc details about your own given circumstances, a playwright should also know the given circumstances in which his characters live, as should directors, designers, and actors be able to interpret the given circumstances provided by the text. Whether a particular given circumstance majorly infuences the plot, or manifests itself more subtly, the circumstances of a person’s life impact the story being told. In this section, we will look into the categories of given circumstances: past and future action; environmental factors—which includes time, place, community, government, and religion; and polar attitudes, which examines societal and individual views on issues such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and other expressions of culture. Collectively, these given circumstances shape the world of the play—the environment, rules, and norms within which a play is situated. Together, every artistic choice should work within the world of the play. One out-ofplace element, like a cell phone used aboard the ship Titanic, runs the

Given Circumstances

27

risk of pulling audience members out of a story. The parameters set by the given circumstances serve to guide a team of artists toward the portrayal of a rich, detailed, consistent world on stage.

Featured Play: A Raisin in the Sun As described in Chapter  1, each theatrical element explored in this book is accompanied by a featured play, which is used to provide examples of that theatrical element and to guide the reader through the corresponding template. Occasionally, other plays will be referenced to clarify a point, but focusing on one play provides a comprehensive understanding of the content in this chapter without the need to describe multiple dramatic texts. While reading these plays is not required to understand each chapter, use this opportunity to learn about these mid-century and contemporary dramatic works and know that reading them will only deepen your understanding of each chapter. Do be aware that plot spoilers will be an inevitable part of this process, so if a play piques your interest, consider reading it in advance! Featured for the Theatrical Element of Given Circumstances is Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, which tells the story of the Younger family. The Youngers are a Black family living in a low-income apartment building in Chicago in the 1950s. The play revolves around a $10,000 life insurance check—a lump sum of money unlike anything the family has seen before. Each family member has a diferent opinion of how to use the money to achieve their personal defnition of success. In the end, the Youngers purchase a modest home in a currently all-white neighborhood. While the play leaves us uncertain about the racism the Youngers will likely face in their new community, it also depicts hope for the strength of their familial bond.

Past and Future Action In Respect for Acting, Uta Hagen outlines the given circumstances of a play by past, present, and future actions (1973, p. 82). With this structure, Hagan asks: What has happened?, What is happening?, and What is going to happen?

28

Given Circumstances

Before we jump more concretely into the details of the present moment in which the play is set, let us anchor our understanding of that moment in  past action  and  future action. Past action includes any relevant plot points that occurred before the play begins, also called exposition. Future action includes any anticipated events that the characters believe will happen. Both past and future action help to place us in the present moment at the start of the play. A few notes that can make these particular given circumstances tricky: frst, as we will explore further in the given circumstance of time, plays do not always unfold chronologically or take place in one time period. For the sake of understanding past action, in these instances we must decipher what setting constitutes the present. In the case of a play that contains multiple “fashbacks” or otherwise moves throughout time periods, the past moments revealed in these fashbacks will provide a wealth of information about past action—and also provide strong evidence that these past events are of great importance to the story being told. As we examine future action, let us recognize that what a character anticipates happening, and what actually happens, can be two very diferent things. Romeo and Juliet did not fall in love expecting to both die by suicide. For that reason, we will consider future action as any major events that character(s) assume will happen in the future, based on the frst present-day scene of the play when we study a full dramatic text. The frst present-day moment typically (but not always) occurs in the frst scene of the play. Future action identifes anticipated events that may happen during the play, that may happen after the fnal scene concludes, or that may never happen at all.1 Past and future actions frmly root us in the present moment in the opening scene of A Raisin in the Sun. The primary previous action is the death of Big Walter, the patriarch of the Younger family. As the play progresses, we also learn that Big Walter and “Mama” Lena Younger, his wife and the matriarch of the family, moved into the Younger family apartment when they “hadn’t been married but two weeks and 1 Note that if we were studying one scene of a play, we would consider past and future action as related to that particular scene. As Hagan observes, an actor should parse out these “past and immediate circumstances” for both the beginning of the play and their character’s life “during and between every act and every scene, unless the action on stage is continuous,” filling in any details skipped between scenes (1973, p. 152). Since we are studying script analysis as it applies to any theatre artist, exploring past and future actions for the first present-day scene should give you a good taste of this process.

Given Circumstances

29

wasn’t planning on living [there] no more than a year,” according to Mama (1958, p.  47). We also learn that Big Walter and Mama lost a child named Claude—an event so tragic that Mama thought she “was going to lose Big Walter too” (1958, p. 48). Through this tragedy, Mama and Big Walter’s unfailing commitment to their children only grew. With these moments of past action, we discover that despite their struggles, Big Walter and Mama have always wanted to provide for their children as best as they could. This sets up the major anticipated future action of the play: receiving a $10,000 life insurance check from Big Walter’s death. While Mama wants to honor Big Walter’s legacy by fnally purchasing a house for the family, other characters have diferent dreams. Walter ( Junior, who is Mama and Big Walter’s son) wants to go in on a joint investment with his friends on a “little liquor store we got in mind” (1958, p. 36). While his younger sister Beneatha claims she does not care what Mama uses it for, Walter accuses her of wanting the money for her schooling, saying “You such a nice girl— but if Mama got that money she can always take a few thousand and help you through school too—can’t she?” (1958, p. 40). By analyzing the past and future action in A Raisin in the Sun, we can see that Big Walter’s death and the anticipation of the insurance check provide action that propels the play into motion. Let’s turn our attention now to the Given Circumstances Template. To complete this, identify specifc lines from the dramatic text that relate to the particular category of given circumstances. Include the exact quote, character name, and page number. Quote dialogue whenever possible. However, you will see examples in this book where stage directions are quoted or where a fact within the play that cannot be articulated through a quote is stated; use these options sparingly. While you may be completing this template for another text, this chapter provides an example of the Given Circumstances Template using A Raisin in the Sun. For the sake of brevity, note that the following example is not comprehensive for the play. For this reason, the word “continue” is written on the templates throughout the book, to recognize that a reader working through a text would continue to identify other relevant quotes. Your version will likely be much longer, and contain many more quotes, than the examples you see in the following. The template is not about fnding one example to fll each box. Rather, it is about listing enough examples to provide an in-depth understanding of the play.

30

Given Circumstances

Here is what one might write on the Given Circumstances Template for A Raisin in the Sun in the Past and Future Action category: Table 2.1 “Past and Future Action” category of Given Circumstances Template PAST AND FUTURE ACTION Relevant action • RUTH: Yes, he sure could. He was a good man, before the start of the Mr. Younger. MAMA: Yes, a fne man—just couldn’t play never catch up with his dreams, that’s all. (49) • MAMA: We hadn’t been married but two weeks and wasn’t planning on living here no more than a year. (47) • MAMA: Lord, when I lost that baby—little Claude—I almost thought I was going to lose Big Walter too. (48) (continue) Anticipated action at • MAMA: Child, we got a great big old check the start of the play coming tomorrow. (46) • MAMA: Been thinking that we maybe could meet the notes on a little old two-story somewhere . . . (47) • Walter hopes to invest in a “little liquor store we got in mind.” (36) • WALTER (to BENEATHA): You such a nice girl—but if Mama got that money she can always take a few thousand and help you through school too—can’t she? (41) (continue) See Appendix D for the complete example of this template.

As you complete the Given Circumstances Template for an assigned play, or a play of your choosing, fll out each section as fully as possible—a close read of a script should likely reveal at least one thing to include in each category. Some lines might ft in multiple categories of the template; in these cases, you may list the line in more than one section. Remember, to fully complete this process, do not stop once you fnd one thing that fts in each category. Rather, take a careful read of the play, considering if each line belongs on your Given Circumstances Template. Meticulously flling out this template with the full script will allow you to identify the patterns and themes that emerge.

Given Circumstances

How Long is Long Enough? In my own teaching, a question I regularly get asked is how long a fnished template should be. My answer is that it is a balancing act—if there are one hundred lines in a text that point to one idea, listing them every single time will become unnecessarily tedious. However, demonstrating that this idea is present multiple times throughout the text is an important part of identifying the patterns that emerge. It is worth providing multiple examples of an idea that is prevalent in a text, though you need not provide every single one. Doing a close line-by-line reading of a text is essential to this process, however, if literally every line of a play ends up in your template, your template will be as long as the play itself! While it is hard to provide an exact length, a thoroughly completed template could easily end up 10–15 pages.

Play Connection: Bus Stop Play Connections provide the opportunity to use ensemble-based theatre games and improvisation exercises to make concrete an idea presented in the chapter content. This classic pantomime exercise deals with past and future action. Create an imaginary character who is catching a bus. Think about the past action (for example, perhaps you are running late, were in a fght, or got a piece of great news) and the future action: where is your character going, what future event do you anticipate will happen, and how do you feel about it? You may also work with a partner to determine your relationship and past and future action, such as a parent and child going to an amusement park or a couple going to fle divorce papers. Set up three or four chairs in a line to represent the bus stop. In a group, stagger your entrances to the bus stop as you wait and eventually board the bus. Challenge yourself to complete this improvisation without talking, to see how authentically you can portray your character’s circumstances through physicalization alone. Make sure to spend some time observing others, too, to see what you can detect about their past and future action.

31

32

Given Circumstances

Environmental Factor: Time While the previous section of the template dealt with action, environmental factors are those given circumstances which situate a play in a time, place, and society (not to be confused with Setting, which is its own theatrical element that we will explore in Chapter 4, though there is some overlap). The environmental factor of time includes the time during which a play takes place, passage of time, and movement of time. A playwright may not state an exact date in the action (though if she does, it is certainly important to take note of, especially when considering how the play is situated within real world historical events). Regardless of whether or not the playwright specifes a precise date, the clues within the text can help you narrow down the time period during which the play takes place.

Is Outside Research Needed? Students often ask if outside research is required for this template. My answer is no, outside research is not required to complete the template itself, though it certainly serves its purpose in script analysis and a production process. This is not to diminish the importance of dramaturgical research—in fact, later in this chapter, we will discuss dramaturgy and how such external research can beneft your understanding of a dramatic text. The reason I specify that you do not need to conduct outside research at this point is because the purpose of this template is to categorize and analyze the information within the text itself. It is likely the playwright will have done their own research to inform their playwriting, thus, begin with what the playwright has provided. Remember: think of these templates as breaking a play apart into pieces and then rearranging the play, line by line, according to the categories on the template. By grouping lines together, we have a better understanding of what drives the characters and action of the play. As we will fnd from examples provided by A Raisin in the Sun, while characters’ lives are impacted by every aspect of their given circumstances, sometimes it is the lack of attention to a category that is noteworthy (see the section on Government for an example of this from A Raisin in the Sun).

Given Circumstances

33

Having said this, one caveat: at times, a quick internet search may be helpful to answering questions about the play’s given circumstances. For example, if a movie is referenced, it may help to know what year the movie premiered. If anything is mentioned that you do not know (such as a book title or a pop culture icon), some light research is helpful to understand what that reference is. We will see an example of this as we look at the year in which A Raisin in the Sun takes place. But for now, focus primarily on the text itself and save further external research for later, until after you have carefully analyzed the play and completed the Given Circumstances Template.

Year The year (or years) in which a play is set relates to a wealth of information about the other given circumstances explored in this chapter. Consider, as one example of recent history, the year 2020, a year to remember (though, perhaps not for the reasons we would like) due to politics, social issues, economics, technology, and the global health crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. Specifc memories were made during this year with iconic images of people donning face masks and confned to Zoom screens, #BlackLivesMatter protests, climate disasters due to global warming, and more. Any playwright writing a play set in 2020 had better do their homework. The stage directions for A Raisin in the Sun state the play takes place anytime between the end of World War II (1945) and “the present.” While playwrights often set a play in “the present,” this is most often better articulated as the era during which the play premiered. That is the case with A Raisin in the Sun, given the Civil Rights subject matter within the script. Let’s work with the years 1945 and the premiere production of the play in 1959. However, a deep read for clues can help us narrow down the dates even more closely. For example, in Act I, Scene 1, Walter says, while reading the paper, “Colonel McCormick is sick” (1958, p. 29). Remember how we established that the goal of this template is to focus on the dramatic text itself and that usually external research is not required? This is one such example of an exception to that rule unless you already know who Colonel McCormick is and his biographical information (let’s assume you don’t). Here, a quick internet search reveals that Colonel

34

Given Circumstances

McCormick was the editor of the Chicago Tribune, who died of pneumonia on April 1, 1955. It can be gathered, therefore, that the play is set between 1945 and 1955 and is likely closer to the end of that range, since the quote may be a reference Colonel McCormick’s declining health.

Month and Season The month and season also ofer context to a play. Considered alongside the given circumstance of Place, they reveal information about the weather, which might impact costumes, lighting, sound, and acting choices. When intersecting with given circumstances of Place, Government, and Religion, the month and season can correlate with important plot points about an upcoming holiday, the school year, or an election. We learn the month when Ruth says, “Warm, ain’t it? I mean for September” (1958, p. 83). In the United States, September is typically around the time of year when school-aged children, such as the characters Beneatha and Travis, return to school and with that comes the added expenses and changes the new school year brings. Walter feels the weight of this when he expresses guilt about Travis “wearing the same pair of shoes for two semesters” (1958, p. 41). In Act I, Scene 1, Mama scolds her daughter-in-law Ruth about serving her grandson, Travis, a cold breakfast, saying, “When it starts getting this chilly in the Fall a child ought to have some hot grits or something when he goes out in the cold” (1958, p. 44). Underneath this topic of the turning season in Chicago are some tensions in the family due to fnancial constraints.

Week and Time of Day Likewise, both day of week and time of day provide information about what activities people might engage with, what attire they might wear, emotional energy, and pace of action. In Act I, Scene 2, the family is attempting to carry on with their typical Saturday morning activity of cleaning house. Meanwhile, they are acutely aware of the time because they are anticipating the arrival of the life insurance check. When Mama asks what time it is, Ruth chides, “Ten twenty. And the mailman going to ring that bell this morning just like he done every morning for the last umpteen years” (1958, p. 69).

Given Circumstances

35

Logic of Time Movement Lastly, the movement of time between scenes, and the total passage of time over the course of the play, reveals valuable information. As Robert Knopf observes in Script Analysis for Theatre, “logic of time movement” should also be considered here, for some plays present scenes out of sequence, in reverse, or move back and forth between time periods; all of these alternatives to chronological storytelling are done with intention and should be considered (2017). While some plays exist in a 24-hour period, other plays cover the span of a person’s life or more. A Raisin in the Sun is a relatively condensed play, taking place over a three-week period, marked by receiving the life insurance check (Act I), putting the down payment on the new house (Act II), and moving day (Acts II and III). In Act II, Scene 3, the Younger family is preparing to move into their new house and it appears that everything is going their way. By the beginning of Act III, it seems they have lost everything. Only an hour has passed between these two scenes, but, as Beneatha expresses, “Too many things have happened today . . . I don’t know what I feel about anything right this minute” (1958, p. 136). The family’s circumstances shift drastically in such a short period. They must quickly decide whether to move into their new, presently all-white, neighborhood as planned or to accept the payout from the “Clybourne Park Improvement Association.” This tension is part of what propels Walter, the play’s protagonist, to step into his role as the new patriarch of the family, which then drives the play toward its resolution. The timeintense circumstances contribute to the theatricality of the play’s fnal moments. The following are examples from A Raisin in the Sun that might be included on the Given Circumstances Template. Table 2.2 “Time” category of Given Circumstances Template TIME Year(s) • Between 1945 and 1955. • Sometime between World War II and the present. (25) • WALTER: Colonel McCormick is sick. (29) (continue)

36

Given Circumstances

TIME Month(s) or season(s)

• RUTH: Warm, ain’t it? I mean for September. (83) • MAMA: When it starts getting this chilly in the Fall a child ought to have some hot grits or something when he goes out in the cold. (44) (continue) Date(s) and • Act I, Scene 1, Friday Time(s): • Act I, Scene 2, Saturday, 10:20 a.m. MAMA: What time is it? RUTH: Ten twenty. And the mailman going to ring that bell this morning just like he done every morning for the last umpteen years. (69) • Act II, Scene 2, Saturday evening (continue) Movement of • Full passage of time: Three weeks • Logic of time: Chronological Time: time between • Time between Act II, Scene 3, and Act III: One hour BENEATHA: Too many things have happened today . . . scenes, full I don’t know what I feel about anything right this minute. passage of (136) time, and “logic of time (continue) movement”

Play Connection: Read All About It This Play Connection is inspired by Newspaper Theatre, a Theatre of the Oppressed strategy developed by Augusto Boal. Search the headlines of today’s news. Pull headlines, or short article quotes, that seem particularly interesting or telling of the current state of the world. Write the headline or quote on a slip of paper so that you can carry it with you. In a circle, “pass the energy” from one group member to another using the text you have selected. As one group member says their selected text, they can make a strong gesture and eye contact with a diferent group member across the circle. See how quickly and energetically the ensemble can go from one line to the next. Your group can also try covering the space as you say your selected text over and over—this mimics the frantic energy of the news cycle.

Given Circumstances

37

Tips for Teachers Instead of using modern-day headlines, if your school has access to databases from past newspapers, such as the New York Times, your students can search for headlines during the time period in which the play you are studying is set. In an online setting, students can make brief video or audio recordings of themselves reading the headlines as though they are newspaper reports. Ask students to move quickly through watching these recordings as though they are flipping through television channels or scrolling through their newsfeed. After this exercise, ask students to describe what they noticed about the lines they read and heard. How do these news excerpts relate to the concept of given circumstances?

Environmental Factor: Place Like time, place begins broadly and then zooms in until the most specifc information is identifed, such as street name or house number. Lastly, it considers the spaces we do not see that are referenced in the script. We’ll examine how the physical space(s) of a text are described more closely in Chapter 4, when we talk about the Theatrical Element of Setting.

Geographical Spaces A Raisin in the Sun is set in the United States of America in Chicago, Illinois, in the Southside. Dramaturgical research of Chicago in the 1950s would reveal racial and class divides within the city, which still impact the demographics of the city today. Again, this external research does not need to be included in the template, but it is a useful next step after completing the template, which we will see in the Professional Connection for this chapter. This location is relevant to the overarching racial and class issues of the play and is seen in minor details refective of urban living, such as Walter’s need for money for carfare rather than owning a personal vehicle.

38

Given Circumstances

Physical Spaces The play takes place in the living room and kitchen space of the Younger family’s apartment. Importantly, this space also serves as Travis’s bedroom, illustrating how cramped the family is in the apartment. This shared space drives their collective desire to create a better future for Travis (though each family member has diferent opinions of how to accomplish that). Ruth scolds her husband for disrupting Travis’s sleep, saying, “He got a bunch of crazy good-for-nothing clowns sitting up running their mouths in what is supposed to be his bedroom after ten o’clock at night” (1958, p. 29). This space being used for both the family living area and Travis’s bedroom exacerbates the stresses Ruth faces when she discovers she is pregnant.

Unseen Spaces While the play takes place exclusively in this kitchen/living room/ bedroom space, other unseen spaces, those that the audience does not see, are relevant to the story. Many of these spaces serve to justify the family’s desire for home ownership: Mama and Beneatha’s shared bedroom; upstairs neighbors; and a communal bathroom. Beneatha complains of the upstairs’ neighbors constant vacuuming, saying, “How much cleaning can a house need, for Christ’s sakes” (1958, p. 49). The family’s morning routine is dictated by a shared community bathroom. Ruth’s eforts to wake Walter in the morning include, “next thing you know Travis be out and Mr. Johnson’ll be in there and you’ll be fussing and cussing round here like a mad man!” (1958, p. 28). Another important unseen space is Green Hat, a bar where Walter goes to escape from reality and to dream up business deals with friends. After a three-day escape to the bar (and only Walter knows where else), he says, “You know what I  like about the Green Hat? I like this little cat they got there who blows a sax . . . He talks to me” (1958, p. 108). Beneatha also mentally escapes to Africa—though she does not actually go there during the play. One of Beneatha’s suitors is Joseph Asagai, a Nigerian from the Yoruba tribe, who gifts Beneatha with robes (as Beneatha describes them, “what a well-dressed Nigerian woman wears”), ofers to whisk her away to Africa, and encourages her to take an anti-assimilation stance (1958, p. 79). Of all these unseen spaces, the most important is 406 Clybourne Street. This is the home the Younger family puts a down payment on

Given Circumstances

39

in Clybourne Park, a fctional neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago, based on the Washington Park community where Hansberry’s family lived. This space transforms their current living space in Acts II and III as they pack for the move; Asagai describes the family’s boxed belongings as “in preparation for a journey!” (1958, p. 131). This unseen space also embodies the hopes and dreams of members of the Younger family. Mama shares, “There’s a yard with a little patch of dirt where I could maybe get to grow me a few fowers” (1958, p. 94). After sharing a communal bathroom for so long, Ruth fantasizes about taking a hot bath in the new home, claiming, “I am going to sit . . . and sit . . . and sit in that hot water” (1958, p. 111). Examples of what one might include under Place in the Given Circumstances Template for A Raisin in the Sun are as follows: Table 2.3 “Place” category of Given Circumstances Template PLACE Geographical • United States place(s): continent, • Chicago, Illinois country, state or • Stage directions: Chicago’s Southside (25) province, city, street Physical space(s) • Younger apartment living room (also kitchen space and Travis’s sleeping area) • RUTH: He got a bunch of crazy good-fornothing clowns sitting up running their mouths in what is supposed to be his bedroom after ten o’clock at night . . . (29) Unseen spaces • RUTH: . . . next thing you know Travis be out and Mr. Johnson’ll be in there and you’ll be fussing and cussing round here like a mad man! (28) • BENEATHA: How much cleaning a house need, for Christ’s sakes. (49) (in response to vacuuming) • WALTER: You know what I like about the Green Hat? I like this little cat they got there who blows a sax . . . He talks to me. (108) • ASAGAI: You are looking at what a well-dressed Nigerian woman wears. (79) • MAMA: . . . There’s a yard with a little patch of dirt where I could maybe get to grow me a few fowers. (94) (continue)

40

Given Circumstances

Environmental Factor: Community Community refers to any groups of people existing within the world of the play and may include characters we are introduced to as well as those we do not meet. Community groups might include family, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, peers, or a religious community. As with each area of given circumstances, there is likely overlapping information that will emerge; for example, looking at communities a person is a part of may also reveal information pertaining to social norms regarding race, gender, or class.

Family The family dynamic in A Raisin in the Sun  is central to this play and heavily infuenced by the intergenerational family living in close quarters. Mama and Ruth often are at odds about how best to care for Mama’s grandson and Ruth’s son, Travis. This is evident when Mama says, “Why don’t you all never let the child explain hisself,” to which Ruth’s response lacks her usual restraint when she says, “Keep out of it now, Lena” (1958, p. 92). Mama’s presence also contributes to Walter’s sense of disempowerment; as he points out when they are in confict over how best to spend the life insurance money, “You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to” (1958, p. 96). Remember that community involves both those individuals who are present and those absences that are felt. An important role in this family is Big Walter, who is recently deceased. His presence is felt in the life insurance money, in the dreams he and Mama shared for their children, and the pressure Walter feels to live up to his namesake’s expectations—as Mama says with candor, “I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son. Be the man he was” (1958, p. 77).

Neighbors Not only do the Youngers share a bathroom with their neighbors, but they have also lived alongside these neighbors for several years. Mama and Big Walter moved into the apartment two weeks after they got married, or long enough to “pay for four houses by now,” according to Ruth (1958, p. 47). Their long-term tenancy is evidenced by Mama’s line

Given Circumstances

41

about her next-door neighbor Miss Johnson, “—Much baking powder as she done borrowed from me all these years, she could of done gone into the baking business!” (1958, p. 70). Despite Mama’s annoyances, her familiarity with the neighbors highlights how big of a change moving into Clybourne Park would be—a move into a neighborhood striving to form a “unique type of organization in American community life,” as stated by Clybourne resident Karl Lindner (1958, p. 116).

Professional Communities The professional communities with whom the Youngers are afliated place them squarely in the working class, as most of the references are to the (presumably white) people for whom they clean and provide transportation. When she feels ill, Ruth says, “I can’t stay home. She’d be calling up the agency and screaming at them, ‘My girl didn’t come in today—send me somebody! My girl didn’t come in!’ ” (1958, p. 46). Knowing this helps readers understand why Walter is constantly dreaming up business schemes with his friends. As he tries to convince Ruth in Act I, “This ain’t no fy-by-night proposition, baby. I mean we fgured it out, me and Willy and Bobo” (1958, p. 36). Like Walter, these peers are other working-class Black men trying to build success in a society designed to privilege white men.

Social Groups Social community groups might include peers, classmates, clubs, or religious organizations. In A Raisin in the Sun, Asagai and George Murchison are Beneatha’s two suitors, both of whom she knows from her university studies. These men are written as foils of one another. Asagai is a Nigerian man who encourages Beneatha to learn about and appreciate her heritage. His presence is viewed as exotic by members of the Younger family; Mama says, “I don’t think I never met no African before” (1958, p. 59). George is an American from a wealthy Black family who believes in cultural assimilation. As Beneatha notes, “the Murchisons are honest-to-God-real-live-rich colored people” (1958, p. 52). The Youngers would likely have never met these characters, and Beneatha would not have been exposed to their diametrically opposed views, were it not for her college studies.

42

Given Circumstances

Examples of what one might include under Community in the Given Circumstances Template for A Raisin in the Sun are as follows. Table 2.4 “Community” category of Given Circumstances Template COMMUNITY Family: • MAMA: Why don’t you all never let immediate and/or extended the child explain hisself. RUTH: Keep out of it now, Lena. (92) • WALTER (to MAMA): You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to. (96) • MAMA (to WALTER): I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son. Be the man he was. (77) (continue) Neighborhood: • MAMA (about MRS. JOHNSON): residential and/or business —Much baking powder as she done borrowed from me all these years, she could of done gone into the baking business! (70) • KARL LINDNER (about Clybourne Park): . . . unique type of organization in American community life. (116) (continue) Professional: • RUTH: I can’t stay home. She’d be employers, employees, calling up the agency and screaming at and/or coworkers them, ‘My girl didn’t come in today— send me somebody! My girl didn’t come in!’ (46) • WALTER: This ain’t no fy-by-night proposition, baby. I mean we fgured it out, me and Willy and Bobo. (36) (continue) Social: • BENEATHA: The Murchisons are peers, school, clubs, religious honest-to-God-real-live-rich colored organizations people . . . (52) • MAMA (about ASAGAI): I don’t think I never met no African before. (59) (continue)

Given Circumstances

43

Play Connection: Columbian Hypnosis The exercise “Columbian Hypnosis,” developed by Augusto Boal, serves as a metaphor for the world of the play. In this exercise, two partners face each other about three feet apart. Partner A extends their arm straight out with their palm raised, about six inches away from Partner B’s face. The raised palm “hypnotizes” Partner B, who follows the movement of the palm. As Partner A raises, lowers, and tilts their palm, Partner B strives to always maintain the spatial relationship with it. Partner A should maintain their focus on Partner B, taking care to work within their abilities and to keep them from colliding with any people or things, while encouraging them to take greater physical risks as the game progresses. This exercise can then be extended as a full group exercise. Person A serves as the center point of the exercise, extending both hands, with Persons B and C positioned at each hand. Persons B and C then raise both of their hands to “hypnotize” more people, and so on, as space allows. In this format, Person A must move carefully and slowly, as their smallest movement will become larger as it ripples out to the outer circle. After completing this exercise, discuss how the exercise represented world of the play, especially related to community. How are given circumstances interconnected? How do changes in given circumstances infuence the characters and story at the center of a play?

Environmental Factor: Government Government considers governmental structure, political leaders, political movements, and laws or regulations. Like all given circumstances, references to government might be overt or subtle. Interestingly, A Raisin in the Sun contains very few direct references to government, with no mention of specifc political leaders. Completing the full Given Circumstances Template reveals patterns in the text. In the case of A Raisin in the Sun, it would show few references to government, but a large quantity of references to society, as we will see later in this chapter. With this choice, Hansberry focuses more on the people, who are

44

Given Circumstances

no doubt oppressed by governmental policies in place—a choice that humanizes their circumstances. Mama states she comes from “fve generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers” (1958, p. 142). Her age, race, and ancestry made her directly impacted by the abolition of slavery. This makes her aspirations more modest than those of her children; as she argues, “Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money” (1958, p. 76). Living in the Midwest post-slavery, the family is still impacted by racism and segregation, even with Illinois’s laws against discrimination. Despite anti-discrimination laws, Black citizens faced discrimination in the workplace, in education, in home ownership, and in the general public—an unfortunate truth felt by Walter as he passes “them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ‘bout things . . . sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars” (1958, p. 76). This era, post-World War II, during Jim Crow laws and voter suppression, and on the cusp of the Civil Rights movement, infuences much of the main plot point: purchasing a new home. Mama is aware of housing discrimination, saying, “Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses” (1958, p. 95). It is also due to systemic racism that the only white character in the play, Karl Lindner, believes segregation is appropriate, saying “a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way” (1958, p. 118). A sense of change is woven throughout A Raisin in the Sun, such as references to the NAACP2 (1958, p. 113) and Ruth’s contemplation of whether or not to terminate her pregnancy, despite abortions being illegal in Illinois during the time period in which the play takes place (1958, p. 77). Even Beneatha’s sudden infatuation in Africa points to her desire for change, as she imagines becoming “queen of the Nile” (1958, p. 69). While Nigeria was under the rule of the British monarchy at the time of the play, imagining herself as the queen of an African tribe endows Beneatha with a power she could not imagine having as a young lower-class Black woman in the United States of America in the 1950s. The following are examples of what one might include under the Government section of the Given Circumstances Template. 2 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Given Circumstances

45

Table 2.5 “Government” category of Given Circumstances Template GOVERNMENT Governmental • United States: Democracy structure • Beneatha dreams of becoming “queen of the Nile.” (69) Political leaders • None stated Political movements • Walter: Damn, even the N double A C P takes a holiday sometimes! (113) (continue) Laws and regulations • MAMA: fve generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers. (142) • MAMA: Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money. (76) • WALTER: them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ‘bout things . . . sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars . . . (76) • MAMA: Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses. (95) • LINDNER: . . . a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way. (118) • Mama: I think Ruth is thinking about getting rid of that child. (77) (continue)

Environmental Factor: Religion As we move to religion, we consider religion both within the immediate community (in the case of A Raisin in the Sun, in the Younger household) and on a broader scale—the dominant religious beliefs of the larger community and how those beliefs might infuence culture or behavior. In Hansberry’s play, we see ways in which religious views difer widely among the generations in the household. It is clear that Christianity guides the way in which Mama moves through the world, seen through the repetition of lines such as “Lord have mercy” and “Bless his heart” (1958, pp. 59; 43). Specifcally, Mama’s Christianity adds to

46

Given Circumstances

the confict between her and Walter as they discuss how to use the life insurance money left by Big Walter. Mama says, “It ain’t Christian” to talk so much about money and specifcally chides Walter for wanting to use the money to open a liquor store, declaring she does not want that on her “ledger this late in life” (1958, p. 45). Mama’s religion makes her feel selfsh for wanting to do anything with the money, even though she wants to use it for the betterment of her children’s lives. She claims, “I spec if it wasn’t for you all . . . I would just put that money away or give it to the church or something” (1958, p. 71). The religious diferences between Mama and her children are also apparent in her interactions with Beneatha. When Beneatha continually uses the Lord’s name in vain, Mama slaps her and says, “Now— you say after me, in my mother’s house there is still God” (1958, p. 54). Beneatha’s distancing from her Christian upbringing is a part of what drives her to study medicine; she describes the ability to fx another human’s ailments as “truly being God” (1958, p.  133). These ideological diferences impact how the members of the Younger family move through life. While Mama’s Christian devotion inspires her to take a slower, prayerful approach, the secular views of her children propel them into action as they strive to chart their own courses in life. The following are examples of what one might include under the Religion section of the Given Circumstances Template. Table 2.6 “Religion” category of Given Circumstances Template RELIGION Dominant religious views • MAMA: It ain’t Christian. (45) in society (continue) Religious view(s) among • MAMA: Now—you say after me, in my household or immediate mother’s house there is still God. (54) community • BENEATHA: This was truly being God. (133) (continue) Impact of religion on cul• MAMA: I don’t want that on my ledger ture and behavior this late in life. (45) • MAMA: I spec if it wasn’t for you all . . . I would just put that money away or give it to the church or something. (71) (continue)

Given Circumstances

47

Polar Attitudes Finally, we consider the given circumstances pertaining to society— commonly held beliefs about race, gender, and socioeconomic status, as well as references to behavioral norms, clothing and style, food, and culture that do not ft neatly into any of the given circumstances already explored. As we move to this category, it is important to recognize the bias with which a character speaks or behaves, as well as difering opinions—characters may say things that contradict one another or may even contradict themselves. These contradictory views about societal or cultural norms, or polar attitudes, while messy to untangle, are often a necessary source of dramatic confict. After all, everyone living in agreement would do little to forward the action of a play. Such difering opinions also serve to reveal important information about the play; in the case of  A Raisin in the Sun, the juxtaposing views of the characters refect society in a time of change. Remember in the section on government, when we discussed how just the sheer volume of content within one category might reveal its importance within the play. While  A Raisin in the Sun  had very few references to government, the polar attitudes section in a Given Circumstances Template for this play would likely fll multiple pages. One’s identity within society as a whole is a core issue within this play. For the sake of succinctness, we will not go into great detail but will point to a few examples. As we have learned, race relations are central to Hansberry’s play. Walter’s will to succeed by any means necessary is driven by his sense of failure and the feeling that he cannot provide for his family. Walter says, “I got a boy who sleeps in the living room—and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live” (1958, p. 37). His feelings of oppression are directed not only toward white people but also toward his wife (“A man needs a woman to back him up”) and in internalized racism toward his Black family (“The world’s most backward race of people, and that’s a fact”) (1958, pp. 14; 41–42). Just these few moments spoken from Walter’s perspective reveal a wealth of information about race, gender, and class, both in the Younger household and in their society. Culture clashes can be found by looking again at Beneatha’s two suitors: George Murchison, the wealthy Black American, and Joseph

48

Given Circumstances

Asagai, who is a Yoruba person from Nigeria. Even calling Asagai by his family name, rather than by his individual name, represents a diference in cultures. In addition to gifting Beneatha with traditional Nigerian robes, Asagai also comments on her straightened hair, saying, “You wear [the robes] well . . . very well . . . mutilated hair and all” (1958, p.  64). In some versions of the text, Beneatha later cuts her hair into a natural afro3 (1958, p. 9). When she reveals her natural hair, it is George’s turn to respond negatively; he says, “What have you done to your head—I mean your hair!” (1958, p.  82). Indeed, George is altogether dismissive of her attempts to deepen her understanding of her African heritage, saying, “Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!” (1958, p. 83). His comment is harsh and hurtful, yet it speaks truth to the lack of belonging Beneatha feels as a descendent of slaves living in a post-emancipation America, which is part of what infatuates her with Asagai and his deep sense of cultural roots.

Can I Change the Template? Society is multifaceted—body language, food, arts, sports, technology, intergenerational relationships, and so much more. If you fnd something relevant within a script you are analyzing, feel free to add a section to the template to emphasize the importance of that societal element. These templates are designed to be applicable to a wide array of scripts, but they are also just a starting of point. Plays are as diverse as the societies they represent, so do not hesitate to modify the template accordingly.

When flling out the Given Circumstances Template for  A Raisin in the Sun, one might include these examples in the category of Polar Attitudes.3 3 This plot point was removed in the original Broadway production because it was deemed to not “suit” the actress playing Beneatha, a choice that reflects the cultural norms in society during the play’s original production.

Given Circumstances

49

Table 2.7 “Polar Attitudes” category of Given Circumstances Template POLAR ATTITUDES Race relations • WALTER: The world’s most backward race of people, and that’s a fact. (41–42) (continue) Gender norms/ • WALTER: A man needs a woman to back expression him up. (14) (continue) Socioeconomic status • WALTER: I got a boy who sleeps in the living room—and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live. (37) (continue) Behavioral norms • Stage directions: (He extends his hand for the (i.e. language, body fraternal clasp). (81) language) • RUTH (to TRAVIS): Now you get out of here and get ready for your beating. (93) (continue) Clothing and style • ASAGAI: You wear [the robes] well . . . very well . . . mutilated hair and all. (64) • GEORGE: What have you done to your head—I mean your hair! (82) (continue) Food • RUTH: Eat your eggs, they gonna be cold. (37) (continue) Culture • GEORGE: Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts! (83) (continue)

Professional Connection: Dramaturgs The Professional Connection exercises throughout this book help you learn more about various careers within theatre and how script analysis is a part of these roles. For this Professional Connection we will look at the role of dramaturg.

50

Given Circumstances

Remember, extensive external research is not required to complete the Given Circumstances Template. It’s also important to acknowledge that such research is an essential part of the production process. While this book focuses on those details that can be gleaned directly from the script, dramaturgy, or the act of engaging in research to support the development or understanding of a dramatic text, is an essential skill for all theatre artists to develop. While dramaturgical research is the responsibility of every artist working on a production, oftentimes a production will employ a dramaturg to focus specifcally on such external research. A  dramaturg supports the cast and creative team in their understanding of and interpretation of a text. A dramaturg also can aid the play development process. If it is a new work, the dramaturg will work closely with the playwright, providing an editorial eye and ensuring the world of the play is consistent. The work of the dramaturg extends beyond the production team. They also engage the audience through educational opportunities such as lobby displays and talkback sessions. If you were the dramaturg of a production for the play you are studying, fnd one quote from the play that highlights something about which you would need to conduct additional research. Conduct some preliminary internet research, fnding at least one credible source that might help you answer that question. Share the quote, the source, and a written summary of your fndings.

Title Analysis and Themes By this point, you have taken a long and deep dive into the content provided in the play. You have identifed minor and major details that, combined, make rich fodder for storytelling onstage. In this fnal section of the Given Circumstances Template, we will refect on these elements as we consider the title and themes of the play. As we explore script analysis through a social justice and feminist lens, it is important to acknowledge that the lens through which a reader, or audience member, experiences a play is uniquely their own. As we work to interpret a text, this is one area where there may be diferences of opinion—all of which will lead to richer discussion.

Given Circumstances

51

Title It is only now, after thoroughly exploring the given circumstances of the play, that we return to what may have been your frst impression of the play: its title. What evidence did a close read of the play reveal about what the title means, its relevance to the play, and why the playwright chose to showcase it in this way? In the case of A Raisin in the Sun, those of us reading the play have the beneft of reading the 1951 poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, which Hansberry includes in the opening of the text. The poem asks what happens to a “dream deferred,” and Hansberry’s title is a direct quote of the poem. The concept of a deferred dream is found in how Big Walter and Mama wanted to purchase a house for decades but never have. The irony is not lost on Mama that despite Big Walter’s life of hard labor, it is only in his passing that he is able to provide for a better future for his children. When Mama receives the money, she is overwhelmed by the amount but also recognizes no money is enough to honor the life of her husband, saying, “Ten thousand dollars they give you” (1958, p. 71). The reference to sunlight in the title hearkens back the sole source of natural light visible onstage: the small kitchen window where Mama keeps her potted plant. This plant is a physical manifestation of the dream that Mama and Big Walter have had to delay for so many years. She says, “Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back of the houses down home. This plant is close as I ever got to having one” (1958, p. 55).

Themes By now, an analysis of the given circumstances and title of the play should allow a reader to arrive at an understanding of the major themes  of the play. Themes are the big ideas or overarching message, and looking back over your Given Circumstances Template should give you a good idea of what those themes are. The more something is referenced, the more relevant it is to the text, so your template should allow you to see what those trends are. For any particular theme, you should have already identifed multiple relevant quotes while completing the previous sections of your template.

52

Given Circumstances

This is an area where diferent readers may see diferent things. While aspects of script analysis are technical, we cannot remove ourselves from our experience as reader, artist, or audience. Look for the themes that emerge based on your analysis of a play, and should your peers detect diferent themes, consider that as an exciting opportunity for dialogue. Themes are not essays—rather, think of them as thesis statements. They should be concisely stated, so for the purpose of this template, we will articulate our themes by flling in the blank, “This is a play about ____________.” Power, coming of age, and unconditional love are examples of common themes. In the case of A Raisin in the Sun, the themes could be stated as dreams, race, generations, and citizenship. Let’s wrap up this example for A Raisin in the Sun with the Title Analysis and Themes. Table 2.8 Title and Themes categories of Given Circumstances Template TITLE ANALYSIS What is the meaning or • Langston Hughes poem “Harlem” relevance of this title? • MAMA: Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back of the houses down home. This plant is close as I ever got to having one. (55) THEMES OF THE PLAY What are the big ideas This is a play about: or messages of the play? • Dreams • Race • Generations • Citizenship

Performative Connection Performative Connections are designed to help readers activate and embody the script analysis process and to begin identifying how script analysis can fuel creative expression in theatre.

Given Circumstances

53

As you read and consider the given circumstances for the play you are studying, select one theme that emerges for you. With this theme, create a live or recorded short theatrical composition, about 30 to 60 seconds long, where you present the following: 1. The theme you have selected, stated aloud as, “This is a play about _________.” 2. A line from the play that deals with the theme. 3. A realistic gesture to embody the line above (Item 2). You may either perform it with the line or after it—whichever serves the moment best. A realistic gesture is one you might make in day-today life, such as adjusting your clothing, scratching your nose, or checking your watch. 4. Another line from the play that deals with the same theme. 5. An abstract gesture to embody the previous line (Item 4). Again, this may come with the line or after it. An abstract gesture is interpretive or symbolic, rather than representative, and might be used to express an emotion or a person’s inner state. 6. A statement, in your own words, that relates to the selected theme and describes the world of the play, spoken as, “In this world, _________.” This is not about a polished performance. Ideally, devote no more than ten minutes to the creation and rehearsal of this piece. The goal for Performative Connections is to activate the script—this is not the time for painstaking debating or decision-making. We are working and creating. Often, the frst idea that comes to your mind is the one to work with—the opportunity for continued thought and analysis will come after you perform, when you refect on the choices you made and, if applicable, how your piece related to the work created by your peers. If you are recording your performance, there is no need for fancy editing. Try to capture your composition in one take, even if there are awkward transitions or moments where you check your notes. Again, this exercise is simply about exploring how infusing devised theatre strategies into the script analysis process can further our exploration of the play.

54

Given Circumstances

Figure 2.1 Still image of sample Performative Connection for Given Circumstances Source: Image used with permission from Andre Braza.

The online content for this book includes example videos for each Performative Connection. The following is the transcript and description from the example for Given Circumstances, based on A Raisin in the Sun, and performed by Nico: 1. Nico says their chosen theme: “This is a play about dreams.” 2. Andre says the following line, spoken by the character Walter: “Man say, I got to change my life, I’m choking to death, baby! And his woman say—Your eggs is getting cold!” (1958, p. 37). 3. Nico presents a behavioral gesture of emphatically opening their left hand, then their right hand, checking their watch, and sighing. 4. Nico says the following line, spoken by the character LINDNER: They’re not rich and fancy people; just hardworking, honest people who don’t really have much but those little homes and a dream of the kind of community they want to raise their children in” (1958, p. 103).

Given Circumstances

5. Nico presents an expressive gesture of opening their arms wide, then closing their body of and turning away. 6. Nico says a statement about the play in their own words: “In this world, society tries to dictate which dreams a person can make true.”

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: This exercise can be adjusted for small groups. It works well in a group of three, with one person as the “speaker” (saying items 1 and 6), one as the “actor” (delivering items 2 and 4), and one as the “mover” (moving for items 3 and 5). In this case, all group members would agree on the theme and the fnal “In this world” line, look for lines from the script and help the mover create gestures. When working with a group, the time to create this composition may increase to 15 minutes, with the facilitator prompting groups on when to move to the next step. Once groups have had the chance to rehearse their composition in sequence, they may share with the full class, allowing for refective questions and observations to be drawn about the choices, similarities, and diferences found across the compositions. Online alternative: The above composition can be created by one person and recorded for asynchronous online learning. If working synchronously, the facilitator may call out steps for students to complete the assignment individually. Breakout rooms may be used for the aforementioned group option, with group members making creative choices about when group members are on or of camera. Groups may also make choices about a performer’s proximity to their camera, screensharing written text, or so on, as time allows. Technical alternative: For students more drawn to technical theatre and design, a video may replace this assignment using found or captured images for the theme, gestures, and “In this world” line. The student can audio record the spoken portions of the composition or can overlay the text onto the images. Students may also explore how zooming in or out of images, transitions, sound efects, or music may add to the interpretation of this assignment.

55

56

Given Circumstances

Final Considerations: Given Circumstances We’ve now gone through each of the areas of the Given Circumstances Template closely, using the play A Raisin in the Sun as an example. Now is your opportunity to complete the template for a play of your own choosing or one assigned to you by an instructor. Before you do, let’s look through some of the nuances of identifying given circumstances that one might encounter.

Changing Circumstances Sometimes, our circumstances change. This may be by our own volition, for example, moving from one neighborhood to another as in A Raisin in the Sun. Other times, changes occur that are largely beyond our control: wars and natural disasters come to mind as examples. Changing given circumstances might be the very thing on which a play is centered, as is the case with the Younger family’s move from a lower-income apartment to a previously all-white neighborhood. Consider Hamilton, the 2015 hit musical about Alexander Hamilton written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which takes place during the American Revolution.  The United States of America’s defeat of the British military and the signing of the Declaration of Independence are the major plot points in this piece that represents a shift in given circumstances. While sometimes the given circumstances in a play change, either on a personal level as we see in A Raisin in the Sun or on a broader scale as in Hamilton, oftentimes the given circumstances of a play have little change. Rather, the play presents a story of characters living within those unchanging circumstances. A play can still have a full and rich storyline without the given circumstances changing; the purpose of the given circumstances in that case is to fully realize a believable world in which the story unfolds.

Fantastical Circumstances Sometimes, a story exists in a fantastical world. For example,  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne, based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tifany, and Thorne takes place 19 years after the conclusion of the Harry Potter book series by Rowling and is set in a

Given Circumstances

57

fantastical society full of wizards and witches (2016). Mr. Burns, a PostElectric Play  by Anne Washburn explores how the art form of theatre reemerges after an apocalyptic event, as the survivors, now living without electricity, retell their favorite episodes of The Simpsons (2012). Both of these examples depict fantastical variations of our world. Harry Potter is set in a fantasy version of our world while Mr. Burns takes place in a dystopian future. A play could exist on another planet too. Despite the fantasy of these circumstances, the worlds of these plays must be just as detailed and rich as a play based on a historical event. Whether the play is set during the Holocaust of World War II, or on a planet inhabited by aliens in a faraway galaxy, theatre artists must deeply understand the world of the play. In plays set in a historical era, dramaturgical research is required to accurately depict the time period. In plays set in fctional worlds, the playwright’s job then becomes to imagine and adhere to the given circumstances, which establish rules for the world of the play. In both cases, the playwright, as well as the theatre artists bringing the script to life in a production, must keep all elements of the play contained within its given circumstances.

Conficting Circumstances When we consider the given circumstances, we might fnd examples that are in confict with one another. This is especially common in plays that are experimental, absurd, expressionistic, or pieces of magical realism. Oftentimes, plays4 intentionally incorporate anachronisms, elements that belong to a diferent time period than that within which they exist. Let’s again consider Hamilton. Despite the play being set in the 1700s, the musical contains hip-hop dance and rap music, and those modern elements are seen in design choices such as the use of handheld microphones and a blend of period and contemporary costume pieces. While these modern elements may seem out of place, these choices align with the retelling of the founding of the United States of America as created by and performed by contemporary artists, most of whom are people of color. When you come across given circumstances that are seemingly in confict with one another, this is likely a deliberately intentional artistic choice and one worthy of close consideration. 4 Or the designers interpreting the plays, as we often see in contemporary productions of works by William Shakespeare.

58

Given Circumstances

Spheres of the World of the Play Finally, let’s recognize that the world of the play is not the only world in which a play exists. The world in which the playwright lived at the time of writing also infuences the play. These two worlds may be the same, or very similar to one another, but often they are not. A playwright may write a play set in the past, in the future, on another continent, or on another planet. Regardless, the world in which the playwright lives can have great impact on the content of the play, the playwright’s belief system, and what content is allowed onstage (like we saw when the scene revealing Beneatha’s natural hair was removed in Broadway’s debut of  A Raisin in the Sun). Researching the period during which the playwright lived can reveal interesting information about the play itself. The third sphere to consider is the world of the contemporary artists interpreting the play and the contemporary audience viewing a production. Oftentimes, a play takes on a new meaning, or has renewed relevance, depending on the modern-day circumstances in which it is produced. As an example, consider Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! The original production opened on Broadway in 1943 in the midst of World War II, when American patriotism was high and nostalgia for one’s homeland ran deeply. In 2019, the Broadway revival used contemporary attire, a stripped-down musical score, and guns on the wall, encouraging modern-day audiences to examine themes of colonialism and violence within the classic piece. Again, these spheres may overlap—a contemporary play set in the present day will have a similar time period across all three spheres. However, other factors, such as location, should be considered when looking across these three spheres.

Your Turn Now it is your chance to complete the Given Circumstances Template for a play of your choosing or one assigned by your instructor. To do this, view the complete Given Circumstances Template in Appendix C or visit the online content for this book to download an editable Given Circumstances Template. The remainder of this chapter includes exercises to further enhance your exploration of given circumstances and the script analysis process.

Given Circumstances

59

Whichever play you choose to analyze, use it to complete the remaining exercises throughout this chapter. As an important reminder before you do—make sure you read the play all the way through for understanding before jumping into the template so as not to miss the forest for the trees, as the idiom goes. Instructors may fnd it useful to integrate the Professional Connection and Performative Connection assignments in this chapter as the play is being read and discussed by the class, but the actual completion of the template should be reserved for once readers have made it through the play at least once. This important step will save you time in the process and will allow you the pleasure of reading a play for enjoyment and understanding before diving into the nitty gritty. For instructors, Appendix K ofers a rubric that can be applied to any of the template exercises in this book.

Musical Moment Just like straight plays, musicals provide opportunities for script analysis—and song lyrics are not to be glossed over as a reprieve from the storyline. Rather, one should consider how songs contextualize any of the theatrical elements explored in this book, with the added bonus of then analyzing how those details might be shown through music, vocal expression, or movement. Musical Moments are incorporated throughout this book for readers who would like to devote attention to the script analysis process in musical theatre or who are simply short on time and cannot commit to reading a full play. The lyrics for the suggested songs may be studied in lieu of reading a full play and can be explored with the remainder of the exercises in this chapter. Of course, a reader’s understanding of the lyrics will be enhanced by studying the musical in its entirety. For this chapter, consider the lyrics “In the Heights” from the 2005 musical In the Heights, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. Set in Washington Heights in New York City, In the Heights centers the perspective of bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega. The given circumstances of the culturally rich, but fnancially strained, predominantly Hispanic and Latinx community set the stage for this story of home, culture, and dreams.

60

Given Circumstances

Written Response Written Responses provide the opportunity for a reader to articulate the patterns and themes that emerged after a template is complete (see additional details in Chapter 1). Remember, while our initial goal was to break apart a text line by line, and then to reorganize those lines categorically, our work is not done until we have analyzed what we fnd through that process. You’ll fnd that Written Responses are similar in form, allowing the reader to, over the course of this text, develop the skill of articulating these ideas in written form. For instructors, Appendix L ofers a rubric that can be applied to any of the Written or Creative Expression exercises in this book. For this Written Response, write a short essay response to the following: Having read a play and completed the Given Circumstances Template, summarize one or two big ideas that emerged.  Describe what stood out to you as the most interesting or important given circumstances, using specifc quotes or examples from the play. Finally, refect on how completing the template assignment deepened your understanding of the play.

Creative Expression Creative Expressions honor that theatre artists communicate in a wide variety of mediums and can be used alternatively or in addition to Written Responses (see additional details in Chapter 1). If another mode of creative expression speaks to your own interests, you are encouraged to try it out or propose it to your course instructor. For instructors, Appendix L ofers a rubric that can be applied to any of the Written or Creative Expression exercises in this book. This Creative Expression is inspired by visual art: Having read a play and completed the  Given Circumstances Template, consider one or two big ideas that emerged.  Using writing utensils, paint, and any objects that inspired you (fabric,

Given Circumstances

61

coins, stamps, etc.), create a multimedia collage exploring the given circumstances of this play, focusing on the big idea(s) you observed. Your collage may be on a canvas or sturdy surface such as cardboard; using a symbolic object as a base for your collage (for example, a mirror or a jewelry box) may also inspire you. Incorporate into your collage a minimum of two quotes from the play that relate to the big idea you are exploring.

Figure 2.2 Sample student Creative Expression based on Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage (2001) Source: Image courtesy of Rachel Burnes.

Chapter Summary In this chapter, we explored how the Theatrical Element of Given Circumstances and its categories—past and future action, time, place, community, government, religion, and polar attitudes—help a reader to defne and better understand the world of the play. Combined, the given circumstances reveal meaning in the play’s title and its themes.

62

Given Circumstances

We applied the Given Circumstances Template to the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, and you completed the template for a play of your choosing or one assigned to you by your instructor. Also, we examined how a dramaturg uses script analysis in practice, how performance and script analysis intersect, and how to articulate our analysis of a play in written or visual form. In the next chapter, we will delve into the Theatrical Element of Character. Chapter Takeaways • The frst theatrical element, Given Circumstances, explores the societal, environmental, and situational elements that make up a play’s surroundings. • Past action, what has already happened, and future action, what the characters anticipate happening, anchor the play in the present moment. • Environmental given circumstances time, place, community, government, and religion all impact the world of the play. • Polar attitudes, or opposing views about societal or behavioral norms, are often what ignites confict within a play. • A comprehensive analysis of the given circumstances of a play can reveal a deeper meaning in the play’s title and themes. • Given circumstances can be subtle or overt and may at times be intentionally conficting. • Plays set in fantastical circumstances must still abide the rules within that world. • Plays are infuenced by multiple spheres within the world of the play: the world in which the play is set, the world in which the playwright wrote the play, and the world in which the present-day audience lives.

References Hagan, Uta. Respect for Acting. John Wily  & Sons. 1973. https://epdf.pub/ respect-for-acting.html. Hammerstein, Oscar. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers. R&H Theatricals. 1943. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. 1st ed., Vintage Books. 1958.

Given Circumstances

63

“Harlem” by Langston Hughes. 1951. Knopf, Robert. Script Analysis for Theatre: Tools for Interpretation, Collaboration, and Production. Methuen Drama. 2017. Meehan, Thomas. Annie. Music by Charles Strouse. Lyrics by Martin Charnin. Based on Little Orphan Annie by permission of The Media Tribune Services, Inc. Musical Theatre International. 1977. Miranda, Lin-Manuel. Hamilton. 2015. Miranda, Lin-Manuel, and Quiara Alegría Hudes. In the Heights. Concord Theatricals. 2005. Nottage, Lynn. Intimate Apparel. Samuel French. 2001. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger. n.d. Stanislavski, Konstantin (transl. Jean Benedetti). An Actor’s Work: A Student’s Diary. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. 2008. Thorne, Jack. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Based on an Original Story by J.K. Rowling, John Tifany, and Jack Thorne. Harry Potter Theatrical Productions, Ltd, 2016. Washburn, Anne. Mr. Burns, a Post-electric Play. Samuel French, Inc. 2012.

Character

3

Chapter Objectives • • • •

To understand how script analysis reveals insight into a character. To identify biased and unbiased descriptors of character. To examine the intersections of character and relationships. To categorize the lines of a dramatic text by character to interpret the patterns that emerge. • To apply an understanding of character in one’s personal life, in performance, and in the observation of professional theatre careers.

Introduction In De Profundis, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying, “every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character” (1897). Despite the weightiness of the circumstances under which it was written,1 Wilde’s sentiment is an appropriate one with 1 Wilde wrote this in a letter to his lover penned from prison in 1897, for charges of homosexuality which were posthumously pardoned in 2017. In the spirit of the script analysis process, we must acknowledge that, extracted from the source, this quote reads as inspirational; however, the title, which translates from Latin to “from the depths,” speaks to the depths of Wilde’s

64

DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-3

Character

65

which to turn our attention to the Theatrical Element of Character, considering more deeply those people and beings who inhabit a dramatic text. We examine one character in a play as we move through our Character Template, and for that reason, this chapter may be best framed from the perspective of an actor, though an analysis of character is certainly applicable to other theatre artists, such as directors and designers. If our last chapter was about looking outward and around, this chapter is about looking within, to see what attributes and past experiences impact a character’s actions, behavior, and sense of self. As Wilde’s quote suggests, these clues about character present themselves in many ways. While words—either spoken by or to a character—must be critically examined for bias, a character’s actions often best present the clearest insight into his inner workings.

Personal Connection There is more to any of us than meets the eye. You may have heard of culture equated to an iceberg, suggesting that most of the rich content that makes up one’s existence is hidden beneath the surface, just as only the tip of the iceberg is above water (Satterfeld, 2017; original source unknown). As Zaretta Hammond points out, depending on a person’s geographic location, many people have never actually seen an iceberg. Thus, she opts for the metaphor of a culture tree, as illustrated by Aliza Maynard in Hammond’s 2014 book. A culture tree depicts three levels of culture as part of a tree.

incarceration as well as his emotional and spiritual searching in this era of his life. Understood in context, Wilde wrote from a place of regret and despair, cycling through “every possible mood of suffering” as he bemoaned his very being, tortured by the oppressive society in which he lived (1897).

66

Character

Figure 3.1 Culture tree

Source: Image from Creative Commons. Modified from image by Aliza Maynard (Hammond, 2014).

1. Surface culture: What can be observed outwardly, represented as the leaves of the tree. 2. Shallow culture: The cultural norms that impact our everyday interactions, represented by the tree’s trunk. 3. Deep culture: Unconscious assumptions that shape our worldview and which ground our identity and nourish our sense of self, represented as the root system of a tree. (Hammond, 2014) Before we begin this Personal Connection, let’s consider how multilayered culture is. Culture includes race and ethnicity; nationality; suburban, rural, or urban living; religion; and cultural communities such as queer culture or deaf culture. As

Character

you consider what might be on your Culture Tree, you may discover details that seem to conflict with one another. You may be influenced by cultures with which you no longer identify or prescribe. Culture and identity are complex. For this personal connection, sketch an image of your own Culture Tree. First, sketch the outline of a tree. On your tree, identify surface, shallow, and deep aspects of your culture by placing words on the leaves, trunk, and roots of your tree. What you write on your tree might include pieces of your backstory (the literary term for a character’s history, for example, those aspects of culture that were instilled by your family of origin) as well as your present-day sense of self and beliefs. Here are some examples of what might be included on each level: • Surface: clothes, music, food, holidays, hair style, dance styles, literature and pop culture, manners of speech, stories • Shallow: body language, eye contact, health and wellness practices, relationship styles, parenting strategies, educational practices • Deep: sense of fairness or justice, spirituality, sense of self, individuality or collectivism, how you make decisions, how you relate to nature or animals, how you view the world (Hammond, 2014)

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: If working with others, students may work independently on their own Culture Tree and then may choose to share one or two items within a small group. Students may discuss what similarities or differences were among their group, and if something someone shared helped them to consider another aspect of their culture. Following their discussion, students can add any final details to their trees. Online alternative: If students are submitting this assignment asynchronously, making a timelapse video as they draw their tree can create a beautiful visual representation of the development and growth of a person’s culture.

67

68

Character

Theatrical Element: Character Completing this Personal Connection may have caused you to refect on multiple aspects of your life. A well-written character should be similarly dynamic and multidimensional. The character Blanche DuBois from Tennessee Williams’ 1947 classic A Streetcar Named Desire portrays a socially elite veneer; as the play unfolds, we discover her insecurities, her traumatic past, and her mental health issues. A  character might seem like a walking contradiction because human beings are multifaceted and because initial impressions are often misinformed. Good or bad, we have likely all had the experience of discovering someone is more complex than we frst thought. Script analysis is an opportunity to realize all of those hidden layers that make up a character. Like our previous chapter, in this chapter we will use a featured play to explore the Theatrical Element of Character and to model the completion of the Character Template. We’ll consider a character’s identity markers; appearance; physicality; demeanor; education and knowledge; work; family; and beliefs and values. Our template then considers the relationships that the character holds with other characters in the play or unseen characters who are referenced. Finally, we’ll examine what the character wants, what stands in her way, and what actions she takes to overcome those obstacles.

Featured Play: Mary Jane The majority of the examples in this chapter come from the play Mary Jane by Amy Herzog, a play about motherhood, anticipatory grief, and dreams versus reality. While other plays are occasionally used as examples, focusing on one play provides a comprehensive look at the template. Remember, this means there are bound to be spoilers in each chapter, so consider reading the play in advance if you wish! Our featured play follows the life of Mary Jane, a single mother living in New York with her two-year-old son, Alex, who has cerebral palsy and various medical complications due to being born prematurely. In the play, Mary Jane struggles to navigate the medical system, provide care for Alex, and manage the stress of her circumstances. Mary Jane debuted Of-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2017, receiving the New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Play.

Character

69

Identity Markers At the top of the Character Template, write the name of the character you are exploring along with the title of the play and the playwright. This template is designed for one character; analyzing a script in its entirety would call for the template to be completed multiple times. For our purposes, we will focus on the titular character of Mary Jane. Mary Jane is the protagonist of the play—the character who exhibits the most change over the course of a play (while in this example the protagonist is also the titular character, it is not always the case). The frst category of the Character Template is identity markers: race, citizenship and/or ethnicity, gender, afectionate orientation,2 age, physical ability, mental ability, and socioeconomic status. We live in a rapidly changing society and the terms used within these identity markers will continue to evolve. Examples have been provided to help you fnd appropriate language to articulate these identity markers, but if another term is more accurate or current, please use it. With all of these demographics, it is important to be specifc, supporting your observation with quotes from the script whenever possible. It is also important not to make assumptions. While in other chapters, you are encouraged to keep searching until you fnd at least one minute detail to include in a category, this may not always be the case for identity markers. If a demographic is not specifcally stated, it is perfectly acceptable to write “unspecifed,” and we will see examples of this as we explore the character of Mary Jane.

What if Identity Markers Are Not Stated? Again, we must stress the importance of not jumping to conclusions and must pause here to recognize that narrow viewpoints negatively impact theatre. If a character’s race is not specifcally stated, and a reader then assumes the race of the character, that will afect how he imagines the play—if the reader is also a director, that limited viewpoint will likely extend into casting decisions. Likewise, if a character does not have a

2 Used instead of “sexual orientation” to acknowledge the multiple dimensions of human attraction.

70

Character

stated disability, a reader should not then assume that the character is able-bodied, which could then prevent a disabled actor from the opportunity to perform in that role. As playwright Charles Mee, who contracted polio as a teenager and uses a wheelchair, writes, There is not a single role in any one of my plays that must be played by a physically intact white person. And directors should go very far out of their way to avoid creating the bizarre, artificial world of all intact white people . . . in casting my plays. (n.d.)

So let us conduct our script analysis with awareness when a character has a marginalized identity marker (and, as theatre artists, let us responsibly make efforts to cast performers that reflect those identities). When a script does not list an identity marker, mark it in your template as “unspecified” and open your mind to the different bodies capable of telling that story.

In analyzing Mary Jane, we can see that the protagonist is a cisgender female.3 We know this because the script identifies her as a female and we know she has given birth (“My water broke at twenty-five weeks”) (2018, p. 40). We also know she was previously in a heterosexual relationship (though the script does not offer any more specific details about her affectionate orientation) when she says, “We named him Alexander after Danny’s—my ex’s—dad” (2018, p.  41). The script does not specify Mary Jane’s race, specific age (though we know she is in her thirties), or citizenship (though we know she lives in the United States of America). We also have hints about her physical and mental abilities: we know she deals with back pain from constantly needing to lift Alex and sees “visual auras” that often lead to migraines (2018, pp. 26, 70). The script does not specify any mental illness, though Mary Jane speaks to being forgetful (“I wasn’t the only parent who missed the memo”) and “disoriented,” evidence that stress and lack of sleep are impacting her cognitive 3 Cisgender means her gender identity aligns with the sex she was assigned at birth.

Character

71

abilities (2018, pp. 34, 72). We know Mary Jane’s socioeconomic status is lower income, as she and Alex live in a one-bedroom apartment, which she admits to Alex’s in-home nurse is “not exactly a luxurious work environment” (2018, p. 19). Everyone is impacted by each of their identity markers, but they are not always aware of them. A person who lives in the United States of America, is a citizen, and is white may not give much thought to race or citizenship, compared to an immigrant who is a person of color, though those identity markers certainly impact both of their experiences. As you move through this section of the Character Template, pay attention to how often a character speaks about aspects of her identity, or, perhaps, how often other characters focus on another person’s identity through discrimination or other actions. The volume of quotes related to an identity marker can give you a strong sense of how aware a character is of an aspect of her identity and how much it may impact her daily life. As always, identifying patterns within a script is the goal of formalist script analysis. This example from the Character Template will help illustrate details about Mary Jane’s life that clue us into her identity markers. Table 3.1 “Identity Markers” category of Character Template IDENTITY MARKERS Race (i.e. Asian, Black, White, • Unspecifed Latinx, Multiracial, Native American, Pacifc Islander, or unspecifed) Citizenship and/or ethni• unspecifed; lives in America city (i.e. Arab, Jewish, Irish, American, or unspecifed) Gender (i.e. cisgender female • “a woman in her thirties” (5) or male, transgender female or • MARY JANE: My water broke at twenty-fve weeks. (40) male, nonbinary, gender fuid, or unspecifed) Afectionate orientation (i.e. • MARY JANE: We named him lesbian or gay, bisexual, panAlexander after Danny’s—my ex’s— sexual, asexual, heterosexual, dad. (41) or unspecifed)

72

Character

IDENTITY MARKERS Age range or specifc age

• “a woman in her thirties.” (5) • SHERRY: Nothing wrong with getting old. • MARY JANE: I’m looking forward to it. (36) Physical ability: • MARY JANE: Alex is only two and a half, but I already have back pain from specifc physical or vocal disability; places of chronic pain lifting him. And it just keeps getting harder. (26) or tension; or unspecifed • MARY JANE: I get these visual auras. Sometimes it means a migraine is coming on, sometimes it doesn’t. (70) Mental ability: • MARY JANE: I wasn’t the only parent specifc mental disability, spewho missed the memo and showed up cifc mental illness, learning with my kid. (34) disabilities, giftedness, or • MARY JANE: I keep getting unspecifed disoriented. They’ve moved Alex’s room a few times. This morning I came out of the bathroom and went to the wrong bed. (72) Socioeconomic Status: • MARY JANE: Well, and it’s not exactly i.e. low class, middle class, high a luxurious work environment. (19) class, or unspecifed • CHAYA: I wish you many more children, someday. MARY JANE: I don’t know, Chaya. For now maybe wish me a two bedroom closer to the subway. (58) See Appendix F for the complete example of this template.

Appearance The next category of the Character Template is appearance, which considers height, body size, hair color, general attractiveness, and so on. Beauty is subjective, and for that reason, it is important to consider the bias of what characters say. A character might be overly critical of his own appearance, may make fun of the appearance of another character, or may see his lover as the most beautiful person in the world. To begin to sort through those discrepancies, the Character Template suggests here, as well as in other places, to categorize statements by

Character

73

“General,” “Self-Perception,” and “Perception from Others.” Organize quotes in this way anywhere in the template where it makes sense to do so based on the content of the script. To return to our previous discussion about diversity, it is important to acknowledge that in many contemporary societies, conventional beauty standards favor lighter skinned, thin, non-disabled bodies. As theatre artists, we should strive to portray a world onstage where a character described as “beautiful” may be played by a diverse range of bodies—and in fact, such diverse and inclusive casting choices often send a powerful message. Even in examples where a physical trait is specifcally described, such as Elle Woods, whose blonde hair is referenced in the title of Legally Blonde the Musical, let us remember that a wig can easily make it so that an actor of any race or ethnicity can portray this role (Hach, 2007). Interestingly, the play Mary Jane ofers little information about Mary Jane’s appearance. For our purposes, this lack of information is information. Certainly, there are scripts where appearance is much more of a topic of interest, such as Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, in which the titular character’s large nose causes him to doubt his romantic potential (1897). In Mary Jane, the lack of attention to appearance tells us that Mary Jane likely does not give much thought to her appearance, which is understandable considering how consumed she is by providing medical care for her son. It may suggest that the playwright purposefully wants the role to be accessible to a diverse range of actors. Perhaps, it is a feminist choice of the playwright, in a script with all-female characters, to portray women who are not obsessive about their appearances. Here is what one might include about appearance in the Character Template for Mary Jane. Table 3.2 Appearance category of Character Template APPEARANCE Height, body size, General: hair color, general • None specifed. attractiveness, Self-perception: attire, etc. • None specifed. Perception from others: • MARY JANE: My sister, last time she visited, pointed out these right here—(points between her eyebrows) She said, “You know, just a llllllllittle Botox would clear those right up.” (35) (continue)

74

Character

Professional Connection: Costume and Props Designers The costume designer of a production is responsible for outftting a character from top to bottom, including shoes, hair, makeup, and depending on the costuming needs, even undergarments. The props master is responsible for the building or obtaining all of furniture pieces, set dressing, and hand props. Because both costume designers and props masters often create objects that belong to a character, their work closely intersects. Any of the theatrical elements we will explore in this class could infuence the design of a costume or prop. For example, consider how the given circumstances of year, season, and geographical location might impact a character’s attire. For this assignment, refect specifcally on how the Theatrical Element of Character might inform the costumes or props of a production. Consider the character for whom you are completing the Character Template. What do you know about their identity markers, behavior, likes and dislikes, profession, and so on? Does the script specifcally state any clothing items or objects that the character possesses? Identify one line from the script that might inform a costume or prop for this character. Conduct a short internet search to see if you can fnd an image of what a specifc costume item or prop for this character might look like, paying special attention to details provided by the script, such as time period. If you are working in a group setting, share your images within a small group. Explore what similarities and diferences you see. Does looking at your images collectively ofer you any new insight into this character?

Physicality Moving on to the category of physicality, we describe physical and vocal traits. This section includes things not related to ability—those physical traits that are habitual. These include traits

Character

75

such as pitch of voice or general tempo of movement. Considering these traits can provide actors with specific character choices to incorporate into performance. These traits can also reveal information about how a character socializes, exhibits stress, or manages emotions. Herzog does not give us many clues here—another suggestion that she may want the character of Mary Jane to be played by diverse actresses. What we are provided are Ruthie’s and Amelia’s observations that Mary Jane carries “a lot of tension in her body” and imitates other people’s expressions while they are talking (2018, pp. 10, 38). It is up to the actor portraying Mary Jane, and the director, to determine whether these are traits Mary Jane possesses habitually, or whether they are behavior she exhibits based on those particular encounters. It is also important to decipher why a playwright would make reference to a character’s behavior. For example, what does imitating another person’s facial expressions suggest about Mary Jane—is it an indicator that she is empathetic, or does she do this out of the pressure to please others? If you can determine why, such a statement might also be worth including when we talk about demeanor, which we will explore next. Filling out the physicality section of the Character Template for Mary Jane would include the following. Table 3.3 “Physicality” category for Character Template PHYSICALITY Vocal traits, physical General: traits, vocal or phys• None specifed. ical habits not related Self-perception: to ability • None specifed. Perception from others: • RUTHIE: You seem to be someone who’s carrying a lot of tension in her body. (10) • AMELIA: Did you know you do that thing, when I’m talking, you imitate my expressions. (38) (continue)

76

Character

Demeanor Demeanor considers a character’s general attitude—the ways in which he engages with self, others and the world. With this category, we must remember that a well-written character is complex and multidimensional—and for this reason, may exhibit various moods, attitudes, and behavior throughout a dramatic text. However, when we look collectively at how a character responds to surprises, stress, disappointment, confict, and so on, we begin to get a clear understanding of how that character moves through the world. Demeanor often presents itself through a character’s words or actions. For example, when Mary Jane meets Amelia, the niece of Alex’s nurse, she is so excited that she screams, “Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Amelia! You came! Can I hug you?” (2018, p. 32). Though Amelia and Mary Jane are strangers, Mary Jane already sees her as a friend because of everything she has heard from Amelia’s aunt. In this moment, we see Mary Jane as a warm and loving person. This moment also speaks to how Mary Jane does not view Alex’s nurse as her employee—rather, she sees her as a friend and equal. When we consider Mary Jane’s self-perception of her demeanor, we can see that she often casts herself in a negative light. In one scene, she ofers advice to Brianne, another woman whose child has cerebral palsy. When Brianne gets emotionally overwhelmed in the scene, Mary Jane says, “Listen to me, I’m like—Blaaaaaa!” (2018, p. 26). While her self-deprecating humor is an efort to help Brianne feel better, it is also clear that she thinks she has been overbearing in this moment— though an outside observer would likely view Mary Jane as generous and helpful for responding to a stranger’s request for advice. Again and again in the play, we see a pattern of Mary Jane criticizing herself for her behavior, even when the behavior is very warranted. When Sherry, Alex’s nurse, discovers that Alex is running a fever, Mary Jane states how hard it is not to be able to know when he is in pain, since Alex is nonverbal. She then corrects her behavior, saying “Ay, oh me! Sing a sad, sad song for poor old Mary Jane” (2018, p.  39). No other character blames Mary Jane for feeling sad or frustrated, however. Everyone can see that Mary Jane is putting an undue amount of pressure on herself. When Alex is later hospitalized, the doctor reminds Mary Jane, “You can take a night of. You can take two nights of ” (2018, p. 49). It is clear in this moment that, despite Mary Jane’s belief that she falls short of providing care for Alex, everyone else perceives her as a loving mom making sacrifces for her son.

Character

77

Let’s take a look at some of the things that might be included under demeanor for the character of Mary Jane. Table 3.4 “Demeanor” category of Character Template DEMEANOR General attitude, General: ways in which char• MARY JANE: Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Amelia! You came! Can I hug you? (32) acter engages with self, others, and the Self-perception: world • MARY JANE: Listen to me, I’m like— Blaaaaaaa! (26; implying she is too forceful and talkative) • MARY JANE: Ay, oh me! Sing a sad, sad song for poor old Mary Jane. (39) Perception from others: • DR. TOROS: You can take a night of. You can take two nights of. (49) (continue)

Play Connection: Subtext Interpreter A character’s demeanor is often present not only in what they say but also in what they don’t say. Often, a character says one thing but means another. This rich subtext can be difcult to decipher on frst read, but fnding these moments provide great insight into the character’s demeanor. Improvise a four-person scene. Each person will have a partner to make Pair A and Pair B. Within the pairs, one person, the character, will speak what the character says out loud. Their partner will position themselves just of the shoulder of their partner and will interpret their partner’s subtext. For example, a scene about a young child and parent, when the parent fnds the child awake past bedtime, might include the following: Parent spoken text: Johnny, why are you still awake? Parent subtext: I just want to watch Netfix and eat ice cream! Child spoken text: I’m asleep, I promise! Child subtext: I really don’t want to get grounded . . .

78

Character

Tips for Teachers The structure of this exercise takes some getting used to, so it might help to have students improvise in small groups and then ask for a few groups to share. In an online setting, students can improvise a monologue where they have at least one moment of subtext (you may want to provide a few scenario options that will encourage them to have a strong sense of to whom they are speaking). Then, students can be paired up to watch one another’s monologues and to articulate moments where they heard subtext and what the subtext was. To connect this exercise to the chapter content, ask students what the subtext of diferent characters suggested about their demeanor. For example, did it suggest that they are a people pleaser, ambitious, or self-conscious?

Education and Knowledge When we talk about education and knowledge, it’s important to recognize that there are diferent ways in which we acquire knowledge and skills. Formal education is included in this section, which may include academic school, vocational school, or internships. This section also considers knowledge and skills developed outside of these learning environments, such as those passed down through generations, street smarts, and innate talents. Mary Jane has some college education, though she put her education on hold because of Alex’s medical needs. We are able to see in this aspect of her character the sacrifces she has made to provide for Alex but also the ways in which the gaps in her formal education have created a fnancial barrier for the family. When Sherry, Alex’s nurse, suggests that Mary Jane should study to become a nurse to increase her income, Mary Jane says, “If I could get paid to take care of Alex I’d do it. . .. Anyway, I can’t get any more student loans. I’m sure I’m on some kind of blacklist” (2018, p. 16). In that same moment, Sherry suggests that Mary Jane possesses instinctive skills, saying, “you’re a natural” (2018, p. 16). Though this is spoken from Sherry’s perspective, this line suggests Mary Jane’s innate

Character

79

talent as a caregiver, which can be seen throughout the play in how well she cares for Alex (though she may view herself as falling short in this regard). Other examples of innate talent are found in stories about child prodigies, such as the protagonist of the stage adaptation of Billy Elliott the Musical, music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall (2005). Regardless of what talents Mary Jane may have been born with, it is certainly true that, out of necessity, she has rapidly acquired an in-depth knowledge of Alex’s medical condition. We see this in the scene where she gives advice to Brianne, where she says things such as, “For trunk support there are diferent kinds of vests—they prevent scoliosis, and help with sitting up, with stamina for sitting” (2018, p. 25). Innate talent aside, it is unlikely that Mary Jane would know this information had she not had to learn it to care for her son. Whether knowledge is passed down through generations, or developed by necessity, as is Mary Jane’s case, even characters with no formal education can possess a high level of knowledge gained through other means. Table 3.5 “Education” category of Character Template EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE • MARY JANE: If I could get paid to take care Formal schooling or training of Alex I’d [become a nurse]. Anyway, I can’t take any more student loans. I’m sure I’m on some kind of blacklist. (16) • MARY JANE: I was getting my teaching degree when Alex was born. Had to put that on hold for a minute. (26) • BRIANNE: What would you teach? MARY JANE: Middle school. Math. (29) (continue) • SHERRY: I still say you should go to nursing Skills and knowledge school. You’re a natural. (16) acquired through • MARY JANE: For trunk support there are informal means (i.e. diferent kinds of vests—they prevent scoliinnate talents, street osis, and help with sitting up, with stamina smarts, or skills and sitting. (25) passed down through (continue) generations)

80

Character

Work Work includes whether or not a person is employed or unemployed and in what capacity. If he is employed, we must consider any information presented about his position, company, work dynamic, and his attitude toward his career. If he is unemployed, we must look for information as to the nature of his unemployment—is it by choice? Is he actively seeking employment? Is disability a factor? Has he received a massive inheritance and thus can choose not to work? If he is retired, we can glean valuable information about his past from knowing about his career. Finally, characters who engage in unpaid labor—such as stay-at-home parents, homemakers, or victims of human trafcking— should be considered in this category as well. Mary Jane’s work situation is notable because it shifts throughout the play. She is employed as an administrative assistant (a low-paying, entry-level job), and, as Alex’s condition worsens, she worries about being “out of sick days. And vacation days” (2018, p. 27). Shortly after his hospitalization, she goes on leave and is fred soon thereafter (creating another fnancial burden, and one that risks her losing her health insurance). Interestingly, we learned previously that she was pursuing a teaching degree but quit to care for Alex. When asked her occupation in the fnal scene of the play, Mary Jane says, “I’m a teacher!” and then corrects herself, saying, “I want to be” (2018, p. 69). We can see that, even though she has never taught, she identifes with teaching as her profession, leaving the hopeful possibility that her unemployment may pave the way for her to pursue new professional goals. Table 3.6 “Work” category of Character Template WORK • BRIANNE: So you’re in real estate development? Employment MARY JANE: I’m an administrative assistant. (26) status (retired, • MARY JANE: I’m out of sick days. And vacation unemployed, days. And it’s only July. (27) self-employed, • MARY JANE: I’m on leave right now. (49) homemaker); • MARY JANE: My only question, and this is a and position, if tough one. Is whether there’s any way to conapplicable tinue my benefts. Just until I fnd something else, and I promise you, that won’t be long. (62) • MARY JANE: I’m a teacher! I want to be. (69) (continue)

Character

81

Family As we consider family, we look at a character’s relationship status, her parental status, and how she relates to her family of origin (usually parents and siblings) as well as extended family (such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles). A character’s relationship status includes being single, in a relationship, in multiple relationships, engaged, married, divorced, or widowed. We fnd out that Mary Jane was in a relationship with Danny, Alex’s dad, but that he left shortly after Alex was born. When she is asked if he ever returned, Mary Jane says, “Oh of course he did! He tried. He really did try. But he’s really .  .  . it’s hell for him, not being a part of Alex’s life. But I just couldn’t . . . I hope he fnds some peace, I really do” (2018, p. 42). While we do not get the entire story here, we can gather that Danny’s efort to return after Alex’s birth was unhealthy in some capacity. Perhaps, Danny struggled with addiction or mental illness, or perhaps he felt incapable of caring for a child with medical needs. With this line, we can see that although Mary Jane has challenges as a single parent, she may be single by choice. Ending her relationship with Danny may have been one of the frst moments in which she advocated for her son’s needs. When we consider parental status, it should be obvious that this section pertains only to characters who are of childbearing age or older. With this section, we include parents, expectant parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, foster parents, adults serving as primary caregivers to children (such as grandparents), as well as those who are not parents. If a character is not a parent, we may fnd information about whether or not that person hopes to have children, is actively trying, if there are medical or infertility issues preventing pregnancy, and if there have been any prior miscarriages, abortions, stillborn pregnancies, or child deaths. Clearly, Mary Jane’s parental status is prominent in her life. Details in the script deepen our understanding of Mary Jane’s circumstances, as she recalls seeing her son in the neonatal intensive unit (“They weren’t sure he was gonna live. And that was .  .  . that was strange. Because I hadn’t met Alex yet, you know?”) and faces the gravity of her present circumstances (“He’s almost three. I don’t know whether he’s going to make it out of this surgery”) (2018, pp. 41; 74). In a humorous and informative interaction, Mary Jane speaks with Chaya, a mother of seven children, including one child with a life-threatening condition and newborn twins. While Chaya can’t imagine life as a single parent, Mary Jane cannot imagine splitting her attention between so

82

Character

many children. When Chaya says, “I wish you many more children, someday,” Mary Jane replies, “For now maybe wish me a two bedroom closer to the subway” (2018, p. 58). Finally, we consider the family of origin, meaning whoever a character grew up with, as well as extended family. Important information might include if a character is close with these family members, if there is distance or tension, if there was childhood trauma or abuse, as well as any deaths in the family. Mary Jane mentions very little about her family of origin and extended family; remember, sometimes little information say a lot. In this case, it is signifcant that Mary Jane is without a familial support system—evident in how she comments in awe about how many visitors Chaya’s child has had in the hospital (2018, p. 60). Mary Jane does reference a sister, saying, “My sister used to make me these . . . lactation cookies! . . . She read in a magazine that they helped, and she sent a batch every week. For months” (2018, p. 58). The line hints at a dismissiveness, and even annoyance, with this gesture from her sister. It suggests that either her family does not know how to support her, or she prefers to keep them at arms’ length—or both. Filling out the Character Template for Mary Jane would include the following. Table 3.7 “Family” category of Character Template FAMILY Relationship • MARY JANE: We named him Alexander after status Danny’s—my ex’s—dad. (41) • AMELIA: Danny never came back? MARY JANE: Oh of course he did! He tried. He really did try. But he’s really . . . it’s hell for him, not being a part of Alex’s life. But I just couldn’t . . . I hope he fnds some peace, I really do. (42) Parental • MARY JANE: . . . They weren’t sure he was gonna live. status And that was . . . that was strange. Because I hadn’t met Alex yet, you know? (41) • CHAYA: I wish you many more children, someday. MARY JANE: I don’t know, Chaya. For now maybe wish me a two bedroom closer to the subway. (58) • MARY JANE: He’s almost three. I don’t know whether he’s going to make it out of this surgery. (74).

Character

FAMILY Relationship to family or origin and extended family

83

• MARY JANE: My sister used to make me these . . . lactation cookies! . . . She read in a magazine that they helped, and she sent a batch every week. For months. (58) (continue)

Beliefs and Values A character’s political, religious, moral, and social beliefs and values ofer insight into how he views the world, moving us into the “deep culture” section of the Culture Tree from this chapter’s Personal Connection. Like we discussed in the previous section on family, a character’s words and actions will not always address all of these issues. For example, if a character does not discuss politics (as is the case with Mary Jane), it may be because she does not hold strong opinions surrounding politics, it may mean that she does not feel free or empowered to discuss her political views, or it may simply suggest that politics are not directly relevant to the content of the text. When Mary Jane mentions having sex before 22 and the use of recreational drugs in college, we get a strong sense of her past moral values (2018, pp. 15; 38). The ease with which she discusses her past illustrates that while she has matured, she does not feel shame regarding this past behavior, suggesting that she is not morally rigid. Mary Jane’s most relevant beliefs, or lack thereof, are her religious views. When she meets Tenkei, a Buddhist nun and a chaplain at the hospital, Tenkei notes that Mary Jane listed her religion as “question mark” on hospital paperwork (2018, p. 68). While Mary Jane may have previously been fne with her undefned religious views, it is clear that Alex’s medical state is causing her to refect on faith. In conversation with Chaya, the mother whose daughter is also hospitalized, who is Jewish, Mary Jane asks, “Do you think your faith makes things easier? . . . Easier than they would be without it” (2018, p. 60). Let’s take a look at some of the things one would include when flling out the Character Template for Mary Jane.

84

Character

Table 3.8 “Beliefs and Values” category of Character Template BELIEFS AND VALUES Political, religious, moral, • MARY JANE: I can’t remember any of the or social beliefs (gender, sex I had before twenty-two. (15) race, etc.) • MARY JANE: Where I went [to school] it was less about fraternities and sororities, more about hallucinogens. (38) • MARY JANE: Do you think your faith makes things easier? CHAYA: Easier than what? MARY JANE: Easier—ha! I don’t know! Easier than they would be without it. (60) • TENKEI: You listed your religion as “question mark.” (68) (continue)

Play Connection: Spectrum of Difference This Play Connection is based on the well-known exercise “Spectrum of Difference” (Neelands and Goode, 2015), in which participants are asked to place themselves along a line (either marked with tape or imagined) across a floor. One end of the line represents “strongly agree” and the other end represents “strongly disagree,” with a spectrum of more neutral choices in between. While you may have done this exercise before, you likely have not done it as a character! This exercise works best with participants selecting different characters from the same play. Select a character and write the name of this character on an index card or a piece of paper in large letters. Next, craft a statement with which your character would strongly agree. Possible examples might be, “Being successful is more important than being liked,” or “Love is worth dying for.” In a group, take turns reading your statements out loud. After a statement is read, people can position themselves along the agree/disagree spectrum as their character, holding up their piece of paper so that others can see what character they represent.

Character

85

If time allows, you can debate the statement in role as your characters. You may even have more than one person as the same character—leading to interesting conversations if they are not in agreement with one another!

Relationships The next section on the Character Template considers a character’s relationships with others. Since in Mary Jane the title character is in every scene, a reader must be able to discern how she relates to every character. For each relationship, state first the general nature of the relationship, such as spouses, coworkers, or parent/child. The template also asks, “Who has more power?” This is an important question to understanding how the relationship works. For example, when considering Mary Jane’s relationship to Sherry, Alex’s nurse, it becomes apparent that Sherry has more power in the relationship. Sherry does not view herself as having more power—in fact, the two have a wellestablished and comfortable relationship with one another. However, Mary Jane has already been through many nurses for Alex, and if she ends up with uncovered shifts, she has to cover those shifts herself, which is detrimental to her career and finances. We can imagine how a person who is more financially secure than Mary Jane might view themselves as having power over an in-home nurse—they might see themselves as the boss of the nurse and feel power in knowing one complaint could cause the nurse to lose the post. Because of Mary Jane’s financial situation, as well as her generally kind and caring demeanor, she does not view their relationship in this way. The power dynamic between Alex and Mary Jane is interesting to consider. While one would generally assume a parent has more power in a parent/child relationship, this is not always the case (consider, for example, the trope of the “spoiled brat”). However, Mary Jane has more power in the relationship not only because she is the mother but also because Alex is nonverbal and has special needs. We can see that due to her parental status as well as his inability to speak for himself, it is her responsibility to speak on his behalf and to make decisions about his medical care.

86

Character

This section also asks for any quotes revealing information about the backstory of the relationship—how long the characters have known one another, how they met, experiences they have shared, and so forth. In this section, we can see how traumatic Alex’s birth was and also can gain appreciation for the ways in which Alex and Mary Jane have bonded and why she advocates for him so fercely. Finally, in this section, we consider any unseen relationships—other characters who are referenced but we do not meet. For Mary Jane, this would include her boss; her sister; Alex’s other in-home nurse; and her ex and Alex’s father, Danny. List the unseen relationships, as well as any specifc quotes that shed light on the nature of those relationships. For example, it is important to note that Alex’s other nurse, Donna, is providing less than exemplary care for Alex. When Mary Jane reveals that Alex vomited in the middle of the night, Sherry’s immediate response is, “Who was here last night, Donna?” (2018, p. 19). Mary Jane does not want Sherry to report this, reinforcing how desperate Mary Jane is to have support in caring for Alex. Details about these relationships may already be provided in previous sections on work or family—there is no need to repeat that information, but make sure to still list those relationships in this section. Continuing with the Character Template for Mary Jane, let’s look at relationships. Table 3.9 “Relationships” category of Character Template RELATIONSHIPS Sherry What is the relationship? Sherry is Alex’s nurse. Who has more power? Sherry because she provides Alex’s treatment and Mary Jane doesn’t want to lose anymore nurses. Backstory of relationship: • MARY JANE: You’ve been working with us a little over a year. (20) Alex What is the relationship? Mother/Son Who has more power? Mary Jane because she is older, Alex’s parent, and responsible for decisions about his medical care. Backstory of relationship: • MARY JANE: One of his vocal cords is paralyzed. (39)

Character

87

RELATIONSHIPS • MARY JANE: My water broke at twenty-fve weeks. (40) • MARY JANE: Then on his second day . . . they told us he’s had a brain bleed. (41) • MARY JANE: Our neurologist says it’s a miracle how much he can do, considering how bad that bleed was. (42) • MARY JANE: And it may seem to you guys that he doesn’t hear me or understand me, but he does hear me and he does understand me. (65) Unseen • Kelly: Mary Jane’s boss relationships • Her sister • Donna: Alex’s other nurse: MARY JANE: He vomited last night. . .. SHERRY: No, what? Who was here last night, Donna? (19) • Danny: Mary Jane’s ex and Danny’s father (continue)

Super-Objective The fnal section of the Character Template considers superobjective—what the character wants over the duration of the play. Super-objectives should be stated as shortly and succinctly as possible, completing the phrase, “I want __________.” While a character might have multiple objectives throughout a play, those objectives are stepping stones that lead to the super-objective, his singular goal for the entirety of the play. A super-objective should be personal (hence forming it as an “I” statement) and tangible—a character either achieves his super-objective or he does not. Avoid long-winded explanations and go for a statement that feels guttural and urgent. “I want her to love me,” “I want justice for my son’s death,” or “I want to survive this war” are all examples of strong super-objectives. For this example, we will state Mary Jane’s super-objective as, “I want what’s best for Alex.” We then identify obstacles—the things standing in the way of a character’s super-objective, listing both internal obstacles (those created by or within the character) and external obstacles (those created by other people or forces). We can see immediately that

88

Character

one of Mary Jane’s internal struggles is that she is unsure what the best thing would be for Alex when she says, “I don’t know what to hope for anymore” (2018, p. 74). It is for this reason that Mary Jane’s super-objective is not for Alex to live a long life because that may in fact not be the best thing for him, given his circumstances. Other internal obstacles include her fatigue, her stress, and her migraines. We can also see with her lack of faith that Mary Jane questions if religious beliefs or a spiritual practice might ofer her guidance or comfort as she navigates her circumstances. We also see several external obstacles: her lack of a partner or familial support; her job insecurity and fnances; Alex’s inability to vocalize his needs; and the unpredictability of his condition. Considering these obstacles, we must examine a character’s tactics—what he does to overcome the obstacles to achieve his superobjective. These tactics should reference back to specifc plot points and are best described in juicy, playable verbs or actions.4 For this reason, underline the verbs you use in these tactics; the book Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus is a great source for fnding the perfect action for a moment (Calderone and Lloyd-Williams, 2004). While Mary Jane may feel as though she fails to provide for Alex, the audience watches her go to great lengths to provide for him. She advocates for him to medical providers, she educates herself on his condition, and she negotiates with her boss when she needs to call into work. In this section, we also describe to what lengths a character is willing to go. Depending on a character’s beliefs and values, a character may be willing to cheat, lie, steal, or even kill for what he wants. Even a character with high morals may be willing to compromise those morals depending on the severity of the situation. In the frst scene of the play, her landlord discovers that Mary Jane has removed the bars from Alex’s window to allow him to see outside. While Mary Jane knows this is against code, she is willing to commit this minor infraction to provide for her son. She is even aware that her own physical and mental health are sufering as a result of the stress she is under, but she puts her needs aside to focus on Alex. Finally, we consider what is at stake—what might be lost if a character does not obtain his super-objective. It is important to make these stakes as high as possible. A  character must have a strong reason to fght for what he wants. It is not always a life and death situation, but in Mary Jane’s case, it might be. Though it is an unfortunate possibility 4 See Chapter 5 for a Play Connection exercise about actions.

Character

89

that Alex will die at all too young an age, Mary Jane’s choices may help prolong his life or allow him to live as comfortably and happily as possible until his death. While her job is also at stake (and in fact, is lost during the course of the play), as well as her own well-being, it is the very real looming possibility of Alex’s death that propels her to act. There is no need to use quotes in this section, since likely anything pertinent has already been mentioned, but you may if it is necessary or useful. This section of the Character Template for Mary Jane would look something like this:

Table 3.10 “Super-Objective” category of Character Template SUPER-OBJECTIVE What does the character I want what’s best for Alex. want? What internal obstacles Fatigue, uncertainty about what the best thing stand in the way? for Alex would be (“I don’t know what to hope for anymore,” p. 74), cognitive/physical fatigue, migraines, stress, lack of faith. What external obstacles Single parenthood, Alex’s medical conditions stand in the way? and inability to vocalize, job instability, fnances, inconsistency of the medical care he receives (i.e. Donna), unpredictability of his condition, physical boundaries (for example, bars on the window). Mary Jane educates herself, reprimands What tactics does the character use? (underline medical providers and the music therapist, advocates for Alex, negotiates with her boss, verbs) How far is the character grapples with her decisions, bargains with her landlord to let her keep the bars of his willing to go? window, soothes and comforts Alex, and begs Sherry not to report the other nurse’s behavior. She is willing to sacrifce her dignity (asking to keep her health insurance), to break minor laws, to lose her job, to forgo sleep, and to negatively impact her own health and mental well-being. What’s at stake? Alex’s life. Also at stake is her job and Mary Jane’s own wellness.

90

Character

Performative Connection Create a live or recorded short theatrical composition exploring the character for whom you are completing the Character Template. To create this composition, you will consider what this character wants (their super-objective) as well as how other people create obstacles or shape that character’s sense of self. Because this chapter is about Character, and performing a character can be problematic for someone with diferent identity markers, this performative connection has been carefully structured. While you will speak the lines of multiple characters, you will do so in an interpretive way rather than stepping fully into those roles. Remember, this is not a performance—instead, these connections are “performative,” encouraging you to explore how to theatricalize the script analysis process. Because of this, you may speak the lines of characters who have diferent identity markers than your own, and this is not to be misconstrued as performing those characters. Speaking the lines can efectively bring the text into the space, without the need to fully embody a character. To prepare for this performative connection, place an empty chair in the center of your playing space. This chair will represent the character for whom you have completed the Character Template (for the sake of clarity, we will call this Character A). Complete the following elements of the composition: 1. State Character A’s super-objective, for example: “Mary Jane wants what’s best for her son.” It is helpful to think about your position relative to the chair in this moment—Do you place your hands on the back of the chair? Do you stand far away from it? Do you kneel down, looking up? How might your position relate to the journey this character takes? 2. Then, select three or four lines from other characters; we’ll call these Characters B, C, and D (if you are doing this for a show with a small number of characters, you may use multiple lines from the same character). Look for lines about how these characters feel about Character A. Do they create external

Character

91

obstacles for the character? Do they praise them and believe in them? Or cause self-doubt or harm? 3. For each line chosen in Step 2, say “[Character B, C, or D] says,” followed by the line. For example: “Sherry says, ‘You’re a natural.’ ” Then, create a corresponding action that physically relates to the chair (again, representative of Character A). Are other characters trying to lift this person up? Distance themselves from the character? Nurture them? Insult them? Your action may involve moving or touching the chair but does not need to. 4. After completing Step 3 for each of the Characters B, C, and D, restate Character A’s super-objective from Step 1. Consider if your tone or physicality shifts at the end of this or if it’s more powerful for it to remain the same. In addition to this sequence of lines and movement, challenge yourself to incorporate, at some point in your composition, each of the following: • One object • One sound or piece of music (live or recorded) Remember, this is performative, but it is not a performance. This is an opportunity for you to work with script analysis on your feet and to see what embodied, expressive ideas emerge. Work quickly, aiming to spend no more than ten minutes on the creation of this composition. The goal here is simply to explore how the script analysis process can be activated using devised theatre strategies.

Figure 3.2 Still image of sample Performative Connection for Character Source: Image used with permission from Victoria Micaletti.

92

Character

The online content for this book includes example videos for each Performative Connection. The following is the transcript and description from the example for Character, based on Mary Jane and performed by Arius: 1. Super-objective: Arius stands to the side of the empty chair, saying, “Mary Jane wants what’s best for her son.” Arius uses the object of a shawl wrapped as a baby. 2. Character line and gesture: Arius puts both hands on the back of the chair, saying, “Sherry says, ‘You’re a natural.’ ” In the background, the sound of steady beeping of hospital machinery plays. 3. Character line and gesture: Arius shakes the chair, saying, “Ruthie says, ‘You seem to be a person who’s carrying a lot of tension in her body.’ ” 4. Character line and gesture: Arius stands behind the chair, hands lifted in prayer, saying, “Chaya says, ‘I wish you many more children someday.’ ” 5. Super-objective (repeated): Arius unwraps the shawl and raises it in the air like a parachute, then wraps it around the back of the chair, as though enveloping Mary Jane in a hug, saying, “Mary Jane wants what’s best for her son.”

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: In a group setting, these lines and gestures can be divided among members in a group of 4–6, with about 15 minutes total to create the composition. In this case, one group member completes Steps 1 and 4, and the remaining group members complete Steps 2 and 3 for multiple characters in the script. If a group member feels comfortable representing the central character in the composition, they may sit in the chair to do so. Group members representing the additional characters can consider the composition of their movement—for example, they might appear from behind the chair as though coming out of that character’s mind, circle the character, or come from diferent corners of the space.

Character

93

Online alternative: If working in a synchronous online space, this exercise can also be completed in small groups. If time and technology allow, participants can consider incorporating an object on screen or using a virtual background to enhance their image. Group members can also practice when they come on and of camera, if they enter the Zoom screen from diferent angles or how their proximity to their camera impacts the composition. Working asynchronously, the single-person version of this composition, described earlier, may be recorded and then shared in small discussion groups. Technical alternative: This composition, similar to that in Chapter 2, may also be completed by creating a video or slideshow of images that are refective of the characters and lines depicted in this composition. Text can be provided in written form or as an audio recording.

Final Considerations: Character Now that we’ve explored the Theatrical Element of Character, using the titular role of Mary Jane as an example, it is your turn to complete the Character Template for a character in a play of your choosing or one assigned to you. Before you do, here are a few additional elements to take into consideration.

Bias If one person says something about someone else, does that make it true? Maybe, and maybe not. One of the endlessly fascinating (and at times, frustrating) parts of script analysis is that every line spoken is from that character’s perspective. Human beings are inherently biased. It is for this reason that the template ofers you the opportunity to categorize comments based on self-perception and perception from others. Use this anywhere in the template where it is helpful.

94

Character

Even something a character says about themselves may be exaggerated or completely false. Have you ever talked to a person with a negative self-image? Have you ever heard a politician sing her own praise? The way in which a person speaks of herself is infuenced by her sense of self—whether she has a negative self-view, an infated one, or one that changes based on her circumstances.

Honesty In addition to bias, sometimes a person will say something untrue because of the person he is talking to and what he wants—such as the example of a politician, who may speak dishonestly for the sake of votes or approval ratings. Instead of accepting what this character says at face value, what is important here is the lie. Lying might be a tactic, making it a sign of how far a character is willing to go in pursuit of his superobjective. Lying about oneself can also be a sign of psychological distress. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman copes with his failing career as a salesman, and his regrets in life, by making delusional proclamations about his success—behavior that pairs with hallucinations, and probable bipolar disorder, to lead to Willy’s death by suicide. People lie for a number of diferent reasons: to get what they want, to cover up information or hide a mistake, to deny that they do not know the correct answer, for political or social gain, or to avoid hurting another person’s feelings. Sometimes, people lack honesty in seemingly benign ways, like a well-intentioned white lie. In the 2008 play God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza (originally published in French as Le Dieu du carnage), two sets of parents meet to discuss an altercation between their sons. The scene begins with one set of parents expressing gratitude to the other for arranging the meeting, though the play ends with the parents behaving barbarically toward one another. Based on how this play progresses, it would appear that their initial niceties were a mere formality. Underneath these white lies, they might be warning the other parents to mind their behavior or complimenting them to deescalate tension.

Actions Speak In Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, which provides a modern feminist retelling of the Greek Orpheus myth, Eurydice arrives in the Underworld after

Character

95

dying (2003). Because her memory was washed away in the river Lethe, she does not recognize her father. Eurydice mistakes him for a porter and asks him to take her to her room. However, since there are no rooms in the Underworld, he begins the laborious process of constructing a room for her out of string. Her father uses the resources available to him: string, time, and creativity, to create some comfort and familiarity for his daughter in an environment that is otherwise cold and strange. He puts aside any pain that he may feel from her not recognizing him and instead chooses to express his love to her in the way he feels able to. Look for evidence of a person’s character not only in what they say but also in what they do. Oftentimes, the cliché rings true: actions speak louder than words.

Gossip and Name-Calling The 1970 play The Efects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, by Paul Zindel, is about a dysfunctional family with a single mother and two daughters. The mother, Beatrice, is mentally and physically abusive and tries to thwart her daughter Tillie’s successes in the school science fair. When Beatrice says overly critical things to Tillie, the lines are spoken from a place of Beatrice’s own insecurity. A character insults someone else because of jealousy. A character might gossip about someone else and not care whether she knows it’s true or not because the gossip seems too juicy not to share. Anything a character says, or anything a character does, can reveal information about her beliefs and values. It takes some close reading, and some rereading, to understand these moments when they arise. But just remember that when a character talks about someone else, she does not just share information about the other person. She just might reveal information about herself, too.

Change The protagonist of a literary text is often defned as the main character, which can be vague and at times difcult to decipher. Defning the protagonist as the character who exhibits the most change allows us to better identify the central character of the play. We, as humans, are capable of evolving. While aspects of our character are predetermined by our

96

Character

genetics and our circumstances, science in the feld of neuroplasticity demonstrates how the actual structure of our brain changes based on experiences, impacting our thoughts and behavior. On stage, the moments that lead to changes within us are often the very moments that are the most compelling dramatically. A  character changing should not bafe or confuse a reader. Rather, it can be seen as an exciting opportunity to examine what led to that change. By organizing each section of the Character Template chronologically, and listing the page number, one can better identify where those moments of change occur. To return to A Raisin in the Sun, which is explored in depth in Chapter 2, Walter’s actions frustrate his family throughout the play. His family views his eforts to get rich quick as selfsh, greedy, and immature; at the end of Act I, Mama says, “I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son” (1958, p. 77). It is not until the end of the play, when Mama makes Walter aware of how his son is watching his actions, saying, “You make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good,” that Walter fnally realizes how his actions impact his family and fnds the courage to stand up for what is right (1958, p. 146). By pinpointing these pivotal moments, we can better understand a character’s arc—his transformation over the course of a play.

Your Turn Now it is your chance to complete the Character Template for a play of your choosing or one assigned by your instructor. To do this, view the complete Character Template in Appendix E or visit the online content for this book to download an editable Character Template. The remainder of this chapter includes exercises to further enhance your exploration of this character and the script analysis process.

Musical Moment If you are short on time, or simply want to incorporate musical theatre into your script analysis studies, look to the 2007 musical adaptation of Legally Blonde, music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hach, based on the novel by

Character

97

Amanda Brown and the 2001 flm adaptation by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. Study the lyrics to “What You Want,” in which the protagonist, sorority girl and fashion merchandising major Elle Woods, makes the decision to apply to law school to prove herself to her ex-boyfriend Warner. This song provides a fun and clear analysis of character, particularly super-objective. Bursting into the Harvard Law School admissions ofce with a full marching band and cheerleading squad is a great example of an outrageous tactic for a character who considers the stakes of her circumstances extremely high!

Written Response Written Responses provide the opportunity for a reader to articulate the patterns and themes that emerge after a template is completed (see additional details in Chapter 1). You’ll fnd that Written Responses are structurally similar, allowing the reader to, over the course of this text, develop the skill of articulating these ideas in written form. For this Written Response, write a short essay response to the following:

Having read a play and completed the Character Template for a character within the play, summarize one or two big ideas that emerged. Describe what stood out to you as the most interesting or important traits of this character using specifc quotes or examples from the play. Finally, refect on how completing the template assignment deepened your understanding of the character and the play as a whole.

Creative Expression This Creative Expression can be used alternatively, or in addition, to Written Responses (see additional details in Chapter  1). If another mode of creative expression speaks to your own interests, you are

98

Character

encouraged to try it out or propose it to your instructor. This Creative Expression is inspired by the DJ (disc jockey): After completing the Character Template for a character in a play, consider the big ideas you discovered about who this character is, how they move through the world, and what they desire in life. Create a playlist of ten songs for this character. Consider: are these songs refective of this character’s past or present? Under which circumstances might this character listen to each song? What memories, relationships, or feelings might each song conjure for the character? What sequence of songs best tells the story of this character? How are these songs refective of this character’s culture? Arrange the songs, and write the following for each song: track number; title of song; artist; and a short rationale for including this song, incorporating at least one quote from the play. Include links for your instructor to access the songs. Note that it is not necessary to use songs that are exclusively from the time period or culture of the play, though this is certainly a choice one could make. This creative expression may use contemporary songs or songs from a wide variety of genres. The goal is to reference songs that explore a character’s essence, evoke emotions, or conjure major life events. While artistically you have some freedom in the songs you choose, sequentially these songs should refect the character’s life and their journey through the play.

Table 3.11 Sample student Creative Expression based on China Doll (The Imagined Life of an American Actress) by Elizabeth Wong (1990) Track 5: In Berlin’s lyrics, there is a line about an uncle dying and “There’s No parents divorcing but how an actor must still perform. Business This “show must go on” mentality represents many parts Like Show of Anna May’s life but especially when her mother died Business” by and then she debuted on Broadway. One can see the Irving Berlin pressure Anna May feels when she tells her father she will miss the funeral, saying, “the thing is, I’m the lead, the star of a Broadway show. A Broadway show. I’m the lead. Mommy knows” (1990, p. 47). Source: Text courtesy of Bellamy Kopesec. Quote used with permission from Elizabeth Wong.

Character

99

Chapter Summary In this chapter, we considered the Theatrical Element of Character, analyzing how a script ofers clues about a character’s identity markers— appearance, physicality, demeanor, education and knowledge, work, family, and beliefs and values. We examined what the relationships in a play—both those that are present and those that are not shown on stage—reveal about a character’s inner workings. We explored how to fnd and articulate a character’s super-objective, the obstacles that stand in her way, and the tactics she uses to achieve her goal. We used the titular character of Mary Jane by Amy Herzog as an example, and you then applied chapter concepts to the study of a character from a play of your choice or one assigned to you. We also examined the role that character analysis plays for a costume designer, how performance and script analysis intersect, and how to articulate our analysis of a play in written or audio form. In the next section, we will explore what a script may reveal about the Theatrical Element of Setting. Chapter Takeaways • Our second theatrical element, Character, considers more deeply a person who inhabits a text. • A person’s identity markers include race, citizenship and/or ethnicity, gender, afectionate orientation, age, physical ability, mental ability, and socioeconomic status. • Character is a refection of culture, which is multifaceted, and which contains culture that is surface level, such as clothing; shallow, such as body language; and deep, such as spirituality. • Identity markers are not always evident within a play and should not be assumed; all identity markers impact a character, though the character may have a higher or lower degree of awareness of that impact. • Relationships that are present on stage, as well as those that are not depicted, provide information about how a character moves through the world. Relationships that are missing, through circumstances such as death or divorce, can also impact a character’s worldview. • A character is driven by their super-objective, which is what they want over the course of a play. Reaching that super-objective is complicated by obstacles, requiring the character to try diferent tactics in pursuit of their goal.

100

Character

• References in a script to character may present themselves in the script as general knowledge, as a character’s sense of self, or as the opinion of another character. Bias should be examined when analyzing a character’s words or actions. • Similarly, the circumstances and intent of a character’s words or actions should also be considered. Some characters are more or less honest than others, and a character’s level of honesty can change based on their circumstances. • The most telling clues about a character can be found in their actions rather than what they say or what is said about them. • Good characters, most notably protagonists, can and do change over the course of a play. Analyzing a script chronologically can allow a reader to best identify moments of change.

References Calderone, Marina, and Maggie Lloyd-Williams. Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus. 1st ed., Nick Hern Books. 2004. Hach, Heather. Legally Blonde the Musical. Based on the book by Amanda Broan and the flm by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. Music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. 2007. Hammond, Zaretta L. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. 1st ed., Corwin. 2014. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Vintage Books. 1958. Herzog, Amy. Mary Jane. TCG edition. 2018. Lee Hall. Billy Elliott the Musical. Music by Elton John. Lyrics by Lee Hall. Based on the flm by Stephen Daldry. 2005. Mee, Charles. “A  Note on Casting.” The Re(making) Project. N.d. www. charlesmee.org/casting.shtml. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 1949. Neelands, Jonathan, and Tony Goode. Structuring Drama Work: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama. 3rd ed., Cambridge UP. 2015. Reza, Yasmina. God of Carnage. Trans. Christopher Hampton. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 2008. Rostand, Edmond. Cyrano de Bergerac. 1897. Ruhl, Sarah. Eurydice. Samuel French, Inc. 2003. Satterfeld, Jason M. “The Iceberg—Visible and Hidden Identity.” The Great Courses Daily. 16 Feb 2017. www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/visible-andhidden-identity/#:~:text=To%20understand%20identity%2C%20look%20 at,the%20water%2C%20out%20of%20sight (Accessed May 5, 2022).

Character

101

Wilde, Oscar. De Profundis. Letter. 1897. From Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/921/pg921-images.html (accessed December 31, 2022). Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. Samuel French, Inc. 1947. Wong, Elizabeth. China Doll (The Imagined Life of an American Actress). Dramatic Publishing. 1990. Zindel, Paul. The Efects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. Samuel French, Inc. 1970.

Setting

4

Chapter Objectives • To understand how script analysis reveals insight into a setting. • To identify physical and atmospheric elements of a setting. • To categorize the lines of a dramatic text by setting to interpret the patterns that emerge. • To apply an understanding of setting in one’s personal life, in performance, and in the observation of professional theatre careers.

Introduction A heavy wooden door opens slowly with a creak. Flickering candles in sconces cast eerie shadows across the wall. The protagonist wraps her cloak tightly around her shoulders as a breeze sends a chill through her, her weak “hello” echoing down the empty hall. Every play needs a setting: the location, or locations, in which the play takes place. What readers or audience members often take for granted, however, is how much setting can infuence character behavior and action within a play. Every element of performance and technical theatre can be informed by the setting of a play, as the aforementioned scenario demonstrates. In this chapter, we will delve further into the Theatrical Element of Setting. As with previous theatrical elements, you will fnd some 102

DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-4

Setting

103

overlap in this chapter and prior chapters within this book. The Given Circumstances Template references location, and those given circumstances help inform the setting of the play. Likewise, information within the Character Template and setting intersects, as who a person is and her relationship to a space can infuence her behavior within it. However, the purpose of this chapter is to focus our attention explicitly on setting. By doing so, we will explore why this setting matters and how setting infuences the action of the play. Theatre as a literary art form has a unique relationship to setting, as it is not solely dependent on text to evoke imagery of a location, as is the case for poetry and prose. Likewise, it is not solely dependent on visual imagery as is usually found in visual arts. It difers from television and flm because theatre does not always fully realize a setting through location shoots, realistic sets, or special efects. Some theatre productions have scenery that looks as real as life.1 Other theatre productions might rely on minimalistic platforms, a few rehearsal cubes and chairs, or even a bare stage to set the scene. In any case, analyzing setting within a play serves to extend the story beyond the actors themselves and to evoke a sense of the world around them.

Personal Connection Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic memoir, Fun Home, provides the basis for the musical by the same name, book and lyrics by Lisa Kron (2013) and music by Jeanine Tesori. In the memoir, Bechdel evokes the restored Victorian home in which she grew up and the memories—some good, some bad—associated with this space. Bechdel’s rich illustrations share her depiction of this space from her perspective as an adult refecting on her childhood. Think about a space that has sentimental value to you. It can be a place in your present life or a place from your past, a place where you have lived or a place you have visited. Think about what makes this spot special to you. Use all of your senses. Consider: How does thinking about this space make you feel? Can you think of a specifc memory tied to this place—and how did

1 One audience member even tried to charge their phone on the set of the Broadway production of Hand to God by Robert Askins (Viagas, 2015).

104

Setting

the setting of this memory impact the event? Describe this sentimental setting through a combination of drawn images and text. Recalling spaces from our past, even sentimental spaces, can bring up difficult memories or emotions. As you complete this, feel empowered to take control of what you explore within this exercise and what you may choose to share with others. Example:

Figure 4.1 Sample Personal Connection for Setting Source: Image courtesy of Brittany McChesney.

I think about the creek behind my childhood home. The creek was our little slice of nature in the middle of our urban neighborhood. I can still recall the twigs snapping beneath my feet as I rushed down the hill to the creek, the cold water swirling around my legs as my bare toes sank into the red clay, the smell of the earth, and the taste of sweat from hard play in the humid Georgia summer. It was at this creek where I felt the most free and uninhibited with my friends—we made imaginary worlds, invented games, and got muddy from head to toe. The creek also came with some danger—run ins with neighborhood bullies, and even once a broken arm. But it all felt like part of the adventure.

Setting

105

Tips for Teachers In person alternative: Before beginning this exercise, guide students through a brief meditation on their chosen settings, encouraging them to utilize all their senses. After completing the exercise, ask for a few volunteers to share their images on a document reader. Ask volunteers to position themselves in front of the image as they read their text, encouraging them to imagine themselves in the setting. Ask observers what they noticed about how setting infuenced what volunteers shared and how it was expressed. Online alternative: Video discussion boards, like Flip, can provide a way for students to quickly share digital versions of many exercises within this book. For this assignment, Flip allows participants to easily use their drawing as their background (by using the backdrop feature and uploading an image from their device) to capture a recording of themselves sharing their written response. Setting can be further evoked with camera flters or background music. After posting, students can ofer responses to their peers through video or text.

Theatrical Element: Setting When thinking about setting, the frst professional theatre artist that comes to mind is usually the scenic designer. It is true that the scenic designer often steers the overall look of the show, working from the information provided by the playwright and the guiding vision of the director. Several other artists, including the lighting designer, sound designer, costume designer, props master and, when applicable, projections designer, work to realize the environment of a play. Setting can also guide performance, as humans are infuenced by the environment around them. Even in a play performed on a bare stage, a knowledge of setting is necessary for actors to fully imagine their circumstances and to understand how their characters behave in this space. As you explored in the Personal Connection for this module, setting can infuence an experience. A person might feel at peace taking a walk around their neighborhood in the morning but might feel afraid to walk alone in a dark alley in the middle of the night. A couple fghting

106

Setting

might raise their voices in their home but might whisper tensely having that same argument in a crowded restaurant. In David LindsayAbaire’s 2006 play Rabbit Hole, spouses Becca and Howie grieve the loss of their four-year-old son, Danny. The presence of Danny’s bedroom and belongings, his toys found underneath the couch, and his fngerprints on the walls remind them of him. His memory makes Howie feel sentimental attachment to the house and makes Becca want to move so that she is not surrounded by her own grief. Every element of the space around us infuences how we perceive the space, how we respond to it, and the actions that take place within it.

Featured Play: somebody’s children In this chapter, the majority of the examples come from the setting of the El Dorado motel in Anaheim, California, depicted in somebody’s children2 by playwright and associate professor of playwriting José Casas. Recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Play Award by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, this play chronicles the lives of fve teenagers who live in the rundown motel just outside of Disneyland, the “happiest place on earth.” Told through vignettes, choral speak, and spoken word, somebody’s children examines issues of poverty, corporate greed, and gentrifcation. By capturing their day-to-day experiences and exchanges, Casas brings humanity and humor to the young adults living within these circumstances.

Setting and Scenes At the top of the template, write the name of the setting you are exploring along with the title of the play and the playwright—in this example, the setting is the El Dorado motel in the play somebody’s children by José Casas. This template is designed to be completed once per setting if you are analyzing a script with multiple locations.2 The frst task in your Character Template is logistical. State which scene(s) are set in this location. We will explore this more thoroughly 2 This play uses all lowercase letters, a stylistic choice that is used throughout this chapter to maintain the integrity of the original text.

Setting

107

in Chapter 5 on the Theatrical Element of Structure, but for now, it is important to make a quick note of when we see each location in the script. In the case of somebody’s children, only one scene has a specifc location outside of El Dorado. Since the playwright states the El Dorado motel as the setting it can be assumed, then, that various areas within the motel grounds serve as the setting for the remainder of the scenes. While this step is fairly straightforward, especially for plays with only one setting, completing this may help you begin to identify patterns in plays with multiple settings. For example, Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice (2003), previously mentioned in Chapter  3, moves between the world of the living and the Underworld. The play, which has three movements instead of acts, begins primarily in the world of the living. The second movement bounces back and forth between the world of the living and the Underworld, and the third movement happens exclusively in the Underworld. This choice refects the character of Eurydice becoming increasingly distanced from her life during her time in the Underworld. In somebody’s children, Casas provides titles for each scene. In this example of the Setting Template for somebody’s children, scene numbers have been added for clarity. Table 4.1 “Scenes” section of Setting Template SCENES Scenes set in this • Scene 1. yesterday (father fgures) location (i.e. Act I, • Scene 3. theo huxtable Scene 1) • Scene 4. (spoken word 1) if I ruled the world • Scene 5. aquanet girlz (continue) See Appendix H for the complete example of this template.

Visual Descriptors In our Given Circumstances Template, we identifed the physical spaces in which the play takes place. In this next section of the Setting Template, we will go into more detail about the visual descriptors of a setting within a play. Anything that one can see belongs in this section: the architecture and layout of indoor spaces, natural or industrial elements of outdoor spaces, furniture, décor, lighting, color, and texture.

108

Setting

This information may be provided in stage directions, or observations may be made by a character, so remember to state the character name so that you can identify biased opinions. As we will discuss later in this chapter, a space can also change, so list your quotes chronologically and provide page numbers. Casas’s script is an exploration of how living in the El Dorado motel impacts its teenage residents. As we learn through the rich backstories of the characters we meet, unexpected life changes led them to this juncture in their lives. The characters know life outside of the motel, and dream of escape. Casas paints a vivid picture of the decrepit and neglected setting, describing it as a “slice of concrete” covered in “grafti” (2009, pp. 22, 12). Several references are made to broken items, ranging from the ice machine to the “cheap linoleum tiles,” suggesting the apathy of the motel owners—an interesting factor to consider when we discuss power later in this chapter. While the motel as a whole is worn and run-down, the character Shannon ofers a visual description within her hotel room, as she describes her father “slouched back on a piece-of-junk recliner he scavenged from a dumpster” (2009, p. 39). This detail further enhances the dinginess of Shannon’s surroundings and provides evidence of the fnancial struggles of the residents of the motel. Furthermore, scavenging a recliner suggests that, like many of the adult inhabitants, her father is resigned to his life at the motel, providing a contrast to the young people who strive for something better. This category of the Setting Template for El Dorado in somebody’s children would include the following, along with additional quotes. Table 4.2 “Visual Descriptors” category of Setting Template VISUAL DESCRIPTORS Architectural elem- • tariq: grafti (12) ents, natural or • shannon: slice of concrete (22) industrial elements, • shannon: slouched back on a piece-of-junk furniture and décor, recliner he scavenged from a dumpster (39) lighting, color, and • shell: the cheap linoleum tiles are falling apart (46) texture • alex: i’m going to get some ice from the machine. tariq: it’s broken. alex: it’s always broken. (58) (continue)

Setting

109

Play Connection: Soundscape a Place Consider the image of the autumn forest in Figure 4.2. What do you see? How would you describe the atmosphere of this environment? What sort of sounds might you hear in this space? In a small group, create a soundscape, where every group member creates sounds using their voice, body, or objects available on hand (such as paper or desks). As group members layer their sounds into this soundscape, play with volume and frequency. If you are able to move about the room, you can explore sounds coming from diferent parts of the room.

Figure 4.2 An autumn forest Source: Pixabay, Pexels. Creative Commons.

Tips for Teachers Diferent groups can be provided with diferent images (other strong examples are a city street, old house, tropical island, crowded restaurant, or ofce space), or the whole class can participate in a soundscape. If participants feel comfortable doing so, they may close their eyes during the soundscape.

110

Setting

In an online setting, individual students may make an audio recording of their soundscape. If possible, they may use music editing tools or an acapella app to record themselves making diferent sounds within the soundscape and can then layer those sounds on top of each other.

Atmosphere Next, we move on to atmosphere, which considers any sounds as well as other nonvisual imagery (those related to taste, touch, and smell). This section also incorporates any emotional descriptions of the setting, provided by stage directions or characters. However, be mindful not to paint a broad mood over an entire setting—we’ll talk more about the dangers of playing a mood later in this chapter. In somebody’s children, Casas efectively evokes our senses as he conjures the shoddy surroundings of the El Dorado motel. Auditory imagery in lines describing the “yells, screams and poundings on the wall” of agitated residents remind us that peace and privacy are a luxury rarely aforded in this setting (2009, p.  16). “the smell of .  .  . cigarette smoke and cat urine” suggests that years of accumulated flth have permeated into every surface of the hotel (2009, p. 42). Tactile lines are equally impactful. When Shell describes “the cold foor” as “hard,” the lack of warmth and hospitality is apparent (2009, p. 46). When Alex observes on one hot night, “it must be a hundred degrees in the dark,” the stifing discomfort of humid heat with little (or no) air-conditioning is palpable (2009, p. 58). The oppressive atmosphere of their surroundings is perhaps most clear in Tariq’s line describing “trafc and smog and smog and trafc” (2009, p. 72). The repetition within this line illustrates the cyclical nature of their circumstances and the ways in which their quality of life is negatively impacted by things beyond their control—such as noise and air pollution. While some lines create an atmosphere through imagery, others do through emotional descriptions. When Valerie passes by a quinceañera while riding the bus, she is reminded how “no one ever celebrates anything around here” (2009, p. 18). Stressors such as run-ins with police ofcers or “scrubs,” fnancial hardships, and environmental safety create a sense of unease (2009, p. 59). When Tariq and Valerie describe worrying about “stepping on some addict’s dirty needle,” the message

Setting

111

could not be clearer: at the El Dorado motel, a person needs to watch his every step, both literally and fguratively (2009, p. 21). The atmosphere at the El Dorado motel could be described as depressing and dangerous, but the teenagers of this story have a will to survive, leading them to be anything but complacent. The resiliency of these young adults can be found in their determination, humor, and joy, serving as an example of character’s actions contrasting the atmosphere of their setting. The atmosphere category of the Setting Template for the El Dorado motel would include the following quotes, as well as others. Table 4.3 “Atmosphere” category of Setting Template ATMOSPHERE Sounds, • shannon and tariq: hear the yells, screams and nonvisual senpoundings on the wall. (16) sory descriptions, • valerie: no one ever celebrates anything around and emotional here. (18) descriptions • tariq: in my neighborhood I worry about— valerie: not stepping on some addict’s dirty needle (21) • shannon: smog that clouds our visions of a better world. (28) • tariq: the smell of— • alex: cigarette smoke and cat urine. (42) • shell: the cold foor is hard. (46) • alex: it must be a hundred degrees in the dark. (58) • tariq: . . . trafc and smog and smog and trafc. (72) (continue)

Professional Connection: Scenic, Lighting, and Sound Designers In this Professional Connection, we take a look at the ways in which multiple designers collaborate to establish setting, focusing on scenic, lighting, and sound designers. As previously addressed, the scenic designer is responsible for the look of the stage, but it is not their responsibility alone to depict the setting of a play. All designers play a part in establishing setting. Lighting design

112

Setting

can help show the time of day, sound design can create ambient noise, costumes can suggest weather or the formality of an occasion, and props can enhance a scenic design with details from furniture to knickknacks on a shelf. Depending on the needs of the production, projection design can also work in a variety of ways to depict environment, atmosphere, or changes to a setting. Using the setting of the play with which you are completing the Setting Template, identify a line of text that ofers insight into the visual elements or atmosphere of the play. How would this line infuence the scenic, lighting, or sound design? Would it require a collaboration among multiple designers? Select one design area to focus on, and conduct internet research to inform your design, looking for an image or sound that could inspire your design. If you are working with others, you may work in a small group. To do so, identify a line that would infuence multiple design areas and then collect images or sounds refective of that line, considering how your images and sound work with one another.

Power within a Space A space is often associated with who has power, and who has little to no power, within it. Power dynamics can shift when a person enters a space. If two coworkers are talking in the breakroom, the tone or content of their conversation might change when their supervisor enters. However, power can be evoked in a space even in the absence of the person who wields it. For example, an employee snooping through her boss’s desk to look for an incriminating document would be highly aware of whose space she is in, even if her boss might be in a diferent country at the time. This question asks for quotes related to who owns the space, who has power in it, and who has little power in it. Let us acknowledge here that the very concept of ownership is prevalent in some cultures and less pronounced in others. Indigenous and aboriginal populations, which view nature as a maternal or spiritual force, have a diferent relationship with land, as do nomadic populations, compared to the views of land ownership held by colonized populations. Consider, for example, the play Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker (1988), which

Setting

113

takes place in the 1780s as British members of the Royal Marines establish the frst penal colony in Australia. Among the characters in this play is an Aboriginal man, who observes the colonization of Australia with confusion and fear. In somebody’s children, the motel manager holds power over the inhabitants of the motel. We can see the teenagers’ awareness of this when, in response to a joke about the Christian fgures Joseph and Virgin Mary wanting a room at the motel, Shell quips, “i hope the manager reminds them that giving birth to saviors is not allowed” (2009, p. 54). Indeed, Shell’s joke implies that the motel manager is unnecessarily strict, and their overbearing policies, paired with their neglect to the upkeep of the motel, make the residents feel powerless in their surroundings. In addition to the power possessed by the motel manager, the impact of Disneyland is apparent within this setting (an observation that also overlaps with proximity in the next section of this chapter). Alex describes Disneyland’s expanding land ownership as “pushing poor people to other places so they can be pushed to another neighborhood and then pushed to another neighborhood” (2009, p. 41). In this quote, he observes shifts in Anaheim’s cultural landscape as the community is consumed by the sprawl of the corporate giant. The gentrifcation depicted in this line articulates the oppressions that may have forced many of the El Dorado motel’s residents there—and is keeping them there for longer than anticipated. It’s clear the impact of this corporation on the motel residents, many of whom are likely employees of Disneyland (including the character Shannon by the play’s end). Let’s study the power section for the Setting Template for somebody’s children. Table 4.4 “Power within a Space” category of Setting Template POWER WITHIN A SPACE Does someone own this • alex: pushing poor people to other places so that they can be pushed to space and if so, who? Who has power in this space, and another neighborhood and then pushed in what way? Who has little to another neighborhood . . . (41) or no power in this space? • shell: i hope the manager reminds them that giving birth to saviors is not allowed. (54) (continue)

114

Setting

Proximity The next category of the Setting Template considers proximity: who or what is near a setting. Here, we give our attention to how proximity impacts the setting and the action within that space. Proximity includes people, places, and things near the setting, as well as those far away. We can appreciate how gossip shared between roommates might be hushed if it pertains to their neighbor in the apartment next door. Likewise, for a person stranded on an island, the distance between her location and civilization would have a great impact on her emotional state, her super-objective, and the stakes of her circumstances.3 As previously mentioned, the motel’s proximity to Disneyland is central to somebody’s children. While they never visit the theme park, and cannot aford to, the economic and cultural impact on the setting is clear. The play ends with the teenagers watching Disneyland’s freworks show (2009, p.  77). As they take in the magical lights and sounds of the freworks from their decrepit surroundings, the contrast highlights the harsh realities of their circumstances and their dreams for the future. Other examples of proximity all serve to illustrate the overcrowded, run-down urban environment in which the motel exists. References to “fast food hideaways,” strip clubs, bus stops, and sex workers clearly situate El Dorado within its surroundings (2009, pp.  24, 31, 41). This cultural landscape helps explain safety concerns voiced by the teenagers, such as Alex’s hesitancy to go out to buy a bag of ice at night (2009, p. 59). It also contributes to the sense of impermanence and transience of their environment. The myriad of people passing through their surroundings juxtaposes their fears that they may never escape their circumstances. This section of the Setting Template would include the following for the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children. 3 This category is similar to “Unseen Spaces” in the Given Circumstances Template. The purpose within the Given Circumstances Template is to identify those spaces as a part of the world of the play. Within the Setting Template, consider Proximity a deeper dive into the descriptions of these spaces, with a focus on how they influence the immediate setting of the play (this category is also unique because it considers proximity to other people, as well as places).

Setting

115

Table 4.5 “Proximity” category of Setting Template PROXIMITY Who or what is near • shannon: fast food hideaways/and strip clubs/ sandwiched in between. (24) this setting, and what • tariq: check her out . . . the one waiting at the impact does their bus stop. (31) proximity have? Who • alex: today another woman sells her body on or what is far, and the edge of our parking lot. (41) what impact does • the disneyland freworks show begins. the friends their distance have? watch the lights and hear the sounds of the freworks. (77) (continue)

Change Finally, let us consider that, just like people change over the course of a play, places too can change. The category of change might include how a space physically or visually transforms, as well as changes in power. One clear example of change is Clybourne Park, a play by Bruce Norris written in 2010 in response to Lorraine Hansberry’s 1958 play A Raisin in the Sun, which we examined in Chapter  2. Clybourne Park is set in 406 Clybourne Park, the same home in the fctional Chicago neighborhood that the Younger family purchases in A Raisin in the Sun. The play takes place in both 1959 and 2009, resulting in a dramatic change in the setting. The 1959 house is modest but clean and well-cared for, while the modern-day house is worn, gutted, and graftied. In this play, the house is the setting of the play, but it also operates as a character—the only character who is in both acts of the play. This choice within the script requires the scenic design to undergo a radical transformation during the intermission of the play. The relationship to change in somebody’s children is interesting to consider; as the character Valerie observes, “motels are meant to be temporary” (2009, p.  18). In a play where the teenagers yearn for their lives to improve, the apparent lack of change propels the dramatic narrative. While things at the El Dorado motel may feel stuck in the 1960s, the setting is one where the people coming and going

116

Setting

provide the greatest change. The play ends in a hopeful moment of transition, as Shannon prepares to attend Harvard University and Tariq tells his peers his family is moving. While the seemingly static nature of the environment is central to the play, Casas portrays the resiliency of these teenagers despite their circumstances and reminds us that low points in our lives may not be as permanent as they may feel. Even with the aspects of the El Dorado motel that seem constant, such as its mismanagement, flth, and outdatedness, elements of the setting do change throughout the play. As previously mentioned, Disneyland’s expansion impacts the environment, evident in a line about the corporation buying out the “last strawberry feld in our neighborhood” (2009, p.  41). And in a heartbreaking moment of the play, a methamphetamine lab explodes, resulting in the death of a two-year-old child (2009, p. 54). This allows us to see the connectedness that these teenagers feel to their makeshift community within the motel, even with the anger and grief they express in this moment. The image of cleaning out the room after such a tragedy to prepare it for the next customer is a sobering reminder that the El Dorado motel serves as the setting for stories upon stories of its residents. The category of change on the Setting Template for the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children would include the following. Table 4.6 “Change” category of Setting Template CHANGE Does this setting • valerie: motels are meant to be temporary. (18) change over time, • valerie: it was the frst week i moved in here. and in what way? (beat; fondly) that was almost a year ago. (29) • valerie: today disneyland bought out the last strawberry feld in our neighborhood. shell: corporate mouse ears growing like a cancer. (41) • valerie: they’re padlocking room 258 . . .. shell: memories of a dead child steam cleaned away . . . (53–54). • valerie: the meth lab exploded. (54) (continue)

Setting

117

Performative Connection Create a live or recorded composition exploring the setting for which you are completing the Setting Template. To begin, work within your current surroundings, whether at home or in a classroom, to craft an area that in some way captures the setting. While you will likely not be able to fully create the environment, think about how you can suggest it with what is available to you. It might be something about the lighting, or something about the size or shape of the space, that feels similar to the environment in the play. You may find that it helps to move around some furniture, scope out different areas around your apartment, go outside, or grab an object to create a sense of this space. You may incorporate ambient sound as well—use whatever comes to mind. If this exercise were conducted in a rehearsal setting, actors might grab chairs, rehearsal cubes, or floor mats—whatever was needed to create a sense of the environment. The goal here is not to fully realize a set. Rather, the purpose of this exercise is to work quickly and creatively to create something that has a similar feel to the environment you are exploring. Now, select a character from the play and consider how that character relates to this environment. As an example, the 1980 play True West, by Sam Shepard, features two estranged brothers who have returned to their mother’s home. You might explore how either of the brothers, Austin or Lee, relate to this environment. Are there aspects of the environment that make them feel at home? That annoy them? What about the environment fuels the conflict between them? Position yourself as the character within this space and find a line from the script. In this space, deliver this line with an awareness of how the environment impacts the line. Remember, this is not about a polished performance, nor is there the need for fancy editing if you are recording your composition. Spend no more than ten minutes developing this composition, which will likely only be 15–30 seconds long. The online content for this book includes example videos for each Performative Connection. The following is the transcript and description from the example for Setting, based on the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children and performed by Nico.

118

Setting

Environmental element: Cardboard represents the graffitied walls of the hotel. Crumpled paper is on the ground. The lights are turned off. A sound effect of fireworks plays. Colored lights project across the actor’s face. Line: Nico sits atop a chair, their arms resting on their knees. Their focus is on the fireworks up and in the distance as they say this line, spoken by Shannon: would it really be that bad, you guys? us . . . a day at disneyland? forgive and forget? (2009, p. 77).

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: This assignment can be dynamic within a small group. The group can work together to craft the environment, select a character, and identify what line of text they will use for their presentation. Then, with one group member speaking the character’s line, the others may offer support in creating this environment. Some group members might help facilitate light cues using their cellphones or switching on/off overhead lights. Some might facilitate sound cues, using recorded sounds on their cellphones or creating an acoustic soundscape using stomps, claps, or objects such as crinkling paper. Group members can represent the atmosphere of an environment abstractly by moving “set pieces,” for example, moving a rolling chalkboard to create the feeling of the walls closing in on a character. Finally, group members may also represent other characters who impact an environment, either with their physical positioning, or vocally, perhaps by whispering or chatting in the background. The larger the group, the more freedom to create, and the more technical elements can be used to bring the setting to life. Online alternative: If working synchronously, the individual or group options may be used to create this composition. In addition to the options already explored, using virtual backgrounds or screen sharing, coming on/off camera, camera angles, and proximity to the camera can also create a sense of environment when working in a virtual space.

Setting

119

Technical alternative: For students who prefer to focus on the technical elements, this exercise can be successfully accomplished as a makeshift “toy theatre” model. Working creatively under the time constraint and with the supplies they have on hand, students can create a small depiction of the setting. As an example, for the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children, students might craft the motel using cardboard covered in hand-drawn “grafti,” with crumpled paper or objects to represent litter. A  laptop with a landscape image of Disneyland could serve as the background environment. For this option, students should select one or two lines from the script that highlight their choices.

Final Considerations: Setting When working on a full production, one would complete the Setting Template for each setting in a play. Some settings are more signifcant, or are described in greater detail, like José Casas’s richly described setting of the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children, but every location impacts the action occurring within it. Before you complete the Setting Template, let’s look at a few more things to consider.

Mood Is Doom “Mood spelled backwards is doom” is a theatre saying attributed to actor and educator Uta Hagen. The acting tip reminds people that no one wants to watch someone wallow in grief, or be inexplicably happy, for the two-hours or so duration of a play. Playing one mood for the entirety of a play would become monotonous to an audience. Actors should resist the urge to emote and should instead breathe life into their characters by focusing on a character’s actions; a well-motivated performance will inevitably bring out a wide array of emotions. The same can be said for setting. Yes, spaces can evoke strong emotions—a home can feel dreary and tired or bright and cheery. However, look for all of the nuances of an environment. And recognize that

120

Setting

an environment does not have to dictate the emotional quality of the actions within it. In somebody’s children, the teenagers we meet engage in experiences and emotions that are relatable to any reader regardless of individual circumstances: they develop crushes, they crack jokes, they fght, and they form strong bonds with one another. Their environment impacts their lives, but it does not defne them. When thinking about setting, consider the atmosphere but do not assume that the initial feeling an audience member gets when seeing a space must monopolize the mood of a performance. One person’s clutter might be another person’s comfort. Spaces of war or grief can still have moments of joy and laughter. As you examine a setting within the context of the script itself, embrace these moments of discord between the setting and the action that takes place in that space.

Deciphering Needs When reading a play, it can be easy to assume that something stated in the script is a required, tangible object. A character is described walking through a doorway, and the reader sees an actual physical door. Someone walks upstairs, and the reader crafts an image of a staircase in his mind. What a script describes and what a play actually needs may be two different things. Theatre is an ancient art form that well predates television and film and at its core are storytelling and the willing suspension of disbelief—the ability of an audience to forego logic for the sake of enjoying the experience. When Lysander says to Hermia in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, “Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood,” we accept that the two lovers are in the woods whether or not we see trees on stage (2.2.41). Some plays, however, may require specifc scenic pieces to make the storytelling work. Rumors, a 1988 farce by Neil Simon, involves doorways to multiple rooms, and the timing of actors moving through these doors—often barely missing one another, leading to confusion and mayhem—is an important component of the storytelling and comedy of this play. It would be challenging to portray this story without each of these doorways. However, in other instances, entering a room may be represented without a literal door, perhaps with a door frame, a platform, pantomime, or lighting.

Setting

121

In the Setting Template, your job is not to design the set—rather, it is to observe what clues the script ofers about the setting. In production, it would be the task of members of the production team—the director, scenic designer, lighting designer, sound designer, costume designer, props master, and possibly projection designer—to fgure out how to bring this setting to life. In theatre, this may look as realistic as what you might see in a movie or on television. However, it might also be done abstractly or minimalistically. While reading, remember that what a script suggests about a setting might not be depicted literally in a production.

Stage Directions Versus Text Itself Similarly, remember that stage directions are often a combination of what is written by the stage manager of the original production and notes from the playwright. Sweeping imagery might be the playwright’s way of setting the tone of the play. A stage direction such as “She opens the cabinet and pulls out the ring” might be ofered by the original stage manager to help clarify the action of the piece. If the job of a theatre production is to honor the dramatic text presented by the playwright, then read and analyze the stage directions just like any other part of the play. But know that while stage directions are a part of the dramatic text, they can also be considered separately from the dialogue and can be discarded when need be. Just because a cabinet in the original production was downstage left, that does not need to be the case in every production thereafter. And, as we discussed earlier, depending on the context within the script and the aesthetic of the production, it may not be necessary to have a physical cabinet at all.

Your Turn Now it is your chance to complete the Setting Template for a setting within a play of your choosing or one assigned by your instructor. To do this, view the Setting Template in Appendix G or visit the online content for this book to download an editable Setting Template.

122

Setting

Musical Moment If you are short on time, or want to incorporate musical theatre into your script analysis studies, consider the song “Welcome to Our House on Maple Avenue” from the 2013 musical Fun Home, adapted from the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, which was introduced in the Personal Connection for this chapter. This song describes the décor and cleanliness of Bechdel’s childhood home, a restored Victorian home flled with antiques. The song explores the strict standards mandated by her father, which hint at his oppressed sexuality explored throughout the play. The lyrics of this song, paired with images from Bechdel’s graphic novel, provide a compelling exploration of setting and the ways in which setting and character intersect.

Written Response Written Responses provide the opportunity for a reader to articulate the patterns and themes that emerge after a template is completed (see additional details in Chapter 1). You’ll fnd that Written Responses are structurally similar, allowing the reader to, over the course of this text, develop the skill of articulating these ideas in written form. For this Written Response, write a short essay response to the following: Having read a play and completed the  Setting Template for a setting within the play, summarize one or two big ideas that emerged. Describe what stood out to you as the most interesting or important traits of this setting using specifc quotes or examples from the play. Finally, refect on how completing the template assignment deepened your understanding of the setting and the play as a whole.

Creative Expression This Creative Expression can be used alternatively or in addition to Written Responses (see additional details in Chapter  1). If another mode of creative expression speaks to your own interests, you are

Setting

123

encouraged to try it out or propose it to your course instructor. This Creative Expression is inspired by dance: After completing the Setting Template for a setting within a play, consider the big ideas you discovered about this setting and how it impacts the characters and action of the play. Create a 1- to 2-minute movement sequence that explores the setting, focusing on the setting’s atmosphere, how power is present within the space, and/or how the space changes over time. The setting should clearly infuence your movement: for example, it may be open and free; closed and constricted; calm and serene; or frantic and chaotic. Additionally, identify a minimum of three important quotes from your Setting Template, each of which you will interpret through movement in key moments within your sequence. Your movement sequence may also be paired with music and/ or with a projected image. Include short written justifcations of the three quotes from the play incorporated into your movement sequence. State each quote and describe how those quotes informed your movement. If your movement sequence is recorded, list the time stamp for each quote.

Chapter Summary In this chapter, we explored the Theatrical Element of Setting, examining the clues provided by a playwright about setting and how setting infuences characters and action. Using the El Dorado motel in somebody’s children by José Casas as an example, we looked at visual and multisensory clues that defne a physical space and the atmosphere of a setting. We considered how power and ownership, the proximity of people and other spaces, and change impact a setting. You then had the opportunity to apply the Setting Template to a play of your choice or one assigned by your instructor. We learned about script analysis from the perspective of designers and explored the collaborative nature of interpreting setting in a production. Finally, we explored how performance and script analysis intersect and how to articulate our analysis of a play in written or dance form. In our next module, we will explore the Theatrical Element of Structure, the fourth and fnal element in this book.

124

Setting

Chapter Takeaways • Our third theatrical element, Setting, considers the location(s) in which a play takes place. • Clues about a setting may be evident in visual descriptors or atmosphere evoked through smell, touch, taste, or sound. • Whether or not a person, or an entity, has power over a space can infuence character behavior or action within that setting. • A space is infuenced not just by what is within it, but also the people or things that are relative to it, such as eavesdropping neighbors on the other side of an apartment wall. • Like characters, settings can change over time. • While settings can evoke emotions, artists should be careful not to cast one mood over a production. Characters acting against the mood of a space (i.e. prisoners fnding opportunities for laughter and joy) can create powerful dynamics within a play. • Stage directions can provide valuable information about setting but are sometimes written based on the design of the original production of a play. Thus, they should not dictate or limit the design of subsequent productions.

References Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Houghton Mifin. 2006. Casas, José. somebody’s children. Dramatic Publishing. 2009. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Vintage Books. 1958. Kron, Lisa. Fun Home. Music by Jeanine Tesori. Concord Theatricals. 2013. Lindsay-Abaire, David. Rabbit Hole. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 2006. Norris, Bruce. Clybourne Park. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 2010. Ruhl, Sarah. Eurydice. Samuel French, Inc. 2003. Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger. n.d. Shepard, Sam. True West. Samuel French, Inc. 1980. Simon, Neil. Rumors. Samuel French, Inc. 1988. Viagas, Robert. “Audience Member Tries to use Stage Outlet to Charge Phone at Hand of God.” Playbill.com. 6 Jul 2015. www.playbill.com/article/ audience-member-tries-to-use-stage-outlet-to-charge-phone-at-hand-togod-com-352658. Wertenbaker, Timberlake. Our Country’s Good. Dramatic Publishing. 1988.

Structure

5

Chapter Objectives • To understand how script analysis provides insight to the structure of a play. • To observe the structural choices evident in acts and scenes within a play. • To identify and title beats within a play. • To identify key moments of the dramatic arc of a play. • To interpret the patterns that emerge when examining the structure of a play. • To apply an understanding of structure in one’s personal life, in performance, and in the observation of professional theatre careers.

Introduction By this point, we have examined the Theatrical Elements of Given Circumstances, Character, and Setting. In this chapter, we will examine our fnal theatrical element covered in this book:  Structure. Structure allows us to take a play—which can otherwise feel overwhelming and cumbersome—and break it down into playable moments. In doing so, we can fgure out what moves the story forward from lights up to curtain call. Structure helps humans make meaning of the world around us. We use the construct of time to allow us to communicate and schedule DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-5

125

126

Structure

our days. Seasons and lunar calendars help us fnd patterns in nature. Recipes or instructions help us know where to begin to reach our end goal of baking a cake or building a shelf. Even babies, as early as eight or nine weeks old, typically begin identifying familiar sequences, beginning with recognizing patterns in their own hand movements and learning increasingly complex sequences of day-to-day routines as they enter toddlerhood. The structures we are familiar with give us calm and a sense of direction. Conversely, consider the last time you slept past your alarm or got lost on the way home. You may have felt frantic or on high alert. Change to a predictable structure can certainly rouse our senses. Just like these structures in our daily lives, humans have given great attention to the structure of theatre. In his Poetics (see Chapter  1), Aristotle championed unity of action, believing that consistency of time, place, and action was of utmost importance. The fve-act play model is common among classic plays, such as those by William Shakespeare.1 Five-act plays follow a clear rising and falling action found in Freytag’s Pyramid, explored later in the chapter. Seventeenth-century French playwrights, such as Molière, marked scene changes with every entrance or exit of a character (leading to some very short scenes!). This is why the term “French scene breakdown” is used when a script is divided in this manner. While French scenes are less common in contemporary playwriting, this device is often useful for creating rehearsal schedules. Outside of theatre, flm directors use “eighths” to divide each page of a script into eight roughly one-inch sections for scheduling and planning purposes (a good starting point, though, of course, not every inch of a flmscript results in an equal amount of screen time or is equally simple to flm). With all this talk about structure, let’s remember that rules are made and then broken. Consider the rigidity of classical forms of music or dance (baroque or ballet, for instance), compared to the variety and exploratory forms of their contemporary counterparts (such as jazz or lyrical dance). Every art form, performing and visual, developed to include a specifc set of standards, which were then stretched and challenged as artists searched for ways to innovate and disrupt traditional forms. While some plays may be more predictable in their structure, other plays may deviate from what is expected—all the more reason to closely examine the clues revealed by studying a play’s structure. 1 Interestingly, the structure provided by these acts was not used by Shakespeare but rather was added posthumously—first found in edits to his works by Nicholas Rowe in 1709.

Structure

127

Personal Connection Think about a recent moment in your life when there was an unexpected shift. It may be a small moment—perhaps a time when you were crying and then something made you laugh, a time when you were having a conversation about one topic and then ended up talking about something completely diferent, or a moment when you were enjoying a morning jog and then a stray dog started barking and chasing you. Consider: what was it that made this moment shift? Was it a person walking into the room? Was it hearing a new bit of information? Or was it something someone did that caused an emotional response? In writing, describe the moment, the shift, and what caused the shift. Example: I had just left my friend’s house and was in a great mood. I was bopping along to some music in the radio. When I got back to my apartment, I  got out of my car and closed the car door on my thumb! Suddenly, I couldn’t think about anything except the throbbing pain in my thumb and my need for some relief. I rushed into the apartment and grabbed some ice. It only took one false move and one second to lead to a huge shift in what I was thinking and feeling that day.

Theatrical Element: Structure Let’s consider all of the things you likely already know about how a play is structured. You know there is a beginning, a middle, and an end—at some point, the play will start, and at some point, it will be over. A play is frequently, but not always, divided into acts, and each of those acts is often divided into scenes. A scene generally comprises lines, spoken by one or more characters, and movement, often depicted as stage directions in the script. A line comprises one or more sentences, and each sentence is at least one word. These observations may all feel rudimentary, but these are the very things we may take for granted as theatre artists. Talk with a frst-time theatregoer who did not realize there would be an intermission halfway through the show, and you will start to realize that it is precisely what we accept as the norm in theatre that may require some extra

128

Structure

examination. What if, instead of accepting that many contemporary plays are two acts with an intermission, we invested our energy into looking at why a play is two acts (or one act, or fve), and why the acts break where they do? As we move through the Structure Template, we will look at the elements provided by the text, such as acts and scenes. We will also talk about beats: small, playable moments of action. Beats, also referred to as bits or units of actions, stem from the theory and teaching of Konstantin Stanislavski. As with the rest of this book, we have Stanislavski to credit for developing the methodology upon which much of this chapter is based. Notations about structure can also be made throughout a script (which we will discuss later in this chapter), and templates similar to the one provided in this chapter are also widely available. The template used in this chapter is inspired by and modifed from the Structure Blueprint found in Robert Knopf ’s Script Analysis for Theatre (2017). In the Personal Connection for this chapter, you identifed a moment in your own life where a shift occurred. If this memory were scripted, that shift would be a new beat because something changed—whether it was a shift in subject matter, someone entering the room, or something someone did. With each of these beats, we begin to identify the actions we frst explored in Chapter 1. Recall the analogy of falling dominoes, as described by David Ball in Backwards and Forwards (1983). Space the dominoes too far apart, and the cascade of falling dominoes comes to a stop. Similarly, if we overlook actions within a play we are analyzing, we are missing the sequencing that logically moves our play from beginning to end. By breaking our script apart into bite-size, playable beats, we are able to identify where each of those actions falls. We will also examine the dramatic arc—the rise and fall of a story, and variations to that form. Like a Rubik’s cube, this chapter is about looking at all of the twists and turns throughout a play and considering it from multiple angles, until it begins to take shape and a cohesive image is formed.

Featured Play: Hype Man In this chapter, we use the 2017 script Hype Man by playwright and break beat poet Idris Goodwin to model the Structure Template.  Through rhythmic and lyrical storytelling, Hype Man considers issues of representation and power, told on the stage

Structure

129

and streets of hip-hop. When a local 17-year-old Black boy is shot 18 times by police ofcers, Verb, a Black hype man and the protagonist of the story, wants to use his hip-hop group’s platform to take a stance against police brutality. Pinnacle, the white rapper who leads the group, thinks doing so would be detrimental to their rising popularity. Peep One, a mixed-race and female beat-maker, is stuck in between—and the choices she makes may infuence her burgeoning career. Hype Man asks what responsibilities one has when in the spotlight—to themselves, to their art, and to the world around them.

Acts and Scenes As we move through this chapter, we will start with the bigger structural elements of a play. First, observe whether a play is one or more acts. This detail alone provides information. If the play runs in one act without an intermission, why? If a play has one or more intermissions, where are those placed within the action of the play? How is each act distinct? Scenes are often, but not always, noted by the playwright. If they are not, it may be benefcial in analyzing a script to break it into scenes to make it more manageable to navigate. Again, look for clues as to why scene breaks happen. Generally, a new scene marks a change in location or a passage of time. And while a scene change may be identifed in performance through the use of a blackout and/or moving scenery pieces, in plays that are stylistically designed to move swiftly and fuidly, it may be seen through other mechanisms, such as a crossfade or actors simply moving to another area of the stage. Hype Man runs in one act, broken down into fve scenes. This short, uninterrupted structure mimics the pace and energy of a hip-hop battle and allows the momentum of the play to steadily build. This one-act model complements the fuidity and movement of the play that we’ll observe through the remainder of our analysis. The Structure Template provides space for Act I and Act II of a play; the template can be adjusted accordingly for plays with a diferent number of acts. The far-left column asks for the scene number. Fill this in with a “1” for each beat identifed in Scene 1, with a “2” for each beat identifed in Scene 2, and so on. The playwright has likely taken

130

Structure

the guesswork out of these components of the Structure Template. Even so, noteworthy elements about a play’s structure may already be starting to emerge.

Setting The Structure Template operates diferently than the other templates in this book, so we will proceed before sharing an example of the template; however, it may be helpful to look at the Structure Template in Appendix I now for the purpose of visualizing these elements. In the third column (we’ll skip column two, but will come back to it soon), identify the setting for each scene. State the setting at the top of each scene and, assuming it does not change, you may use a quotation mark to signify “same as above.” As we explored in Chapter 4 on the Theatrical Element of Setting, considering how often and for how long a play takes place in each setting can lead to valuable insight about the signifcance of each location. It may also lead to more logistical discoveries, such as how scene changes occur. Of course, this column will be signifcantly more static or even unnecessary in the case of a unit set, where the same set is visible for the entirety of the production. However, if diferent scenes take place in diferent locations within a unit set (for example, diferent rooms of a house), this column will still be helpful. Hype Man begins and ends in the rehearsal room used by Pinnacle, Verb, and Peep One. This is a space where their musical ideas are made, tested, and refned. When Verb writes a new song to protest the death of Jerrod Davis, the 17-year-old who was shot by police, the rehearsal space comes to represent something more: a space where he can refect on and “rehearse” the change he wishes to see in the world. Two scenes shift location to various performance stages: their career-defning performance at The Tonight Show and a split scene where Pinnacle performs on stage and Verb takes to the streets to protest. These moments prove pivotal to the group members’ professional and personal lives. Notably, these shifts in location are not marked by a new scene number; rather, the change in location occurs mid-scene in front of the audience using minimal technical changes. The swiftness of these transitions further establishes the pacing of the play and how it emulates the quick turn of phrase found in hip-hop music. Moreover, these shifts in location coincide with musical moments throughout the

Structure

131

show. This further establishes the rehearsal space as one where artists rehearse more than music—they rehearse life choices.

Characters The right-hand columns are reserved for each character in the play. Type or write their names in each column and add additional columns if necessary. In the event there are too many characters to ft cleanly onto the page, it may help to adjust the size of paper to view the document in “Web Layout” if using Microsoft Word or to craft the template as a spreadsheet. If there are actors who double as multiple characters, list them by character name, not by actor name, though it would also be useful to include the actor’s name or initials. You may even color-code the columns of the roles played by one actor. This will help with tracking each actor’s movement—useful information for stage managers tracking where props need to be set backstage and moments that will require costume quick changes. This template should be worked through prior to casting, as it can also avoid mistakenly casting an actor in two roles he cannot physically perform simultaneously! Characters should be listed in order of appearance from left to right, even if the protagonist makes a late entrance. In fact, the anticipation or surprise of a character’s arrival often serves to add dramatic tension to a scene. In Molière’s 1664 play Tartufe, the titular character does not make his appearance until Act III, Scene 2; this delayed entrance allows anticipation to build about the hypocritical and lustful scoundrel, as the audience learns about him from the perspectives of other characters. In Hype Man, the play opens with a prologue, in which we see and hear Peep One alone on stage, building a beat. This nonverbal moment establishes Peep One as crucial to the plot of the play and to the music created by the group. Peep One is the only female in the group, younger than Verb and Pinnacle, and joined them several years into their collaboration. However, the message with this structural choice is clear: their music would not be what it is without Peep One’s beat. That message is further established in the opening of Scene 1, which begins with Verb2 alone on stage followed shortly thereafter by 2 Verb’s entrance before Pinnacle helps to establish him as the protagonist of the play.

132

Structure

Pinnacle. Because Peep One is chronically late to rehearsals, and because she’s the only one who knows how to use the sound system, Scene 1 is notably quieter without Peep One’s beats. In her absence, the group could make music, but it would not be the same. Now, with these details in place, a Structure template of Hype Man would show the following.

P

Character: Pinnacle

Character: Verb

Title (Defning Line or Setting First Line Action) Rehearsal space

Character: Peep One

Beat Number

Scene Number

Table 5.1 Initial organization of Structure Template for Hype Man. The scene number is marked “P” for Prologue. Play: Hype Man Playwright: Idris Goodwin ACT I

See Appendix J for the complete example of this template.

Play Connection: Bananas The following content deals with actions—playable verbs a character uses in pursuit of their objective, frst introduced in Chapter 3. Brainstorming and identifying actions can be challenging. This Play Connection is a call and response song that helps to generate many actions and to help students put them into their bodies and voices. Begin the song in a circle. One person uses a verb to say something that could be done to a banana, such as peel, chew, or chop. The person ofers that verb, along with a matching physical choice, in the following rhythm: “Peel banana, peel, peel banana.” After a verb is ofered, the rest of the group echoes the rhythm and movement. This

Structure

133

continues around the circle, each person ofering a new verb and movement, until it comes back to the original person, who ends the song with “Go bananas! Go, go bananas!” during which everyone jumps and dances wildly. The bigger the group, the more creative the verbs will become. People might smash, kick, hug, throw, love, chase, or steal the banana. The sillier it gets, the more that people will identify abstract actions that one character can do to another— for example, “smashing” the banana might have a literal physical movement in this song, but what does it look like for one character to emotionally smash another? After the song, talk about the creative actions that were used and how those actions infuenced participants’ physical and vocal energy.

Beats The chapter content to this point has primarily served to set up the template for the real work at hand: identifying and titling the beats of each scene. Chances are the playwright has done the bulk of the work thus far by providing acts and scene breaks, one or more settings, and a character list. The beats and their titles, however, are left up to the script analyzer to discern. Of all the templates presented throughout this book, this one requires the most interpretation, so your template may look diferently than those of your peers. Each new beat represents a change in the energy of a scene. Remember: mood equals doom. Were an audience to watch two actors yell at each other for an entire play, they would inevitably end up with headaches and tuning out the language due to sensory overload. Beats become an opportunity, then, to examine how this energy shift manifests itself in performance—a new beat may be met with a shift in pace, volume, vocal energy, tone, or physical movement. There are three things you’ll look for to identify these shifts in energy: an entrance or exit, change in topic, or change in tactic.

Entrances and Exits The entrance or exit of a character is the most obvious marker of a new beat. It would feel unnatural if a person entered or left a space and

134

Structure

the energy did not shift as a result.3 This rule of thumb even applies in moments where other characters are unaware that someone new has entered the space (for example, if someone is spying). If attention is supposed to be drawn to a character entering or exiting, then that moment deserves a beat. As an example, in Tennessee Williams’s 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire, the play opens with the usual bustle of a lower-class New Orleans neighborhood when Blanche DuBois arrives to pay an unexpected visit to her sister. Her arrival establishes Blanche as a stranger to these surroundings, setting into motion the action of the play (thus serving as the moment of intrusion, to be discussed later in this chapter). Blanche’s very presence shifts the otherwise familiar neighborhood happenings, and theatrical qualities such as lighting, pacing, sound, and staging would be necessary to punctuate this moment. As previously mentioned, in Hype Man the character Peep One is habitually late to rehearsal, making her arrival the moment when the group can fnally power up the sound system (as she says, “Guys. It’s so easy. You just . . . boop!”) to rehearse for their upcoming appearance on The Tonight Show (2017, p. 12). Peep One does not know it yet, but the police chase that caused trafc on her way to rehearsal was the same one in which Jerrod Davis was shot, which serves to set up the primary action of the play.

Shifts in Topic A shift in topic also signifes a new beat. Sometimes, a change in topic is thrust upon a moment, such as when the characters in Hype Man get the news alerts on their phones about the local police shooting (we’ll explore this later as the play’s moment of intrusion). Other times, characters may change the subject to avoid confrontation or to argue a point. After Verb and Peep One create a song called “Justice for Jerrod” without Pinnacle, Pinnacle confronts Verb, asking “When’d this [social justice] light switch get fipped?” (2017, p.  43). Verb then recalls a painful memory as a teenager when cops busted a party, and 3 An exception to this would be an ensemble scene, like one set in a village market. Entrances and exits of ensemble members add to the realism of this environment, but only certain characters’ coming or going would lead to a new beat. Otherwise, you’d have an impossible number of beats to track!

Structure

135

he realized how diferently the teenagers at the party were treated based on their race and class. Pinnacle, who is white and was also at the party, pretends not to remember, even saying, “Where you going with all this memory lane shit?” (2017, p.  44). Pinnacle attempts to stick to the current subject—the new song that was created without him. Verb’s insistence that the seed for his social justice activism was planted long ago leads the two characters to shift subjects back and forth throughout the scene.

Shifts in Tactic Characters are always working toward their objectives within a scene, leading to their super-objective in the play as a whole. Previous to the aforementioned moment, both Verb and Peep One have the objective of persuading Pinnacle to collaborate with them on the song “Justice for Jerrod,” and they try various tactics throughout the scene, each serving as a new beat. Verb’s tactics aim to cut deep: he judges Pinnacle for rapping about “orgies in Cancun” and “poppin’ pills” but being unwilling to speak up about the police shooting (2017, p. 31). He accuses Pinnacle of racism, saying “you acting real Caucasian right now” (2017, p. 31). Serving as the peacemaker, Peep One’s tactic is to use music as the common ground for the group. When she throws together a beat and says “Y’all feeling that?” it’s clear that she hopes her music will reunite the group (2017, p. 32).

Marking and Formatting Beats As you work through the template, notate each of these shifts in energy. Oftentimes, these shifts can be intuited by imagining the scene in performance. Shifts in energy are natural in human communication, and you will likely sense many of these shifts while reading a script. The goal of identifying these beats, then, is to make these shifts clean and clear in performance and to more deeply understand why  a shift happens. We now turn our attention to the second column. In the “beat number” column, number the beats within each scene, starting with one.

136

Structure

The very frst moment of the play,45 then, would be Act I, Scene 1, beat 1, followed by beat 2, beat 3, and so on. The second scene would begin with Act I, Scene 2, beat 1, and so forth. When working in a physical script, each new beat is marked with a forward slash: /. For the purposes of the template, notate the frst line (or physical movement) of a beat in the “frst line” column of the template, including the character name and page number.

How Many Beats? There is no good rule of thumb for how often to change from one beat to the next. As is the case with Hype Man, many plays shift rapidly from one beat to the next, signaling the overall tone and pace of the text.5 How often beats shift may also depend on the energy of that particular scene. In general, if it seems as though it has been too long between beats, go back and reread. Look for any moments where characters enter or exit, where the subject matter changes, or where a character tries a new tactic. A beat should also only contain one action—one thing that happens to tip the next “domino” into motion. If you fnd two actions in one beat, it’s a good indicator to go back and look for the shift between those moments.

Play Connection: Scene Shift Exploring beats is a great opportunity for some improvisation work. In a small group, improvise a scene using one of the following beat changes. • Entrance or Exit: Improvise a two-person scene where a third character enters partway through the scene. Explore how the entrance of the third character changes the energy of the scene. Possible scenarios might be two 4 Except in variations to this, such as the prologue that opens Hype Man. 5 In fact, Hype Man contains multiple moments of simultaneous dialogue—again showing the influence of hip-hop music on the script as this layered dialogue takes on a rhythmic quality. It could be argued that these moments might lead to overlapping beats as each character tries new tactics.

Structure

137

teenagers watching a movie in the basement, disrupted by a parent; a customer complaining about their meal to a server, followed by an entrance from the restaurant chef; or two celebrities attempting to stay incognito, met by an adoring fan. • Shift in Topic: Improvise a two- or three-person scene, where one character reveals new information partway through the scene (ideally, the other actors do now know what this will be in advance). Possible scenarios might be a family making dinner when the parents announce they are moving; a couple on a romantic dinner where one person ends the relationship; or friends at a study session when one gets an acceptance letter to their dream school. • Shift in Tactic: Working with a partner, write two or three possible action verbs on small slips of paper. Fold them up and trade them with your scene partner so that you do not know what verbs you have in your hand. Then, determine the setting, relationship, and confict in your scene and improvise a scene where you each take turns unfolding papers and incorporating that tactic to try to get your objective. Examples of strong action verbs include beg, charm, judge, attack, annoy, smother, praise.

Tips for Teachers Ask students who are observing an exercise to identify moments where they saw the energy shift and how it shifted. This exercise can be modifed for an online learning environment by asking students to improvise monologues with one of these beat changes, which can be shared and discussed in a platform such as Flip.

Beat Titles By this point, one has identifed multiple beats determined by character entrances, shifts in topic, and shift in tactics. The real interpretation of this process now comes in the beat title column. Each beat needs a title,

138

Structure

which, when working in a physical script, can be written in the margins. The title of a beat identifes what this beat is about—what is happening that makes this a moment that stands on its own. These titles should be short, concise, and vivid. Looking at the titles chronologically should provide a clear understanding of the sequencing of the play and each action that leads to each subsequent action. There are two options for how a beat title can be identifed: with a quote or with an action.

Titling With a Quote One way to title a beat is to fnd the line within a beat that most clearly encapsulates the moment. It is a common mistake to assume that every line is equally important. While playwrights write each line for a reason, some lines are more important than others for telling the story. Think about these titles as the lines that would resonate the most and stay with the audience after the show. Have you ever told a friend a story about a conversation you had? You may have said, “and then he said,” or, “and then she  said” but chances are, you were not quoting the conversation verbatim. Rather, you quoted the signifcant moments that stood out as you recalled the story. These are the moments that might title each beat. Stylistically, there is no need to include the name of the character who says these titles, as we are extracting the words from the line to serve as a title. For example, rather than saying “PEEP ONE: Why can’t you hurry up?” as the title of a beat, simply saying “Why can’t you hurry up?” adequately titles this beat (2017, p. 46). In the case of nonverbal beats, stage directions may be used for titles, which we will see in our example for Hype Man. One fnal note for this option: the selected quote is not necessarily the frst line of the beat, but it can be. Placing the most important line at the beginning of a beat adds extra emphasis to the line.

Titling With an Action The second option focuses less on the language of the script and more on a character’s tactics6—a valuable tool for identifying what 6 The words “tactic” and “action” are interchangeable as playable verbs a character uses in pursuit of their objective. This is not to be confused with “action” as David Ball uses the term (see Chapter  1)—an event that leads to something else happening (though a character’s tactic may serve as an action in this sense of the word).

Structure

139

characters are doing, and how they are trying to afect one another. The very premise of Hype Man ofers some good examples of what these actions might look like. As a hype man, Verb’s job is to excite the crowd by ad-libbing or echoing Pinnacle’s rap lyrics. In this role, Verb energizes the audience and supports Pinnacle—that is, until he goes against Pinnacle’s orders and takes a social justice stance. As an aspiring activist, Verb attempts to motivate Pinnacle to make a song about Jerrod, and when Pinnacle still won’t budge, Verb defes Pinnacle’s orders and makes the song on his own. It would appear that Verb gets his name from the actions he proves himself willing to take throughout the play. Take note of all of the verbs in the aforementioned description: excite, energize, support, motivate, defy. Any of these actions could help us title a beat, but writing the action alone is not enough because it is not clear to whom it is directed. A title like “Verb tries to motivate Pinnacle to make music with him” is also insufficient because it is wieldy and passive. “Verb energizes the audience” is concise, dynamic, active, and playable, so such a phrase can serve as the title of this beat. Finally, note that there are moments onstage where characters direct action toward self (“Hamlet searches self ”), toward a deity (“Oedipus begs the gods”), or toward someone who is no longer onstage. The structure remains the same in these instances: state the character, the character’s tactic as a playable verb, and specify to whom that tactic is directed. Underline the verb for emphasis. Who is involved in each beat is just as important as the beat itself. In the columns for each character, mark an uppercase X for each beat a character is actively engaged in, through speaking or otherwise being directly involved in the moment. Mark a lowercase x with parentheses around it: (x) each time a character is onstage but does not have a spoken line or otherwise actively engage with the beat. Marking characters present for each beat will help you identify which characters are actively engaged in each moment. It will also help you remember when characters are onstage if they are not speaking—and a character’s silence can often speak volumes. Now, having gone over these elements, let’s examine the frst few beats of the Prologue and Scene 1 from Hype Man. Notice how with this example we discover multiple details about the play. We see that Peep One starts the play by setting up a beat in the Prologue. We

140

Structure

then see that Scene 1 begins with Verb and Pinnacle in the rehearsal room waiting for Peep One’s arrival, and the titles of these beats evoke the back-and-forth banter found between the two within the scene. This is not enough to understand the scene for someone who is unfamiliar with the play, but for someone working on the play, this provides a clear snapshot of the moments that progress the story forward.

Setting Rehearsal space

1

2

“

1

3

“

1

4

“

1

5

“

1

6

“

Character: Pinnacle

1

Title (Defning Line First Line or Action) We see Steadily X PEEP ONE building a switch on her beat equipment. (9) VERB enters. Check the mic (9) PINNACLE Dap up and enters. (9) settle VERB: That’s ya Get Peep’s homegirl message? (9) PINNACLE: Pinnacle That’s all? pokes Verb (10) Emotional VERB: six-pack Doctor Noor Muhammad got ya boy evolving . . . (10)

Character: Verb

Beat Number

P

Character: Peep One

Scene Number

Table 5.2 Initial beats and titles for Structure Template for Hype Man ACT I

(x) (x)

(x)

X

X

X

X

X

X

141

Structure

Character: Pinnacle

7

First Line VERB: No more wylin’. (10)

Character: Verb

Beat Number

1

Setting “

Title (Defning Line or Action) Verb promises Pinnacle

Character: Peep One

Scene Number

ACT I

X

X

Professional Connection: Directors In this Professional Connection, we will take a deeper examination of the role of the director. The director of a production guides the artistic team toward a unifed vision of the world of the play. From casting actors, to facilitating rehearsals, to discussing the play with the various designers, the director collaborates with all involved in the production to make sure the fnal product is cohesive and honors the dramatic text. While the director guides rehearsals, the process is strengthened by intellectual and creative input from the other artists. One of the ways in which a director empowers actors in the rehearsal process is by asking guiding questions, which encourage actors to analyze and respond to the dramatic text. For example, a director might take a beat of text and ask actors to identify the most important line within that text, to choose a tactic to play, or to describe a line’s subtext (the meaning beneath a character’s spoken words). In Scene 1 of  Hype Man,  Verb tries to convince Pinnacle to see his new therapist, and Pinnacle retorts, “Hip hop is my therapist” (2017, p.  11). For this line, a director might say to the actor playing Pinnacle, “What does your character think about Verb going to therapy? What are you doing to Verb in this line (possible answers: judging, mocking, denying)? Great—let’s see a physical shift to match that change in tactic.”

142

Structure

Select one of the beats you have identifed in the play for which you are completing the Structure Template. Describe the beat. Then, in your own words, write out some guiding questions you might ask actors if you were directing this beat in rehearsal. How would you guide them to explore this moment rather than prescribing what you want them to do?

Dramatic Arc So a play is made up of beats, each beat containing a line or action that captures its essence. However, if, as we have already established, every line of the play is not equally important, it stands to reason that some beats hold greater importance in telling the overall story of the play. In the nineteenth century, German playwright Gustav Freytag developed an image of a pyramid to depict rising and falling of a story, known as its dramatic arc, including the following:

1. Exposition: the beginning of the play, when the world is established and we learn important backstory and given circumstances that contextualize the play; 2. Inciting incident (or, as termed by Freytag, “exciting force”): the moment that propels the protagonist into action; 3. Rising action (or “movement”): increasing dramatic tension due to mounting obstacles or heightened stakes; 4. Climax: the highest point of the action; 5. Falling action: the decline in action due to a confict resolving; and 6. Resolution: the conclusion of the story (termed “catastrophe” by Freytag because his analysis focused on tragedies); contemporary terminology often uses denouement, translated from French as “untying” any remaining knots within the plot.

Structure

143

Climax

Rise

Introduction

Return or fall

Catastrophe

Figure 5.1 Freytag’s Pyramid

In the centuries since, Freytag’s Pyramid has continued to be applied, though it is commonly modifed. Most notably, the original structure places the climax in the center of the play (dividing, in Freytag’s terminology, the “play” and the “counter play”). Contemporary audiences and artists are more accustomed to a later climax and a shorter denouement, moving the peak of the pyramid of center. Additionally, the image is often modifed to include fat surfaces before and after the action of the rising and falling of the play. An adapted version of Freytag’s Pyramid, which you might be familiar with, often looks like this: Climax

Rising action

Exposition

Falling action

Denouement

Figure 5.2 Contemporary adaptation of Freytag’s Pyramid

144

Structure

As mentioned in this chapter’s introduction, this model is considered the classical dramatic arc, and contemporary theatre is rich with exploration of form. For example, plays may follow an episodic structure, employing a series of individual stories and scenes, which are linked together by common characters, setting, or themes. In this structure, each episode may have its own dramatic arc; as one example, Almost, Maine, by John Cariani (2005), contains scenes with individual plots, all of which explore love and loss, and all of which are set in the fctional town of Almost, Maine. Similarly, two or more plots that are linked by a common theme or character may be woven together in a parallel plot structure, with those separate plots often coming together toward the play’s end. Shakespeare utilized this form in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where the plots of four Athenian teenagers and forest fairies converge when the fairies cast love spells on the unwitting teens. Rashomon, the 1959 play by Fay Kanin and Michael Kanin adapted from the iconic 1950 Japanese flm directed by Akira Kurosawa, inspired by the short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, tells the story of a death from multiple biased perspectives. Rashomon has a structure so unique it has become synonymous with the story’s name; the Rashomon efect is not only a structural literary device, but it is also used to explain contradictory interpretations in eyewitness accounts, science, and psychology. While traditional rising and falling action as found in Freytag’s Pyramid is most common and will be used throughout the remainder of the chapter, remember that it is only one way of structuring a play. The Structure Template may need to be modifed to work for a play with an alternative structure. The Structure Template provides a way to notate the most signifcant beats in the play—those that mark the moments of a story’s dramatic arc. To highlight these moments, the following key is provided on the template (alternatively, color-coding these moments can work as well; this key is suggested for printing in black and white). Table 5.3 “Structure” Template key Key: X = Active character (x) = Passive character Bold Underline = Moment of intrusion Bold = Climax Bold Italics = Return to stasis

Structure

145

Stasis and Moment of Intrusion While a base understanding of Freytag’s Pyramid and its commonly used terminology is helpful, this chapter employs diferent terms coined by David Ball in Backwards and Forwards, which ofer a more active approach to the movement of a play. Ball uses “stasis” to describe what is more generally called the exposition and “moment of intrusion” to signify what is traditionally called the inciting incident (1983). Stasis is the status quo, or current state, of the world of the play before it is driven into action. Seemingly, were it not for the moment of intrusion, the world could continue in that stasis for the rest of time. The moment of intrusion, then, is a disruption to the play’s stasis that propels the story forward. Since plays are about the characters living in them, this moment is best identifed as that which ignites in the protagonist the need for action. We’ll examine stasis more closely later in the chapter, but for now, let’s identify the beat that contains the moment of intrusion. As you search for the moment of intrusion, get specifc—you are looking for one line here (though the beat itself may be longer). Search for the moment of intrusion early in the play—if you identify a possible moment of intrusion halfway through the play, you have probably found a moment of rising action, and there is likely an earlier moment that has been overlooked. In  Hype Man, the moment of intrusion begins with an interruption familiar to most of us in our modern-day society: the buzz of cell phones. When Verb reads the news report on his phone, and learns about Jerrod Davis, the 17-year-old who was shot by police, he is consumed by the news. The circumstances of Jerrod’s death—that he was 17, was shot 18 times, and was rushing to help his ailing grandmother—had already shaken and upset Verb. Verb’s backstory—growing up as a poor Black man and his past run-ins with police ofcers—make him sensitive to this issue, and their upcoming performance on The Tonight Show provides the perfect circumstances for Verb to begin envisioning his potential to make a diference. The past and future action at the play’s start create the prime conditions for Verb to take action, but it was not until he learned that Jerrod was unarmed that Verb shifts from feeling sad and angry about the incident to being propelled into action. This is all the more evident by his next line, which states clearly: “We gotta do—something” (2017, p. 21). While he is not yet sure how he and his group members will respond to this event, he now has the conviction that he must do something. His drive is so strong, in fact, that

146

Structure

against the consensus of his group, he proceeds to wear a “Justice for Jerrod” t-shirt to their appearance on The Tonight Show. In the suggested key, the moment of intrusion is written in  bold and underlined, (it can also be color-coded). With this particular beat, this line or movement should always  be the same line that titles this beat—it is a signifcant moment in the play as a whole, so naturally it will be the most signifcant line within that beat. Place the beat in order where it chronologically falls within the other beats of the play (the heading is repeated here for legibility). From the moment of intrusion, the protagonist’s super-objective is made clear and they are called to action. In a traditional dramatic arc, from this moment forward the action rises, as dramatic tension increases due to mounting obstacles or heightened stakes. This rising action is intertwined with the  confict  of the play—whatever force stands between the protagonist, be it another character, a force of nature, a supernatural force, or an institutional force. The moment of intrusion from Hype Man would be written as follows:

Title (Defning Line or Action) He was unarmed

Character: Pinnacle

25

First Line Cell phones buzz. (18)

Character: Verb

Beat Number

1

Setting “

Character: Peep One

Scene Number

Table 5.4 “Moment of Intrusion” example from Structure Template

X

X

X

Note: The heading is provided for clarity; the beat should be placed in sequential orders with the other beats of the play (in this case, following beat 24 of Scene 1).

Climax In a traditional dramatic arc, the action rises until the  climax, the highest point of the action, where the protagonist will either achieve her objective or will not. It helps to visualize this moment as life or death (which it sometimes is), perhaps with a protagonist cornered at the edge of a clif. Will she plummet to her death? Or will she overcome her antagonist? Everything in the play comes down to this moment.

147

Structure

We must understand the confict of the play to pinpoint this moment. In Hype Man, the confict is between Verb and Pinnacle. As longtime friends and collaborators, Verb is hurt by Pinnacle’s unwillingness to use their music to address the death of Jerrod Davis. Pinnacle is confused by Verb’s seemingly sudden shift into social activism and does not understand why he would put their career and reputation in jeopardy by making a social and political statement on The Tonight Show. This battle of the wills comes to a head when Pinnacle takes the stage—and Verb takes to the streets. Pinnacle attempts to defect the prior incident on The Tonight Show, telling his fans, “The incident that I don’t even care to discuss was orchestrated by a former employee” (2017, p. 51). Verb places himself at risk, resulting in his arrest, by participating in a protest in honor of Jerrod. Structurally, this split-scene mimics the rapid back-and-forth of a rap battle, and the climax is accentuated musically with a “thunderous beat drop” (2017, p. 51). In this moment, Verb names his superobjective: he wants justice. It is clear in this moment that he has chosen this over his loyalty to Pinnacle. He is willing to risk his musical career, his fnancial security, and even his freedom to fght for the freedom of others. Whereas he begins the play in the shadows of Pinnacle’s spotlight, in this moment Verb is willing to take center stage for a cause bigger than himself. Like the moment of intrusion, the climax should always be one specifc line rather than a general moment of the play, and it should be the same line that is used to title the specifc beat in which it occurs. In our template key, the climax is written in bold, like this example:

Character: Pinnacle

Tour/ Protest

Title (Defning Line or Action) No justice no peace

Character: Verb

17

First Line PINNACLE: I said this before I say it again . . . (51)

Character: Peep One

Beat Number

4

Setting

Scene Number

Table 5.5 “Climax” example from Structure Template. Heading included for clarity.

X

X

X

148

Structure

Return to Stasis Finally, the return to stasis is a term utilized by Ball to describe what is more often called the  resolution. The return to stasis occurs after the falling action, the decline in action due to a confict resolving. Note from our discussion of Freytag’s Pyramid that this portion of the play is generally much shorter. Once a confict resolves, there is less dramatic tension, so the play usually wraps up quickly. Thus, search for the return to stasis toward the end of the play. The resolution for Hype Man is set into motion when Pinnacle bails Verb out of jail after the protest. Pinnacle had recently heard old recordings of him and Verb creating music and came to the conclusion that their bond was more important than their diferences—but he still wants Verb to apologize for his actions. In response, Verb replies: “I’m/sorry/But/I can’t apologize to you/I got another—bond/A bigger bond” (2017, p. 58). While Verb has been speaking his beliefs throughout the play, with this statement he stands by his actions (however, the broken structure of this line suggests this was not easy for him to do). Verb’s journey has allowed him to see how his “business of makin’ noise” as a hype man translates into his social justice work (2017, p.  59). By being unapologetic of his actions, Verb sets a clear boundary with Pinnacle and helps Pinnacle move one step closer toward understanding. Some plays ofer a variation to this form and provide no resolution. In The Royale by Marco Ramirez, Jay “The Sport” Jackson achieves his objective of becoming the frst Black heavyweight boxing champion (2015). While this would seem to be a celebratory moment, the boxing match has been met with an uprising of white riots, including a hate crime committed against Jay’s protégée. Structurally, the climax of this play happens near the very end, leaving the audience uncertain of how this victory will impact Jay’s future. As found in the template key, the return to stasis is marked in bold and italic, as in this example from Hype Man.

149

Structure

“

Character: Pinnacle

Setting

19

Title (Defning Line or Action) I can’t apologize to you.

Character: Verb

Beat Number

5

First Line VERB: I’m sorry but . . . (58)

Character: Peep One

Scene Number

Table 5.6 “Return to Stasis” example in Structure Template. Heading included for clarity

X

X

Beginning and Ending Stasis Once you have titled all of the beats of a script, and identifed the intrusion, climax, and return to stasis, it’s time to further explore the stasis at the beginning and end of the play. As previously described, stasis is the status quo: the state in which the characters are accustomed to living. The play opens with a stasis, which also includes the exposition, during which we are introduced to the world of the play and learn pertinent information to the current action. Then, the moment of intrusion disrupts the stasis and propels the play into motion. At the end of the journey, the resolution allows a new stasis to be established. In plays with a traditional dramatic arc, it is during this time that the playwright “unties” any remaining knots within the story during the resolution or denouement. It is important to emphasize that the stasis at the beginning of the play is diferent than the stasis at the end. Even in a play like Hype Man, which begins and ends in the rehearsal room, the context is diferent because of the play’s journey. A great example for this is the classic 1939 flm version of The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming and based on the novel by L. Frank Baum, in which one can visually see the opening stasis, which is flmed in black and white when Dorothy is in Kansas. It is with the moment of intrusion—her house being picked up by a tornado and placed in Oz, that Dorothy’s super-objective, “I want to go home,” is established, and she is propelled into action. This moment of intrusion is also visually depicted because Oz is portrayed in full color, which remains until Dorothy achieves her super-objective and is able to return

150

Structure

to Kansas. The new stasis at the end of the flm is also in black and white, but the emotional quality is diferent than the beginning, for after her journey Dorothy is happy to be home and grateful for her family. It would be tempting to assume that a stasis is inactive or passive. Sometimes it can be; the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, for example, opens with Aunt Eller sitting on her porch churning butter as Curly, the protagonist, admires the peaceful summer morning (1943). Sometimes, however, the opening stasis is quite active. Plays that open in the midst of a war, or in the throes of a storm as in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, begin in an active state. Regardless, what’s important is this: whether the stasis feels calm, or frantic, it is accepted as the norm and is seemingly unchanging. Similarly, when a new stasis begins at the end of the play, it would be easy to assume that nothing else is happening. However, in the previously mentioned example from  The Royale, which is dramatically structured without a denouement, the ending stasis is one of uncertainty and unrest as the audience is left wondering what will happen next. In a play featuring a strong-willed boxer as the protagonist, we are left wondering if the new stasis will be one of continued fghting. Hype Man begins with the musical trio starting their fnal rehearsal for The Tonight Show. We can sense how important this upcoming performance is to Pinnacle by how tense and focused he is in this scene. As the leader of the group, his energy permeates throughout the room. The play ends with the musical trio improvising an adaptation of their hit song with new social justice lyrics, including the line “18 shots can’t drop us,” a direct reference to the shooting of Jerrod Davis (2017, p. 63). Considering how resistant Pinnacle was to addressing social justice issues in his lyrics, this presents a real turn of events. However, by identifying key moments throughout their journey—such as Pinnacle coming across an old recording of him and Verb’s music, and Verb sharing experiences about the racism he’s encountered—we can see how this change has taken place. The ending stasis of Hype Man is one of creativity, collaboration, and hope for the future.7 In this section of the Structure Template, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play and the new stasis at the end of the play. This can be written in one or two sentences in your own words, supporting 7 In fact, the energy is so optimistic at the end of the play that when the group overloads the sound system, the stage directions offer a play on words to suggest they are working toward dismantling systems of oppression: “The trio look at each other and at the System they’ve overloaded” (2017, p. 67).

Structure

151

with quotes from the text as necessary. For  Hype Man, this section might include the following. Table 5.7 “Beginning and Ending Stasis” section of Structure Template BEGINNING AND ENDING STASIS Description of Stasis (Beginning of play): The energy is tense and anxious in the rehearsal space. The “janky ass” sound system won’t turn on, Peep One is running late, and Pinnacle is eager to start rehearsing for their upcoming performance on The Tonight Show (2017, p. 9). Description of Stasis (End of play): The rehearsal space has an electric energy in it as the trio begins to reimagine their music with a social justice lens. Their creative juices are fowing as they rif of one another. Their energy is so palpable that they even overload their sound system.

Performative Connection Create a live or recorded composition exploring the structure of the play for which you are creating the Structure Template. In this short composition, about 30–60 seconds long, explore the beginning stasis of the play, the moment of intrusion, the climax, the return to stasis, and the ending stasis. For this composition, you will explore “topography,” movement over and through a landscape (Bogart and Landau, 2005). Think about what physical movement would best describe the stasis at the beginning of the play—it can be realistic or abstract. Is the opening stasis full of chaos or order? Does the pace feel quick or slow? What is the emotional energy? How do these things manifest themselves in movement? Now, consider the same questions to explore the stasis at the end of the play. You will use  physical movement across space  and  music or sound  to depict both the beginning stasis and the end stasis. If it is helpful, you can use objects to create a sense of the landscape (for example, if the play opens in a state of chaos, you could use a few chairs placed at odd angles). You will also use gesture  and text  to identify the moment of intrusion, the climax, and the return to stasis. Incorporate in your composition the following elements: 1. Movement across space, and corresponding music or sound, that captures the beginning stasis; 2. The spoken line of text that serves as the moment of intrusion, accompanied by an abstract (expressive) gesture to embody the line;

152

Structure

3. The spoken line of text that is the climax of the play, accompanied by a shape (tableau) to embody the line; 4. The spoken line of text  that serves as the return to stasis, accompanied by an abstract (expressive) gesture to embody the previous line; and 5. Movement across space, and corresponding music or sound, that captures the ending stasis of the play. Remember, this is a process-based exploration of script analysis using theatre strategies. A polished performance is not the goal, and there is no need for fancy editing if you are making a recording. Use this opportunity to explore how the script analysis process can be activated to explore the content of the play.

Figure 5.3 Still image of sample Performative Connection for Structure Source: Image used with permission from Victoria Micaletti.

The online content for this book includes example videos for each Performative Connection. The following is the transcript and description from the example for Structure, based on Hype Man and performed by Arius: 1. Arius portrays the beginning stasis by moving rapidly in random directions throughout the space with sharp turns. The sound is static.

Structure

153

2. Arius says the title of the moment of intrusion: “He was unarmed.” Arius’s gesture is opening up his right arm and looking at it, then opening up his left arm and looking at it. 3. Arius says the title of the climax: “No justice, no peace.” Arius’s shape is kneeling on the ground, one hand over his chest, one raised in the air in a fst. 4. Arius says the title of the return to stasis: “I can’t apologize to you.” Arius’s gesture is raising one hand as a stop signal and raising the other hand, palm open, as an invitation. 5. Arius portrays the ending stasis by jumping and spinning across the space. The sound is a hip-hop beat.

Tips for Teachers Group alternative: In a group setting, the physical aspects can be created as group movement, gesture, or tableau. The spoken moments can be divided among group members, with the option to add more voices for echo or choral speak effects. Alternatively, group members can collaborate by creating physical obstacles to “design” a landscape representative of the beginning and ending stasis. Group members may also work in role as the choreographer or director, sculpting or helping to generate movement for those performing in the composition. Online alternative: In an asynchronous online space, this exercise may be modifed to be a fve-photo story, using only photographed tableaux and captions with quotes from the play. This concise structure ofers a compelling way to think about communicating story and mimics social media platforms such as Instagram stories. Technical alternative: For students more drawn to technical theatre and design, the fve-photo story version can be used with found or drawn images in place of tableaux. This option can be presented as a storyboard with lines of text used as captions.

154

Structure

Final Considerations: Structure Before you apply the Structure Template in practice, let’s go over a few other things to consider.

Silent Beats One might say that a beat can be as small as one word, and while that is true, it may actually be even smaller. It is not necessary for a beat to contain any dialogue at all, though generally this is reserved for the most important of pauses in the text. These moments are often suggested in the stage directions and may even be described as a “beat,” implying that these pauses are substantial enough to serve as their own moment. In Hype Man, when Verb goes against Pinnacle’s orders and reveals a “Justice for Jerrod” t-shirt after their performance on The Tonight Show, the stage directions read: “PINNACLE, caught up in postshow applause and dapping up PEEP ONE, is the last to notice” (2017, p. 28). In this moment the confict between Verb and Pinnacle rises to a new level. The reader can visualize a complete shift in Pinnacle’s physicality, behavior, and energy, as he goes from celebrating his group’s success to registering his friend’s defance. Picturing this moment in performance, Verb is equally important—perhaps he attempts to hold onto his courage and determination while making uncomfortable eye contact with Pinnacle. This nonverbal moment is a crucial beat in this play and deserves just as much attention as any spoken moment of text.

Alternative Formats The intention of the Structure Template is to break a script down into the smallest playable moments. The way in which this template has been designed is most suitable for directors preparing to work scenes in rehearsal. It’s important to note that there are other ways to break down the structure of a script, depending on who is doing it and their needs. For example, as previously mentioned, a director or stage manager developing a rehearsal schedule may simply break down the script by scenes rather than into detailed beats. Alternatively, it may help to develop a French scene breakdown. Preparing for a musical requires attention to the structures of musical numbers. Additionally, musicals,

Structure

155

as well as many straight plays, have collective ensembles who portray multiple groups of people. The roles the ensemble portrays throughout the play is also pertinent information that should be plotted on a template. Finally, the process of marking beats in a script is slightly diferent for an actor scoring a role. While the same notation of using a forward slash is useful, it is important to remember that the job of an actor is to analyze the script as a whole, focused on her character’s actions. For this reason, an actor marks beats based on shifts in her tactics, focused on playable active verbs and who that action is directed toward. Each beat, then, written from a character’s perspective, would say something like, “I challenge Joe,” or “I adore Joe.” Remember that characters pursue a tactic until it is clear that tactic is no longer working; rather than assigning an action for each line of text, actors should determine actions based on beats.

Your Turn Now it’s time for you to complete the Structure Template for a play of your choosing or one assigned by your instructor. To do this, view the complete Structure Template in Appendix I or visit the online portal for this book to download an editable Structure Template. The remainder of this chapter includes exercises to enhance your exploration of structure and the script analysis process.

Musical Moment If time is short, or you simply want to explore Structure using a work of musical theatre, consider the song “I  Know Things Now” from Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine (1986). While dramatic structure exists across the arc of a musical, it can also often be found within one song. In “I  Know Things Now,” Little Red Riding Hood’s account of her encounter with the Big Bad Wolf provides a perfectly succinct example of a dramatic arc. What’s more, looking at how the structure of the story is refected in the verse of the lyrics and the musical arrangement provide several ways to process the movement of the story.

156

Structure

Written Response Written Responses provide the opportunity for a reader to articulate the patterns and themes that emerge after a template is completed (see additional details in Chapter 1). You’ll fnd that Written Responses are structurally similar, allowing the reader to, over the course of this text, develop the skill of articulating these ideas in written form. For this Written Response, write a short essay response to the following. Having completed the Structure Template for the play, summarize one or two big ideas that emerged. What stood out to you as the most interesting or important beats in the play? What did you notice about how the play is structured, such as pacing, or signifcant character entrances or exits? How did completing the template deepen your understanding of the structure of the play?

Creative Expression This Creative Expression can be used alternatively, or in addition, to Written Responses (see additional details in Chapter  1). If another mode of creative expression speaks to your own interests, you are encouraged to try it out or propose it to your course instructor. This Creative Expression is inspired by the spoken word artist.

After completing the Structure Template for a play, think about the big ideas that emerged. What did you notice about how the play was structured, and what moments of the play were most signifcant? Using only words from the play itself, create a poem that mimics the structure of the play. It may help to start by looking at the lines you identifed as beat titles (though you can use other words from the play as well). Think about this like you put the entire play through a shredder and then pulled out the most important lines and arranged them to create a new work of art inspired by the original text.

Structure

157

As you splice together the words from the play into a poem, consider: does it make the most sense to use quotes in the same order they are found in the play? If not, what is your justifcation for reorganizing them? Does your poem contain multiple verses, and if so how do those verses parallel the structure of the play? What length of poem best depicts the structure of the play? How can the visual arrangement of the words on paper suggest something about the structure of the play? How might repeating a line demonstrate its impact? Prepare your poem on a piece of paper. You do not need to include every beat, but you do need to include the moment of intrusion, climax, and return to stasis. Your poem may be shared on paper and/or read aloud. Table 5.8 Student Example of Creative Expression for Yemaya’s Belly by Quiara Alegría Hudes (2008) Mami twirls ofstage. (p. 24) Silence as they dig. Silence as they dig. Silence as they dig. (p. 26) Welcome to the funeral of our Mothers. We don’t have their bodies but this feather stands for them instead. (p. 76) Her spirit lives at the bottom of the ocean. When there’s a storm, I can hear her voice saying my name. (p. 58) Can you hear your mother? (p. 61) Source: Text courtesy of Elle Koch. Quotes used with permission from Quiara Alegría Hudes.

Chapter Summary In this chapter, we examined the Theatrical Element of Structure, using the play Hype Man by Idris Goodwin as an example to explore how a play can be broken down by beats—small, playable moments of action. We learned how tracking setting and characters throughout the play can reveal patterns and how properly titling beats can help articulate the essence of each unit of action. We examined how the traditional dramatic structures, such as Freytag’s Pyramid, do not represent every play model and examined how deviations from

158

Structure

structure are a part of the evolution and experimentation of the art form of theatre. Finally, we learned about script analysis from the perspective of a director, how performance and script analysis intersect, and how to articulate our analysis of a play in an essay or poem. In the fnal chapter, we will bring our theatrical elements together, with a suggested fnal project for students applying this text in coursework. Chapter Takeaways • Our fourth and fnal theatrical element, Structure, looks at patterns in how a play is broken into acts, scenes, and beats. • Plays may follow or deviate from a traditional dramatic arc, such as episodic or parallel plot structures. • Methods for plotting a play’s structure may vary depending on the artist’s purpose; for example, a French scene breakdown is useful for creating rehearsal schedules. Marking beats by changes in a character’s tactics is most useful for actors preparing for a role. • While acts and scenes are typically provided by the playwright, beats are identifed by looking at character entrances and exits; shifts in topic; and shifts in tactic. • Beats may be titled using a quote that best defnes that moment or with an action. • Beats may be as small as one word or a silent action. • Marking which characters are on stage in a beat, and notating which characters are on stage but not involved in the action, is useful not only for preparing rehearsal schedules and blocking but also for studying a character’s actions. • The beginning stasis of a play is the seemingly unchanging state at the beginning of the play before the protagonist is propelled into action in the moment of intrusion. • The climax is the highest point of action in the play when the protagonist will either succeed or fail at achieving their super-objective. • The ending stasis of a play is the new status quo reached once the confict resolves, marked by the return to stasis.

References Ball, David. Backwards and Forwards. Southern Illinois UP. 1983. Bogart, Anne, and Tina Landau. The Viewpoint Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition. New York: Theatre Communications Group. 2005.

Structure

159

Cariani, John. Almost, Maine. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 2005. Fleming, Victor, director. The Wizard of Oz. Based on the story by L. Frank Baum. 1939. Goodwin, Idris. Hype Man. Playscripts. 2017. Hammerstein, Oscar. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers. R&H Theatricals, 1943. Hudes, Quiara Alegría. Yemaya’s Belly. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. 2008. Kanin, Fay, and Michael Kanin. Rashomon. Based on the story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and the flm by Akira Kurosawa. Samuel French, Inc. 1959. Knopf, Robert. Script Analysis for Theatre: Tools for Interpretation, Collaboration, and Production. Methuen Drama. 2017. Lapine, James. Into the Woods. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Musical Theatre International. 1986. Molière. Tartufe. 1664. Ramirez, Marco. The Royale. Samuel French, Inc. 2015. Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger. n.d. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger. n.d. Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. Samuel French, Inc. 1947.

Conclusion

6

Chapter Objectives • To bring together the Theatrical Elements of Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure into the analysis for a full-length dramatic text. • To synthesize the collaborative theatre process in role as a director, dramaturg, actor, designer, or devised theatre maker.

Introduction Throughout this book, we have explored how to critically examine a dramatic script. Using our four Theatrical Elements: Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure, we have completed templates to break apart plays and reorganize them to identify the patterns that emerged. Through Written Responses and Creative Expressions, we have explored how we can communicate our fndings to others. Through the exercises in this text, I hope you have found meaning in connecting script analysis to your personal life, to professional careers in theatre, and to performance. Script analysis is, after all, at the core of everything theatre artists are called to do, whether working as a designer, director, dramaturg, choreographer, actor, or in another role. Whether working with an existing script, a new work, or devising new 160

DOI: 10.4324/9781003225058-6

Conclusion

161

material, we are charged with the interpretation of worlds and stories that can exist only when we bring them to life on stage. May script analysis, then, be more than an obligation or a chore. May it be a gift, a mystery, a treasure trove awaiting our discovery. Enjoy the journey of unearthing the details that bring authenticity to a story; fnd excitement grappling with every how and why; take pleasure in being part of a process that is bigger than any one person or idea. In the spirit of activated script analysis, I  close by ofering two opportunities for collaborative fnal projects to be used in the classroom. Each project is designed to dive deeper into the exploration of a dramatic text. The frst project ofers a more traditional approach to the script analysis process, allowing students to step into the roles of directors, dramaturgs, designers, or performers in the interpretation of a scene from the text. This project ofers the opportunity for students to refect on collaboration in traditional production models as they work toward a unifed vision for their “production.” While this project culminates in a fnal performance and/or presentation, the emphasis should remain on the script analysis process. The second project allows students to devise a new theatrical piece in response to the dramatic text they are exploring, building upon the Creative Expression exercises throughout the book. This project is structured enough to set clear parameters, yet fuid enough to allow groups and individuals fexibility in how they approach the project (creating opportunities for the integration of other art forms, such as music, visual arts, digital media, or dance). While this project also requires students to perform and present about their script analysis process, it is designed to appeal to a wide variety of student strengths and interests, and extends the conversation about script analysis to works created through nontraditional means. Students completing these projects may return to the plays already explored in class—an option that is efcient for the students and instructor and can beneft the class as a whole as they see the plays they have already studied interpreted in performance. Alternatively, dependent on student interest and time availability, students may select new scripts to use—a great option for expanding students’ knowledge of additional texts not studied in class. The remainder of the book ofers these two project descriptions, followed by refective questions that may be applied for either project. For instructors, Appendices M and N ofer rubrics for each of the following project options.

162

Conclusion

Final Project Option: Production Team For this project option, students can work in small groups. Depending on what scene is selected and what tasks students wish to fulfll, group size may vary but will generally be between six and eight members. Students should select a scene to study in depth from a play (either one already read in class or one selected by the students and approved by the instructor). The goal of this project is to present, through oral presentation and with deliverables for each group member, an analysis of a scene (with consideration of how the scene is situated within the context of the full play), articulating relevant content related to each of the four theatrical elements explored in this book. As a group, students can begin by discussing the play as a whole and their selected scene, focusing on the Theatrical Elements of Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure. Students can review the previous chapters and templates to examine what details and patterns they notice within the scene.

Group Roles Within their group, each student should select one of the following roles: • • • •

Director: 1–2 students Dramaturg: 1–2 students Actor: 1–3 students (optional; see note on casting) Designer: One student per area in scenic, costumes, lighting, sound, props, projection or publicity design (depending on the number of group members and the needs of the play, not all design roles may be flled)

Deliverables After discussing the theatrical elements in their selected scene and play, students can work on completing the following deliverables that correspond with their roles. Importantly, students are working as a team, so while these deliverables can be completed during independent time,

Conclusion

163

the overall aesthetic of the “production” should feel harmonious, both with the dramatic text itself and across the work prepared by the individual students. These materials may be presented in digital slides, posters, hard copy, or a combination of both. • Director: The Structure Template completed for this scene of the play. Within the oral presentation, the director(s) may share notable discoveries about the structure of the scene (such as important lines or actions). The director(s) may also speak to the overall unifed vision of the production. • Dramaturg: Supporting research about the given circumstances within the scene. This may include research images from the time period or location (not images from other productions); a glossary defning pop culture references or archaic terms within the scene; or relevant articles or internet research. This may be presented in hard copy or digital form, with highlights shared during the oral presentation. • Designers: Designers may be working outside of their comfort zones, so application of script analysis is more important than artistic ability. For each of the following areas, students should focus their design on the scene selected by their group. Examples of deliverables that designers might provide include the following: o Scenic design: Rendering or model of the scenic design o Costume design: Costume designs for the characters within the selected scene o Lighting design: A  mood board featuring multiple images of lighting o Sound design: Playlist of sound cues, either original or found o Props: Props list and select props (found or built) o Projection: A mood board or links to projected images o Publicity: An original marketing image

Oral Presentation As a part of their presentation, students should prepare a brief oral presentation (15–20 minutes) to provide an overview of their script analysis project. If students are presenting on a play that was not read by the whole class, they should frst begin by introducing the

164

Conclusion

play and playwright. They can then present about each of the four theatrical elements, supported with visual aids (such as a slide presentation). For each theatrical element, students should include at least one quote from their selected scene. Finally, students can then present on their respective deliverables. While each group member will not have time to share about all of their deliverables, they can highlight aspects of them, emphasizing how script analysis infuenced their work. Full deliverables can be submitted to the instructor.

Optional Performance If the group chooses to prepare a scene from the play, actor(s) can perform a 3–4 minutes excerpt of the scene as a well-rehearsed staged reading. The performance should clearly demonstrate the beats identifed in the Structure Template, as well as an understanding of Character, Given Circumstances, and Setting. Should the group select this option, all group members should contribute to shaping the performance. Directors and dramaturgs can support actors in the rehearsal process. Designers may realize designs as much as possible. Costume designers can suggest their designs with colors, shapes, or styles with clothing the actors bring from home, and scenic designers can suggest their design by adjusting classroom furniture. Adjusting classroom lighting, projecting images, and/or sound or music cues can also be incorporated. Students can work with what is available to them in the classroom or what they can bring from home, remembering that the most important part of the project is the script analysis process.

A Note on Casting Because my students study plays feature a variety of diverse characters, I  do not require students to perform an excerpt of the play for this assignment. For those who do, I expect groups to cast respectfully. As an educational assignment, students may need to cast creatively (i.e. gender bending), but care should be taken in the casting of characters from historically marginalized populations. If needed, groups may elicit the help of someone outside of their group to fll a specifc role.

Conclusion

165

Tips for Teachers Individual alternative: While this project best lends itself to a group setting, those needing to complete the project individually may select one of the roles listed earlier and complete the corresponding deliverable (if selecting the role of actor, they may perform a monologue—see “A Note on Casting”). The oral presentation component may be completed in its entirety with a shorter time limit of fve minutes. Online alternative: In a synchronous online setting, this project can be completed by using gallery view and/or spotlighting group members as necessary. If choosing the optional performance, group members can consider how simple costume pieces, props, virtual backgrounds, their physical location, sound efects, or lighting can help to tell the story. The use of physical movement, proximity to the camera, and entrances or exits can create dynamic performances in a virtual space. For students working in an asynchronous online class, if the option is available to meet virtually to record their presentation, the same concepts can still apply.

Final Project Option: Devised Response For this fnal project option, students will apply devising strategies in the creation of a new theatrical piece, no longer than fve minutes, that responds to an existing dramatic text. Difering from the frst project option, students can consider the entirety of a play (either one already read in class or one selected by the students and approved by the instructor) for this option. The purpose of this project is to appeal to a wide variety of learners and artists and to continue exploring script analysis in an assortment of modes as an extension of the Creative Expression assignments. Additionally, this option can lead to rich conversations about alternative modes of playmaking found in devised theatre and how script analysis skills apply to original works, devised works, and experimental theatre. Similar to the frst project option, students should begin their time together with a discussion and analysis of the play, focusing on the four theatrical elements within this book. Reviewing the chapters and

166

Conclusion

templates on Given Circumstances, Character, Setting, and Structure will remind students of what to look for in their reading and analysis. Appendix O ofers a sample devised response project outline, but each project will look diferent. This option is intentionally more fuid than the frst project option and as such may take a variety of forms.

Devised Presentation The main component of this project is a 5–10 minutes original theatrical piece inspired by the play students have selected and analyzed. This option allows space for students with diverse interests and skills to contribute to a multimedia and/or interdisciplinary piece of performance art, using the studied play as a jumping-of point. Do not think of this as writing a new play—instead, think of it as bringing together multiple modes of expression (i.e. poetry, dance, and visual arts) to respond to the selected play. Components that students may incorporate in this theatrical exploration include, but are not limited to, the following: • Visual: Lighting, masks, fabric, projected research images, visual art • Physical: Physical movement or dance, puppetry, site-specifc performance • Auditory: Spoken or recorded sound efects, music, text from the play, statistics, newspaper headlines, poetry, original text

Proposal For this project option, it is helpful for students to begin shaping their piece by sharing with their group members what sort of elements they would be interested in contributing. Students can bring in ideas that they associate with the play based on their group’s discussion (such as images, songs, or poetry) to continue to guide their exploration. From there, it is helpful to have groups provide a one-paragraph proposal describing what they intend to create. As is often the nature with these projects, their plans may shift over time, but this will help to ensure they understand the assignment goals.

Conclusion

167

Oral Presentation As a part of their fnal project, students are required to share a 5–10 minutes overview of their script analysis (similar to the production team project option described earlier). Students should begin by introducing the play and playwright if the text is unfamiliar to the rest of the class. The oral presentation should then highlight each of the four theatrical elements with the support of visual aids (such as a slide presentation). Students should include at least one quote for each theatrical element. The oral presentation should provide a rationale of the choices within their devised work, which may be presented before or after the devised work is shared.

Written Deliverables In addition to their devised work and oral presentation, groups should provide the following in writing: • A typed explanation of who completed what tasks within the group; and • A one-page typed justifcation of how the devised response represents the groups’ understanding of the script, including quotes or specifc examples from the script.

Tips for Teachers Individual alternative: While this project is best suited for a group setting, those wishing to complete the project individually may consider this as a solo performance utilizing two or three visual, physical, and auditory elements. Students should still complete the full oral presentation and written justifcation. Online alternative: This project may be completed as written in a synchronous online class. If possible, students in an asynchronous class may meet to rehearse and record their presentation.

168

Conclusion

Refection With the completion of their fnal project, students can refect on their project and the course as a whole through written refection and/or group discussion. The following refective questions are ofered:

1. How has your understanding of script analysis shifted since the beginning of this course? 2. How did this fnal project shape your understanding of script analysis within a collaborative process? 3. How did collaborating on a project feel diferently than completing the Templates, Written Responses, and Creative Expression independently? Were there places where you felt the collaboration weakened the process or places where it strengthened it? 4. With the completion of this course, in what ways do you see script analysis applying to your academic and professional goals? 5. Will you approach your craft any diferently as a theatre artist because of this course, and if so, how?

Appendix A Suggested Plays

While any plays can be read alongside Activated Script Analysis, the following classic and contemporary plays are provided as suggested options, categorized by chapter content. Many plays contain mature language and themes, and reader discretion is advised.

Chapter 1: Professional Connection Table Work Depending on time availability, any short play that can be read and discussed in one class session will work for this assignment, such as: • Pipe Dream* by JudyLee Oliva (2016): Two Lakota Sioux women mourn the loss of their sister and debate whether or not they should stay on the reservation. • Poof * by Lynn Nottage (1997): When a woman of handedly curses her husband, he unexpectedly “poofs” into a pile of ashes, leaving her unsure of what to do next. • Trifes* by Susan Glaspell (1916): Following the mysterious murder of John Wright, local ofcials search a farmhouse for evidence as their wives, sequestered to the kitchen, discover details otherwise unnoticed. • Welcome to the Moon by John Patrick Shanley (1982): A man returns to his old neighborhood in the Bronx to confront loss, love, and life.

170

Appendix A: Suggested Plays

Chapter 2: Given Circumstances • All My Sons by Arthur Miller (1947): All My Sons chronicles successful businessman Joe Keller, who wishes to secure his fnancial status to pass it down to his sole surviving son, Chris. The confict between social responsibility and family loyalties looms throughout the course of the play. • Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner (1991): Angels in America is a two-part play that tackles themes of life and death, heaven and hell, homophobia, race, religion, and politics. Part One, Millennium Approaches, introduces the intersecting stories of a gay couple, a drag queen, a Mormon and his drug-addicted wife, and a closeted politician living in New York City during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. • Intimate Apparel* by Lynn Nottage (2004): Set in the early 1900s in New York, Intimate Apparel tells the story of Esther, an aging Black seamstress who yearns for marriage. After an unexpected suitor comes her way, Esther thinks her fortune has changed for the better but quickly learns that true happiness can come only from within. • She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (2011): After Agnes Evans loses her little sister, Tilly, in a sudden tragedy, she seeks to better understand her sister despite their dissimilar interests. Through Tilly’s Dungeons  & Dragons notebook, Agnes embarks on an adventure into the imaginary world that was her sister’s safe haven.

Chapter 3: Character • Antigone by Sophocles (441 bc): In this classic Greek tragedy, Antigone defes the edict of her uncle, King Creon, who has denied her brother a proper burial. Antigone’s conviction makes her a compelling character study, as does her relationship to her sister, Ismene, who serves as Antigone’s foil. • China Doll (The Imagined Life of an American Actress)* by Elizabeth Wong (2005): China Doll tells the fctional story of the reallife actress Wong Liu Tsong (known by her stage name Anna May Wong), the frst Chinese American Hollywood movie star who reached international recognition. Anna May Wong’s character presents a dynamic role to study with multiple opportunities to question character bias.

Appendix A: Suggested Plays

171

• Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (1949): Death of a Salesman explores the myth of the American Dream told through Willy Loman’s visions, encounters, and daydreams. This text provides rich fodder for discussion about character actions and honesty. • Wit by Margaret Edson (1991): Wit explores humanity through the character of Vivian Bearing, a university professor of seventeenthcentury poetry who is dying of advanced ovarian cancer. In her career, Vivian employs rigorous teaching methods and approaches her terminal illness in an equally methodical manner. Vivian’s character arc coincides with her declining health as she refects on the human experience.

Chapter 4: Setting • Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris (2010): Written as a response to Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, Clybourne Park is loosely based on historical events that took place in the suburbs of Chicago. The play features two acts set in the same bungalow 50 years apart, in 1959 and 2009, providing a rich example of a setting changing over the course of a play. • The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project (2000): Following the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student, Kaufman and company conducted over 200 interviews with residents of Laramie, Wyoming. Using interview transcripts and company members’ journals, this devised ethnographic drama provides a rich account of the setting of Laramie as the play examines the breadth and depth of humanity’s compassion and hatred. • A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (1605): Set in the city of Athens and a magical forest inhabited by fairies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream depicts the romantic entanglement of four Athenian lovers, a fairy king and queen, and a group of actors in rehearsal. Shakespeare’s verse crafts a whimsical setting for this story of love and mischief. • Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire (2006): A picture-perfect home is forever changed when Becca and Howie lose their four-year-old son in a tragic accident. With the memories of their son on every inch of their home, Becca wants to move, but Howie wants to stay. As the couple drifts apart, they must confront their grief as they search for a way forward.

172

Appendix A: Suggested Plays

Chapter 5: Structure • The Royale by Marco Ramirez (2017): Set in the early 1900s during the Jim Crow Era, this play tells the story of Negro Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jay “The Sport” Jackson, inspired by the American boxer Jack Johnson (1878–1948). The Royale is a dynamic piece of ensemble-based physical storytelling and structurally provides unique artistic choices for exploration. • The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse (2015): This one-act satirical comedy is about a group of white artists who attempt to devise a play to honor Native Americans, until their good intentions collide with absurd assumptions. FastHorse, a playwright of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, intersperses moments of interpretive performance to reveal the falsities of the Thanksgiving myth and its erasure of indigenous experiences. • The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (1592): Doctor Faustus is a retelling of the legend of Faust, the highly regarded German scholar who makes a pact with the devil to obtain knowledge and magical power. Structurally, this play makes choices that emulate the dramatic elements outlined in Aristotle’s Poetics. • Yemaya’s Belly* by Quiara Alegría Hudes (2004): Hudes’s play tells the story of a young Cuban boy who dreams of a prosperous life in America. Woven throughout this story of coming of age and identity is a fusion of ritual, fantasy, and harsh realities. *Play is available online through Alexander Street Press.

Appendix B Defning Script Analysis Interactive Notes Student Name: Describe, in your own words, formalist play analysis: Name the four theatrical elements we will explore in this course: 1. 2. 3. 4. Why does David Ball say it is important to read a script both forwards and backwards?

List the Aristotelean elements of drama in order from greatest to least importance: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

174

Appendix B: Defning Script Analysis Interactive Notes

Describe, in your own words, why it is important to ask “Why?” while reading a script.

List three quotes in this chapter that resonated with you or made you think. State the quote, and explain why you chose this quote: 1. 2. 3.

Appendix C Given Circumstances Template

Student Name: Play: Playwright: PAST AND FUTURE ACTION Relevant action before the • start of the play Anticipated action at the • start of the play ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS TIME Year(s) • Month(s) or Season(s) • Date(s) and Time(s) • Movement of Time: • time between scenes, full passage of time, and “logic of time movement” PLACE Geographical place(s): • continent, country, state or province, city, street

176

Appendix C: Given Circumstances Template

Physical space(s) • Unseen spaces • COMMUNITY Family: • immediate and/or extended Neighborhood: • residential and/or business Professional: • employers, employees, and/or coworkers Social: • peers, school, clubs, religious organizations GOVERNMENT Governmental structure • Political leaders • Political movements • Laws and regulations • RELIGION Dominant religious views • in society Religious view(s) among • household or immediate community Impact of religion on • culture and behavior POLAR ATTITUDES Race relations • Gender norms/expression • Socioeconomic status • (class) Behavioral norms (i.e. • language, body language) Clothing and style •

Appendix C: Given Circumstances Template

Food • Other culture (music, • technology, etc.) TITLE AND THEMES ANALYSIS TITLE What is the meaning or • relevance of this title? THEMES OF THE PLAY What are the big ideas or This is a play about: messages of the play? •

177

Appendix D Given Circumstances Template Example A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Student Name: Play: A Raisin in the Sun Playwright: Lorraine Hansberry PAST AND FUTURE ACTION Relevant action before • RUTH Yes, he sure could. He was a good the start of the play man, Mr. Younger. MAMA Yes, a fne man—just couldn’t never catch up with his dreams, that’s all. (49) • MAMA: We hadn’t been married but two weeks and wasn’t planning on living here no more than a year. (47) • MAMA: Lord, when I lost that baby—little Claude—I almost thought I was going to lose Big Walter too. (48) (continue)

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

Anticipated action at the start of the play

• MAMA: Child, we got a great big old check coming tomorrow. (46) • MAMA: Been thinking that we maybe could meet the notes on a little old two-story somewhere . . . (47) • Walter hopes to invest in a “little liquor store we got in mind.” (36) • WALTER (to BENEATHA): You such a nice girl—but if Mama got that money she can always take a few thousand and help you through school too—can’t she? (41) (continue) ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

TIME Year(s)

Month(s) or season(s)

Date(s) and time(s):

179

• Between 1945 and 1955 • Sometime between World War II and the present (25) • WALTER: Colonel McCormick is sick. (29) (continue) • RUTH: Warm, ain’t it? I mean for September. (83) • MAMA: When it starts getting this chilly in the Fall a child ought to have some hot grits or something when he goes out in the cold. (44) (continue) • Act I, Scene 1, Friday • Act I, Scene 2, Saturday, 10:20 a.m. MAMA: What time is it? RUTH: Ten twenty. And the mailman going to ring that bell this morning just like he done every morning for the last umpteen years. (69) • Act II, Scene 2, Saturday evening (continue)

180

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

Movement of time: time between scenes, full passage of time, and “logic of time movement”

PLACE Geographical place(s): continent, country, state or province, city, street Physical space(s) Unseen spaces

• Full passage of time: Three weeks • Logic of time: Chronological • Time between Act II, Scene 3, and Act III: One hour • BENEATHA: Too many things have happened today . . . I don’t know what I feel about anything right this minute. (136) (continue) • United States • Chicago, Illinois • Stage directions: Chicago’s Southside (25) • Younger apartment living room (also kitchen space and Travis’s sleeping area) • RUTH: . . . next thing you know Travis be out and Mr. Johnson’ll be in there and you’ll be fussing and cussing round here like a mad man! (28) • BENEATHA: How much cleaning a house need, for Christ’s sakes. (49) (in response to vacuuming) • WALTER: You know what I like about the Green Hat? I like this little cat they got there who blows a sax . . . He talks to me. (108) • ASAGAI: You are looking at what a welldressed Nigerian woman wears. (79) • MAMA: . . . There’s a yard with a little patch of dirt where I could maybe get to grow me a few fowers. (94) (continue)

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

COMMUNITY Family: immediate and/or extended

Neighborhood: residential and/or business

Professional: employers, employees, and/or coworkers

Social: peers, school, clubs, religious organizations

181

• MAMA: Why don’t you all never let the child explain hisself. RUTH: Keep out of it now, Lena. (92) • WALTER (to MAMA): You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to. (96) • MAMA (to WALTER): I’m waiting to hear how you be your father’s son. Be the man he was. (77) (continue) • MAMA (about MRS. JOHNSON): —Much baking powder as she done borrowed from me all these years, she could of done gone into the baking business! (70) • KARL LINDNER (about Clybourne Park): . . . unique type of organization in American community life. (116) (continue) • RUTH: I can’t stay home. She’d be calling up the agency and screaming at them, ‘My girl didn’t come in today—send me somebody! My girl didn’t come in!’ (46) • WALTER: This ain’t no fy-by-night proposition, baby. I mean we fgured it out, me and Willy and Bobo. (36) (continue) • BENEATHA: The Murchisons are honest-toGod-real-live-rich colored people . . . (52) • MAMA (about ASAGAI): I don’t think I never met no African before. (59) (continue)

182

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

GOVERNMENT Governmental structure Political leaders Political movements

Laws and regulations

RELIGION Dominant religious views in society Religious view(s) among household or immediate community

• United States: Democracy • Beneatha dreams of becoming “queen of the Nile” (69) • None stated • Walter: Damn, even the N double A C P takes a holiday sometimes! (113) (continue) • MAMA: fve generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers. (142) • MAMA: Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money. (76) • WALTER: them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ‘bout things . . . sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars . . .” (76) • MAMA: Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses. (95) • LINDNER: . . . a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way. (118) • Mama: I think Ruth is thinking about getting rid of that child. (77) (continue) • MAMA: It ain’t Christian. (45) (continue) • MAMA: Now—you say after me, in my mother’s house there is still God. (54) • BENEATHA: This was truly being God. (133) (continue)

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

Impact of religion on culture and behavior

POLAR ATTITUDES Race relations

Gender norms/ expression Socioeconomic status

Behavioral norms (i.e. language, body language)

Clothing and style

Food Other culture (music, technology, etc.)

183

• MAMA: I don’t want that on my ledger this late in life. (45) • MAMA: I spec if it wasn’t for you all . . . I would just put that money away or give it to the church or something. (71) (continue) • WALTER: The world’s most backward race of people, and that’s a fact. (41–42) (continue) • WALTER: A man needs a woman to back him up. (14) (continue) • WALTER: I got a boy who sleeps in the living room—and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live. (37) (continue) • Stage directions: (He extends his hand for the fraternal clasp) (81) • RUTH (to TRAVIS): Now you get out of here and get ready for your beating. (93) (continue) • ASAGAI: You wear [the robes] well . . . very well . . . mutilated hair and all. (64) • GEORGE: What have you done to your head—I mean your hair! (82) (continue) • RUTH: Eat your eggs, they gonna be cold (37). (continue) • GEORGE: Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts! (83) (continue)

184

Appendix D: Given Circumstances Template Example

TITLE AND THEMES ANALYSIS TITLE ANALYSIS What is the meaning or • Langston Hughes poem “Harlem” relevance of this title? • MAMA: Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back of the houses down home. This plant is close as I ever got to having one. (55) THEMES OF THE PLAY What are the big ideas This is a play about: or messages of the • Dreams play? • Race • Generations • Citizenship

Appendix E Character Template

Student Name: Play: Playwright: Character: IDENTITY MARKERS Race (i.e. Asian, Black, White, Latinx, Multiracial, Native American, Pacifc Islander, or unspecifed)

•

Citizenship and/or Ethnicity (i.e. Arab, Jewish, Irish, American, or unspecifed)

•

Gender (i.e. cisgender female of male, transgender female or male, nonbinary, gender fuid, or unspecifed)

•

186

Appendix E: Character Template

Afectionate orientation (i.e. lesbian or gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, heterosexual, or unspecifed)

•

Age range or specifc age Physical ability: specifc physical or vocal disability; places of chronic pain or tension; or unspecifed

• •

• Mental ability: specifc mental disability, specifc mental illness, learning disabilities, giftedness, or unspecifed Socioeconomic status: low class, middle class, high class, or unspecifed APPEARANCE Height, body size, hair color, general attractiveness, attire, and grooming

•

General: • Self-perception: • Perception from others: •

PHYSICALITY Vocal traits, physical traits, General: vocal or physical habits not • related to ability Self-perception: • Perception from others: •

Appendix E: Character Template

DEMEANOR General attitude, ways in which character engages with self, others, and the world

General: • Self-perception: • Perception from others: • EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE Formal schooling or • training Skills and knowledge acquired through informal means (i.e. innate talents, street smarts, or skills passed down through generations) WORK Employment status (i.e. retired, unemployed, selfemployed, homemaker); and position, if applicable

•

•

FAMILY Relationship status

•

Parental status

•

Relationship to family or • origin and extended family BELIEFS AND VALUES Political, religious, moral, or social beliefs (gender, race, etc.)

•

187

188

Appendix E: Character Template

RELATIONSHIPS (Character name)

(Character name)

(Character name)

Unseen relationships SUPER-OBJECTIVE What does the character want? What internal obstacles stand in the way? What external obstacles stand in the way? What tactics does the character use? (underline verbs) How far is the character willing to go? What’s at stake?

What is the relationship? Who has more power? Backstory of relationship: • What is the relationship? Who has more power? Backstory of relationship: • What is the relationship? Who has more power? Backstory of relationship: • •

I want _________________.

Appendix F Character Template Example Mary Jane by Amy Herzog Student Name: Play: Mary Jane Playwright: Amy Herzog Character: Mary Jane IDENTITY MARKERS Race (i.e. Asian, • unspecifed Black, White, Latinx, Multiracial, Native American, Pacifc Islander, or unspecifed) Citizenship and/or • unspecifed; lives in America Ethnicity (i.e. Arab, Jewish, Irish, American, or unspecifed)

190

Appendix F: Character Template Example

Gender (i.e. cisgender • “a woman in her thirties” (5) female of male, trans• MARY JANE: My water broke at twenty-fve gender female or male, weeks. (40) nonbinary, gender fuid, or unspecifed) Afectionate orienta• MARY JANE: We named him Alexander after tion (i.e. lesbian or gay, Danny’s—my ex’s—dad. (41) bisexual, pansexual, asexual, heterosexual, or unspecifed) Age range or specifc age

• “a woman in her thirties” (5) • SHERRY: Nothing wrong with getting old. MARY JANE: I’m looking forward to it. (36)

Physical ability: specifc physical or vocal disability; places of chronic pain or tension; or unspecifed

• MARY JANE: Alex is only two and a half, but I already have back pain from lifting him. And it just keeps getting harder. (26) • MARY JANE: I get these visual auras. Sometimes it means a migraine is coming on, sometimes it doesn’t. (70) • MARY JANE: I wasn’t the only parent who missed the memo and showed up with my kid. (34) • MARY JANE: I keep getting disoriented. They’ve moved Alex’s room a few times. This morning I came out of the bathroom and went to the wrong bed. (72) • MARY JANE: Well, and it’s not exactly a luxurious work environment. (19) • CHAYA: I wish you many more children, someday. MARY JANE: I don’t know, Chaya. For now maybe wish me a two bedroom closer to the subway. (58)

Mental ability: specifc mental disability, specifc mental illness, learning disabilities, giftedness, or unspecifed Socioeconomic status: low class, middle class, high class, or unspecifed

Appendix F: Character Template Example

APPEARANCE Height, body size, hair color, general attractiveness, attire, and grooming

PHYSICALITY Vocal traits, physical traits, vocal or physical habits not related to ability

DEMEANOR General attitude, ways in which character engages with self, others, and the world

191

General: • None specifed. Self-perception: • None specifed. Perception from others: • MARY JANE: My sister, last time she visited, pointed out these right here—(points between her eyebrows) She said, “You know, just a llllllllittle Botox would clear those right up.” (35) (continue) General: • None specifed. Self-perception: • None specifed. Perception from others: • RUTHIE: You seem to be someone who’s carrying a lot of tension in her body. (10) • AMELIA: Did you know you do that thing, when I’m talking, you imitate my expressions. (38) (continue) General: • MARY JANE: Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Amelia! You came! Can I hug you? (32) Self-perception: • MARY JANE: Listen to me, I’m like— Blaaaaaaa! (26; implying she is too forceful and talkative) • MARY JANE: Ay, oh me! Sing a sad, sad song for poor old Mary Jane. (39) Perception from others: • BRIANNE: No, this is so nice of you. (26) • DR. TOROS: You can take a night of. You can take two nights of. (49) (continue)

192

Appendix F: Character Template Example

EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE Formal schooling or • MARY JANE: If I could get paid to take care training of Alex I’d [become a nurse]. Anyway, I can’t take any more student loans. I’m sure I’m on some kind of blacklist. (16) • MARY JANE: I was getting my teaching degree when Alex was born. Had to put that on hold for a minute. (26) • BRIANNE: What would you teach? • MARY JANE: Middle school. Math. (29) • SHERRY: I still say you should go to nursing Skills and knowledge school. You’re a natural. (16) acquired through • MARY JANE: For trunk support there are informal means (i.e. diferent kinds of vests—they prevent scoliinnate talents, street osis, and help with sitting up, with stamina smarts, or skills and sitting. (25) passed down through (continue) generations) WORK Employment status (i.e. • BRIANNE: So you’re in real estate development? retired, unemployed, MARY JANE: I’m an administrative assistant. self-employed, home(26) maker); and position, if • MARY JANE: I’m out of sick days. And vacapplicable ation days. And it’s only July. (27) • MARY JANE: I’m on leave right now (49). • MARY JANE: My only question, and this is a tough one. Is whether there’s any way to continue my benefts. Just until I fnd something else, and I promise you, that won’t be long. (62) • MARY JANE: I’m a teacher! I want to be. (69) (continue)

Appendix F: Character Template Example

FAMILY Relationship status

Parental status

Relationship to family or origin and extended family

BELIEFS Political, religious, moral, or social beliefs (gender, race, etc.)

193

• MARY JANE: We named him Alexander after Danny’s—my ex’s—dad. (41) • AMELIA: Danny never came back? MARY JANE: Oh of course he did! He tried. He really did try. But he’s really . . . it’s hell for him, not being a part of Alex’s life. But I just couldn’t . . . I hope he fnds some peace, I really do. (42) • MARY JANE: . . . They weren’t sure he was gonna live. And that was . . . that was strange. Because I hadn’t met Alex yet, you know? (41) • CHAYA: I wish you many more children, someday. MARY JANE: I don’t know, Chaya. For now maybe wish me a two bedroom closer to the subway. (58) • MARY JANE: He’s almost three. I don’t know whether he’s going to make it out of this surgery. (74) • MARY JANE: My sister used to make me these . . . lactation cookies! . . . She read in a magazine that they helped, and she sent a batch every week. For months. (58) (continue) • MARY JANE: I can’t remember any of the sex I had before twenty-two. (15) • MARY JANE: Where I went [to school] it was less about fraternities and sororities, more about hallucinogens. (38) • MARY JANE: Do you think your faith makes things easier? CHAYA: Easier than what? MARY JANE: Easier—ha! I don’t know! Easier than they would be without it. (60) • TENKEI: You listed your religion as “question mark.” (68) (continue)

194

Appendix F: Character Template Example

RELATIONSHIPS Sherry

Alex

Unseen relationships

What is the relationship? Sherry is Alex’s nurse. Who has more power? Sherry because she provides Alex’s treatment and Mary Jane doesn’t want to lose anymore nurses. Backstory of relationship: • MARY JANE: You’ve been working with us a little over a year. (20) What is the relationship? Mother/Son Who has more power? Mary Jane because she is older, Alex’s parent, and responsible for decisions about his medical care. Backstory of relationship: • MARY JANE: One of his vocal cords is paralyzed. (39) • MARY JANE: My water broke at twenty-fve weeks. (40) • MARY JANE: Then on his second day . . . they told us he’s had a brain bleed. (41) • MARY JANE: Our neurologist says it’s a miracle how much he can do, considering how bad that bleed was. (42) • MARY JANE: And it may seem to you guys that he doesn’t hear me or understand me, but he does hear me and he does understand me. (65) • Kelly: Mary Jane’s boss • Her sister • Donna: Alex’s other nurse: MARY JANE: He vomited last night . . .. SHERRY: No, what? Who was here last night, Donna? (19) • Danny: Mary Jane’s ex and Danny’s father (continue)

Appendix F: Character Template Example

195

SUPER-OBJECTIVE What does the I want what’s best for Alex. character want? What internal obstacles Fatigue, uncertainty for what the best for thing stand in the way? Alex would be (“I don’t know what to hope for anymore,” p.  74), cognitive/physical fatigue, migraines, stress, lack of faith What external obstacles Single parenthood, Alex’s medical conditions stand in the way? and inability to vocalize, job instability, fnances, inconsistency of the medical care he receives (i.e. Donna), unpredictability of his condition, physical boundaries (for example, bars on the window). What tactics does the character use? (underline verbs) How far is the character willing to go?

Mary Jane educates herself, reprimands medical providers and the music therapist, advocates for Alex, negotiates with her boss, grapples with her decisions, bargains with her landlord to let her keep the bars of his window, soothes and comforts Alex, and begs Sherry not to report the other nurse’s behavior. She is willing to sacrifce her dignity (asking to keep her health insurance), to break minor laws, to lose her job, to forgo sleep, and to negatively impact her own health and mental well-being.

What’s at stake?

Alex’s life. Also at stake is her job and Mary Jane’s own wellness.

Appendix G Setting Template

Student Name: Play: Playwright: Setting: SCENES Scenes set in this location (i.e. Act • I, Scene 1) VISUAL DESCRIPTORS Architectural elements, natural or industrial elements, furniture and décor, lighting, color, and texture ATMOSPHERE Sounds, nonvisual sensory descriptions, and emotional descriptions

•

•

Appendix G: Setting Template

POWER WITHIN A SPACE Does someone own this space and, if so, who? Who has power in this space and in what way? Who has little or no power in this space? PROXIMITY Who or what is near this setting, and what impact does their proximity have? Who or what is far, and what impact does their distance have? CHANGE Does this setting change over time and in what way?

•

•

•

197

Appendix H Setting Template Example somebody’s children by José Casas Student Name: Play: somebody’s children Playwright: José Casas Setting: The El Dorado motel, Anaheim, California SCENES Scenes set in this location (i.e. Act I, Scene 1)

• Scene 1. yesterday (father fgures) • Scene 3. theo huxtable • Scene 4. (spoken word 1) if i ruled the world • Scene 5. aquanet girlz (continue) VISUAL DESCRIPTORS Architectural elem- • tariq: grafti (12) • shannon: slice of concrete (22) ents, natural or industrial elements, • shannon: slouched back on a piece-of-junk furniture and décor, recliner he scavenged from a dumpster (39) lighting, color, and • shell: the cheap linoleum tiles are falling apart (46) texture • alex: i’m going to get some ice from the machine. tariq: it’s broken. alex: it’s always broken. (58) (continue)

Appendix H: Setting Template Example

199

ATMOSPHERE Sounds, nonvisual sensory descriptions, and emotional descriptions

• shannon and tariq: hear the yells, screams and poundings on the wall. (16) • valerie: no one ever celebrates anything around here. (18) • tariq: in my neighborhood i worry about— valerie: not stepping on some addict’s dirty needle (21) • shannon: smog that clouds our visions of a better world. (28) • tariq: the smell of— alex: -cigarette smoke and cat urine. (42) • shell: the cold foor is hard. (46) • alex: it must be a hundred degrees in the dark. (58) • tariq: . . . trafc and smog and smog and trafc. (72) (continue) POWER WITHIN A SPACE Does someone own • alex: pushing poor people to other places so that they can be pushed to another neighborhood and this space and if then pushed to another neighborhood . . . (41) so, who? Who has power in this space, • shell: i hope the manager reminds them that giving birth to saviors is not allowed. (54) and in what way? Who has little or no (continue) power in this space? PROXIMITY Who or what is near this setting, and what impact does their proximity have? Who or what is far, and what impact does their distance have?

• shannon: fast food hideaways/and strip clubs/ sandwiched in between (24) • tariq: check her out . . . the one waiting at the bus stop. (31) • alex: today another woman sells her body on the edge of our parking lot. (41) • the disneyland freworks show begins. the friends watch the lights and hear the sounds of the freworks. (77) (continue)

200

Appendix H: Setting Template Example

CHANGE Does this setting change over time and in what way?

• valerie: motels are meant to be temporary. (18) • valerie: it was the frst week i moved in here. (beat; fondly) that was almost a year ago. (29) • valerie: today disneyland bought out the last strawberry feld in our neighborhood. shell: corporate mouse ears growing like a cancer. (41) • valerie: they’re padlocking room 258. . .. shell: memories of a dead child steam cleaned away . . . (53–54) • valerie: the meth lab exploded. (54) (continue)

Scene Number

Beat Number

1

1

Setting

First Line

Title (Defning Line or Action)

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character: Write here

Appendix I

Structure Template

Student Name:

Play: Playwright:

ACT I

202

Appendix I: Structure Template

BEGINNING AND ENDING STASIS Description of Stasis (Beginning of play): Description of Stasis (End of play):

Key: X = Active character (x) = Passive character Bold Underline = Moment of intrusion Bold = Climax Bold Italics = Return to stasis

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

Character:

1

First Line

Character:

Beat Number

1

Setting

Title (Defning Line or Action)

Character: Write here

Scene Number

ACT II

Appendix J Structure Template Example Hype Man by Idris Goodwin Student Name: Play: Hype Man Playwright: Idris Goodwin

1 1

2 3

“ “

Character: Pinnacle

1

First Line We see PEEP ONE switch on her equipment. (9) VERB enters. (9) Check the mic PINNACLE Dap up and enters. (9) settle

Character: Verb

Beat Number

P

Setting Rehearsal space

Title (Defning Line or Action) Steadily building a beat

Character: Peep One

Scene Number

ACT I

X

(x) (x) (x)

204

Appendix J: Structure Template Example

1

4

“

VERB: Get Peep’s message? (9) PINNACLE: That’s all? (10) VERB: Doctor Noor Muhammad got ya boy evolving . . . (10) VERB: No more wylin’. (10)

1

5

“

1

6

“

1

7

“

1

25

“

Cell phones buzz. He was (18) unarmed

4

17

Tour/ Protest

PINNACLE: I said this before I say it again . . . (51)

(content skipped for example) VERB: I’m 5 19 “ sorry but . . . (58)

That’s ya homegirl

X

X

Pinnacle pokes Verb Emotional six-pack

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Verb promises Pinnacle

No justice, no peace

I can’t apologize to you.

BEGINNING AND ENDING STASIS Description of Stasis (Beginning of play): The energy is tense and anxious in the rehearsal space. The “janky ass” sound system won’t turn on, Peep One is running late, and Pinnacle is eager to start rehearsing for their upcoming performance on The Tonight Show (p. 9).

Appendix J: Structure Template Example

205

BEGINNING AND ENDING STASIS Description of Stasis (End of play): The rehearsal space has an electric energy in it as the trio begins to reimagine their music with a social justice lens. Their creative juices are fowing as they rif of one another. Their energy is so palpable that they even short out the PA system.

Key: X = Active character (x) = Passive character Bold Underline = Moment of intrusion Bold = Climax Bold Italics = Return to stasis

Appendix K Rubric Template Script Analysis Template Rubric Criteria

Points Possible 2 pts

Formatting Template is formatting according to provided examples. 2 pts Support Each area of the template, when relevant, includes specifc quotes from the text. The student has read quotes closely to look for subtle clues. Thoroughness 2 pts When possible, the student provides multiple quotes for a given area of the template. Quality 4 pts The examples used by the student are accurate depictions of the script’s content, demonstrating a clear understanding of analysis (i.e. understanding when a character is being dishonest or biased). Total Possible Points: 10

Appendix L Rubric Written Response or Creative Expression Written Response/Creative Expression Rubric Criteria

Points Possible 2 pts

Formatting Assignment is formatted appropriately. Written Responses are formatted according to the syllabus. Creative Expressions follow assignment parameters or assignment agreed upon with the instructor. Thesis 2 pts The work has a clearly defned central idea or thesis. One or two big ideas are articulated in writing or through creative expression. Support 2 pts The work provides adequate support for the thesis by utilizing examples from the dramatic text and outside research when applicable. Creative choices made support the thesis and connect clearly to the dramatic text.

208

Appendix L: Rubric

Written Response/Creative Expression Rubric Criteria

Points Possible 2 pts

Application of Script Analysis The author or artist applies vocabulary and concepts explored in class, course textbooks, and assigned templates to describe the play in written or creative expression. 2 pts Work Quality Writing is formal, has limited use of frst person, and is free of spelling and grammatical errors. The paper succinctly and logically fows from one idea to the next. Creative work demonstrates thought and efort while working within the artist’s abilities. Total Possible Points: 10

Appendix M Rubric Production Team Final Project Final Project Option 1: Production Team Rubric Criteria ORAL PRESENTATION (10 points total) Preparation and Professionalism Presentation is well-organized, polished, and well-timed. Visual Aids The oral presentation contains clear, easy-to-read, and visually engaging evidence of the script analysis process, depicted in slides, poster form, and/or with deliverables (i.e. dress form or three-dimensional model). Content The content covered in the presentation articulates the script analysis process: it focuses on each of the four theatrical elements; uses specifc quotes from the play; and articulates how the script analysis process informed the deliverables and the team’s collaborative process.

Points Possible 3 pts 3 pts

4 pts

210

Appendix M: Rubric

Final Project Option 1: Production Team Rubric Criteria DELIVERABLES (10 points total) Preparation and Professionalism The deliverables are well-prepared and presented, whether submitted digitally or in hard copy. If the performance option is used, scene is fully rehearsed and blocked. Actors are familiar with lines or fully of-book. Application of Script Analysis The choices made within the deliverables are grounded in the script analysis, as evidence within the materials themselves and further supported in the oral presentation. PRODUCTION (20 points total) World of the Play All aspects of the production team’s work, in oral presentation, deliverables, and performance (optional) serve to further defne the world of the play. All research materials gathered, and creative materials generated through design and/or performance, refect the dramatic text. Unifed Vision Items prepared by production team feel harmonious and unique to the production while maintaining the integrity of the dramatic text. Rather than working in isolation, or copying ideas from previous productions of the work, the team collaborated on the analysis of the play to create a production that is uniquely their own. Total Possible Points: 40

Points Possible 5 pts

5 pts

10 pts

10 pts

Appendix N Rubric Devised Response Final Project Final Project Option 2: Devised Response Rubric Criteria ORAL PRESENTATION (10 points total) Preparation and Professionalism Presentation is well-organized, polished, and well-timed. Visual Aids The oral presentation contains clear, easy-to-read, and visually engaging evidence of the script analysis process, depicted with digital slides and/or posters. Content The content covered in the presentation articulates the script analysis process: it focuses on each of the four theatrical elements; uses specifc quotes from the play; and articulates how the script analysis process informed the team’s devised response.

Points Possible 3 pts 3 pts

4 pts

212

Appendix N: Rubric

Final Project Option 2: Devised Response Rubric Criteria DEVISED RESPONSE (20 points total) Theatrical Components Team fuses together multiple visual, physical, and/or auditory components to create an original interdisciplinary performance. Unifed Vision Items prepared by group feel harmonious to one another and clearly inspired by the original dramatic text. Rather than working in isolation, it is clear the team collaborated in the fusion of the varying components into a cohesive devised performance piece. World of the Play All aspects of the devised performance piece serve to further explore the world of the play and are a direct refection of the dramatic text. WRITTEN DELIVERABLES (10 points total) Proposal (provided before fnal presentation) Team provided a one-paragraph description of their plans, which were approved by the instructor prior to their presentation. Summary of Roles Team provides a written summary of which member(s) contributed to each of the aspects of the devised response. Justifcation Written summary articulates the themes or big ideas of the dramatic text explored within the devised response. Written justifcation clearly links the devised response to the dramatic text, using specifc quotes from the text. Total Possible Points: 40

Points Possible 5 pts

5 pts

10 pts

3 pts

2 pts

5 pts

Appendix O Sample Outline for Devised Response Final Project The Devised Response Final Project will look diferently depending on the skills and interests of group members. The following proposal and outline, based on the 2001 play Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage, is ofered to provide an example of what this might look like.

Proposal Our group plans to use music, dance, poetry, and projected images to explore Esther’s various relationships. In doing so we will explore how these relationships are infuenced by societal norms related to race, gender, and class. Our group will use live piano music to contrast Mrs. Van Buren and Mayme’s parlors. As Esther dances back and forth between the two settings and characters, she will freeze in between them, during which time we will hear an original poem inspired by the themes of the play. Throughout the performance, recorded lines from the play, and historical images from the time period, will more deeply connect the character’s experiences to the given circumstances of the play. Outline of Devised Response 1. Voiceover of line from play related to race, gender, and class. 2. Ragtime music begins on piano. Esther dances stage left (as though visiting Mayme) as images of lower-class Black women in the early 1900s are projected.

214

Appendix O: Sample Outline for Devised Response Final Project

3. Classical music begins on piano. Esther dances stage right (as though visiting Mrs. Van Buren) as images of upper-class white women in the early 1900s are projected. 4. Music begins rapidly shifting back and forth between the ragtime and classical songs as Esther spins back and forth between the two areas of the stage. Projected images rapidly shift. 5. Everything freezes. Original poem, performed live. 6. Final dance moment and music. Voiceover of line from play. Group Tasks • • • •

Student 1: Collects images and edits into PowerPoint slide. Student 2: Identifes excerpts of songs used and performs piano. Student 3: Choreographs and performs Esther’s dance. Student 4: Identifes lines from play. Writes and performs poem.

Glossary

action: one event that causes another event to happen action, or tactic: a playable verb in pursuit of an objective anachronisms: elements that belong to a diferent time period than that within which they exist appearance: traits of a character regarding characteristics such as height, weight, hair color, and general attractiveness Aristotelean elements of drama: in Aristotle’s Poetics, the ranking of elements from greatest to least importance—plot, character, thought, diction, song, and spectacle atmosphere: sounds, other nonvisual imagery, and emotional descriptions of a setting backstory: the history of a character beat title: the quote or action assigned to distinguish a particular beat beat: a small, playable moment of action, noted in the script by a forward slash beliefs and values: a character’s views regarding political, religious, moral, and social issues change: in setting, how a space physical or visually changes over the course of a play character: those who inhabit a story character arc: a character’s transformation over the course of a play climax: the highest point of the action collective creation: or devising, the process in which a team of artists work together to make a play, sometimes without an assigned playwright or director

216

Glossary

community: given circumstances including any groups of people existing within the world of the play, including those the audience does not meet demeanor: the attitude and behavior with which a character generally engages with self, others, and the world denouement: the resolution, during which any remaining “knots” within the plot are “untied” devising, or collective creation: the process in which a team of artists work together to make a play, sometimes without an assigned playwright or director diction: in Aristotle’s Poetics, the expression of ideas through language and word choice dramatic arc: the rise and fall of a story dramaturg: a theatrical artist who supports play development and production process through research dramaturgy: the act of engaging in research to support the development or understanding of a dramatic text education and knowledge: a character’s formal education and knowledge and skills developed outside of the classroom environmental factors: those given circumstances which situate a play in a time, place, and society episodic structure: a series of individual scenes, or stories, linked together by common characters, setting, or themes, in which each episode may have its own dramatic arc exposition: a literary device in which background information necessary to an audience’s understanding of a story is revealed, usually near the beginning of a play external obstacles: those created by other people or forces falling action: the decline in action due to a confict resolving family: a character’s relationship status, her parental status, family of origin, and extended family formalist play analysis: the process of breaking apart, organizing, and identifying patterns and relationships within a script French scene breakdown: organizing a play by beginning a new scene every time a character enters or exits a script, as was the practice with neoclassical French playwrights future action: in the frst present-day scene in a script, any anticipated events that the characters believe will happen given circumstances: societal, environmental, and situational elements that make up a play’s surroundings

Glossary

217

government: given circumstances including governmental structure, political leaders, political movements, and laws or regulations identity markers: when relevant and specifed, the traits of a character including race, citizenship and/or ethnicity, gender, afectionate orientation, age, physical ability, mental ability, and socioeconomic status inciting incident  or moment of intrusion: the moment that propels the protagonist into action internal obstacle: something preventing a character from pursuing his objective that exists within the character logic of time movement: whether or not scenes are ordered chronologically, out of sequence, in reverse, or move back and forth between time periods moment of intrusion  or inciting incident: the moment that propels the protagonist into action objective: what a character wants in a scene, usually as a way of progressing toward a super-objective obstacles: the things standing in the way of a character’s super-objective parallel plot structure: the weaving together of two or more dramatic plots, often linked by a common theme or character past action: any relevant plot points that occurred before the play begins physicality: a character’s physical and vocal traits not related to ability place: given circumstances including the geographical location and physical setting of a play plot: the sequence of events in a play Poetics: the earliest surviving written dramatic theory, written by Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle during fourth century bce polar attitudes: characters’ difering viewpoints about social or cultural norms, often stimulating dramatic confict, such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and behavioral norms such as clothing and food power: in setting, power related to space through ownership or status of a person(s) protagonist: the character who exhibits the most change over the course of a play proximity: how near, or far, other places or people are to a setting Rashomon efect: named after the 1915 short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and subsequent 1950 flm, a literary device in which a single event is told from multiple biased perspectives read-through or table work: the practice of gathering artists at the beginning of the rehearsal process to read and discuss a play relationship: the roles, power dynamic, and backstory between two characters

218

Glossary

religion: given circumstances including religion both within the immediate community and the dominant religion beliefs of the larger community, and how those beliefs might infuence culture or behavior resolution  or  return to stasis: the new stasis achieved after a confict resolves return to stasis or resolution, the new stasis achieved after a confict resolves rising action: increasing dramatic tension due to mounting obstacles or heightened stakes script analysis: the close reading and interpretation of a dramatic text, often for the sake of fully realizing the script in a theatrical production setting: the location, or locations, in which the play takes place song: in Aristotle’s Poetics, the use of the Greek chorus, a group of unnamed citizens who spoke, sang, and moved in unison to ofer commentary on the play. In modern context, this element includes any sung music, live orchestration, or recorded music spectacle: in Aristotle’s Poetics, any embellishments to the text itself, such as costumes and scenery; contemporary spectacle might include fght choreography, a stage kiss, explosives, or a fying character spheres of the worlds of a play: the world of the play, the world of the playwright and original audience, and the world of the contemporary artists and audience (which may overlap) stakes: what might be lost if a character does not obtain her super-objective stasis: the status quo, or current state, of the world of the play before it is driven into action structure: patterns in how a play is broken into acts, scenes, and beats; and how it follows or deviates from a traditional dramatic arc subtext: the meaning beneath a character’s spoken words super-objective: what a character wants in the entirety of a play table work or read-through: the practice of gathering artists at the beginning of the rehearsal process to read and discuss a play tactics or action: a playable verb in pursuit of an objective theme: a big idea or overarching message of a play time: the given circumstances including the time during which a play takes place, passage and movement of time unseen relationships: relationships that are referenced but are not seen by the audience unseen spaces: spaces that are referenced but are not seen by the audience visual descriptors: the architecture and layout of indoor spaces, natural elements of outdoor spaces, furniture, décor, lighting, color, and texture of a space

Glossary

219

willing suspension of disbelief: the ability of an audience to forego logic for the sake of enjoying the experience work: a character’s employment status, including those engaged in unpaid labor world of the play: the environment, rules, and norms within which a play is situated

Index

action: as linked events 17; related to objective 4, 68, 88 Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus [Calderone and Lloyd-Williams] 88 active learning 5–6 All My Sons [Miller] 170 Almost, Maine [Cariani] 144 Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches [Kushner] 170 Annie [Meehan] 23–4 Antigone [Sophocles] 170 Aristotelean elements of drama 15–16, 21 Aristotle 15–16, 21, 126, 172; see also Poetics; see also Aristotelean elements of drama backstory 4, 67, 86, 142, 145, Ball, D. 7, 16–17, 128, 145 beat 125, 128–9, 133, 157–8; see also beat title; characters within 139; entrances or exits 133–4, 158; formatting 135–6, 158; number of 136; shift in tactic 135, 158; shift in topic 134–5, 158; silent 154, 158 beat title 137–8, 157–8; by action 138–9; by quote 138

bias 47, 65, 72, 93, 100, 108; perception from others 73, 93; self-perception 73, 93 Billy Elliott: The Musical [Hall] 79 Boutte, G. 8–9 Casas, J. 11, 106–108, 110, 116, 119, 123, 198 character 14, 16, 64–5, 68; appearance 72–3; beliefs and values 83–4, 88, 95; see also bias; character arc 96; demeanor 75, 76–8; education and knowledge 78–9; family 81–3; see also identity markers; see also Mary Jane; physicality 74–5; see also protagonist; relationships 85–7; see also super-objective; work 80 China Doll (The Imagined Life of an American Actress) [Wong] 98, 170 Clybourne Park [Norris] 115, 171 collective creation see devised theatre confict 46–7, 117, 137, 146–7, 148, 154 creative expression assignments 12–13; for character 97–8; for

Index

given circumstances 60–1; for setting 122–3; for structure 156–7 culturally responsive pedagogy 8–9 culture tree 66 Cyrano de Bergerac [Rostand] 73 Death of a Salesman [Miller] 94, 171 denouement 142–3, 149–50 design 55, 57, 162–3; costumes 74; lighting 111–12; projection 112; props 74; scenic 111–12, 115; sound 111–12; devised theatre 7, 20, 165–7 director 1, 8, 141–2, 154, 162–3; casting 69–70 dramaturg 32–3, 49–50, 162–3 dramaturgy see dramaturg dramatic arc 128, 142–4, 146, 149; climax 142–3, 146–7, 158; exposition 28, 142–3, 145; falling action 142–4, 148; inciting incident 142, 145; resolution 35, 142, 148; rising action 142–3, 145–6; variations to 144 Efects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-theMoon Marigolds, The [Zindel] 95 environmental factors 32; community 40–2; government 43–5; logic of time movement 35–6; place 37–9; religion 45–6; time 32–6; unseen spaces 38–9 Eurydice [Ruhl] 95–6, 107 feminist pedagogy 7–9 formalist script analysis 15, 21, 71 French scene breakdown 126, 158 Freytag, G. 142 Freytag’s Pyramid 142–4 Fun Home [Bechdel] 103, 122 Fun Home [Kron] 122 given circumstances 14, 23–27; changing 56; conficting 57; see also environmental factors; see also exposition; fantastical 56–7; past and future action 27–30; polar

221

attitudes 47–9; see also A Raisin in the Sun God of Carnage [Reza] 94 Goodwin, I. 11, 128, 157 Hagen, U. 27, 119 Hamilton [Miranda] 56, 57 Hammond, Z. 8, 65–7 Hansberry, L. 11, 43, 51, 62 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child [Thorne] 56–7 Herzog, A. 11, 68, 75, 99 Hodge, F. 17 Hughes, L. 51 Hype Man [Goodwin] 128–9; beats within 134–6, 138–41, 154; characters in 131–2; dramatic arc of 145–51; example template 203–4; performative connection 152–3; scene breakdown of 129; setting of 130 identity markers 69–72, 99; afectionate orientation 70–1; age 70, 72; citizenship and/or ethnicity 70–1; gender 70–1; mental ability 70, 72; physical ability 70, 72; race 70–1; socioeconomic status 71–2 In the Heights [Miranda and Hudes] 59 Intimate Apparel [Nottage] 61, 170, 213–14 Into the Woods [Lapine] 155 Jenkins, T. 8–9 Knopf, R. 128, 35 Laramie Project, The [Kaufman] 171 Laymon, K. 11 Legally Blonde the Musical [Hach] 96–7, 73 Mary Jane [Herzog] 11, 68–9, 93; appearance 72–3; beliefs and values 83–4; demeanor 76–7;

222

Index

education and knowledge 78–9; example template 189–95; family 81–3; identity markers 69–72; performative connection 92; physicality 74–5; relationships 85–7; super-objective 87–9; work 80 McLain, M. 17 Mee, C. 70 Midsummer Night’s Dream, A [Shakespeare] 120, 144, 171 moment of intrusion 134, 145–6, 149, 158 Mr. Burns, a Post-electric Play [Washburn] 57 obstacle 87–9, 99; external 87–91; internal 87–9 Oklahoma! [Hammerstein] 58, 150 Our Country’s Good [Wertenbaker] 112–13 performative connections 11–12, 52; for character 90–3; for given circumstances 52–5; for setting 117–9; for structure 151–4 personal connections 2–4, 11; for character 65–7, 83; for given circumstances 25–6; for setting 103–5; for structure 127–8 Pipe Dream [Oliva] 169 play connections 11–12; for character 77–8, 84–5; for given circumstances 31, 36–7, 43; for setting 109–10; for structure 132–3, 136–7 Poetics [Aristotle] 15–16, 21, 126, 172 Poof [Nottage] 169 professional connections 11–14; for character 74; for given circumstances 49–50; for setting 111–12; for structure 141–2 protagonist 69, 95, 131, 145–6, 158 Rabbit Hole [Lindsay-Abaire] 106, 171 Raisin in the Sun, A [Hansberry] 11, 27, 58, 62, 96, 115; changing

circumstances 56; community 40–2; example template 178–84; government 43–5; past and future action in 28–30; performative connection 54–5; place 37–9; religion 45–6; time period 33–6; polar attitudes 47–9; theme 52; title analysis 51–2 Rashomon [Kanin and Kanin] 144 read-through, see table work Romeo and Juliet [Shakespeare] 24, 28 Royale, The [Ramirez] 148, 150, 172 Rumors [Simon] 120 setting 14, 102–6; atmosphere 110–11; change within 115–16; mood 119–20; power within 112–3; proximity 114–15; see also somebody’s children; in stage directions 121; visual descriptors 107–8 Shakespeare, W. 24, 120, 126, 144, 150, 171 She Kills Monsters [Nguyen] 170 somebody’s children [Casas] 11, 106–7, 123; atmosphere 110–11; change 115–16; example template 198–200; mood 120; performative connection 117–19; power within a space 112–13; proximity 114–15; visual descriptors 107–8 stage directions 29, 121, 124, 138, 154 stakes 88–9, 97, 142, 146 Stanislavski, K. 7, 24, 128 stasis 145; beginning and ending 149–51; see also moment of intrusion; return to 148–9 Streetcar Named Desire, A [Williams] 68, 134 structure 14, 125–8; of acts and scenes 129–30; see also beats; of characters 131–2; see also dramatic arc; episodic 144; see also Hype Man; parallel plots 144; Rashomon efect 144; in setting 130–1; see also stasis

Index

subtext 77–8, 141 super-objective 87–9; see also obstacle; see also tactic; see also action; see also stakes table work 13 tactic 88–9, 94, 97, 99, 158; shifts in 135; as beat title 138–9; script notations of 155 Tartufe [Molière] 131 Tempest, The [Shakespeare 150 template assignments 12; changes to 48, 69; instructions 30; length of 31; and outside research 32–3; for character 185–8; for given circumstances 175–7; for setting 196–7; for structure 201–2 Thanksgiving Play, The [FastHorse] 172 theme 50–2 Thomas, J. 7, 15 title 50–52

223

Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, The [Marlowe] 172 Trifes [Glaspell] 169 True West [Shepard] 117 Viewpoints [Bogart and Landau] 7 Welcome to the Moon [Shanley] 169 Wilde, O. 64 willing suspension of disbelief 120 Wit [Edson] 171 Wizard of Oz, The [Fleming] 149–50 working backwards 16–17 world of the play 26, 43, 57, 141, 149; spheres of 58 written response assignments 12; for character 97; for given circumstances 60; for setting 122; for structure 156 Wynter-Hoyte, K. 8–9 Yemaya’s Belly [Hudes] 157, 172