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