play response

In this play response, you will examine and reflect on the play and performance.

Respond to the ALL of the following:

QUESTION 1: What is the THEME(s) of the play? How does the theme(s)/meaning relate to and express current culture and values of society? 

ACT III: CUES & CONCEPTS

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QUESTION 2: Select a main CHARACTER from the play and discuss the following: 

ACT III: TERMS “On Book” The Play

· What type of dramatic character is this character?

· What is the importance/function of the character you have selected? How is this character important to the outcome of the play?

· How would you describe this character’s personality? How do the other characters interact and respond to this character? 

· How and why do you identify with this character? 

QUESTION 3: Were the performers believable, given the requirements of the play? 

ACT V: CUES & CONCEPTS

· If so, how did they seem to accomplish this?  If not, what occurred to impair or destroy believe-ability?  (As you discuss this, be sure to separate the performer from the characters. For example, you can dislike a character but admire the performance.)

· Did the technical abilities of the performers support their work?  [i.e. vocal traits like loudness and articulation; physical traits like appropriate movement and natural gesturing:  believe-ability of specific actions (as opposed to general) and relationship to other characters] How so or how not?

QUESTION 4:  Describe the DRAMATIC STRUCTURE of this play using the recorded performance of this play. 
ACT III: CUES & CONCEPTS

· What is the GENRE of this play? Explain using specific information from the play. 

ACT III: READING 2. “Genre” pp. 153-168

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· Describe the RISING ACTION. Identify the scene(s) of the rising action. (Screenshot required from this scene.)

· Describe the EXPOSITION. How does takes place – scenes, dialogue, narration, etc. Which characters are involved. (Screenshot required from this scene.)

· Describe the CLIMAX. What happens? Which characters are present.  Why is this the climax? What elements are present that brings on this culminating high point? (Screenshot required from this scene.)

·

HOW TO: SCREENSHOT

Format & Instructions:

In this essay, you will fully illustrate the definition of terms used by applying the term and identifying examples from the performance within the context of your essay. UNDERLINE all terms used. You must use MORE THAN 5 TERMS from 

ACT III: TERMS
 

and 

ACT V: TERMS

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1. Write AT LEAST 300-WORDS for each question, minimum to achieve a “C” grade. Length of essay responses must go well beyond the 300-word minimum to get more credit. 

2. Provide specific examples of moments from the play to support your thoughts. 

3. Answer sub-questions. Use these to frame your complete response.  

4. Your analysis MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS. All student work (written or produced) WILL BE CHECKED FOR PLAGIARISM. ALL WORK must be your own work. Written work containing wording (sentences or phrases) from another source without citations will be identified as an act of plagiarism and will be subject to faculty referral and disciplinary sanction as explained in 

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

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5. Quotes from the play and/or class material sources will not be counted in the overall word count of your Response.

6. Cover pages, headers, page numbers and References or Works Cited will not be counted in the overall word count of your Response.

7. DO NOT USE OUTSIDE SOURCES. Use only class material sources. 

8. If you have citations, you must include a reference page “Works Cited”.

9. For citing and referencing class sources, see 

WRITING GUIDE

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10. Use this format: 12 pt. font Times New Roman or Calibri, Double-spaced, 1″ margins

11. Additional points will be deducted for misspellings, lack of punctuation, using improper case use and texting acronyms, and lack of clarity in your response.

12. Upload your play response as a DOC, PDF or RTF formatted document.

“THE PLAY”

“CUES & CONCEPTS” : information & highlights that may not be covered the other assigned materials. 

Dramatic Structure

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) the ancient Greek philosopher outlined the elements of drama for centuries to come in his work “The Poetics”. According to Aristotle, all drama must embody the following six principles:

·

PLOT is the arrangement/sequence of events or incidents in the play. It is NOT A SUMMARY OF THE STORY. The plot  is composed of “clearly defined problems for characters to solve.” (Kernodle). The plot consists of  all of the elements that make up the dramatic structure of the story. The plot is the characters, key conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and the resolution. A “story” is a chronological detailing of events that happened on and off stage. A plot may begin long after the beginning of the story and may refer to information regarding the past in flashbacks or exposition.

·

· The famous author, E.M. Forster, the author of A Room With A View defined plot as “a narrative of events, with the emphasis on causality… The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot.”

· A STORY is the timeline – a chronological outline of what happened. Example: “The king died and then the queen died.”

· A plot is a pattern or sequence of events that are connected by structure and causation. Example: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.”

· EXAMPLE Plot: 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
 by J.K. Rowling

“Harry and his two closest friends are on a quest to secure the Sorcerer’s Stone. As for the conflict, Professor Snape is also after the Stone. In a climactic moment, Harry and his friends defeat an evil troll released by Professor Snape. The resolution is achieved when Harry secures the Stone.”

Adapted from: 

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/plot-of-a-story-examples.html

· Characters are the roles played by actors who move the action of the play through the dramatic structure.

· Thought (THEME) is the overall meaning, thought or thesis imparted to the audience through the action, plot and all elements presented onstage.Central thought of a play; the idea or ideas with which the play deals and which it expound.

· Language is the diction, dialogue of the characters as produced by the actors. The pattern, style of the words spoken and dialect.

· Music is the sound and music produced as part of the play; what the audience hears in the production of the play. 

· Spectacle is the visual presentation of the play that reinforces the action and plot of the play before the audience. 

Dramatic The Structure of a Play

The structure of a play consists of elements that fit together as an illustration of the action as it progresses. Understanding the structure of the play enables you to fully digest the meaning and appreciate the story and all it’s elements. Using Gustav Freytag’s (Technik des Drama, 1863), a basic structure can be defined for all types of fully developed plays.

· Exposition is the backstory – Imparting of information about events or knowledge from the past, or occurring outside the play.

· Rising Action is the time in the play after the main action of the play begins and leads to the climax. During the rising action a complication may arise and/or a character may encounter an obstacle.

· Complication is the introduction of a new force in the play that creates a new balance of power and delays the climax.

· Obstacle is that which delays or prevents the achieving of a goal by a character creates complication and conflict.

· Climax is the high point in the development of a dramatic plot in which all the forces reach their highest pitch and the fate of all the characters is determined

· Falling Action is the time after the climax and before the resolution of the play. It is when the story is coming to the end and unknown information is revealed. 

· Denouement is the resolution or final outcome of the play. 

adapted from: Wilson E., The Theatre Experience and Hoffman, Bellevue College 

Other Terms

Angels in America, uark.com

The “play” covers the structure and characters are the foundation or infrastructure of drama beginning with the script(text) of the play. Aspects covered include the subject/focus, point of view, central thought (theme), and genre. Whether tragedy, comedy, or tragi-comedy, plays are constructed to exhibit apparent characteristics and techniques to the audience. Other terms, you must know: 

· Point of view – The perspective from which the play’s story is told to the audience. This tells the viewer how to interpret the visual world of the play, and the dialogue and actions of the characters onstage; a key to understanding the experience.It is through these “eyes” we see this story. The different types of point of view are: First Person (story revealed through one character’s perspective; firsthand); Third Person (a limited point of view of the story; story is told through a character on the peripheral of the action; an observer); Omniscient (objective telling of the story; “a fly on the wall”; no bias or favoritism toward the characters).   

“Point of View” is a term that is often misunderstood and misused in literary and dramatic analyses. Point of view is a perspective that the audience can see or understand the interpretation of the play. It is NOT PERSONAL YOUR point of view. There are many points of view to be considered when describing a performance. Consider this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “There’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

It is the perspective of the playwright and how the play is written. 

When read, a line from the play may provoke the reader to be sad and distraught.

It is the perspective from which the play is performed. 

When performed, the same line from the play may provoke laughter and smiles.

The play is produced by the theatre artists with a particular meaning and viewpoint to be communicated to the audience. This is the production “point of view”. When writing about “point of view” in your discussions and play responses, you must describe both perspectives, the playwright and the performance. What was the playwright’s perspective/point of view? What was the producing company’s perspective/point of view of the play in the performance?

· Subtext –  Meaning and movement of a play below its surface; that which is implied but never stated.

· Slapstick –  Type of comedy or comic business which relies on ridiculous often violent physical activity for its humor.

· Stock Characters –  Stereotypical characters, usually not fully developed as unique individuals.

· Satire – Subclass of comedy; uses techniques of comedy such as wit, irony, and exaggeration to expose and attack folly and vice.

· Domestic Comedy –  bourgeois comedy; dealing with family situations as in TV sitcoms.

· Comedy of Manners – Form of comic drama that emphasizes a cultivated or sophisticated atmosphere, witty dialogue, and characters whose concern with social polish is charming, ridiculous, or both.

· Domestic Drama – Plays that often deal with problems of the family or the home rather than great affairs of state.

· Modern Tragedy – Tragedies of modern period (beginning of 19th century); written in prose; written about the human condition; about men and women of the day.

· Subplot –  parallel plot; a secondary plot that reinforces or runs parallel to the major plot.

· Script –  Written or printed text of a play or some other theatrical representation; consists of dialogue, stage directions, descriptions of characters, and the like.

“THE PLAY”

“CUES & CONCEPTS” : information & highlights that may not be covered the other assigned materials. 

Dramatic Structure

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) the ancient Greek philosopher outlined the elements of drama for centuries to come in his work “The Poetics”. According to Aristotle, all drama must embody the following six principles:

·

PLOT is the arrangement/sequence of events or incidents in the play. It is NOT A SUMMARY OF THE STORY. The plot  is composed of “clearly defined problems for characters to solve.” (Kernodle). The plot consists of  all of the elements that make up the dramatic structure of the story. The plot is the characters, key conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and the resolution. A “story” is a chronological detailing of events that happened on and off stage. A plot may begin long after the beginning of the story and may refer to information regarding the past in flashbacks or exposition.

·

· The famous author, E.M. Forster, the author of A Room With A View defined plot as “a narrative of events, with the emphasis on causality… The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot.”

· A STORY is the timeline – a chronological outline of what happened. Example: “The king died and then the queen died.”

· A plot is a pattern or sequence of events that are connected by structure and causation. Example: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.”

· EXAMPLE Plot: 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
 by J.K. Rowling

“Harry and his two closest friends are on a quest to secure the Sorcerer’s Stone. As for the conflict, Professor Snape is also after the Stone. In a climactic moment, Harry and his friends defeat an evil troll released by Professor Snape. The resolution is achieved when Harry secures the Stone.”

Adapted from: 

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/plot-of-a-story-examples.html

· Characters are the roles played by actors who move the action of the play through the dramatic structure.

· Thought (THEME) is the overall meaning, thought or thesis imparted to the audience through the action, plot and all elements presented onstage.Central thought of a play; the idea or ideas with which the play deals and which it expound.

· Language is the diction, dialogue of the characters as produced by the actors. The pattern, style of the words spoken and dialect.

· Music is the sound and music produced as part of the play; what the audience hears in the production of the play. 

· Spectacle is the visual presentation of the play that reinforces the action and plot of the play before the audience. 

Dramatic The Structure of a Play

The structure of a play consists of elements that fit together as an illustration of the action as it progresses. Understanding the structure of the play enables you to fully digest the meaning and appreciate the story and all it’s elements. Using Gustav Freytag’s (Technik des Drama, 1863), a basic structure can be defined for all types of fully developed plays.

· Exposition is the backstory – Imparting of information about events or knowledge from the past, or occurring outside the play.

· Rising Action is the time in the play after the main action of the play begins and leads to the climax. During the rising action a complication may arise and/or a character may encounter an obstacle.

· Complication is the introduction of a new force in the play that creates a new balance of power and delays the climax.

· Obstacle is that which delays or prevents the achieving of a goal by a character creates complication and conflict.

· Climax is the high point in the development of a dramatic plot in which all the forces reach their highest pitch and the fate of all the characters is determined

· Falling Action is the time after the climax and before the resolution of the play. It is when the story is coming to the end and unknown information is revealed. 

· Denouement is the resolution or final outcome of the play. 

adapted from: Wilson E., The Theatre Experience and Hoffman, Bellevue College 

Other Terms

Angels in America, uark.com

The “play” covers the structure and characters are the foundation or infrastructure of drama beginning with the script(text) of the play. Aspects covered include the subject/focus, point of view, central thought (theme), and genre. Whether tragedy, comedy, or tragi-comedy, plays are constructed to exhibit apparent characteristics and techniques to the audience. Other terms, you must know: 

· Point of view – The perspective from which the play’s story is told to the audience. This tells the viewer how to interpret the visual world of the play, and the dialogue and actions of the characters onstage; a key to understanding the experience.It is through these “eyes” we see this story. The different types of point of view are: First Person (story revealed through one character’s perspective; firsthand); Third Person (a limited point of view of the story; story is told through a character on the peripheral of the action; an observer); Omniscient (objective telling of the story; “a fly on the wall”; no bias or favoritism toward the characters).   

“Point of View” is a term that is often misunderstood and misused in literary and dramatic analyses. Point of view is a perspective that the audience can see or understand the interpretation of the play. It is NOT PERSONAL YOUR point of view. There are many points of view to be considered when describing a performance. Consider this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “There’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

It is the perspective of the playwright and how the play is written. 

When read, a line from the play may provoke the reader to be sad and distraught.

It is the perspective from which the play is performed. 

When performed, the same line from the play may provoke laughter and smiles.

The play is produced by the theatre artists with a particular meaning and viewpoint to be communicated to the audience. This is the production “point of view”. When writing about “point of view” in your discussions and play responses, you must describe both perspectives, the playwright and the performance. What was the playwright’s perspective/point of view? What was the producing company’s perspective/point of view of the play in the performance?

· Subtext –  Meaning and movement of a play below its surface; that which is implied but never stated.

· Slapstick –  Type of comedy or comic business which relies on ridiculous often violent physical activity for its humor.

· Stock Characters –  Stereotypical characters, usually not fully developed as unique individuals.

· Satire – Subclass of comedy; uses techniques of comedy such as wit, irony, and exaggeration to expose and attack folly and vice.

· Domestic Comedy –  bourgeois comedy; dealing with family situations as in TV sitcoms.

· Comedy of Manners – Form of comic drama that emphasizes a cultivated or sophisticated atmosphere, witty dialogue, and characters whose concern with social polish is charming, ridiculous, or both.

· Domestic Drama – Plays that often deal with problems of the family or the home rather than great affairs of state.

· Modern Tragedy – Tragedies of modern period (beginning of 19th century); written in prose; written about the human condition; about men and women of the day.

· Subplot –  parallel plot; a secondary plot that reinforces or runs parallel to the major plot.

· Script –  Written or printed text of a play or some other theatrical representation; consists of dialogue, stage directions, descriptions of characters, and the like.

THE “PERFORMERS”

ACTING

The essence of acting is the “communication of character”.  What makes a character real is not just what the character says, but how the character says it. The communication of the nonverbal and the complexity of human emotions makes a character three-dimensional.  A two-dimensional character is often referred to as a “stock character”. A stock character is a character who has only face value, a stereotype, with no depth. Many of the sitcom characters that we watch on TV are stock characters. They have no real depth of character and are not complex in their lives or feelings. This allows us to easily watch and enjoy these characters without taking the show seriously. We do not become attached to the characters as we do when view a serious drama. These two characters are anything but two-dimensional.

Mirror, 2016

The “physicalization” of character is apparent through posture, center of gravity/emphasis and outward appearance.  It is important to understand that you may not consciously dissect the acting to this degree while you watch a play or film. However, you do take in all this information on a subconscious level.  What you are doing now is bringing out to the conscious level so you can study and become more aware of what makes this character three- dimensional.

Actors use their bodies and voice in the stage space to communicate the emotions and personality of the characters. This is a complex combination of skills, mind, body, discipline, and control. Basic forms of non-verbal communication are essential skills for the actor. Consider the following simple examples of nonverbal communication:

· Standing with equally distributing weight on both feet shows more confidence.

· Holding your posture in a straight, shoulders back and head up shows confidence.

· Taking up more space with one’s body and gestures shows confidence.

· Leaning forward shows an air of dominance and engagement.

· Eyes wide open can indicate fear and nervousness as opposed to eyes focused on a point and unyielding.

· Hands on hips with weight equally distributed on both feet shows power.

See 

8 Forms of Nonverbal Communication Actors Must Master

Blocking

This is the planned and developed space relationships and movement developed by the director and the actors called “blocking”. This is usually a collaborative process derived from creativity and logistical aspects in rehearsal. The use of the stage stage demonstrates the meaning of the scene. How character moves or is positioned on the stage can give a overall visual picture and clues to who the character is in the plot.

· If a character is positioned on a platform standing above the other characters, the character has authority over the other characters.

· When characters are positioned closer together, it displays greater intensity about their relationship.

· The physical distance between characters is indicative of the intimacy of their relationship.

· Characters use of space is indicative of the character’s personality and confidence. 

Moving to or from different quadrants of the stage can illustrate power or weakness within the action of the play.

· Movement toward the audience expresses power.

· Movement away from the audience expresses weakness.

· Moving towards the center of the stage expresses more power.

Additional Terms

The following are terms you need to make note of:

Promptbook –  Script of a play indicating performers’ movements, light cues, sound cues, etc.

broadwayeducators.com

Stage Manager – theatre position primarily responsible for organizing all aspects of rehearsals, actors, performances and crews including assisting the director, calling cues and giving notes during run of the play. 

Biomechanics –  A program of physical exercises and full control of body used by actors to gain discipline and awareness.

https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00021870/00001

this is the link for the act 3 reading