Playwright Discovery Award Teacher's Guide - The John F. Kennedy ...
Playwright Discovery Award Teacher's Guide - The John F. Kennedy ...
Playwright Discovery Award Teacher's Guide - The John F. Kennedy ...
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PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 5 : Putting Words and<br />
Actions Together<br />
PART 1 What’s Happening?<br />
Take the first scene with the stage directions created in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4. Now, imagine what<br />
might have happened in the story both BEFORE and AFTER each set of stage directions. In our example,<br />
the Director leaves the office, and Michael searches the office for his beloved teddy bear. BEFORE that<br />
moment in the story, the Director might have confiscated Michael’s stuffed animal. AFTER that moment<br />
in the story or stage direction, the Director returns from his conversation in the hallway.<br />
PART 2 Write the Dialogue That Occurs BEFORE and AFTER the Original<br />
Stage Direction<br />
This time, instead of using the original stage direction, use one you created in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE<br />
4. Write a short exchange between Michael and the Director of the orphanage: one exchange BEFORE<br />
the stage direction, and another AFTER. Write up to six lines of dialogue for each section. Remember, a<br />
line of dialogue is defined by the number of times a character speaks, not the number of sentences or<br />
phrases delivered.<br />
In our example, the following dialogue precedes the original stage direction:<br />
Why can’t I have it back?<br />
MICHAEL<br />
DIRECTOR<br />
No, no—this is much better. Trust me, this will be better. You trust me, don’t you, Michael?<br />
I guess.<br />
MICHAEL<br />
>>><br />
ACT II: PLAYWRITING 35