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 ...
PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 5 continued DIRECTOR Look at you—you look more like a young man already. Young men don’t need stuffed toys, now do they? Shall we begin again, young man? Good. Morning. Good morning. Director. MICHAEL DIRECTOR Good morning, to you, Michael. Please—there’s no need to be afraid. I know an orphanage can be a scary place, but everyone here cares about you and only wants the best for you. Would you like a glass of water? Marjorie! A glass of water for the boy! Marjorie… 4 The moment the Director pulls the door closed behind him, Michael leaps to his feet as quietly as possible and listens at the door. Satisfied, he first searches the desk drawers, then listens at the door again before opening the closet door. Now, think about what the dialogue might be when the Director re-enters the office. Take the characters created in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 2 and imagine at least two with a disability. PART 3 Combine Action and Dialogue Review the scene and add additional stage directions to help frame the new dialogue. Feel free to add a few additional lines or characters. For example: 4 The Director, already seated behind his imposing desk, gestures for Michael to sit in a chair in front of it. Why can’t I have it back? MICHAEL DIRECTOR No, no—this is much better. Trust me, this will be better. You trust me, don’t you, Michael? I guess. MICHAEL 4 Michael sits. >> 36 ACT II: PLAYWRITING
PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 5 continued DIRECTOR Look at you—you look more like a young man already. Young men don’t need stuffed toys, now do they? Shall we begin again, young man? Good. Morning. Good morning. Director. MICHAEL DIRECTOR Good morning, to you, Michael. Please—there’s no need to be afraid. I know an orphanage can be a scary place, but everyone here cares about you and only wants the best for you. Would you like a glass of water? Marjorie! A glass of water for the boy! Marjorie… 4 When there’s no response, the Director gets up and exits abruptly. The moment the Director pulls the door closed behind him, Michael leaps to his feet as quietly as possible and listens at the door. Satisfied, he first searches the desk drawers, then listens at the door again before opening the closet door. Now, add in the dialogue written to come AFTER the stage direction to create a strong scene that flows and combines action and dialogue well. PART 4 Consider Disability As in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4, it’s important to consider disability. This time, instead of using the original stage direction, choose one you created in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4. Or, come up with a new stage direction that includes disability. Consider also that the dialogue itself might change because of disability. Consider how the situation might change if either Michael or the Director had a disability that affected his speech or thought process. For example, what if Michael communicated using sign language and the Director didn’t? What possibilities and creative solutions affect how they communicate? What if Michael has autism? What if Michael has ADHD? Tourette’s Syndrome? Remember, whether developing action or dialogue, it’s important to consider the effects and opportunities for creative solutions the presence of disability contributes to the play, scene, and character. • Does the character need to assess the environment? • How does the character behave at home? Away from home? • How do the characters communicate with each other? • What other questions might generate multi-faceted and genuine characters? • ACT II: PLAYWRITING 37
- Page 1 and 2: vsa Playwright Discovery Resource G
- Page 3 and 4: vsa Playwright Discovery Resource G
- Page 5 and 6: PROLOGUE The Changeling by Paul Bau
- Page 7 and 8: A goal of this guide and project is
- Page 9 and 10: 3/4 of a Mass for St. Vivian by Pho
- Page 11 and 12: ACT I PREPARATION: Exploring Disabi
- Page 13 and 14: heats up quickly. Isn’t it much m
- Page 15 and 16: Discussion Questions 1. What charac
- Page 17 and 18: presented for entertainment. Instea
- Page 19 and 20: ACT II PLAYWRITING: Igniting the Im
- Page 21 and 22: FOR THE ARTIST’S NOTEBOOK: The Bu
- Page 23 and 24: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 1 continued PA
- Page 25 and 26: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 2 continued Wh
- Page 27 and 28: Creating Narrative and Dramatic Act
- Page 29 and 30: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 3 continued Po
- Page 31 and 32: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 3 continued PA
- Page 33 and 34: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4 : Changing t
- Page 35 and 36: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4 continued PA
- Page 37: PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 5 : Putting Wo
- Page 41 and 42: ACT III DRAMATURGY: Shaping What Yo
- Page 43 and 44: FOR THE ARTIST’S NOTEBOOK: The El
- Page 45 and 46: DRAMATURGY EXERCISE 1 continued PAR
- Page 47 and 48: FOR THE ARTIST’S NOTEBOOK: The Dr
- Page 49 and 50: DRAMATURGY EXERCISE 2 continued PAR
- Page 51 and 52: DRAMATURGY EXERCISE 3 : The March o
- Page 53 and 54: DRAMATURGY EXERCISE 4 : What Are th
- Page 55 and 56: DRAMATURGY EXERCISE 4 continued In
- Page 57 and 58: ACT IV PRESENTATION: Sharing Your W
- Page 59 and 60: ACT I Scene 1 1 A Classroom. Upstag
- Page 61 and 62: ACT V ASSESSMENT: Discover Your New
- Page 63 and 64: Discovery Assessment NAME (optional
- Page 65 and 66: 9. Define what it means for a scene
- Page 67: 19. Name at least three writers or
- Page 70 and 71: EPILOGUE Plays submitted to the VSA
- Page 72 and 73: VSA Rating System continued 4. CRIT
- Page 74 and 75: Contributors Lenora Inez Brown | Pr
- Page 76: VSA, the international organization
PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 5 continued<br />
DIRECTOR<br />
Look at you—you look more like a young man already. Young men don’t need stuffed toys,<br />
now do they? Shall we begin again, young man?<br />
Good. Morning. Good morning. Director.<br />
MICHAEL<br />
DIRECTOR<br />
Good morning, to you, Michael. Please—there’s no need to be afraid. I know an orphanage<br />
can be a scary place, but everyone here cares about you and only wants the best for<br />
you. Would you like a glass of water? Marjorie! A glass of water for the boy! Marjorie…<br />
4 When there’s no response, the Director gets up and exits abruptly. <strong>The</strong> moment the Director<br />
pulls the door closed behind him, Michael leaps to his feet as quietly as possible and listens at the<br />
door. Satisfied, he first searches the desk drawers, then listens at the door again before opening the<br />
closet door.<br />
Now, add in the dialogue written to come AFTER the stage direction to create a strong scene that flows<br />
and combines action and dialogue well.<br />
PART 4 Consider Disability<br />
As in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4, it’s important to consider disability. This time, instead of using the<br />
original stage direction, choose one you created in PLAYWRITING EXERCISE 4. Or, come up with a new<br />
stage direction that includes disability. Consider also that the dialogue itself might change because of<br />
disability. Consider how the situation might change if either Michael or the Director had a disability that<br />
affected his speech or thought process. For example, what if Michael communicated using sign language<br />
and the Director didn’t? What possibilities and creative solutions affect how they communicate? What if<br />
Michael has autism? What if Michael has ADHD? Tourette’s Syndrome?<br />
Remember, whether developing action or dialogue, it’s important to consider the effects and opportunities<br />
for creative solutions the presence of disability contributes to the play, scene, and character.<br />
• Does the character need to assess the environment?<br />
• How does the character behave at home? Away from home?<br />
• How do the characters communicate with each other?<br />
• What other questions might generate multi-faceted and genuine characters? •<br />
ACT II: PLAYWRITING 37
Change language