Hi everyone.  Sorry to miss class today.  I hope you know that we are going to a play tomorrow called Re-entry. We all meet in the PAC at 12:45 then travel together to the theater.  The play goes from 1:30-3:00 with a talk back after.

This is an amazing opportunity! Please read the following information to prepare for the show:

Distant Wars Constant Ghosts
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/distant-wars-constant-ghosts/?scp=2&sq=civilian%20deaths&st=cse

Five Questions about Re- Entry
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/five-questions-about-reentry/?scp=1&sq=Re-Entry&st=cse

And keep writing those one-acts!

Friday 2/19 – Go over One-Act Play Assignment.  Read from Six Degrees of Separation in class.
HW: Finish reading Six Degrees.  Brainstorm ideas for final one-act.  Options: Write on theme, situation or character; review past freewrites (especially from the 10-minute play); write a cast of characters; write from a newspaper clipping; write from a picture.  If you already have a clear idea for your one-act play, then you can begin writing FF #12 (see directions on handout).

Monday 2/22 – NO CLASS

Tuesday 2/23 – Discuss ideas for final play.  Discuss end of Six Degrees and begin watching film, time permitting.

HW: Write focused freewrite #12 (see directions on handout).  Begin writing your one-act.

Wednesday 2/24 – Watch Six Degrees of Separation (film).  Discussion — use of allusion and symbol; incorporation of props, staging, lights and effects; the playwright’s intent; casting and performance concerns.
HW: Work on one-act.  Write one étude (FF #13 – see directions on handout).

Thursday 2/25 – Watch Six Degrees of Separation (film).
HW: Work on one-act.  Write another étude (FF #13 – see directions on handout).  If writing in pairs, do FF #14.

Friday 2/26 – Writing workshop; individual conferences as needed.
HW: Finish first draft of one-act play, due Tuesday March 2.

Tuesday 3/2 – First draft of one-act due. Workshop scenes.

Friday 2/12 – Character monologue due. Begin Six Degrees of Separation in class.

HW: Read Six Degrees pages 3-43 for Wednesday.

Monday 2/15-Tuesday 2/16 – SCHOOL CLOSED FOR PRESIDENTS’ DAY

Wednesday 2/17 – Read and perform selected scenes from Six Degrees of Separation in class.
HW: Read Six Degrees pages 43-70.

Thursday 2/18 – Read and perform selected scenes from Six Degrees of Separation in class.
HW: Read Six Degrees pages 70-94.

Friday 2/19 – Read and perform selected scenes from Six Degrees of Separation in class.
HW: Read Six Degrees pages 94-120.

Monday 2/22 – NO CLASS

Tuesday 2/23 – Discuss final play.  Discuss Six Degrees and begin watching film.

Tuesday 2/2: Character improvisations.

HW: Continue writing character monologue.

Wednesday 2/3: Peer editing/individual meetings with Julia.

HW: Write FF #8: Motivation.  Finish writing character monologue.

Thursday 2/4: Character Monologue draft due. Workshop: tools of performance.
HW: Rehearse character monologue for performance/critique.

Friday 2/5: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write one étude (see handout for details).

Monday 2/8: NO CLASS

Tuesday 2/9: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write process piece.

Wednesday 2/10: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write process piece.

Thursday 2/11: Peer editing/individual meetings.

HW: Write process piece.  Assemble portfolio for submission on Friday 2/12.

Friday 2/12: Character Monologue Portfolio due. Introduction to John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation.

HW: Read Six Degrees pages TBD.

Tuesday 1/26: Ten-Minute Play Portfolio due.  Discuss Fires in the Mirror — Foreword (process), character, setting, voice and language.

HW: Read and annotate FITM pp. 40-77.

Wednesday 1/27: Discuss and perform selected scenes from Fires in the Mirror.

HW: Read and annotate Fires in the Mirror, pp. 79-112.

Thursday 1/28: Discuss and perform selected scenes from Fires in the Mirror.  Discuss “Character Study” handout.

HW: Finish reading Fires in the Mirror, pp. 113-139.

Friday 1/29: Write FF #6: Creating a Character (see handout for details).

HW: Write FF #7: Anna Deavere Smith’s three essential questions.  Begin writing your character monologue (see handout for details).

Monday 2/1: NO CLASS

Tuesday 2/2: Share writing.  Character improvisations.

HW: Write FF #8: Motivation.  Finish writing character monologue.

Wednesday 2/3: Character Monologue draft due.  Peer editing/individual meetings with Julia.

HW: Rehearse character monologue for performance/critique.

Thursday 2/4: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write one étude (see handout for details).

Friday 2/5: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write one étude (see handout for details).

Monday 2/8: NO CLASS

Tuesday 2/9: Character Monologue performance and critique.

HW: Revise character monologue as necessary. Write process piece.

Wednesday 2/10: Peer editing/individual meetings.

HW: Write process piece.  Assemble portfolio for submission on Thursday, 2/11.

Thursday 2/11: Character Monologue Portfolio due.  Share/discuss one-act plays.  Introduction to John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation.

Tuesday 1/19 – Ten-minute play due.  Table-reading and feedback.
HW: If your play was workshopped today, write a 1-2 page process piece about the experiences of hearing your play read aloud and listening to peer feedback.  You will submit this process piece with your final draft.

Wednesday 1/20 – Staged readings (meet in PAC).

HW: Write process piece (see directions above).  Read and annotate Fires in the Mirror, Foreword and Background Information (pp. xvii-xxii and pp. xliii-lviii).

Thursday 1/21 – Table readings and feedback.

HW: Write process piece (see directions above).  Read and annotate Fires in the Mirror, pp. 3-39.

Friday 1/22 – Staged readings (meet in PAC).

HW: Write process piece (see directions above).  Complete final draft of your ten-minute play, due Tuesday January 26.  See 10-Minute Play checklist for details.

Tuesday 1/26 – Ten-Minute Play Portfolio due.  Discuss Fires in the Mirror — character, setting, voice and language.
HW: Read and annotate FITM pp. 40-77.

Tues 1/12 – Writing Workshop #1 – Gathering Ideas.  Alone or with a partner, reread focused freewrites #1-5.  Look for ideas, characters, places, or structural elements that you would like to pursue further.  Mark these “hot spots” by underlining or bracketing important words or phrases and annotating in the margins.  Remember that these are just ideas and can be adapted, expanded, or ignored later on.

HW: Using the ideas gathered in the workshop, begin to write the first draft of your ten-minute play.  This play must contain characters, setting, conflict, and negotiation, but the resolution must occur within ten minutes (approximately 5-7 pages of dialogue and stage directions).

Wednes 1/13 – Writing Workshop #2 – Quiet writing.  Continue to work on your ten-minute play draft.  Work quietly and independently.

HW: Continue to work on your ten-minute play draft. Bring in at least 5 pages on Thursday, a completed draft if possible.

Thurs 1/14 – Writing Workshop #3 – Getting feedback. In your journal, write about the process thus far.  What are the parts of the ten-minute play that are coming together?  What parts are surprising you or taking new shape? What parts still need work?  Identify one moment in your script that would benefit from peer/teacher feedback and share with the class.

HW: Continue to work on your ten-minute play draft. Focus on the moment you workshopped in class today.

Fri 1/15 – Writing Workshop #4 – Revision and Resolution.  Work on your ten-minute play draft, aiming to resolve any remaining “problem sections” by the end of class.  You may work independently or with a partner.  [Julia out at conference]

HW: Finish ten-minute play, due Tuesday 1/19, typed in correct format.  We will workshop these drafts next week.  Please bring multiple copies to class.

Mon 1/18 – NO SCHOOL – MLK Jr. Holiday

Tues 1/19 – Ten-minute play due.  Sharing and Responding to drafts: Learning and applying language of feedback: say back, pointing, stage picture/balance, raising the stakes.

HW: If your play was workshopped today, write a 1-2 page process piece about the experiences of hearing your play read aloud and listening to peer feedback.  You will submit this process piece with your final draft.

Tuesday 1/5: Welcome back!  Review key components of dramatic form – stage directions, dialogue, setting, character, etc.  Introduce concept of theatrical conventions.  Read  Chekov’s “The Sneeze” in class.

• HW: Read and annotate Aristotle’s “Poetics” and “What is Screenplay?” (handout).  Write focused freewrite #1: What is your response to the classical and modern conventions of dramatic writing outlined in the reading assignment?  To what extent can these “”rules”” help us?  To what extent should we feel free to break from these conventions?

Wednesday 1/6: Go over components of structure from the reading.  Which are essential?  How can you use structure as a tool not an unbroken rule?  Mark the moments in “The Sneeze” that constitute conflict, reversal, recognition, climax, catharsis/resolution.  Perform selected moments.

• HW: Read and annotate the Martin scene from Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano.  Identify the moments in the scene that constitute conflict, reversal, recognition, climax, catharsis/resolution and mark these in your text. Write focused freewrite #2 in response to the following questions:  How is the Martin scene structured?  Does it follow the rules set out in Aristotle’s “”Poetics””?  What is the conflict? the climax? the resolution?  How does Ionesco play with the idea of the “”””recognition”””” scene?  Refer to specific lines/moments in your response.

Thursday 1/7: Perform and discuss Martin scene from Ionesco’s “The Bald Soprano.”

• HW: Read and annotate David Ives “Sure Thing.”  Identify the moments in the scene that constitute conflict, reversal, recognition, climax, catharsis/resolution and mark these in your text.  Write focused freewrite #3 in response to the following questions: Which moments in ‘Sure Thing”” interest you or surprise you?  How is the play constructed and paced?  Does it follow the rules set out in Aristotle’s “”Poetics””?  How does Ives play with theatrical and social conventions about character, time, timing, and dialogue?  Refer to specific examples from the play in your freewrite.

Friday, 1/8: Perform and discuss “Sure Thing.”   Review elements of structure from readings and freewrites.   Which elements of structure are useful or essential?  How can you use structure as a tool, not an unbroken rule?  Explain ten-minute play assignment.

• HW: Read and annotate excerpt from The Elements of Playwriting by Louis E. Catron (handout).  Begin brainstorming ideas for a short scene or one-act play you will write for this course.  Write two focused free writes (FF #4 and FF #5) based on the prompts provided on pages 62-63. Minimum 2 pages each.  Due Tuesday 1/12.

Monday    12/14  — Introduction to course–hand out syllabus, course overview, and Writer’s Notebooks.  What makes writing for the theater different from other types of writing?  In other words, what makes a play a play?
HW: Write Etude #1: Six-Line Play, due Wednesday.  A “six-line” consists of six lines of dialogue (three per character) and must include some sort of negotiation and/or resolution. (See handout for more detail and a sample six-line).

Tuesday    12/15 NO CLASS

Wednesday    12/16 —  Etude #1 due.  Warm ups: written (freewrite), physical (stretch), and mental (ball toss).  Staging and critique of Six-Lines.
HW: Etude #2 Film Reversal, due Thursday.

Thursday    12/17 — Etude #2 due.  Discussion: What is the difference between writing for film and writing for the stage?  What are the advantages and limitations of each medium?   Staging and critique of “”film reversal”” scenes, time permitting.
HW: There is no required homework over the break.  But if you are looking for things to do, consider the following optional activities: see a play, read a play, observe human interactions in public spaces, or transcribe real dialogue in preparation for writing your first short script in January.

Have a safe and restful winter vacation!  See you in 2010!

Class begins on Monday, December 14.  Visit the blog every day for assignments, syllabi, and course updates.  Click here for the Course Overview