Reading a play for theatrical

design

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Thoughts to consider:

• Scenic design often sets the tone of a piece be

establishing the style of the play.
• Style is the manner in which things are done.
• Style can also mean a set of rules which
distinguishes a distinct period or type of play

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Keep a list on the second read
• Setting Local
• Time period
• Specifics of location
• Requirements in the script
• Props
• Furniture
• Buildings
• Items referenced by the dialogue
Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Also note:

• Scene Changes
• Flow of time
• Practicality of actor use

Read story and have several different designs

ideas in mind.

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Think visually with the
elements of design in mind.
• Line variations affect the effect of the set
• Mass- also contributes to the artistic quality of
the set.
• Composition- the balance and arrangement of
elements
• Color has many variations than can affect the
overall set.

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Script Report Outline
• Story/Premise
• Logline (main character from ____ wants____ but can’t because______)
• Genre (how do you know)
• Theme or Idea
• Characters
• Number/Gender Breakdown
• Descriptions of the main characters
• Plot
• Events over time using the key points on the Freitag Pyramid
• Dialogue
• Structure of the dialogue throughout
• Word choice indicative of specific characters.
• Word choice of the script as a whole
• World of the script
• Location and period (how does this affect the action)
• Verdict (opinion/ would you recommend and why)

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Story/Premise

Logline
In one or two sentences summarize the main driving
action of the script.

Genre
What genre is this script? What in the script makes
this clear?

Theme or Idea
What is the overall message of the script? How can
you tell

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Characters

How many total?

How many male, female?

Descriptions of the Characters

• Full list of characters and a description of who
they are and how they behave

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Plot

What are the main points of action?

• Exposition (Point of normalcy)
• Inciting incident
• Rising action (several events based on the
main characters actions)
• Climax (point of no return)
• Falling Action
• Resolution

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Dialogue

How does the dialogue sound throughout the script?

• Is the script monologue heavy, fast paced, poetic?

Word choice indicative of specific characters.

• How does the writer use language to specify certain
character’s individual voice?

Word choice of the script as a whole

• How would your characterize the language of the script?
Why? Be specific in citing examples.

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 World of the Script

What is the location and time period?

• How does this affect the characters and action in
the script?

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future
 Verdict

• Would you recommend this script?

• Why?

Richard Woods, Georgia’s School Superintendent | Georgia Department of Education | Educating Georgia’s Future