Thea 291 Final Project (200 points)
Dr.
Larsen
For this final project, you will act as dramaturg in the pre-production phase of a fictitious
production of Sam Shepherd’s Buried Child. You will be conducting the
preliminary work in order to prepare a production dramaturg’s
book that would be given to a director. You will organize it in a 3 ring
binder. Make sure each section is labeled. Your writing should be MLA 6th
edition. Make sure you use the terms provided and the terms we have
previously discussed.
Binder (Total paper should be 10-15 FULL pages MLA style
with work cited page at the end)
Section 1.
This section should be the largest section in the binder (5-7 pages). The
examples you choose of the different parts of the analysis should support your
concept of the play.
***NEW – add your concept (theoretical and visual)
in this section. I would incorporate it into #1.
1.
Brief analysis of the Plot using the terms provided in bold. Address
each term and give one good example. - the sequence of events and the
connections between them (causal) that comprise the unified dramatic action.
Use the following terms, which include inciting incident or incidents
(the event or event that "lit the fuse" before the on-stage action of
the play begins); point of attack (where the action of the play begins,
the first major complication; climax (usually the greatest intensity of
action; the scene in which the major dramatic question is answered and the
protagonist discovers whether or not her or his goal will be realized) resolution
(the conclusion of the action, the restoration of sense of balance) –
This is a version of the structural analysis that you did.
2.
Include pertinent notes on characters and their functions within the
play including the protagonist's goal and the major dramatic question
(what does the major character want, and how does that relate to the basic
question about the way in which the action will unfold?) Who is the
antagonist(s) and why do you think so? This is a version of the dynamic
analysis.
3.
Discuss what kind of emotional experience
might a production of this play provide an audience? What has the playwright
done to promote identification with a character/s? This is a version of
the affective analysis.
4.
Discuss what this play asks an audience to
believe? What is the value structure and point of view of the text. This is a version of the rhetorical
analysis.
Section 2.
Glossary of important terms within the text.
This should include words certainly, but customs and cultural terms, as well.
Section 3 (1-2 pages). Bio on
playwright and how his/her life relates to the play. Be sure
to cite sources in this section in MLA style.
You are getting your
information from other sources besides yourself.
Section 4 (1-2
pages). History (political, social, economic, etc.) of that particular
period in the country where the play is set and how the information you
discover relates to the play. Also, discuss how, in terms of history, the
script relates to today. This is a version of thematic analysis.
Section 5 (2-5
pages). Pick at least two past productions that were
influential of the script and do a synopsis of them. You will
get this information from reviews of the productions. Include what the
production companies did and why you have included it in your report. In other
words, why do you think these particular productions were most
influential? You will have to conduct some extensive research.
Section 6.
Images of art, architecture, geography, etc. that are referred to or alluded to
in the text along with why you feel they are important. This is a version
of the imagistic analysis and functional analysis
Section 7:
Bibliography MLA style