Questions for Drama Scene Production by Shelby Allen, Sarah Duncan, Michelle Gibson and Abigail Holmes

For everyone: Here are some questions that you can expect an audience to want answered in your analysis by the Director and the Actors in your scene. In answering them, make sure that everyone accepts the answers so that your separate essays will convey a consistent interpretation. As you stage your production, try to think of blocking and stage business (non-verbal communication) that conveys these interpretations to the audience. For example, in one student production (in another class), after the wedding night in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet at first wanted Romeo to stay, so she unbuttoned his shirt as he tried to button it, but when she became convinced of the danger if he stayed, she started buttoning up his shirt.

Note: Your analyses should be coherent explanations of your interpretation or character. (That is, don't answer all my questions, one, two, 3 as listed. They are meant to show you what kinds of decisions you need to make to produce the scene and encourage you to convey your interpretation non-verbally as well as verbally.)

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Questions for Drama Scene Production

by Stephanie Sewell and Brandy Hoffman

by Marie Lentz and Kallie Cline

Trifles, pp. 1024 after men leave to p. 1028 with re-entry of men

Director: There is a little dance going on with Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters in "Trifles"--like two boys egging each other on to do something punishable. Neither one can act alone if the other will tell. How would you describe/articulate the struggle going on within each woman--between what and what? Mrs. Hale's commitment to Minnie is stronger and earlier than Mrs. Peters's. How do they inch toward withholding evidence throughout the play and how are they interacting in your scene? To be more specific, how hard is Mrs. Hale working to persuade Mrs. Peters, and does she succeed (or does Mrs. Peters come to commitment on her own or because of something the men do or say after your scene)?

Mrs. Peters: Before (and even during) your scene, Mrs. Peters seems to be against withholding evidence of a murder in Minnie Wright's case, yet once the men enter, her actions show that she is committed to doing so. Some change happens in Mrs. Peters--either during your scene or with the help of discovery and talk happening in your scene. What is the struggle in Mrs. Peters and how will you show it in your acting out of the scene? At what lines (your own or in reaction to Mrs. Hale) and by doing what?

Mrs. Hale: You knew Minnie Wright when she was younger and you were a neighbor. What is the first point in the play where you take action that shows that commitment? What lines before your scene show your sympathy for Minnie? In your scene what happens to you? That is, do you stay the same in your feelings, only stronger? Do you change? How strongly are you trying to convince Mrs. Peters?

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Questions for Drama Scene Production by Shelby Allen, Sarah Duncan, Michelle Gibson and Abigail Holmes

Here are some questions that you can expect an audience to want answered in your analysis by the Director and the Actors in your scene. In answering them, make sure that everyone accepts the answers so that your separate essays will convey a consistent interpretation. As you stage your production, try to think of blocking and stage business (non-verbal communication) that conveys these interpretations to the audience. For example, in one student production (in another class), after the wedding night in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet at first wanted Romeo to stay, so she unbuttoned his shirt as he tried to button it, but when she became convinced of the danger if he stayed, she started buttoning up his shirt.

Antigone Act One, pp. to 1624 I'D SUGGEST YOU STOP BEFORE THE LAST STANZA OF THE CHORUS ANNOUNCING CREON'S ENTRANCE. THAT IS, STOP AFTER LINE 170.

Director: You and the actors have a challenge making the background information clear to an audience that may not be familiar with the story of Oedipus' family. Can you use props--maybe pictures?--to help clarify? This scene sets up the conflict for the play, even though not much is said about Creon. What is your view of the outcome in the play and are you able to foreshadow (predict) that in this scene?

Antigone: What is Antigone's character at the start? Does she change during the play? How is your answer to that question (does she change?) foreshadowed (predicted) by her behavior here?

Ismene: Ismene changes several times during the course of the play. Where does she change and how are those changes related to her character and circumstances? Are those later changes foreshadowed (predicted) here?

Chorus: In classical Greek plays, the chorus was a group of actors who commented on and described the action of the play. Sometimes they present philosophical reflections prompted by the actions they have just witnessed. Sometimes they represent public opinion, even conflicting views of the same event (even as we can have mixed reactions to a public event). Usually they are not part of the action. What does the Chorus convey to the audience here? How do you see the Chorus' lines relating to the conversation between Ismene and Antigone? (Have they heard it? Why do they speak these lines at this point in the play?)

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Questions for Drama Scene Production by Nikki Oakes

Antigone Act One, pp. to 1623

Antigone: What is Antigone's character at the start? Does she change during the play? How is your answer to that question (does she change?) foreshadowed (predicted) by her behavior here?

Nikki, since you are doing all the writing, just write a few sentences about Ismene, but here are some questions that may help you. Ismene: Ismene changes several times during the course of the play. Where does she change and how are those changes related to her character and circumstances? Are those later changes foreshadowed (predicted) here?

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Tracy Sweet Antigone, pp. 1644-47 (lines 1034-1152)

Director: What changes, IF ANY, occur in this scene? A Greek audience would have known that Tiresias' predictions always come true. Do you want YOUR audience to feel that way? If so, how do you convey the feeling of doom? What happens inside Creon here? Does he ever think his edict about Polyneices was wrong? or does he just realize that he has been hammered? Do you want to represent the people of Thebes here (the Chorus), even though your scene does not have lines for them? (Perfectly ok to decide this on availability of bodies.)

Creon: Does he change his mind HERE? later? Has he started changing earlier? What is Creon's reasoning to deny burial to Polyneices? Why does he resist the arguments of Antigone? the different arguments of Haemon? and now of Teiresias? Is part of his tragic loss due to his character/personality? or is it just that the gods have more clout than political scientists in this play? (See what I mean? If not, write me!)

Tiresias: You should know at every line of the scene what you are inwardly thinking about Creon. Why do you start out as you do? Are you trying to be tactful? unsure how to break the bad news? When do you get angry and why? Remember that you have not cursed Creon, but only revealed what you think the bad omens mean?

Boy: What are you thinking as the grownups talk? Do you understand what's going on? If so, where and how do you show your emotions?

Tracy, since you are doing all the writing, concentrate on the Director and Creon and just put down a sentence or two for Tiresias and the Boy.

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Bret Williams; Kate Skirvin: Hamlet, 1.5 to entrance of Horatio and Marcellus

Director: What is your view of Hamlet and his revenge? He has been accused of delaying unnecessarily, especially after he thinks he's proven Claudius' guilt in the Mousetrap play-within-a-play. Others see him as a person who combines reason and emotion but in an action that is immoral. This is where the questions start. What are you trying to show here about Hamlet and how is it played out in the rest of the play?

Hamlet: Why are you eager to revenge at first and then by the end of 1.5 you say "The time is out of joint. O cursed spite/ That ever I was born to set it right!" You seem to wonder whether the apparition is a real ghost of your father or a demon. When do you decide and what decides you here? Later, you express doubts again as reasons for your actions--why? Why do you say, "O my prophetic soul?" How is your reaction here prepared for by your soliloquy in 1.2. 130 (p. 1287)?

Ghost: If you are a ghost and not a demon, why do you ask your son to revenge you? What is the Ghost's character?

Since you (Bret and Kate) are both doing this with a recruited crew, do the written analysis for the director and Hamlet and just write a sentence or two about the Ghost.

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Kellie Purdy Raisin pp. 1487-90 from Beneatha's exit to her re-entry

Director: Here you'll introduce all the dreams of the family, pulling in different directions, with just $10,000 to make them all come true. It's also where you define the values that will pull at various people in the play. Explain how the conflict is set up here between the values of various family members (especially Lena and Walter Lee) and the competing needs for the money and indicate how the conflicts get played out and resolved from this point. What does Walter Sr. stand for and against?

Ruth: Why does she support Walter's store and then why does she tell Mama to go on a trip? What does this tell you about Ruth? How does this scene prepare for the revelation that she is pregnant and has seen an abortionist?

Mama: What are the conflicts within Mama? How does she try to answer everyone's dreams? What in this scene shows her character to explain her later decision to give Walter the money, despite her religious and moral doubts? Mama doesn't coerce anyone, but she does tell them what she thinks is right. How does this scene prepare for her telling Walter to stop Ruth from getting an abortion and telling Walter to reject Lindner's offer?

Kellie, because you are doing all the writing, just do the director and EITHER Ruth OR Mama--your choice. But write a couple of summary sentences about the woman you don't write a full analysis of.

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(Ballesteros, Bowden, Canner, Geisler) Raisin II.iip. 1517 phone-1518 picks up $

This is the actual scene where Mama gives Walter the money, and I approved it. But if you haven't put in a lot of work on it, would you be willing to switch to p. 1502 starting with Walter's entrance and going to the end of the scene? If you've already put in a lot of time, how about going with your original proposal to include the scene with Travis (if you can get someone to play both Ruth and Travis?)

I'll write the questions for the scene I previously approved, but there'll be a lot about the previous scene. Let me know if you agree to switch.

Director: 1517-1518: This scene shows the effect on Walter of the earlier scene (1502 to end of I.ii) in which Lena refuses to support the liquor store. How sympathetic or unsympathetic is your interpretation to Walter and his subsequent behavior and how will you show that here? How does the relationship stand between Ruth and Walter? How does Walter's behavior change from the beginning of this scene to the end when he gets the money? What has Mama done when she went out at the end of I.ii? How well does Walter do in Mama's judgment in the rest of the play as a result of the trust she shows him here? If you add the part with Travis, how do you want the audience to feel about Walter's initial reaction to getting the money? After this scene, Walter loses the money (including Beneatha's) and decides to sell the house to Lindner for a profit. Is there anything in this scene (or earlier) which shows Walter is capable of selling to Lindner? Is there anything in this scene (or earlier) which shows Walter is capable of finally deciding NOT to sell to Lindner?

Ruth: In her earlier talk with Mama, Ruth has encouraged Lena to support the liquor store (1487-90) and she has heard Walter refuse to tell his wife not to get an abortion. How is Ruth feeling toward Walter now? How is this shown in the scene? How does Ruth treat Walter later in the play--specifically when he finds out Willie has taken the money and when he says he'll take Lindner's money?

Walter: Why did you skip your job? What are you thinking as you tell your mother what you did during the day? what are your motives for telling her this? How do you react during her long speech on p. 1518? After this scene, Walter loses the money (including Beneatha's) and decides to sell the house to Lindner for a profit. Is there anything in this scene (or earlier) which shows Walter is capable of selling to Lindner? Is there anything in this scene (or earlier) which shows Walter is capable of finally deciding NOT to sell to Lindner?