Fall 2012 Playwriting I (Theatre 359-001) Alvaro Saar Rios Classroom: Mitchell 375 Office hours: By appointment My office: THR 278 Phone: 414.229.3299 Email: riosa@uwm.edu OVERVIEW This course is an introduction to playwriting as a way of telling stories. We will focus on the following questions: What are the key elements of playwriting? Why write for the stage? How is playwriting different than writing for screens? What stories do I want to tell? What are the different theatrical forms through which I could tell my story? Learning objectives By the end of the class, students will be able to: 1) Generate ideas and plans for writing dramatic stories by using poems, personal stories and several other exercises. 2) Edit dramatic dialogue. 3) Provide constructive criticism to fellow students. 4) Compose a synopsis and scenes for a play. We ll achieve these by doing the following: 1) Reading and discussing one full-length plays and a few short plays. 2) Identifying and practicing various forms of playwriting. 3) Workshopping peers work. REQUIRED Kushner, Tony. Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches. TCG. *Your required play is available in the bookstore and 2-hour reserve in the UW-M library. **You are also required to see UW-M s production of Independence. Oct 19-21 ** RECOMMENDED Backwards & Forwards by David Ball. The Playwrights Guidebook by Stuart Spencer The Dramatists Guild Resource Directory 2012. TCG Bird by Bird by Annie Lamott On Writing by Stephen King
POLICIES 1) This is a workshop class that depends on your participation. Absences can and will dramatically affect your grade. You are allowed one free absence. Every absence thereafter is 5 points off your participation grade. Four absences will result in a failing grade. 2) Work is due when it is due. No late assignments are accepted. No assignments can be made up. Everything must be TYPED and in play format unless otherwise specified. 3) Read all required plays and D2L handout plays before you come to class on the days on which they re assigned. I ll expect you to contribute to the day s discussion, and your contributions count toward your class participation grade. 4) All writing assignments are due in hardcopy. You will be responsible for bringing in enough copies of your work for your classmates. You may only use the D2L dropbox if you are going to be absent on the day a writing assignment is due. 5) Extra Credit assignments can be arranged for a maximum of 10 points. This must be arranged/approved by me before the last two weeks of class. PLEASE check with me if you re unsure of your progress/grade. Possibilities for extra credit include: -read an extra play of my choice and write a response paper. -attend a UWM or professional play and write a response paper 6) Most writing assignments will be presented in class. If you do not present on the assigned workshop day, you will receive an F for that specific writing assignment. 7) You are responsible for submitting your scenes in Play Format. One recommended free software program is Celtx(www.celtx.com) Writing Assignments #1-7 35% Writing Assignments #8-9 20% Final Portfolio 25% Participation 20% GRADES FINAL PORTFOLIO Your final portfolio will consist of: --1 very short play. 5-7 pages. (revised) --Synopsis for one-act play (revised) --A 3 to 5 scenes for a one-act play. 20-45 pages.
CLASS SESSIONS September 10 What is this class about? What is theatre? How/why tell stories in theatre? What is a story? Where do ideas come from? Where does one start? 36 Assumptions about Writing Plays by Jose Rivera, characters, monologues ---Writing Assignment #1: Write a dramatic monologue. Parameters to be set by instructor. 1 page. Double-space. ---Read Playwriting Format Sample #1 & #2 (D2L Handout) Sept. 17 Writing Assignment #1(2 copies. You will turn one in.) Playwriting format, scenes, wants, action, Discuss Writing Assignment #1 ---Writing Assignment #2: Write a Scene. Guidelines on handout. Sept. 24 Writing Assignment #2 (2 copies. You will turn one in.) excerpt from One Hot Texican Summer, plays from personal stories, firsts, discuss Writing Assignment #2. ---Writing Assignment #3: Choose a first. Create a scene/monologue. October 1 Writing Assignment #3 2 copies. Example: If you have 2 characters, bring in 3 copies Eukiah by Lanford Wilson, Tape by Jose Rivera, 10 minute plays, Discuss Writing Assignment #3 ---Writing Assignment #4: Write a very short play. 5-7 pages. ---Bring food to share. (optional) Oct. 8---Workshop Day ---Writing Assignment #4. Bring in enough copies for all your characters, stage directions, you and the instructor. Example: If your scene has 3 characters in it. You should bring in 6 copies of your play. 3 characters = 3 scripts Stage directions = 1 script Playwright = 1 script instructor = 1 script Total 6 scripts Workshop handout, workshop Writing Assignment #4 ---Read Angels in America
Oct. 15 Bring in your copy of Kushner s Angels in America Discuss and read scenes from Angels in America ---Writing Assignment #5. Bring in three to five ideas for a one-act play. Each idea should be no more than a paragraph. Oct. 22 Writing Assignment #5. Bring in 4 copies. choosing a play idea, Workshop Writing Assignment #5, discuss UW-M s Independence ---Writing Assignment #6. (Synopsis): Write a complete synopsis for your play idea. Double spaced. 1-1 1/2 pages. October 29 Writing Assignment #6. Bring in 5 copies. Scenes from Jose Rivera s Marisol, Workshop PW 2 scenes, ---Read WA#6 for your workshop group ---Writing Assignment #7. Write a 1/2 page analysis of each WA#6 for your workshop group Nov. 5 Writing Assignment #7. 2 copies. Opening scenes, Group Work (WA#7), Workshop PW 2 scenes ----Writing Assignment #8. Write the first scene of your play. Nov. 12 -Group A--BRING COPIES OF WA#8 FOR WHOLE CLASS. Workshop WA#8 (Group A) Nov. 19 -Group B--BRING COPIES OF WA#8 FOR WHOLE CLASS. Workshop WA#8 (Group B) ---Writing Assignment #9. Write the final scene of your play. Nov. 26 Group A--BRING COPIES OF WA#9 FOR WHOLE CLASS. Workshop Group A scenes December 3 Group B--BRING COPIES OF WA#9 FOR WHOLE CLASS. Workshop Group B
Dec. 10 Workshop PWII scenes, final lecture Prepare Final Portfolio. Dec. 19 (Wednesday) Final Portfolio Due in D2L Dropbox by no later than 2:30pm. No exceptions.. RUBRIC WRITING ASSIGNMENTS #1-7 (5 points) 5 = assignment is complete, excellent format, and shows significant thought 4 = assignment is complete; minor formatting errors; shows a good deal of thought 3 = assignment is complete; at least 3 formatting errors; or it shows adequate thought. 2 = assignment is complete; major formatting errors; and it shows less than adequate thought. 1 = missing copies; incomplete; not in playwriting format; not typed; and it shows little thought. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS #8-9 (10 points) 10 = assignment is complete, excellent format, and shows significant thought 8 = assignment is complete; minor formatting errors; shows a good deal of thought 6 = assignment is complete; at least 3 formatting errors; or it shows adequate thought. 4 = assignment is complete; major formatting errors; and it shows less than adequate thought. 2 = missing copies; incomplete; not in playwriting format; not typed; and it shows little thought. EVALUATION 93 100 A 73 76.99 C 90 92.99 A- 70 72.22 C- 87 89.99 B+ 67 69.99 D+ 83 86.99 B 63 66.99 D 80 82.99 B- 60 62.99 D- 77 79.99 C+ 59.99 and below F
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