Performance Scripts
(Due November 9)
Since your performances should be about 15 minutes long, you should have a script of at least 7-8 pages, double-spaced, typewritten. This can be your practice script, to memorize, to put on note cards, or to do whatever else you're going to do for your performance.Performances can take many different forms. Your character might be delivering a lecture or a speech, might be submitting to an interview, might be reminiscing with friends or family, might be composing a letter, might be delivering a monologue while pacing a room. Each form has its own dramatic shape, and its own sense of audience. Both form and audience are very important for you to keep in mind.
As you research and write, keep the following in mind.
Since there are many forms (speech, reminiscence, interview, etc.), it is hard to give more than general advice. You should also think of your character's motivation and mission, and see if you can come up with the word that describes intent: confession, explanation, invective, self-justification, entertainment, and so on. Dr. Ray and Mr. Averill will be glad to discuss these and other hints for writing scripts at any time--part of our class time will dedicate itself to understanding character and form.
- Beginnings: Be sure the beginning addresses the situation of your performance. The audience, the task at hand, the place and time era. And make it introduce the essence of the character. Who are you, what are you like, do you like being in the situation, what is your goal, your mission, your compulsions or obsessions. Every beginning also contains its ending, in some way-so allude to your ending, just as your ending will allude to your beginning.
- Middles: You need to display shifts in tone, subject and mood, to show the roundness of your character. You need some rising movement that can result in conclusion. As in a story, the plot should thicken. Look for the complications of character, of story, and of idea/philosophy
- Ends: You need both an emotional and a logical/philosophical conclusion. Somehow, conclusions always are about the importance of the character, and what the character represents, as well as about the content. The emotional aspect means that there's been something dramatic presented, something that connects at the level of the heart, and that the audience feels some kind of satisfaction.
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