plays and playwriting.assignments.1

8/14/2019 Plays and Playwriting.assignments.1

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Plays and Playwriting: List of Mandatory Assignments:

#1: Choose one of the following scene starters or create one on yourown and write a two page scene of dialogue. You may create namesfor your characters or use something generic like “teen” and“father”, etc. ONLY DO ONE SCENE…This assignment must be typed

according the formatting plans distributed to you (and also placedon our class blog).

A. THE SCENE: A teenager is discussing with his/her father his intention to join the Army after high School.

Teen’s Objective: You would be proud to serve your country. Convince yourfather that it’s a good idea.

Father’s Objective: You’re concerned that your child will be hurt or killed in awar. Talk him/her out of it!

B. THE SCENE: A furniture salesperson is speaking to a customer in theshowroom of a furniture store that is about to close in ten minutes. Thecustomer, the only one in the store, wants to buy a couch.

Salesperson’s Objective: You need to sell $1,000 worth of merchandise inorder to win a bonus trip to Hawaii, but in order to qualify, you must do ittoday before the store closes. Get the customer to buy a $1,000 couch.

Customer’s Objective: You want to buy a particular couch that sells for $900. Tell the salesperson that you’re not interested in any other couch.

C. THE SCENE: Two band members are discussing the possibility of includingsome new types of songs in their tour.

1st Band Member’s Objective: You’re sick of doing the same old songs.Convince your partner that your fans would love to hear you play a new style.

2nd Band Member’s Objective: Your philosophy is, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fixit.” Convince your partner to leave the set list alone.

D. THE SCENE: Two college roommates are in a messy dormitory room.

1st Roommate’s Objective: You’re lazy. You don’t want to waste your energycleaning up the room. All you want to do is sit and watch television.

2nd Roommate’s Objective: You’re energetic. You want to clean up the roomand then go jogging.

#2: Music Memory Scene



You choose one phrase/part of a lyric and use it as the title of your four page scene. This piece of

lyric, which is now the title of your scene, becomes the theme and driving force behind your

four page scene.

#3: Monologue

1. You must write a full one page monologue about a significant object (or aboutsomething that upsets you in life…this was added as an option).

2. Think about this: If your house or apartment were burning, what is one object that

you would want to take with you?

List it here:___________________________________

3. Describe the object:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

4. Ideas to keep in mind when writing the monologue:

a. Use first person.

b. Don’t tell us too much too soon.

c. The monologue should have a beginning, middle and end.

d. The beginning should grab the reader’s attention.

e. Keep it simple. The audience should be able to follow your story easily.

f. It should be only one page in length / single-spaced.

NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO WRITE A MONOLOGUE ABOUT A

SIGNIFICANT OBJECT, YOU MAY WRITE YOUR MONOLOGUE ABOUT

SOMETHING THAT PISSES YOU OFF ABOUT THE WORLD!

#4: Sneaker of the Side of the Road

Imagine a sneaker lying on the side of a highway. Imagine the story behind the sneaker.

What happened? Who does it belong to? Etc. Write a two page scene with at least two

characters. The goal is to write a scene that explains what happened!

Ex. A man hits a teen age boy with his car in the middle of the night and does not stop but

goes home and confesses to his wife. The scene is the conversation between this husband and

wife.

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