Scene

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Acting

Analysis
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
Section: ______________________
Please read this document thoroughly and follow directions.
TYPE YOUR ANSWERS INTO THIS DOCUMENT, SAVE IT, AND SUBMIT
THROUGH ASSIGNMENT LINK IN POPULI BEFORE THE DEADLINE. DO NOT
EMAIL IT.
Your file must be either a Word, Pages, or PDF document. If I can’t open
it, I can’t grade it.
Here is a series of questions you should be able to answer in detail when
working on a scene / monologue & developing your character. Always be
clear about who, when, where, what, why and how. MAKE TEXT-BASED
CHOICES. Use the text as a guide to answer these questions. If the
answers are not provided, use your imagination to build on what is given,
not to contradict the playwright’s intention or distract from it. And
remember, generality is the enemy of art! Specificitaaaay is essential!

Play and Author:

___________________________________________________________________
Your Character (Use first person point of view: I, me, my)
Basic information
• Name:
____________________________________________________________________________
• Age: ______________
• Gender: ___________
• Education Level:

• Occupation:

• Economic/ Social Status:

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• What am I wearing?

• Marital Status and Romantic History:

• Who am I with in the scene?

• What do I actually do in the scene?

Intimate Information
• What is my personal history? DETAILS!

• What do others think about me?

• Objective: What is my objective in this scene? (the whole scene—not a

tactic—not for the whole play) Your objective should be about what you want
from or to do to the other person who is in the scene with you. Think action
verbs, ex. Persuade, threaten, seduce, etc.).
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Analysis
• Internal Obstacles: What about me is keeping me from achieving these
goals?

• External Obstacles: Are there any other people or things in the way of my
goals? Who or what is my obstacle? Why are they an obstacle?

• Tactics: How can I get what I want? (hint: there should be more than one!
If you don’t accomplish your objective by one means, try another tactic

• Fears: What am I afraid of? Who and what bring them out in me?

Your Scene
The Moment Before
• What has just happened to me? Not a history. The exact moment before.

• Where have I just been before the scene starts?

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• What is my emotional state and attitude toward the unfolding events?

• What are my expectations?

• How high are the stakes? (What do I have to lose/gain?)

The Structure of the text (scoring the scene) Make sure your break the scene or
monologue into units of action on your copy of the text, name the units and write
your objective and obstacle for each one on your copy of the text. Then... transfer
that info to this paper. It will help you to agree with your partner on unit breaks and
names (for rehearsal purposes).

• How would I break the scene into units of action? Give each unit a short
NAME based on the action—e.g. “All’s well that ends well,” or “The
Confrontation.” Do not describe what happens. That is not a name, it is a
descriptive sentence.
• Beginning-___________________________________________________________________

• Middle- ___________________________________________________________________

• End- ___________________________________________________________________

• What is my simple objective AND obstacle for each unit? (Add more if
necessary.)
1.

2.
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Analysis
3.

• What is my motivating force? (This applies to the whole play. What you want
and what you’re willing to do to get it.)

Setting
• Where am I? What city, state, country?

• What is the year? Season?

• What are my immediate surroundings?

• What are the social, spiritual & political customs of my family, group, society?

•What does this place mean to me?

On your own…Draw the space: (do not skip this... it doesn’t have to be a piece of
art but you must know what your set looks like so that you can develop
relationship with the space. It will also inform your blocking, obviously.) Do not put
your drawing on this page… do it for yourself. If you show it to me in class I will
give you extra credit.
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