this is due in 9 hours…… must have done in 9 hours….. no late work be on time please
Theatre class. Avenue Q performace
watch theater play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEskfjMBCg
Do a production response of professional production Avenue Q: 2 pages double spaced
Purpose:To watch a professionally produced play–ideally live in-person– with a critical eye and write about it. The aim is to be able to articulate in writing several aspects of the production that stood out to the student, and explain why they were significant.
Skills:
In this assignment the student will practice identifying what they liked or didn’t like about a production and clearly explaining their reasons.
Knowledge:
For this assignment, the student will be able to apply knowledge they’ve gained about audiences, acting and directing, theatre spaces. They will be able to experience how these aspects of theatre integrate into the context of the entire theatrical performance. You’re also welcome to incorporate any prior knowledge you have of theatre.
Task:
Watch a professionally produced show from the list I’ve provided you.
Take notes during the show for actor names, director, characters, plot lines, relationships, etc.
Write the first draft of your work within a couple days of seeing the show.
Re-write, edit, and revise until your work is polished and really good. Use the Student Success Center for help.
If you watched this play in person, take a selfie in the lobby with your ticket stub or playbill and insert it at the bottom of your essay.
Criteria for Success:
Your essay should express your opinion about the show you saw. Your opinion should be state concisely in a thesis statement
Your work should give around 3 reasons to support your opinion. They should each be separate body paragraphs, with a few details.
Your essay should be organized and easy to read. Organize it like this: Intro – Body#1 – Body#2 – Body#3 – Conclusion
No new info in the conclusion, try to end with a “mic drop” moment.
Be sure to discuss the ending (that proves you stayed the whole time)
College-level writing in terms of grammar, descriptive details, depth of thought, etc.
MLA format
_______________________________________________________________________________ Titles of plays should always be in italics
Write about the Ending
In order to demonstrate that you have watched the whole recording, I will expect to read in your work an in-depth understanding and analysis of the ENDING of the show. Without this I will not have evidence that you actively and critically viewed the whole play.Titles of plays should always be in italics
Examples of Good Criticism
Take a quick listen to Anthony Byrnes on KCRW (Links to an external site.) give a couple of reviews. A critic’s review is very similar to what you are doing with this paper. Listen or read a few of these to get it into your head. Or you can find other theatre reviews on the LA Times, LA Weekly, Backstage, or others. Byrnes’ reviews are very manageable because they can be found in short 3-minute podcasts.Titles of plays should always be in italics
Give Your Ideas Credibility
You MUST always give support and evidence to back up your opinions. Didn’t like the acting? Say why. Name which actors you didn’t like and explain what you didn’t like about their performance. Please do not simply state that it was “believable” or “not believable.” Get specific. Give me an example.With every opinion you express about the show, give 2-3 examples to support it. That would actually make a great paragraph right there. Do that a few times, then, with a good thesis tying it all together…you have a paper!And don’t summarize! Only give as much plot detail as is necessary to make your point.
Important Notes
Titles of plays should always be in italics (did I say that yet?…)
Don’t forget to include a proper MLA heading that includes your name.
The first time you mention a character, put the actor’s name in parentheses. After that you can use the actor’s LAST name to refer to them again. Use your playbill to help you. If you discuss them, you must name them. No excuses.
And don’t summarize! The last thing I want is a play-by-play of the plot points of your show. Chances are I am already familiar with this play. You will get a very poor grade if you do that (see the rubric for details). Only give the plot details necessary to make your point.
video can help you write production review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8SKguvGjs
Example
Having an organized and concise outline is extremely important to the writing process. Here is an example outline of a pretend production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream so you can see how it should be written. (hopefully your show will be AWESOME and this will not reflect your paper!)
Intro w/ thesis: “This production was not enjoyable because Shakespeare’s text was not the main focus of the performance”
Acting was bad
Actors stumbled over language
example: Puck’s final mono
example: Helena’s act I mono
Powerful moments were lost
example: Oberon & Titania’s feuding
example: Hippolyta’s act 5 viewing of ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’
Special Effects were distracting
example: Lightning & Thunder
example: Projections unnecessary
Scenic design was clumsy
Too much “stuff” onstage
Actors didn’t seem to know their exits & entrances well
Conclusion
Main idea: the heavy-handed technical aspects of the show, as well as the actors’ unpreparedness drew from the beauty of Shakespeare’s language and story.
Re-state main points of essay in brief
