Our Town: Quiz & Discussion; Zoo Story: day 1

You will have 20 minutes to complete a quiz on the play Our Town by Thorton Wilder. You may use your books and your review homework for this exam, but only have 20 minutes to complete it.

After our quiz, please take the rest of period 3 to discuss the play in your assigned groups. Choose a person in your group that you evaluate (see socratic seminar handout)--every one should have a separate reviewer. Complete the handout and, as a group, come up with at least 3 questions/topics you would also like to address for this play.

PLEASE TURN IN YOUR HOMEWORK & the handouts for credit today. If you did not write your review of Our Town (see previous post) please do not return your Our Town play to the library today.

During period 4, please complete the character exercise as directed. Then, we'll go to the library, return Our Town and pick up The Zoo Story by Edward Albee, our next required play reading. When we return from the library, please gather in groups of 2-3 (your choice) and begin reading the play out loud together. We will continue and complete our reading of this one-act play next class.

HOMEWORK: Please bring your Zoo Story scripts back with you to next class! If you did not complete your review or your reading of Our Town, please do that as well.

Our Town

The play Our Town by Thorton Wilder was first produced in 1938. Since then, it has been a staple of theatrical expression, delighting and compelling audiences for many, many years. Part of its charm is its ensemble cast, its simple stage design, its cinematic plot construction, and its central metaphor.

Some of the themes you should notice as we read include:

• Life: generations, community, family, etc.
• Death: well...death...mortality, change in fortune, etc.
• Love: marriage, companionship, etc.
• Time and the artificiality of theater. 

Jaques:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143
As you read the play, please consider how the structure of the play and its characters comment on human life. How does the playwright present to us a collage of human experience? How does the play manipulate and use time?

HOMEWORK: Please complete your reading of Our Town. After reading, please review the play. Use the link to the author to comment on the writing of the play as well. Look here for help in writing your review. Your written review is due Dec. 1.

Coffeehouse Rehearsal

Please join me in the Ensemble Theater today to rehearse for the coffeehouse.

HOMEWORK: None. Please prepare your selections for our coffeehouse Thursday.

500 Word Short Story; Coffeehouse Prep; Mira Jacobs

This morning, please take 20-30 minutes to do the following:

• Complete your 500 word short story draft.
• Take a look at the author: Mira Jacobs' website. We will be having a master class with this author today during periods 7-8. 
• Select 2 pieces from your portfolio (a prose piece and poem perhaps) and print out new copies for your use.

At the end of the period, we will be moving next door to practice reading and sharing our coffeehouse selections. 

• Choose and sit in a group next door. Most stations are set up for 4 participants.
• Taking turns, read your chosen coffeehouse selections out loud to your group members.
• I suggest reading 1 selection per participant before reading your second piece so that all members have time to share before the next step in this process.
• When instructed, 1 student should move clockwise to join a new group. 
• Take turns reading your chosen coffeehouse selections out loud to your new group members. You will even be reading again to your old group members--this is okay, as it is more practice!
• When instructed, 1 student should move clockwise to join a new group again.
• Repeat process.

At the very end of class today, I will give you some pointers as to how to set up your work to perform it for the coffeehouse. When instructed, please stop reading out loud and listen to my advice.

HOMEWORK: Prepare and rehearse your two pieces.

New Quarter; 500 Word Short Story Project; Coffeehouse Selection

Today, please refer to the previous post concerning the 500 Word Short Story project. Today, you will have time to complete the homework (see the previous post and below for details) and write your story.

After writing (or as a diversion): please spend some small amount of time today and select at least two pieces to read at the coffeehouse. Pick your best work! Fiction or non-fiction (speeches) should be no longer than 3 pages double spaced. You MAY read fiction. You MAY read poetry. You MAY read both if they're short.

• Don't pick something you don't like or aren't proud of. This performance is to show off your talents, not to present work you don't like to an audience!
• Pick something that is family-friendly--whatever that means to you. There will be children and grandparents in the audience. Be aware of that!--but also note most of us are pretty liberal.
• Just because it's short, doesn't mean you have to read it. If you fashion yourself as a better fiction writer, don't show off your poor poetry skills. Show off your great fiction skills!
• If you are selecting a longer work, consider only reading an excerpt. There are a lot of us to perform and the coffee gets cold if it sits too long because you haven't the sense to cut or edit your work.

BE PREPARED with your copies next class so we can begin to perform and prepare them!

12 Angry Men; The 500 Word Short Story; End of Marking Period

During period 3 we will continue reading 12 Angry Men. After reading this play, please discuss the questions with 3-4 other students.

On to our next writing task. Soon you will be choosing a selection to read and perform at our coffeehouse on Nov. 20. Before you do that, please print out any writing you have completed this marking period and put the draft in your portfolio. Then watch these videos!

• 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer
• Daniel Radcliffe: 500 Words story
• David Walliams: 500 Words story
• Please watch and listen to at least 3 500-word stories from this site. 
• Lab: writing a 500 word story.
• Go to the lab. 
• Come up with a short, short story that should be exactly 500 words in length.
• Subject and genre is completely up to you!
• Use the handout advice to get you started.
• Use the advice from the videos and the 25 insights to help you as well.

HOMEWORK: Watch at least 3 500-word stories (see link above) and summarize each story in 1 sentence. Write your 1-sentence premise (summary) in your journals. Consider what pieces you have written that you think are your best work.

Creative Writing Portfolio; 12 Angry Men

During period 3, please print out any poem, short story, or speech you have written for this class and put your work in your portfolio.

WRITING REFLECTION: Add to this a few paragraphs about how you feel your first marking period has gone as a creative writing major. Reflect on the work you have accomplished and explain how you have grown as a writer this marking period and, finally, comment on what you feel you still need to work on more in regard to becoming a successful writer.

After writing your reflection, please print it out and keep this in your portfolio.

If you finish your work and reflection before 4th period, please get together with a student or two who is also finished with their portfolio and share your work with them. PLEASE DO NOT BOTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL WORKING ON THEIR REFLECTIONS!

During period 4, we will move to the library to pick up the play 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose. This play is one of the world's most famous court dramas. It was originally written as a t.v. play, but was adapted into a stage play in 1955 and then a movie in 1957 starring Henry Fonda and Jack Klugman. Here's a clip.

After checking it out of the library, please return to room 238 and let's begin reading it together.

HOMEWORK: None. Please bring your plays back with you next class. Extra credit (and horror stories) are due by Friday!