Script Analysis: This assignment is an initial response document on “Monster In The Hall” script.

Script Analysis: This assignment is an initial response document on “Monster In The Hall” script.

This assignment is an initial response document on “Monster In The Hall” script. You’ll find all the detailed information on what the assignment requires attached to the order.

First start by reading the instruction provided multiple times to insure that you don’t miss anything when writing. You’ll also find attached a sample script analysis and format. Read “Monster In The Hall” document and follow up with the sections needed in the assignment.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask.

Your task is to create an initial response document around The Monster in the Hall. An Initial
Response is a document used by directors and dramaturgs when doing their script analysis work
prior to the start of rehearsals.
I have provided a PDF of The Monster in the Hall for you on Canvas under the Week 5 module.
First, it’s a good idea print out the script and make notes directly on it. I have generally found that
people dig deeper when they can mark up the script in analog rather than taking notes on a digital
copy.
Divide your paper into the following six sections, and use bullet points for structure:
Positives (+) – Things, ideas, or moments in the play which you find to be amazing, exciting,
electrifying, thrilling. The things you think would look great onstage, that really pop for you,
really stand out, really get you thinking.
Challenges (-) – The things you feel would be difficult to adequately stage. Things that are
gratuitous, over the top, illogical, or flawed.
NOTE: This is NOT a spot to dump negative OPINIONS about the play. This is
not the spot to tell us you don’t LIKE the play. This is a spot to list things in the
play that might be CHALLENGING to produce or things that are difficult to
understand, not difficult to like.
FOR BOTH POSITIVES AND CHALLENGES: You must list at least 2, no more than
3, items for each, with each item getting a good-sized paragraph. (5 – 7 good sentences per
paragraph.) Thus, if you wrote about two positives and two challenges, you’d have 4
paragraphs total between these two sections, each paragraph having between 5 and 7 good
sentences.
Cracks/Threads (*) – Your way into the play. How do you, personally, as someone who has seen
some plays and has been writing a lot about them, get into this play? Perhaps something in it
reminds you of something in your life. Perhaps there’s a relationship dynamic in the play that
reminds you of people you know. Maybe the setting of the play speaks to you because you’ve
been there, or it reminds you of places you’ve been. This is a spot to pour YOURSELF into
the paper: why is this play relevant to you? Limit yourself to 2 paragraphs for this section.
Concretes (^) – Physical items called for in the script—set pieces, props, and costumes, mostly.
Track each concrete object, item, or set piece called for directly in the script.
Audio/Visual moments (A/V) – Sound, light, and physical moments that really stand out as
important.
2
FOR BOTH CONCRETES AND A/V MOMENTS: Track as many as you can in your
reading, and then pick the MOST IMPORTANT 4 or 5 with 1 – 2 sentences explaining the
importance of each. I cannot stress enough: the point of these two sections is
CURATION—gather a lot of data, and then evaluate and weigh it, including only that
which is essential to an understanding of the play.
Synthesis – Write this section after completing the rest of the document Your goal here is to
SYNTHESIZE all of the items listed in your document into a cohesive statement about your
understanding of the play. Tell me what the play is about, using the reactions, threads,
concretes, and A/V moments you discovered and ranked as most important. This is NOT about
your reaction to or enjoyment of the play. This you talking about what this play is about, how
it works, what makes it worthy of producing. It should be 2 – 3 paragraphs long.
TOTAL DOCUMENT LENGTH:
The entire document should end up being between 5 and 8 pages—no more than 10 at the most.
Be as concise and direct in your writing as possible. Remember the point of a document like
this: it’s a reference tool for directors and their teams at the start of a rehearsal process. If it’s
overly wordy, then a director has to stop and search for information when time might be limited.
GENERAL NOTE:
Prior to the due date, if you have a draft ready that you’d like me to look at, email it to me. If
you have questions or concerns about your process in getting started on this project, email
those to me, too—I’ll be happy to help!
In addition to posting this assignment sheet, I’ve also posted a sample Initial Response so you
have an idea of what the document looks like.