Theory
The famous Russian acting theorist who laid the groundwork for all acting technique in the 20th century
What a character wants in a scene is often referred to as the _____
Objective (usually a noun, the object of desire or lure to the action)
Finding a real life analogous situation that you understand in order to better relate to a character's situation is called the magic _____?
IF
The magic if
Scene Structure Question 1: Refer to board
Inciting Incident
When you smell something that reminds you of another place and time you are experiencing ___________
Sense Memory
The event or condition that indicates that an actor has succeeded in their action is called the ______
Cap
What is the difference between an objective and a super objective? Give an example of each
Objective is what a character wants at any given moment; the lure that pulls them through the scene and keeps them engaged
Super Objective is a character's main, overarching goal/ desire that drives their actions throughout the whole play
Scene objectives feed the Super objective
Rising Action
Define through-line of action
What a character is trying to do throughout the entirety of the play. It is like the action, but all encompassing (kind of like super objective vs. objective)
What are the given circumstances of a play? Give an example of each.
Who- Age, gender, family, background, race, religion, relationships, mental health, habits, worldview
What- what is happening (ex: romance, conflict), what are they talking about, what is essentially happening
When- Time period, Time of Day, Season
Where- Location, city, country
Why- the objective/ what the character wants, why the character is doing what they are doing
Stage Directions: Refer to board and fill in all blanks- if one is wrong you lose the points
USR, UC, USL, CSR, CS, CSL, DSR, DCS, DSL
Plot Structure Question 3: Refer to board
Climax or Point of No Return
What is the definition of externals? Identify them and give at least one example of each.
Externals: A physical adjustment made by the actor that either aids in the telling of the story or illustrates an imaginary circumstance of the play.
3 Types: Bodily Adjustments ex: Posture, voice, speech alterations, Ornaments ex: costume and makeup, Physical States ex: drunk, exhaustion, illness, hot/cold
What is the difference between a scene action and the through-line of action? Give an example of each.
Through Line of action is what the character is trying to do throughout the ENTIRETY of the play, while a scene action is what the character is trying to do in that individual scene
Plot Structure Question 4: Refer to board
Denouement
What does it mean to work off the other actor?
List three examples of this from either scene work or shows you have been in this semester. Be specific.
-Listen and respond impulsively in the moment, with regards to the given circumstances of the moment
_______ is what the actor does in a scene to accomplish his/her objective with the term _____ refers to how it is accomplished
Action
Tactics/ Tools
According to the Practical Handbook for the Actor, what are the 9 requirements of a good action?
Identify and explain each
1. Be physically capable of being done/ something you can actually accomplish onstage 2. Be fun to do (what is compelling to you?) 3. Be Specific 4. Be rooted in the other person (you should be able to see if you are succeeding through your partner) 5. Action cannot be an errand/ mundane (must be something you might fail at) 6. Cannot presuppose any physical or emotional state (ex: calming down an excited friend assumes they will be excited) 7. Cannot be manipulative 8. Must have a cap 9. Must be in line with the playwright's intention
Plot Structure Question 5: What is the name of this pyramid structure?
Freytag's Pyramid