Transcript An approach to Oral Interpretation

An approach to Oral
Interpretation
Objective: The student
will be able to create a
performance that will
have full believable
characterization, dramatic
and impacting moments,
and a sense of journey
from the beginning of the
selection to the end.
Purpose: In analyzing the
script, students will find
clues about the character,
what the character wants,
and how the character
achieves their goals.
Text analysis aids
students into being selflearners in creating the
perfect performance.
One
The text for an actor is
like sheet music to a
musician. The text when
scored properly and
analyzed correctly it gives
the actor all the clues they
need to create a
character.
1. Students should read
the entire play first.
2. Look up any and all words
you do not understand.
3. Look at the punctuation
that the author has put into
the script for your
character.
“,” Commas mean take a
breath
“.” Periods mean pause or
possible change of
thought
“…”Ellipses means that
the character is
unsure.
“-“ What ever follows a
dash is very important
to the character or it is
an interruption.
“:” Colon usually means that a
list is coming. If your
character has a list of
repeated words or phrases
regardless of a colon or not
each item in the list must be
different. Colons can also
mean that what follows is
very important to the
character.
“!” Exclamation point
means that the
character is excited,
angry or emotional.
“?” Question mark means
that they are
questioning someone.
In other words your
pitch must go up at the
end of your sentence
for the audience to
know that you are
asking a question.
Two
Students should score
the text once they
have looked at the
punctuation. Students
should make the
following marks in
their scripts.
/-Pause
//-Pause and change
of thought
///-Major Pause and
shift in the play or
scene
<-Get louder
>-Get softer
~-Get faster
`-Get slower
Three
Students should circle
an operative word per
word group.
An operative word is
the one word that we
must hear in a
sentence in order for
that sentence and the
next to make sense.
Four
Students should
define the Super
Objective of the play,
Through Line of
Action, Units of
Action, Objectives,
Obstacles, Tactics
and Stakes
Super Objective
What is the overall
message or call to
action of the play.
What does the
playwright want the
audience to do as a
result of seeing the
play.
Through line of Action
Over all life goal of
each character in the
play.
Units of Action or beats
A major change of
thought, action or
situation. By doing this
you are able to commit
moment by moment
rather than attempting
to act the entire
selection at one time.
Objective: System of
wants and needs of a
character from unit to
unit. Objectives should
be written so that the
actor can physically
see the result of the
objective.
The way to write an
objective is:
I must “verb””receiver”-”desired
response”
abash
Verb List
assure attack
accost
avoid
dominate
pacify
force
insult
deter
coax
chastise
flatter
torment
urge
violate
delude
caress
irritate
awaken
cheer
follow
survive
trick
subdue
assist
endure appease
warn
excite
astonish advise
An entire list of verbs is available.
Obstacle
The thing that stops
you from getting what
you want. In every
scene there is
conflict.. You must
figure out what stops
your character from
getting what they
want.
Tactic
The way the character
goes about
overcoming an
obstacle in order to
achieve an objective.
Tactics are verbs or
actions that you do to
get what you want.
Stakes
How important is it to
your character to win
your objective. The
higher the stakes the
more exciting the
scene is to act and to
watch.
This unit is designed
to give you the
performer a different
approach to getting
the most out of the
text and to create and
sustain a believable
character.
Certain materials are used under the “fair use”
guidelines all materials are protected from further use.
2004”The Perfect Performance