Return to Thea 272 page

Actor Observation

You will attend a theatre performance and focus on the work of one actor.  Based on those observations, you will write a paper discussing the objective that the actor seems to have identified from scene to scene.  Use the actor’s behavior to explain why you have identified the objective, and show how the actor pursued her or his objective.  Was the actor effective in the role?  Were some scenes stronger than others?  Why or why not?  Again, use your identification of objectives in each scene along with examples of the actor’s behavior as a basis for your discussions.

• Identify the actor’s objective in each scene. 15 points
• Discuss specific behaviors of the actor in each scene to illustrate/support your interpretation of the objective. 15 points
• Describe the actor’s specific behavior to explain how the actor/character worked to achieve her/his objective in each scene. 10 points
• Was the actor effective in the role?  Why or why not? 10 points

Introduce your paper with an overall assessment of the actor’s performance, then devote individual paragraphs to discussion of each scene, so that each scene is discussed in its own paragraph.

Use your conclusion to sum up your ideas and “prove” the effectiveness of the actor’s choices and actions in the production.

Grammar will be a grading factor, since you will need to convey your ideas effectively through your writing.

Papers due one week after viewing the performance