November 19, 2008

One-Act Plays can run anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour or more. While technically, the one-act gets its name from having only one act (however long that might be), it's more commonly thought of as a play that isn't long enough to constitute a full evening. Arguably the most popular length for one-acts is around a half-hour.

Assignment: Collaborate with a fellow classmate to create a One-Act Play. You will be limited to a 30 minute duration. DUE: TBD

Criteria:

1. A good one-act focuses on one main action or problem; there's not time to get into complicated layers of plot.
2. Keep your play to one set and as few scenes as possible.
3. Develop characters only necessary to the plot.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMEBER 5, 2008
"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" ----William Shakespeare

Today, we begin working on the "10-minute play." Follow the outline below to get started:
A ten minute play takes place in ten minutes. One page of dialogue and stage direction is typically one minute of stage action.

1. Introduce Your Characters: Even if they’re just “boy” and “girl” with no stated names, you need to introduce your characters quickly and without reserve. Exposition and back story need be brief.
2. Build tension: Keep the tension taught. What mood or atmosphere would you wish to create at the beginning? At the end?
3. Add Conflict: Plays are, by and large, drama and drama is conflict.
4. Leave Audience Wanting More: Unlike most every other kind of art form, the ten minute play doesn’t always have an easy answer; it doesn’t always even have an answer at all! Ten minute plays are notorious for having endings which are glib, open ended, without resolution, left up to the audience to decide.