UCLA Game Changers Play Report

Step one of this mini-term is to choose a play to read, based on whatever your interests are! Plays on the curated list are sorted by a general topic tag (some appear in more than one tag!)

If you don’t see anything that interests you, OR you feel more adventurous and want to see what ELSE is out there– follow that page down lower and use the research resources (play lists and monologue books) or the many full-text databases we have to try finding a new play of your own to read and evaluate. If you really like the play you find, and think other students in 107 might like to check it out too, then use the Recommend form to tell us a bit more about it, make your pitch, and we will look into adding it! 

To receive mini-term points, you will turn in your report on the play to the TurnItIn link below this description, on this page. This report is modeled after a typical “slush pile” report that might be made at a theater company while the theater is trying to plan their next season. Your report should answer the following questions, in approximately one paragraph each:

Summarize the plot of the play (what actually happens?) in one paragraph/2-3 sentences.

Describe how the play is told–this is a question about the dramaturgical mechanics: what literary or performance devices are employed? Is it a realist drama? Camp or satirical? What’s most notable to you about the way in which the plot is conveyed, promising or perhaps not so promising?

Consider casting requirements: which types of actors are required for the main roles? Are there, in your opinion, opportunities for creative casting, or things to keep in mind while casting?

1. Production requirements: think about what is required for the stage/playing space. Is the play flexible enough to allow a lot of artistic freedom for the designers or are most scenery pieces required by the script? You can add a couple sentences of your recommendation for the set/lighting/sound designs.
2. Your personal recommendation on whether this play should be staged now, with justification. This is not just “is this play good?” –it is also about why now, how it would contribute to specific present dialogue and issues, and what it adds to the public conversation.