DTA | Analysis :: Drama Lesson Plans

Analyzing a Play Through Socratic Seminar

by Annie Dragoo

In this two-part lesson, students will analyze a script using a specific method and practical critical thinking skills.

Applying Analysis to Performance

by Karen Loftus

Students continue their exploration of script analysis by applying objective, obstacles, tactics, and stakes within an open scene. They learn that they must apply their script analysis to their performance.

Attachments

Slide Deck Lesson 4

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Characters in a Scene

by Karen Loftus

Students continue their exploration with script analysis by learning about objective, obstacle, stakes, and tactics and applying it to an exercise.

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Close Reading Analysis of Monologue: Not Again

by Quincy Young

Close reading requires students to analyze a text more thoroughly then they might naturally be inclined to, and because of this, students will be required to read the text three times. The first reading focuses on what the text says, the second reading focuses on how the text works, and the third engages students in evaluating the text, comparing it with other texts, or thinking about its implications in their lives in relation to the text. This lesson applies the close reading technique to analyze a BIPOC-centred theatrical text.

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Close Reading: 21st Century Issue Play

by Lindsay Price

Close reading is a text-dependent analysis tool that allows students to read a text for in-depth comprehension. Students focus on the text to understand what’s being said, how it’s being said, and why. In this lesson, students will close read a teen issue play: Censorbleep by Lindsay Price. Reading something that was written specifically for them may help students connect to the analysis process.

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Close Reading: Early Modern

by Lindsay Price

In this lesson, we will close read sections of an early modern text: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. This play fits the criteria well for a close read text: Lots of details both in story and character, lots of structural “hows” to analyze, and Oscar Wilde makes a lot of statements with this play about Victorian England, about how people behave, about marriage, and about being truthful (earnest). Students will approach the text through a variety of exercises, from close reading the title, to single sentences, to a small section, to a culminating assignment.

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Close Reading: Monologue

by Lindsay Price

Close reading is a text-dependent analysis tool that allows students to read a text for in-depth comprehension. Students focus on the text to understand what’s being said, how it’s being said, and why. In this lesson, students will use this analysis technique on a monologue. They will go through the process on a model and then apply what they have learned in a culminating activity.

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Close Reading: Shakespeare

by Lindsay Price

Close reading is a text-dependent analysis tool that allows students to read a text for in-depth comprehension. Students focus on the text to understand what’s being said, how it’s being said, and why. This tool can be an excellent method for getting students to connect to Shakespeare. Where students take a left turn with understanding Shakespeare is that they can’t see past the language. They can’t see using the same tools analyzing a Shakespeare play as they would a modern play. So use close reading to break the language down, move past it, and treat Shakespeare like a modern text.

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Compare and Contrast: Adaptation

by Lindsay Price

Students will compare and contrast a scene from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Lindsay Price’s adaptation Humbug High.

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Critic Case Study: "A Dirty Act Done Publicly"

by Lindsay Price

Students will continue to evaluate the role of the critic and the purpose of criticism. In this case study lesson, students will examine a 1891 production of Henrik Ibsen’s play Ghosts. The single-night performance resulted in 500 reviews, many of which were negative and caustic.

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Critic Case Study: The New York Times

by Lindsay Price

Students will continue to evaluate the role of the critic and the purpose of criticism. In this case study lesson, students will examine the power of the New York Times drama critic in the mid to late 20th century. While there were many outlets reviewing shows, there was an ongoing mythology that a review from the New York Times had the power to keep a show running or close it. Students will discuss and infer if this is true. They will also reflect on the role of the critic who has such power.

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Critical Thinking: Fight Scene Analysis

by Drama Teacher Academy

Stage combat is a form of storytelling. The fights need to continue the story that the actors are telling through their lines and scene work. And what makes a fight look even better is the performers’ actions and reactions to the fight. If a character resorts to violence, they’re obviously feeling strong emotions. This lesson allows students to think critically about how a fight affects a character physically and mentally and how the fight tells the story.

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Culminating Projects and Reflection

by Lindsay Price

Students will apply what they have learned through a creative project.

Attachments

Slide Deck Lesson 8

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Dorothy Parker

by Lindsay Price

Students will continue to evaluate the role of the critic and the purpose of criticism. In this case study lesson, students will examine a single critic from a specific era. In 1918, at 24 years old, Dorothy Parker became the drama critic for Vanity Fair. This was a time period when there were upwards of 80 Broadway theatres and over a hundred shows opened each year. It was also a post-war era where audiences were looking for release, and the wit and tone of Dorothy Parker’s reviews were exactly what people were looking for. It also got her fired.

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Emergency Lesson Plan: Prose vs Drama

by Lindsay Price

In this ELP, students will read two ghost story texts: a prose version and a theatrical adaptation of the same story. Students will then compare and contrast the two texts: How does each handle the ghost story genre? How does each create mood and atmosphere for the genre? What are the similarities in the texts? What are the differences? In your opinion, which suits the genre better?

Attachments

Prose vs Drama Venn Diagram Worksheet

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Emergency Lesson Plan: Scoring a Scene

by Lindsay Price

In this ELP, students will read a scene, identify the beats, apply action words to each beat, and reflect on how they would use this information to present the scene.

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