Unit
in Drama Two Curriculum
Character Analysis - Part 1
Created by Matt Webster
5 lessons
analysis
The Drama Two Curriculum has been developed to expand and deepen students’ skills as artists. In this unit, students will explore character analysis, which is key to developing three-dimensional characters in monologues, scenes, and plays. In Part 1, they will start with Uta Hagen’s nine questions for character analysis.
Start here
The overview lays out the objectives, description, and lessons for the unit, including pre-knowledge requirements and review.
-
1Lesson 1Uta Hagen's Nine QuestionsIntroduce your students to Uta Hagen and the nine questions she uses for character development.
-
2Lesson 2An Organic Approach to Objective, Obstacle, Stakes, and Action/TacticTo introduce the idea of “objective/goal, obstacle, stakes, and action/tactic” as a powerful building block for actors and to introduce the concept of working with verbs as tactics
-
3Lesson 3Scoring and BeatsTo introduce the idea of “objective/goal, obstacle, and action/tactic” to simple scenes by scoring those scenes and playing the scored text.
-
4Lesson 4Status MonkeysTo learn how status influences characterization and character actions by participating in “Status Monkeys” and other interactions based on status
-
5Lesson 5ProjectTo demonstrate comprehension and understanding of content and concepts through the analysis and performance of an open scene.
Standards Addressed
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Grade 6
Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation - Grade 8
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - High School Proficient
Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation - Grade HS Proficient
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade HS Accomplished
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade HS Advanced
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 6
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 7
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work - Grade 7
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 8
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work - Grade 8
Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade HS Advanced
6.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
8.TH:Pr4 Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Prof.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Prof.TH:Pr4 Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Acc.TH:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Adv.TH:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
6.TH:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work.
7.TH:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work.
7.TH:Pr6 Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
8.TH:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work.
8.TH:Pr6 Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
- DT.8.1.4.a Students Can: Use repetition and analysis in order to revise devised or scripted drama/theatre work.
- DT.8.2.1.b Students Can: Apply and justify various character objectives and tactics in a drama/theatre work to overcome an obstacle.
- DT.8.2.4.a Students Can: Perform/present a rehearsed/designed drama/theatre work for an audience.
High School - Fundamental Pathway
- DT.H1.1.1.c Students Can: Generate ideas about a character that are believable and authentic using script analysis.
- DT.H1.2.1.a Students Can: Examine how character relationships assist in telling the story of a drama/theatre work.
- DT.H1.2.1.b Students Can: Shape artistic choices using given circumstances in a drama/theatre work.
High School - Advanced Pathway
High School - Professional Pathway
- DT.H3.1.2.b Students Can: Collaborate as a creative team to discover artistic solutions and make interpretive choices in a devised or scripted drama/theatre work.
- DT.H3.1.3.a Students Can: Collaborate on a drama/theatre work that examines a critical global issue using multiple personal, community, and cultural perspectives.
- DT.H3.1.4.a Students Can: Refine, transform, and re-imagine a devised or scripted drama/theatre work using the rehearsal process to invent or re-imagine style, genre, form, and conventions.
Speaking and Listening
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Language
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6 Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.
Reading: Literature
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Language
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Critical Thinking & Reflection
- TH.68.C.1.4 Create and present a design, production concept, or performance and defend artistic choices.
- TH.912.C.1.5 Make and defend conscious choices in the creation of a character that will fulfill anticipated audience response.
- TH.912.C.2.1 Explore and describe possible solutions to production or acting challenges and select the solution most likely to produce desired results.
- TH.912.C.2.2 Construct imaginative, complex scripts and revise them in collaboration with actors to convey story and meaning to an audience.
Innovation, Technology & the Future
Organizational Structure
Skills, Techniques & Processes
- TH.68.S.1.2 Invent a character with distinct behavior(s) based on observations of people in the real world and interact with others in a cast as the invented characters.
- TH.68.S.2.4 Memorize and present a character's lines from a monologue or scene.
- TH.68.S.3.1 Develop characterizations, using basic acting skills, appropriate for selected dramatizations.
- TH.68.S.3.3 Lead rehearsals of improvised and scripted scenes, communicating with cast and crew to create appropriate characterization and dramatic environments.
- TH.912.S.1.7 Interpret dramatic texts, organize and conduct rehearsals, and justify directorial choices for formal and informal productions.
- TH.912.S.1.8 Use research to extract clues in dramatic texts to create performances or technical elements, choosing those that are most interesting and that best convey dramatic intent.
- TH.912.S.2.8 Strengthen acting skills by engaging in theatre games and improvisations.
- TH.912.S.3.3 Develop acting skills and techniques in the rehearsal process.
Grades 9-12 - ACTING LEVELS I-IV - Creating
Grades 9-12 - ADVANCED DRAMA LEVELS I-IV -Creating
Grades 9-12 - ADVANCED DRAMA LEVELS I-IV -Performing
- TAHSAD.PR.1 Act and direct by communicating and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.<br/>a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks associated with acting, incorporating voice, body, observation, and imagination to create characters for formal and informal performances.<br/>b. Implement the duties of the stage manager, including communication and safety procedures, that will assist the director in all areas of production.<br/>c. Develop a schedule and organizational plan to prepare a scene for performance, including a rehearsal schedule and a prompt script.<br/>d. Conduct rehearsals and present a full theatrical presentation to a live audience.
- TAHSAD.PR.2 Execute artistic and technical elements of theatre.<br/>a. Engage as a creative team in script analysis to plan and create technical elements of a theatre production.
Grades 9-12 - FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Creating
- TAHSFT.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.<br/>a. Recognize and/or employ realistic and conventional speech patterns within dialogue or dramatic verse.<br/>b. Incorporate dramatic elements through improvisation.<br/>c. Recognize and interpret artistic choices in performance.
- TAHSFT.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.<br/>a. Differentiate between dramatic and traditional literary writing and utilize common steps of the playwriting process.<br/>b. Assess the need for script analysis, concept development, and directorial and technical concerns of a theatrical script.<br/>c. Construct and critique elements of dramatic structure, character, and dialogue.<br/>d. Create and perform scenes for audiences.
Grades 9-12 - MUSICAL THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Performing
- TAHSMT.PR.1 Act and direct by communicating and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.<br/>a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks associated with acting, singing, and dancing, incorporating vocal and movement technique, observation, and imagination to create characters for formal and informal performances.<br/>b. Identify and examine the responsibilities and tasks of an actor in relation to directors, designers, choreographers, technical crew, and production staff.<br/>c. Use the skills and tools of a director to develop a presentation of formal and informal musical theatre performances.<br/>d. Conduct rehearsals to present a musical theatre performance for a live audience.
- TAHSMT.PR.2 Execute artistic and technical elements of theatre.<br/>a. Engage as a creative team in script analysis to plan and create technical elements of a theatre production, including sets, props, costumes, makeup, lighting, and sound.
Grades 9-12 - THEATRE HISTORY AND LITERATURE I AND II - Performing
Sixth Grade Create
Sixth Grade Present
Seventh Grade Present
Eighth Grade Present
Beginning High School Create
Beginning High School Present
- B.PR.1.2 Communicate characters, situations, and scenarios using body and voice while adhering to staging conventions.
- B.PR.2.2 Demonstrate appropriate theatre audience behavior with the understanding of the impact on performers and technicians.
- B.PR.2.4 Identify the responsibilities of a performer in a variety of theatrical venues.
Beginning High School Respond
Intermediate High School Create
Intermediate High School Present
Accomplished High School Create
Advanced High School Create
Advanced High School Present
- AD.PR.1.1 Implement justified choices made in response to feedback and specific criteria.
- AD.PR.1.2 Apply conventions of acting, directing, and technical theatre to refine theatrical works for presentation.
- AD.PR.2.1 Develop contrasting theatrical works for diverse genres, audiences, auditions, or productions.
Beginning High School Standards - Communication
Beginning High School Standards - Analysis
Beginning High School Standards - Culture
Intermediate High School Standards - Communication
- I.C.1.1 Use non-verbal expression to illustrate how human motivations are prompted by physical and emotional needs.
- I.C.2.1 Use improvisation and acting skills, such as observation, concentration, and characterization, to demonstrate given situations.
- I.C.2.2 Interpret scenes through formal and informal presentations.
Proficient High School Standards - Communication
Advanced High School Standards - Communication
MS 117.211 LI - Foundations: Inquiry and Understanding
MS 117.211 LI - Creative Expression: performance
MS 117.212 LII - Creative Expression: performance
MS 117.213 LIII - Foundations: Inquiry and Understanding
MS 117.213 LIII - Creative Expression: performance
HS 117.315 LI - Foundations: Inquiry and Understanding
HS 117.316 LII - Foundations: Inquiry and Understanding
HS 117.316 LII - Creative Expression: performance
HS 117.316 LII - Creative Expression: production
HS 117.317 LIII - Foundations: Inquiry and Understanding
HS 117.317 LIII - Creative Expression: production
- C.3.C cast and direct duet scenes.
- C.3.D perform a role such as actor, director, designer, technician, or editor in production decision making and collaborate with others to tell a story through live theatre or media performance.
- C.3.E perform the role of actor, director, or technician, demonstrating responsibility, artistic discipline, and creative problem solving.
HS 117.318 LIV - Creative Expression: performance
HS 117.318 LIV - Creative Expression: production
Acting Drama 20
- 1 analyze a script for explicit character clues
- 2 create, select and sustain physical details of the character from scripted material
- 3 demonstrate understanding of and identity motivation and objectives (overall, main and immediate).
- 4 demonstrate understanding that a character’s behaviour is motivated by past, present and anticipated future experiences
- 5 demonstrate a character’s main objective within a scene
- 6 demonstrate a character’s immediate or moment-to-moment objectives within a scene
- 7 demonstrate the ability to play a character from the character’s point of view
- 8 demonstrate the ability to memorize required text
- 9 demonstrate the ability to pick up cues effectively
Playwriting - Drama 20
Junior Goal II Objectives
Junior Orientation
- meet deadlines and follow through on individual and group commitments
- recognize the purposes of and participate in warmup activities
- respond to directions without breaking concentration-side coaching
- speak, move, and generate ideas spontaneously
- work cooperatively and productively with all members of the class in pairs, small groups and large groups
Improvisation/Acting Level I - Beginning
Improvisation/Acting Level II - Intermediate
Junior Goal I Objectives
Theatre Studies Level III - Advanced (The script)
- 10 demonstrate understanding of the concept of dramatic convention
- 11 demonstrate understanding of plot structure
- 12 analyze a script to identify character, setting and plot
- 7 define the elements of script, dialogue, directions, characters and settings
- 8 demonstrate understanding of directions used in a script
Senior Goal I Objectives
- demonstrate a sense of inquiry and commitment, individually and to the group
- demonstrate a sense of responsibility and commitment, individually and to the group
- demonstrate the ability to considered decisions, act upon them and accept the results
- demonstrate the ability to contribute effectively and constructively to the group process
- increase self-discipline
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Develop and refine ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Interpret works of art using knowledge and skills from various areas of learning
- Reflect on works of art and creative processes to understand artists' intentions
- Research, describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments in the arts
GRADE 6 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Develop and refine ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Research, describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments in the arts
GRADE 7 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Exploring and creating
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Reasoning and reflecting
- Describe, interpret and evaluate how artists (dancers, actors, musicians, and visual artists) use processes, materials, movements, technologies, tools, techniques, and environments to create and communicate ideas
- Develop, refine ideas, and critically appraise ideas, processes, and technical skills in a variety of art forms to improve the quality of artistic creations
- Reflect on works of art and creative processes to understand artists motivations and meanings
GRADE 8 - ARTS - Communicating and documenting
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Exploring and creating
- Create dramatic works both collaboratively and as an individual, using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, and purposeful play
- Explore relationships between identity, place, culture, society, and belonging through dramatic experiences
- Take creative risks to experience and express thoughts, emotions, and meaning
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Reasoning and reflecting
GRADE 9 - DRAMA - Connecting and expanding
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
GRADE 10 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
GRADE 11 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Explore and Create
- Create, rehearse, and refine dramatic works through collaborative and individual presentation or performance
- Develop a repertoire of dramatic skills, vocabulary, and techniques through presentation or performance
- Develop and refine performance skills in a variety of contexts
- Develop dramatic works for an intended audience
- Experiment with a range of props, processes, and technologies to create and refine innovative dramatic works
- Explore and create dramatic works to express ideas, meaning, and emotions
- Improvise and take creative risks using imagination, exploration, and inquiry
- Intentionally select and combine dramatic elements and conventions
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Reason and reflect
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Communicate and document
GRADE 12 - DRAMA - Connect and expand
Grade 6 - Creating and Presenting
Grade 7 - Creating and Presenting
Grades 9 & 10 - Foundations - Responsible Practices
- C.3.2 identify and apply the skills and attitudes needed to perform various tasks and responsibilities in producing drama works (e.g., use active listening and cooperative problem-solving skills; practise punctuality; use tact in suggesting changes and improvements; demonstrate willingness to accept criticism and build consensus)
- C.3.3 demonstrate an understanding of theatre and audience etiquette, in both classroom and formal performance contexts (e.g., as a performer: show willingness to take direction and behave appropriately towards other actors; as a viewer: demonstrate respect for performers and other audience members by paying attention, not interrupting or talking, and applauding when appropriate)
Grades 9 & 10 - Foundations - Concepts and Terminology
Grades 9 & 10 - Creating and Presenting - Presentation Techniques & Technologies
Grades 9 & 10 - Creating and Presenting - Elements and Conventions
Grade 11 - Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing - The Critical Analysis Process
Grade 11 - Creating and Presenting - Elements and Conventions
Grade 12 - Foundations - Responsible Practices
Grade 12 - Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing - The Critical Analysis Process
Grade 12 - Creating and Presenting - Presentation Techniques & Technologies
Grade 12 - Creating and Presenting - Elements and Conventions
Grade 12 - Creating and Presenting - The Creative Process
Theatre Arts II: Dramatic Literature And Theatre History
Theatre Arts III: Intermediate Acting & Playwriting
Theatre Arts III: Intermediate Acting & Playwriting
Theatre Arts III: Intermediate Acting & Playwriting
Theatre Arts IV: Advanced Acting And Directing
Theatre Arts IV: Advanced Acting And Directing
Get instant access to this and everything else in the Drama Teacher Academy
