Theater Reviews

This semester, you will write three one-page theater reviews for drama.

The first one is due this Friday, October 12. (9th Graders going on the trip to Catalina may have an extension until Tuesday, 10/16).

The only requirements for the review is that it be about one page long, typed and double-spaced, and be about a play you saw between September 1 and December 15 of this year.

This will not be graded the same way an essay for English class would be graded -- just record your thoughts on the play as accurately as you can, and if things like grammar and syntax slow you down, go ahead and be sloppy. I have most of you in English anyway, so we can can deal with it there.

If you have trouble getting started, here are some questions you should ask yourself. The answers should add up to a pretty thorough review.

• Was the set interesting and useful? Did it allow the actors to make more of an impact?
• Were there special effects that added to the impact of the play?
• Did the actors make certain choices that were probably not in the original script? If so, did this help or hinder the point the playwright was trying to make?
• How did the costume choices effect the message of the play?
• Were the actors articulate and interesting in their performances? Did any single performances stand out above the rest? Were there any weak links?
• What do you think the director of the play had in mind? Was the directorial interpretation true to what the playwright wanted?
• If music was used, was it effective?
• Did the lighting design add to the dramatic impact of the play?

Remember, you do not have to use these questions if you already know what you want to write about. This is just a way for you to get started if you need it.