Today, let's read a bunch of short plays. Gather in the front of class, take a role card (index cards with roles on them) and let's read. This will require you to focus and listen to one another. Please be considerate.
After we read, go back to your journal homework. You were supposed to brainstorm a remembered or observed conversation between 2 people. One part of the exercise asked you to recall a short overheard conversation. The other part was to recall and record a conversation you directly listened to. If you did this, you have started an idea that will take you through today's exercise. If you didn't do your homework, you should complete this now, but realize you are falling behind.
Write a 1-minute play. You may use your journal/brainstorming to get you started with an idea for your scene. This is an exercise. Try to write quickly. Avoid personal judgment. Don't let your procrastinator win. Your play should be 1-2 pages.
Some advice from the Creative Writer's Craft book:
Strong characters and dramatic dialogue are the secret to writing successful plays. The type of character that works best on stage is one who is strong willed, knows what they want (or don't want), have a tendency to be verbal, stand up for themselves or others, are ready to be confrontational, and are passionate about what they perceive as truth.
Good dialogue in plays requires you to speak in short sentences. Characters often answer questions with questions, or simply avoid the subject or answer in favor of something else the character wants to talk about. Or a character simply ignores what is being said, changes the subject, or responds to things that haven't been said. This helps build conflict. All these things are frustrating in conversation. Therefore, conflict.
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