An approach to Oral Interpretation

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An approach to Oral Interpretation
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Objective The student will be able to create a
performance that will have full believable
characterization, dramatic and impacting moments,
and a sense of journey from the beginning of the
selection to the end.
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Purpose In analyzing the script, students will
find clues about the character, what the
character wants, and how the character achieves
their goals. Text analysis aids students into
being self-learners in creating the perfect
performance.
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OneThe text for an actor is like sheet music to
a musician. The text when scored properly and
analyzed correctly it gives the actor all the
clues they need to create a character.
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1. Students should read the entire play first.
2. Look up any and all words you do not
understand.
3. Look at the punctuation that the author has
put into the script for your character.
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, Commas mean take a breath
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. Periods mean pause or possible change of
thought
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Ellipses means that the character is unsure.
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- What ever follows a dash is very important to
the character or it is an interruption.
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Colon usually means that a list is coming.
If your character has a list of repeated words or
phrases regardless of a colon or not each item in
the list must be different. Colons can also mean
that what follows is very important to the
character.
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! Exclamation point means that the character is
excited, angry or emotional.
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? Question mark means that they are questioning
someone. In other words your pitch must go up at
the end of your sentence for the audience to know
that you are asking a question.
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TwoStudents should score the text once they
have looked at the punctuation. Students should
make the following marks in their scripts.
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/-Pause //-Pause and change of
thought///-Major Pause and shift in the play or
scenelt-Get loudergt-Get softer -Get
faster-Get slower
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ThreeStudents should circle an operative word
per word group. An operative word is the one
word that we must hear in a sentence in order for
that sentence and the next to make sense.
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Four Students should define the Super Objective
of the play, Through Line of Action, Units of
Action, Objectives, Obstacles, Tactics and Stakes
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Super ObjectiveWhat is the overall message or
call to action of the play. What does the
playwright want the audience to do as a result of
seeing the play.
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Through line of Action Over all life goal of each
character in the play.
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Units of Action or beats A major change of
thought, action or situation. By doing this you
are able to commit moment by moment rather than
attempting to act the entire selection at one
time.
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Objective System of wants and needs of a
character from unit to unit. Objectives should be
written so that the actor can physically see the
result of the objective.
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The way to write an objective is
I must verb-receiver-desired response
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Verb List
abash assure attack accost
avoid dominate pacify force
insult deter coax chastise
flatter torment urge violate
delude caress irritate awaken
cheer follow survive trick
subdue endure appease excite
assist warn astonish advise
An entire list of verbs is available.
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ObstacleThe thing that stops you from getting
what you want. In every scene there is
conflict.. You must figure out what stops your
character from getting what they want.
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Tactic The way the character goes about
overcoming an obstacle in order to achieve an
objective. Tactics are verbs or actions that you
do to get what you want.
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StakesHow important is it to your character to
win your objective. The higher the stakes the
more exciting the scene is to act and to watch.
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This unit is designed to give you the performer
a different approach to getting the most out of
the text and to create and sustain a believable
character.
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Certain materials are used under the fair use
guidelines all materials are protected from
further use.?2004The Perfect Performance