Checklist for Play Analysis and Staging

Analysis of the play

Chapters Sub-Chapters Status

The play text,
its context and Context  The Author
the ideas  Discuss the cultural or historical background of the play
presented in  Purpose of the play
the play
The Play  Summary of the play
 Characters (Brief Intro, what are their goals)

Themes  The themes presented and how these themes were used in the text
My artistic
responses, My  Initial Reaction to:
creative ideas Interpretation of  The play – share your thoughts and emotions (before, during, and
and the Play Text after watching)
explorations and My Artistic  The characters – Your thorough analysis of the characters (Who are
and my own Responses they? What do they symbolize? Etc.)
experiences of  Staging and Setting – Prior to the show how did you first imagine it
live theatre as to be? How did the staging and setting help create the world where
a spectator the story happened?

Note: Initial reaction, understanding and ideas, this is not the final directorial
decision.
Techniques we If you were to stage it on your own, what approach/style would you like to take
want to to create your plays? Why? (Multiple answers are accepted)
incorporate
(What
approach/style
My artistic will you use to
responses, explore the
creative ideas play?)
and Influences What can you adopt from the staging of the play in terms of their approach to
explorations (experiences of performance?
and my own live theatre as
experiences of a spectator) Mention what you specifically saw that made you want to adopt their
live theatre as performance.
a spectator
This may be acting, approach to acting, use of props, use of set, lights and/or
sound.
Your own staging

My directorial
intentions and Artistic  Main Intention - What is the message you would like to deliver to your
the intended Intentions audience.
impact on an  Intended Audience – Describe the audience you wish would receive the
audience. message.
 Who is/are the character /s you wish would have the greatest impact on the
audience?
 What is/are the scenes that you think would have the greatest impact on the
audience?
 What does each character represent? How do you think the audience will
respond to these characters?
Set (Aerial  Layout (Indicate the stage areas, entrance and exits, furnitures, items)
View)  Colors – What colors will you use? What do these colors symbolize or
represent about the story?
 Props  Indicate the use of the props, and why they are essential to the play.
Presentation of  What is the use of color in the play?
Color
Lights and  What are the lights you will use? What are the changes? What is the
My directorial
Sounds purpose?
intentions and
 Specific lighting for specific scenes
the intended
impact on an  What are the sound effects that will be used and what is the purpose of
audience each?
Characters  Who is this person?
(Total  What are they wearing / what colors represent them, which can be seen
Analysis) in what they wearing?
 Is there a specific prop for each character? What do these represent?
 How do they see themselves?
 How do they carry themselves? Do they have specific mannerisms when
they speak or move?
 How do they act/relate to other characters?
 What does he/she represent?
 How will you guide, prepare and direct your actors (what kind of
workshops will you do)?
How I would Moment 1  Discuss the importance of this specific moment. What happens in this
stage two Moment 2 moment?
moments of  What is the intent of this moment?
the play  How does this moment relate to the themes and message of the play?
 Indicate how this moment starts.
 Indicate and discuss everything that happens in between. – DIRECT
every single action and motion that occurs. Do this in chunks, so that
you may explain what this specific movement, interaction or occurrence
is showing.
 Mention each lights change, and SFX.
 Indicate how this moment ends.