Playwright Project - Third Quarter

This quarter you will study the life and works of one of the major playwrights below. You will be responsible for teaching the class about that playwright. You will research the life of the playwright and the time in which he lived. Some questions to consider while doing your research:

How did the playwright's life affect his writing?

What changes were occurring in the theater at the time that he wrote?

What specific kind of space did he write for?

How did the time in which he lived affect his writing?

What were some of the major themes the playwright explored in his work?

How did he and his contemporaries affect the history of theater?

Have there been any recent productions of his work? Were they reviewed well? Did the reviews give you any interesting information about the playwright?

1. You will present a powerpoint presentation to the class.

Slide 1 - the time in which he wrote - What was happening in the world at large and the world of the theater?

Slide 2 - the physical theater for which he wrote - What did the physical space look like? What was the audience like?

Slide 3 - the life of the playwright - Biographical details - How are these reflected in the playwright's work?

Slide 4 - his plays and their major themes - What were his major works? What themes did he explore?

Slide 5 - recent productions and reviews - How were the plays reviewed? What more did you learn about the playwright and his works from the review?

Slide 6 - your bibliography should include at least 4 sources.

2. In addition, you will prepare a multiple choice test (at least 10 questions, with a to e answers) based on the material you have taught.

Go here for help on how to prepare a multiple choice quiz.

3. You will prepare a reading from one of his plays, with an explanation, as part of your presentation, of how this scene reflects the major themes of this playwright's work.

We will decide the order by lottery.

1. Medieval Theater - Jayline / Torre

2. William Shakespeare - Ashley / Tiffany

3. Ben Johnson - Chrystle / Roanna

4. Christopher Marlowe - Katharine / Alexandra

5. Lope de Vega - Daniela / Jenna

6. Pedro Calderon de la Barca - Concetta / Christina

7. Moliere - Cynthia / Kristin

8. William Wyncherley - Priscilla / Gerri

9. William Congreve - Rafaela / Xheni

10. Johann Wolfgang Goethe - Bronaugh / Destiny

11. Richard Brinsley Sheridan - Nana / Jocelyn

We will start these presentations on December 10th, 2013 and complete them before the Christmas holiday.