Weekly Questions / Comments
For this course, students must turn in two written weekly questions / comments, on one or more readings from the week's assignment, for the purposes of stimulating class discussion, and pointing toward particular passages of the reading under discussion. These should consist of a lengthy paragraph, approximately ½ page, single-spaced, and must include a passage of 5–10 lines from the text you are discussing in each question / comment.
These are worth 10% of the overall final course grade.
Papers
Paper 1
One assigned close reading of a passage from Trifles, 5-pp. This will be revised.
This paper is worth 25% of the overall final course grade.
A sample close reading paper on Euripides' Medea (PDF) appears courtesy of Michelle Wilson and is used with her permission.
Paper 2
One 5-page paper in which you will develop your weekly comments / questions on a play (other than Trifles) into a short paper discussing your ideas about the text in more detail, with particular reference to the language (visual and verbal) of the text. This paper is meant to be thoughtful rather than argumentative, and to enable you to further develop your close reading skills.
This paper is worth 20% of the overall final course grade.
Paper 3
One essay review of 5 pages on a drama or performance piece you have seen this term. We will do some preparation for this assignment in class.
This paper is worth 15% of the overall final course grade.
A sample essay review on Company One Theatre's production of Lydia Diamond’s Voyeurs de Venus (PDF) appears courtesy of Michelle Wilson and is used with her permission.
Group Presentations
Presentation: 3 students, 5 minutes. Present one playwright not covered in the course and argue why they should be included. Use one work to illustrate the playwright / performer's major concerns.
Or do a 5-minute scene from one of the plays studied in the course followed by a discussion of performance choices and methods.
NOTE: The group must demonstrate that work has been distributed evenly among its members. A proposal of your project, listing participants and describing your presentation in paragraph form, is due by Session 18.
The group presentation is worth 15% of the overall final course grade.
Student Examples
The following papers appear courtesy of Margaret Pan and are used with her permission.
"Play Review: The Wild Party by Andrew Lippa." (PDF)