Completing Our Town, Act I and Brainstorming Theme

Hello everybody! First, I need 2 things from you:

1. Reading Response to Our Town
2. PBS article response

Next, remember that video I mentioned, about how fiction can change reality? We never got around to it, and I think it's an important clip for aspiring playwriters, such as yourselves, because it really drives home the point that the premise of your play (the main idea you want to communicate about the human condition)  MATTERS! I'll say it again: YOUR THEMES MATTER, but they must matter to you first!

How do you think of themes that matter to you? Try this exercise:

If you were going to die tomorrow, what is the one thing that you would absolutely need to communicate to the world.

or this one:

Think of a memory or experience you hold dear. Why is this memory so powerful? Why do you keep going back to it? Is it something you may be able to develop into a play? Is it something that might be universally understood?

or maybe this

What's the best advice you've ever received? At what point in your life did you receive this advice and why? Can this advice be universally meaningful? Since taking the advice, how has your life changed?

And, oh! That video. Here it is! Fiction Can Change Reality 
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We'll be concluding Rm. 120's brief stint as a fully functioning black box theater. As George Harrison says, "All things must pass."

We will discuss your response sheet to Our Town within groups.It's important you share your ideas about the craft and form of the play with others because they may reveal elements of the play that you had originally missed or undervalued. This will be a Monday activity.


HW:  -Please carefully read and mark up the Play Structure handout. 
          - choose 2 things you found to be helpful and be ready to discuss on Monday.
          -be prepared to take a Reverse Quiz. You must generate 3 questions based off the article. These questions, however, must be points of confusion for you. Please do not ask questions that you already know the answer to. I will take (physically and mentally) your quizzes. Note: you will take the Reverse Quiz in class on Monday. Forget the article at school or absent. No problem. Download it here: Play Structure Handout