Creating Theatre From Found Why found ma Generates

Creating Theatre From Found

Why found ma • Generates a more unified production • Egalitarian • Empowering to students • Can be structured to fit any time limit • Relevant to students and audience • Can be accomplished with minimal rehearsal time

Where do we find • Letters to Editor the materials? • Non-dramatic literature • The Internet

Step One • Sample the possibilities • Consider the merits • Begin looking for material

Step Two • Students present options • Group discussion (merits, structure) • Ensemble pieces? • Order

FACEBOOK FOLLIES Opening – Status Feed (Grant/Doug, Katie/Madison, Matt/Sam, Bebe/Alison, Clara/Reith, Jane/Philip, Aubrey/Trevor S. , Caroline/Elora, Olivia/Cameron, Trevor/Tim) Jane – Relationship Rant – Comments by Matt, Aubrey & Olivia Trevor – Burrito – Comment by Katie Olivia & Matt – Girlfriend will Marry – Comments by Clara, Grant, Caroline, Jane Katie – Suicide Note – Comments by Olivia & Trevor Facebook Help Desk – Everyone Grant/Caroline/Bebe – America Returning to England Aubrey – I Hate it When You – Comments by Bebe & Jane Clara – Pageant Diet – Comments by Caroline & Grant Closing – Status Updates (Jane, Grant, Caroline, Olivia, Trevor, Clara, Matt, Katie, Aubrey, Bebe) Hard Times Google Doc

Step Three • Staging • Production Elements

TECHNOLOGICAL MISCOMMUNICATION OPENING LIGHTS OUT. TITLE SLIDE. “COOL HAND LUKE” AUDIO CLIP (“Failure to communicate” quote). LIGHTS UP. Actors speak line as crossing from one side of the stage to other. Next actor enters as previous actor is speaking. The actor speaking crosses downstage of the non-speaking actor. • Kelsey (R to L) - Miscommunication - noun – Failure to communicate clearly. • Ryan (L to R) - We’ve become so technical in our everyday lives that many of our relationships and friendships suffer because they are no longer personal. • Kelly (R to L) - Instead of hearing the other person’s voice and being able to gauge the emotions and feel their excitement or disappointment. . . • Sam (L to R) -. . . it’s just a bunch of typed words across a screen. • Brittany (R to L) - Communication is extremely important in our relationships with everyone in our lives, and when it’s minimized or lacking, many misunderstandings can take place. • Cam (L to R) - What follows are a bunch of miscommunications we found floating around out there in the digital world. • Rita (R to L) - We are speaking the words of real people (we think), in real situations (we think). • Michael (L to R) - Or at least, that’s what we’ve been led to believe. LIGHTS DIM and RESTORE. “Text Message Misunderstanding” – Tonis (Grey Darkness), Tyler (Pimpsky), Ryan (Jack Diesel), Isaac (Unexpect), Sam (So Atomic). Last line: Tonis - Eckhard Tolle is right. Plain and simple. Transition # 1 – FML – Veronica (R to L), Kelsey (L to R), Michael (R to L) LIGHTS DIM and RESTORE.

Sudan – Veronica (Eleanor) , Cam (Daddy/Dean), Katherine (Mommy/Mrs. Williams), Tyler (Grandma) Last line: Veronica – Why are you snorting like a pig? Mrs. Williams? Transition #2 – DYAC – Britty (L to R) & Alyssa (R to L), Robert (L to R) & Tonis (R to L) LIGHTS DIM and RESTORE. Secret Language of Women – Ryan, Kelsey Last line: Ryan - with raised eyebrows or with normal eye brows. LIGHTS DIM and RESTORE. Punctuation – Veronica, Katherine Last line: Veronica – Goodbye. (exits). Transition #3 – FML – Isaac (R to L), Rita (L to R), Katherine (R to L), Hassaan (L to R) LIGHTS DIM and RESTORE.

Final Thought s