Legislative Expression

(I have borrowed almost all the ideas discussed below. Thanks to: Rohd, M. Theater for Community, Conflict and Dialogue, Boal's many books, regional workshops and the invaluable guidance of Diane Stewart.  Of course, all the misinterpretations and misapplications of these tools are my own fault.)

Guidelines:

• The process begins by identifying students in the class that researched a topic similar to yours.
• Then, you get together to summarize the findings of your research.
• You are then to outline a short scene (10-15 minutes) on your research topic.  This structure of the scene will be due a WEEK before the actual legislative expression.
• Remember, this work is about posing questions not providing answers.  Now, all potential answers are fair game; they can all be explored! 
• KEY: Start your scene by posing a question. For instance, What is Censorship?  How does censorship affect artist’s expression? 
• This scene does not show what to do.  It does not have a message (I really hated Remember the Titans, the latest Hollywood Message Movie!!!) This scene asks the audience what can be done.

     The scene should be believable, realistic.  The scene revolves around a moment of decision and the decision should leave the audience wanting something different. The scene should have a clear conflict.  The scene should have at least a protagonist and an antagonist.  The audience should care about and identify with the protagonist.  The antagonist should not be “evil” or stereotypical.

• This scene will be acted out twice. 
• The first time, the audience should get a clear sense of who the PROTAGONIST of the scene is; what his/her problematic present is; and what are the economic and political constraints the protagonist faces.  At the beginning of the skit, your protagonist should be portrayed at his/her peak.  At the end of the skit, the problematic present has taken over and prevented the protagonist from accomplishing his/her goal.  Your skit should reflect a clear understanding of the economics and political processes shaping these problems.
• Once you finish your original scene, you cannot defend your character’s choices or clarify what they were trying to do. What matters now is what the spectactors saw and how they respond.
• The second "run" of the scene will be more interactive.  You start all over again.  The audience (SPECTACTOR) will provide specific suggestions to the PROTAGONIST to avoid the tragic end faced before. The audience cannot wish for MAGIC to happen!!! The suggestions have to be consistent with the existing political and economic institutions we have to effect change.
• Is acting difficult?  You bet it is.  But I am NOT grading your acting abilities.  I wouldn't be able to do so.   BUT you are to a)  speak loud enough for everyone to hear; b) enunciate; c) watch your hands; and d) please, do not smile when you are supposed to be crying!

On Critical Thinking:  “The essence of theater is the conflict of free wills”, Hegel. 

a.   There should be one “dramatic” action, conflict or problem.  (This seems to be a recurrent issue...)

b.  A character is a will in flux, a desire in search of its satisfaction; an agent trying to maximize their benefits at the lowest cost possible.  A character is the exercise of a will that collides/conflicts with other equally free but contradictory will.

c.  The Protagonist is to encounter one or more obstacles: discrimination, inefficient bureaucracies, structural unemployment, etc. (The trick is how to personify, for instance, “discrimination”.  Bad example of personification of "discrimination", according to Stanziola,  "Remember the Titans". Good example, "Twelve Angry Men". 

d.  Do not tell us directly what a particular conflict is.  Show it to us through the actions of the character.

How will you be graded?

You will receive 3 grades for your legislative expression:

1) Submitting the structure of the scene for discussion a week before the Legislative Expression

2) The actual scene:

Were the students able to convey the depth of their research without directly alluding to the problem? 

Did they use images, colors, body movements to reflect their thoughts on the subject?

Was the conflict presented in a subtle and clear fashion? 

Was this conflict presented at the beginning of the skit?

Were the audience suggestions incorporated smoothly into the skit?

Were the main findings of your intellectual history clearly expressed during the skit? 

Were a good number of potential solutions expressed during the skit?

Does the skit reflect real solutions to these problems? 

Does it acknowledge the legislative process that is required to accomplish these solutions?

3) As a "spect-actor": Did you participate in at least two of the skits?; 

Did your participation express views on topics discussed in class?;

Did your participation reflect real solutions to these problems?; 

Did it acknowledge the legislative process that is required to accomplish these solutions? 

Did it reflect the political and economic constraints these institutions face (heavily weighted for grading purposes)