The Java Jive: What’s in a Script, Anyway?

Congratulations! You got the part! Now what? THE SCRIPT! Think of it as the best treasure hunt you will ever go on. It has hundreds of “life hacks” for the  character you are creating.

Some are easy. Who is the playwright? When did they live and what cultural aspects of their world influenced this story?  What political and historical relevance affects the interaction of the characters and ensemble? Be the anthropologist on a quest. Is the play staged in a different era than the life of the writer? Then both eras need to be inlaid in the character.

How will you create the life of your character? What was the clothing like then? How will this affect your movement on stage and your character? What tidbits are in the dialogue of other characters?

Create a journal for your character with all these facts. Write down tidbits about the character’s age and relationships. It will affect their movement and spacing on stage. What other characters are they closest to? What characters are there the most conflict? How do these aspects and growth change during the show?

What daydreams can you imagine about the character? This discovery and creation process is the backbone of your role! Your time in the spotlight

By committing to invest in the script, you’re allowing yourself to inspire your future audience and create magic in this world.

A challenge to Percolate:

  • Choose a character in favorite movie or book. Write down bits about her that make her/him character authentic.

© The Pfluger Empathy Movement Method

Leave a Comment