Writing a Play Analysis

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Analyzing a play can help actors, directors, or scholars to understand everything about a given play. Learn how to write a play analysis in this free theatre video from a college professor.

There are 29 videos in this series:

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1.

Play Analysis: Action Sentence
An action sentence is one sentence summarizing a play. Learn how to write an action sentence in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 597
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2.

Play Analysis: Author & Past Production Research
Find out everything you can about why an author wrote what they wrote. Learn how to write a play analysis with information on authors and past production in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 508
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3.

Play Analysis: Basic Dramatic Question
The basic dramatic question asks what the point is of a whole play. Learn how to write a basic dramatic question in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 512
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4.

Play Analysis: Character Major Obstacle
A character may have many obstacles in the play, but there's always one major obstacle. Learn how to determine a major obstacle when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 508
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5.

Play Analysis: Character Motivation
What is it that a character wants in a play? Learn about character motivation when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 611
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6.

Play Analysis: Character Polar Attitudes
Polar attitudes represent a character's feelings at the beginning and the end of a play. Learn how to write about polar attitudes in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 502
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7.

Play Analysis: Character Traits
Write down what everyone says about a character to determine their traits. Learn how to write a play analysis that addresses character traits and personality in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 542
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8.

Play Analysis: Complications With Inciting Incidents
Complications cause problems after the inciting incident of a play. Learn how to determine complications when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 464
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9.

Play Analysis: Date, Year, Time & Season
Don't make assumptions about time and dates in a play. Learn how to get information about years, times, and seasons from specific statements when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 450
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10.

Play Analysis: Dialects & Accents
Characters in plays will often have different accents. Learn how to write about dialects and accents in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 550
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11.

Play Analysis: Dialogue Purpose
Does dialogue have any purpose other than dramatic action? Learn how to write a play analysis the addresses dialogue purpose in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 474
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12.

Play Analysis: Economic, Political, & Social Environments
What is a character's money and job situation? Learn how to write about economic, political, and social environments in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 474
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13.

Play Analysis: Environmental Emphasis
What environments dominate a play? Learn how to write about environmental emphasis in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 452
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14.

Play Analysis: Environmental Facts
Write a paragraph that summarizes what quotes are saying. Learn how to write a play analysis with a paragraph about environmental facts in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 445
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15.

Play Analysis: Form & Style
It's not unusual for a play to follow different styles. Learn how to determine form and style when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 474
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16.

Play Analysis: Geographic Location & Climate
Use statements from a play to log information about location and climate. Learn how to write about geographic locations in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 451
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17.

Play Analysis: Inciting Incident
What caused the events of a play to happen in the first place? Learn how to interpret inciting incidents in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 489
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18.

Play Analysis: Major Climax
In a play, the major climax is the event that propels change in characters. Learn how to determine a major climax when writing a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 457
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19.

Play Analysis: Major Conflicts
The major conflict of a play is the biggest conflict. Learn how to write a play analysis that addresses the major conflicts in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 460
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20.

Play Analysis: Major Crisis
The major crisis is the big event that will change everything for the characters in a play. Learn how to write a play analysis that addresses major crises in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 445
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21.

Play Analysis: Meaning of the Title
Sometimes a play's title has no great significance. Learn how to interpret the meaning of a play's title in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 461
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22.

Play Analysis: Minor Conflicts
Write down every little conflict of a play and who the conflict involves. Learn how to write minor conflicts for a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 442
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23.

Play Analysis: Outlines & Format
Outline a play analysis much like you would outline a speech. Learn how to format and outline a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 635
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24.

Play Analysis: Proposed Directing Approach
As a director, it's important to write notes about your individual approach when directing a play. Learn how to write about proposed directing approaches in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 455
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25.

Play Analysis: Religious Environment
Look for clues about a character's religious background. Learn how to write about religious environments in a play analysis in this free literature and theater video from a college professor.

Views: 430
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Views: 25,957 Videos in Series: 29

Tags: plays, reviews, themes, analysis, theaters, theatres, stages, dramas, stageplays

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Summary: A play, or stageplay, is a form of literature written by a playwright, almost always consisting of dialogue between fictional characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than reading. The term "play" or "straight play" is often used in contrast to a "musical", which refers to a play based on music, dance, and songs sung by the play's characters. Many people, especially scholars, read plays for pleasure, or study them in an academic manner.

Whether someone is acting in a play, directing a play, or just a scholar interested in various forms of literature, play analysis is a great way to discover everything there is to know about a play's characters, themes, directions, and the playwright's intentions. In this free video series, a college professor will teach you everything you need to know about analyzing a play, beginning with the title and moving on to basic dramatic questions, conflicts, form, characters, dialogue, and much more. You'll learn how to compare text to subtext, how to identify setting, and how to take the author into account. With these theatre tips, you'll have a greater understanding of the every aspect of plays and the stage!

About the Expert

Expert: Tracy Goodwin has a master’s in corporate communication and 10 years experience in professional speaking. Recipient of numerous public speaking awards and is a college professor of public speaking, interpersonal communications, voice and diction, and business speech. Goodwin is the author of "Be Delicious: The Art of Voice & Movement Integration."