What Do We Know About The Scene?"
DEFINITION The "given circumstances" or GIVENS are what are provided to you: - By the author/playwright - The Director - You the Actor from the context of the script. This is used to allow the actor and director to create and perform the character the required way! Given Circumstances include: PLACE - (specifically where the scene takes place, and the character's "location" in the world) SENSORY ELEMENTS - (heat, cold, any tactile sense, sight, hearing, physicalities, and handicaps) RELATIONSHIPS - (with other characters and with all of the "givens" in the scene) TIME PERIOD - (the past, present or the future) TIME OF DAY - (the morning, afternoon, evening...or anything inbetween) SEASON - (the spring, summer, fall or winter) Amount of time the character may have to do whatever - (in a rush, taking his/her time, on a deadline...etc) Financial background or situation - (rich, poor and everything inbetween) Family history or situation - (parents, siblings, extended family, adopted, orphan...etc) Emotional situation - (well adjusted, psychotic, nervous, anxious, excited, in love...etc) Employment - (the place of work, out of work, type of job, amount of work) Future plans - (where is the character planning to go, do, become..etc) Exposure to the world - (what kind of worldly experiences, do they travel, are they foreign, etc) All Backstory can be a "GIVEN" |