Movie Adaptations (NOTE: you may only use ONE of the following for a reaction paper):
- The Last Five Years (movie adaptation - DVD; on course reserve in Ivy Tech Library)
- Rent (movie adaptation - DVD; on course reserve in Ivy Tech Library)
- Sweeney Todd (movie adaptation - DVD; on course reserve in Ivy Tech Library)
- Newsies (movie adaptation - DVD; on course reserve in Ivy Tech Library)
- Evita (movie adaptation - DVD; on course reserve in Ivy Tech Library)
- Into the Woods (movie adaptation - DVD)
- The Producers (movie adaptation - DVD)
- Netflix:
- Rent
- Grease LIVE! (recording of live TV production)
- PBS Great Performances:
The Assignment
In this paper, you are asked to analyze a movie adaptation of a theatrical production and discuss how you, as a director/designer/actor, would change the show to fit the stage. This is not just an assignment where you talk about the movie - you should use class content in your analysis and design! Be sure to familiarize yourself with the rubric before writing your paper - and make sure to double check your completed paper against the rubric before submitting it!
Movie Adaptation Options
You may use any movie adaptation of a staged production for this assignment, though you may not use a movie adaptation used in a reaction paper. There are five options available on reserve in the Ivy Tech Library, including The Last Five Years, Sweeney Todd, Rent, Newsies, and Evita. There are, of course, many other options available - if you have a suggestion or movie adaptation that you would like to use, please check with me first.
Sections of the Paper
1. Movie Adaptation: In this first section, provide identifying information for the movie adaptation you're using (title of production, director, year of release, starring actors) and a brief (but complete!) summary of the movie adaptation's story. This section should be written in your own words - please do not use quotes. Classify the movie adaptation - which of the five categories of theatre does this production belong in, and why? This section will serve as an introduction to your final paper.
2. Theatrical Critique: This section begins your analysis of the movie adaptation you watched. Considering just the movie adaptation version of the production that you watched, answer the following questions in order:
a. What is the artist trying to do? Think from the perspective of the playwright - what is the central message of this production? This question goes beyond the plot summary of the show and asks you to think about the intention of the artist him/herself - what worldview is the artist trying to express? How do you know? Provide specific examples to support your claims.
b. How well has the artist done it? Discuss your judgment of whether the artists involved in this production achieved the playwright's goal. How effective is this particular movie adaptation at accomplishing those goals? What role doe the actors and directors have in this achievement? Is there anything specific that you feel the movie director is trying to say in this adaptation?
c. Do you consider this movie adaptation to be art? As discussed in Chapter 1, all works of art share five basic qualities to some extent. How does this movie adaptation achieve at least three of those qualities? Provide specific examples to support your claims.
3. From Screen to Stage: In this section, take on the role of director and designer. Select a specific scene or interaction from the movie adaptation and complete the following:
a. First, describe in detail how the scene took place in the movie. What happened? Who was involved? Where were they? Note any other aspects of this interaction that are important to a complete understanding.
b. Second, describe in detail how you, as a director and designer, would stage this scene in a theatre. Consider the type of theatre space you would prefer, the sets/lighting/costumes, the blocking of the actors, and other aspects of this interaction that are important. Be sure to ground this discussion in course material - and justify your choices!
4. Conclusion: Provide a conclusion to your paper that summarizes your main ideas and offers concluding thoughts.
Remember to use specific examples and justify all of your claims!
Formatting
Your final paper must meet the following requirements:
• Length: 3 - 5 pages
• Font: 10 - 12 point, Times New Roman font
• Cover page: The first page of your assignment should include your name and the assignment number (note: the cover page does not count toward the total number of pages in your paper)
• General formatting: 1" margins on all sides; no additional space between paragraphs; double spaced
• Conform to standards of appropriate university writing (e.g., grammar, punctuation, spelling, clarity, sentence structure, proper expression, etc.)
Please note: If you borrow material from a source (including our textbook), the source must be cited. This includes both in-text citations and a references page. The references page does not count toward the total number of papers in your paper.
• Please use APA citation format.
o The Online Writing Lab at Purdue has great resources for various types of citation styles. The APA guide can be found here:https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
• To provide an in-text citation, state the author's name and year the source was published in parentheses after the cited information. For example, to cite our textbook:
o (Downs, Wright, & Ramsey, 2013)
• A references page includes all of the sources cited in your paper. You should provide the author's name(s), year of publication, title of the work, publisher, and publishing location. Depending on the source type (book vs. journal vs. website, etc.), you may need different information. For example, to cite our textbook:
o Downs, W. M., Wright, L. A., & Ramsey, E. (2013). The art of theatre: Then and now (third edition). Wadsworth Cengage Learning: Boston, MA.
• If you have any questions about citation, please don't hesitate to ask!