Ah, but There’s So Much at Risk! exercise, 16–17
analysis, of play, 71
As If That Wasn’t Enough exercises, 13–16
Because . . . exercise, 5, –, 6
The Beginning, of play. See also The Foundation
character’s routine established in, 23–24, 37
core function of, 24, 28, 37, 67, 70, 73
first significant event in, 24
The Platform, 76
Breaking Routines exercise, 34–35
caring, about characters in play, 31–33
The Causal Carousel exercises, 6–9
Cause and Effect
Because . . . exercise for, 5–6
The Causal Carousel exercises for, 6–9
elements of, 5–6, 10–11, 14–15, 22
expository information halting, 11
First Significant Repercussion ending, 67–70, 72–73
Foundation Focus comprised of, 67–68, 72–73
improvisation created by, 10–11
introduction of new character halting, 11, 15–16
routine advanced by, 135
spontaneity in, 6
The Chair of Significance!!! exercise, 35–36
Channel the Flow exercise, 94
character(s)
audience connecting with, 32–33, 105, 108
character #2, 31–32, 34–36, 42–43
Character Clay exercise for, 105–106
Character Foil exercise for, 115
Character Trampoline exercise for, 106–108
created in context of play, 108
endowment drilling in creation of, 110–111
Endowment Ping Pong exercise for, 111–113
environment and verbal identification of, 125–127, 132–133
environment as catalyst for actions of, 127–128
environment as visual symbol of, 119–120
environment defining and developing, 116–120
environment influencing relationships of, 128–129
environment relating to object by, 120–121
essentials of play, 105
fellow characters providing, 105–106
First Significant Event identifies, 30–33
Foundation connecting to environment of, 132–133
Foundation Funnel and answers from, 46–48, 141–144
Hey, This Is No Place like Home! exercise for, 118–119
laws of drama responsibility of, 61–62
onstage character conjuring offstage, 112–114
play as the gateway for, 105
routine established in Beginning by, 23–24, 37
routine identifying pattern of, 95–99, 134–135
scene tactics developing, 81–83
There’s No Place like Home exercise for, 117–118
This Is a Job for . . . ! exercise for, 110–111
The Two-Line Endowment Drill exercise for, 111
You Know What You’re Like? exercise for, 120–121
Character Clay exercise, 105–106
Character Conjuring exercise, 113–114
character contrast, Dramatic Conflict creating, 114–116
character development
action extended by, 121
character monologue in, 106–108
specific and immediate questioning in, 106
character endowment
Character Conjuring exercise for, 113–114
character dialogues in, 111–112
character monologue in, 106–108
characters creating others in, 105–106
depth and significance added by, 111
negative endowment avoided in, 112
Character Foil exercise, 115
Character Trampoline exercise, 106–110
The Climax
character #1 committing action in, 61
character #2 not acted upon in, 63–66
characters moving toward success/failure in, 38, 51
core function of, 25, 28, 33, 37, 38, 53, 68, 73
critical moment of play in, 51–52
Dramatic Conflict and Resolution in, 39, 53
dramatic or subtle moment in, 51
End of play Finale, 69–70, 145
event resolving Dramatic Conflict in, 39, 53
Expanded Story Spine exercise for, 52–60
First Significant Repercussion example for, 61–62
in Foundation Finale, 67–70, 145
Foundation Funnel resulting in, 51, 144–145
in Middle of play, 23, 24, 36–37, 39, 51–68
plot resolving in, 68–70, 144–145
Question of the Play arising in, 52–66, 144–145
Combination Stake exercise, 11–13
Dramatic Alignment
Channel the Flow exercise for, 94
Dramatic Conflict to, 94
flowchart of, 93
Follow the Flow exercise for, 94
to Resolution, 93
Dramatic Alignment/Conflict
flowchart of, 80
Moment of Engagement preceding, 78–80
Dramatic Conflict
character contrast creating, 114–116
to Dramatic Alignment, 94
Foundation Funnel to Resolution in, 36–42, 45–51
to Resolution, 80–86, 90, 91–92
Dramatic Conflict and Resolution
The Climax including, 53
Dramatic Conflict to, 80–86, 90
Dramatic Stakes
acting partner focusing on, 16
Ah, but There’s So Much at Risk! exercise for, 16–17
As If That Wasn’t Enough exercises for, 13–16
Combination Stake exercise for, 11–13
as critical skill of improvising, 22
Foundation Focus raising, 39, 138–140
improvising then analyzing, 12–13
increase of odds to lose with, 11–13, 18, 22
methods in raising of, 11–12, 13
natural pacing of scene with, 22
negativity not used in, 17
new character introduction raising, 15–16
partner’s actions and building of, 18
Raising the Stakes by Entering a Scene exercise for, 17–19
Raising the Stakes in a Successive Scene exercise for, 19–22
risk increasing in, 11–13, 18, 22
single moment in time explored in, 13–14
dramatic stalemate
character #1 committing Climax on character #3 in, 66
Climax ending, 66
The End, of play
core function of, 25, 28, 33, 37, 38, 53, 68, 73
Foundation Finale in, 64–72, 145
new routine established by, 24, 69
end, of scene
Resolution ending Dramatic Conflict in, 75, 87–89
endowment drilling, character creation with, 110–111
Endowment Ping Pong exercise, 111–113
environment, of play
catalyst for action of characters in, 127–128
character defined and developed by, 116–120, 132–134
character identified verbally in, 125–127, 132–133
character out of place in, 116, 118–119
character personality manifesting in, 116–120
character relating to object in, 120–121
character relating with symbolism in, 119–120
character relationship influencing, 128–129
first minutes of play identifying, 125
Hey,This Is No Place like Home! exercise for, 118–119
Is It Hot in Here, or Is It Just Me? exercise for, 128
Life is Like a Metaphor! exercise for, 129–130
location causing scene in, 123–125
metaphor used in, 123, 129–130
naming of, 126
necessity of, 124
pantomime in, 127
plot and place marrying, 125
Tell Me about It! Exercise for, 126–127
The Expanded Story Spine exercises, 52–60
structural map of, 53
expository information, 11, 76
Extend the Action exercise for, 102
The Long, Two-Character Substantial Scene exercise for, 103
The First Significant Event
action breaking routine in, 24, 28–37
Breaking Routines exercise for, 34–35
central characters of play identified in, 30–33
Chair of Significance!!! exercise for, 35–36
by character #1, 30–36, 42, 61, 138–140
against character #2, 31–32, 35, 42, 138–140
characters identifying same event as, 61, 138
core function of, 25, 28, 33, 34, 37, 53, 67, 71
dramatic point in, 36
First Significant Repercussion resulting from, 42–43, 140
The Five-Minute Play exercise for, 70–71
Foundation ending in, 35–36, 137–138
Foundation Focus clarified by, 38–42, 138–140
Foundation routine destroyed by, 30–32, 137–138
The First Significant Repercussion, 38, 39–40, 42–43, 139, 140
Cause and Effect ending in, 67–70, 72
against character #1, 42–43, 139, 140
by character #2, 42–43, 139, 140
character #2 closing of, 140
core function of, 38, 53, 67, 72, 140
First Significant Event resulting in, 42–43, 140
Question of the Play rising from, 43–44, 45, 67–68, 72–73, 140, 141
The Five-Minute Play exercise, 70–71
foil character, 114–116, 136–137
Follow the Flow exercise, 94
The Forces of Yes and No
characters switching choices in, 47–51
Dramatic Conflict creating, 47
The Foundation
Beginning establishing, 23–24, 28–29, 131–137
Breaking Routine exercise for, 34–35
character #1 destroying of, 31
characters connecting to environment in, 132–133
characters introduced in, 132–133
core function of, 33, 34, 37, 53, 67, 72
environment created in, 132–133
First Significant Event destroying routine in, 30–32, 137–138
ideas of, saying yes, 1, 10, 82, 131
loading of, concept in, 136–137
Loading the Foundation exercise for, 137
partner actions, building on, 1, 10, 18, 82, 131–132
routine of characters in, 29–30, 133–136
spontaneity in, 131
The Foundation Finale
core function of, 73
Finale of The Climax in, 69–70, 145
Question of the Play answered in, 69–70, 145
The Foundation Focus
core function of, 37, 53, 67, 72, 73
Dramatic Stakes rising in, 39, 138–140
First Significant Event clarified in, 38–42, 138–140
The Foundation Funnel
character #1 achieving goal in, 51, 142–144
characters directing answers in, 46–48, 141–144
Climax resulting from, 51, 144–145
core function of, 37, 38, 53, 68, 73, 141–144
Dramatic Conflict resolving in, 36–42, 45–51, 141–144
in Middle of play, 36–42, 45–51, 66
options eliminated in, 49–51, 141–144
Question of the Play answered in, 48–51, 141–144
Question of the Play preceding, 46–48, 141–144
Grebanier, Bernard, xix, 144
Hey, This Is No Place like Home! exercise, 118–120
Impro ( Johnstone), 1
improvisation, 5
Cause and Effect mindset in, 10–11, 67–68, 70
learning, theater from, 147–148
play reading for, 147
practicing for, 147
principles of, 1, 10, 82–83,147–149
spontaneity v. structure of,2–3, 147–149
Is It Hot in Here, or Is It Just Me? exercise, 128
Life is Like a Metaphor! exercise, 129–130
Loading the Foundation exercise, 137
The Long, Two-Character Substantial Scene exercise, 103
Main Forces, of scene
fate as, 77
focusing on, 103
inner influences as, 77
objects as, 77
preexisting conditions as, 77
The Middle, of play. See also Climax; First Significant Repercussion; Foundation Focus; Foundation Funnel; Question of the Play
Climax ending in, 23, 24, 36–37, 39, 51–68
consequences in, 24
core function of, 25, 28, 33, 37, 67, 72–73
First Significant Repercussion in, 36, 38, 39–40, 66
Foundation Focus in, 36–42, 66
Foundation Funnel in, 36–42, 45–51, 66
Question of the Play in, 37, 38, 43–45, 66
The Moment of Engagement
example of, 78
Platform of scene ending in, 77–78
No, The Forces of, 44–48,63–66
Partner
building on actions of, 1, 10, 18, 82, 131–132
connecting with, 132
Platform, of scene
beginning of, 76
Dramatic Conflict flowchart in, 90
expository materials in, 76
Main Forces pursuing objective in, 76–77
moment of engagement ending in, 77–78
transitioning agent of, 76
play. See The Beginning, of play; The Climax; The End, of play; environment, of play; The Middle, of play; The Question of the Play; structure, of play
Play by Play Structural Map, xiv–xv, 2–3, 73, 131
Playwriting, How to Write for the Theater (Grebanier), xix
plot
characters requested by, 108–110
principles of improvisation, 1, 10, 82–83
The Question of the Play
answer as yes or no to, 44–46, 48
character #1 with character #2 in, 43
characters answering, 46–47, 141
Climax setting answer to, 52–66, 67–68, 72–73, 143
core function of, 38, 53, 68, 71, 141
First Significant Repercussion starting, 43–44, 45, 67–68, 72–73, 140, 141
Foundation Finale answering, 69–70, 145
Foundation Funnel following, 46–48, 141–144
midpoint in play, 37, 38, 43–45, 66
Raising the Stakes by Entering a Scene exercise, 17–19
Raising the Stakes in a Successive Scene exercise, 19–22
The Resolution, of scene
Climax of play mirrored in, 87–89
Dramatic Alignment to, 93
Dramatic Conflict, Climax and, 39, 53
Dramatic Conflict to, 75, 80, 83–86, 87–89, 91–92
Foundation Funnel and Dramatic Conflict to, 36–42, 45–51
Routine
Breaking Routine exercise for, 34–35
Cause and Effect events advancing, 135
character #1 breaking, 31
character pattern identified in, 95–99, 134–135
establishment of, 95–99, 133–135
Foundation established by, 29–30
Foundation reinforcing, 135
the past referenced in, 133–135
the present existing in, 133–135
Story Spine example of, 135–136
scene. See also beginning, of scene; End, of scene; Main Forces, of scene; Middle, of scene; The Moment of Engagement; Platform, of scene; Resolution, of scene; Substantial Scene; tactics, of scene
The Long, Two-Character Substantial Scene exercise for, 103
play structure as bricks in, 75
rehearsal process for, 148
spontaneity, 1
cause and effect in, 6
The Foundation beginning with, 131
intellect, information and, 3
principle of improvisation in, 1, 82, 131
story spine
Expanded Story Spine exercises for, 52–60
Story Spine exercise for, 25–27
structural map of play as, 24–28, 33, 34, 37–38, 72–73
story structure, 23
structural map
core functions of, 2–3, 24–25, 27, 28, 33, 34, 37–38, 53, 67–68, 72–73
structure, of play, 23–75, 147–149
dramatic landmarks analyzed in, 71
Dramatic Alignment v. Conflict in, 78–80
Dramatic Conflict to Resolution examples for, 83–86
Moment of Engagement in, 77–78
Substantial Scene, 75–76, 92, 94, 95–103
action unfolding at set pace in, 95
tactics, of scene
characters developed with, 81–83
Dramatic Conflict as objective in, 80
Dramatic Conflict created by, 81–83
Tell Me about It! exercise, 126–127
The Two-Line Endowment Drill exercise, 111
There’s No Place like Home exercise, 117–118
This Is a Job for . . . ! exercise, 110–111
Training to Imagine (Koppett), 25
Yes
with acting partner, 1, 10, 82, 131–132