Literature

Due 1pm Pacific time 8/2/2015

Primary Task Response: Have you ever attended a play or musical? Do you frequently watch television programs or movies? Nowadays, drama is more popular in American culture than ever before. Yet what some forget is that it is a literary art form crafted by playwrights, TV and comedy writers, and Hollywood screenwriters. Drama shares many of the same elements as fiction and poetry; however, this literary genre is designed to be acted out on a stage or “dramatized” in front of screen audiences.

After you read the assigned essays in the textbook (and possibly the optional Seinfeld episode, “The Pitch”), please discuss the following questions in a 500 word response.

1. Why, in your opinion, are dramas known as “plays?”
2. Talk about a time in which you attended a play, musical or opera—at a school, church or other public venue. Describe the experience: the sights and sounds, the mood of the audience, and the impact of seeing a drama performed on a live stage.
3. Have you ever acted and/or sung in a dramatic presentation? If so, depict for your classmates what it was like to be up on a stage performing material from a script. If you have never performed dramatic material, have you ever desired to? Why or why not?
4. Describe a favorite television show or movie in terms of its main characters, setting(s), basic plot, conflicts and themes. What makes it one of your favorites?