Assignment Two
Play Review

• Final Draft due on 20 November 2023.

• 2-4 typed pages.

• This assignment counts toward 10% of your final grade in the course.

Objective

To see and respond to a play that you attend in-person at some point during the Fall 2023 semester. Present a clear argument rooted in concrete details about whether others should see the play or not.

1. Go to a play in a theater in Duluth or in the larger area.

2. After seeing the play, take notes on memorable details from what you have experienced. In particular, consider those details that distinguish the in-person experience from other dramatic forms modulated through TV, phone, or movie screens.

3. Be sure, too, to note the time, location and other specific data about the performance. Hold onto a copy of the program that they pass out to theatergoers on their way into the performance and paste it onto the end of your Play Review (this will not count toward the 2-page minimum for the review itself).

4. Formulate an argument about the play that answers the following question: Do you recommend seeing this play?

5. Write a few more paragraphs in which you explain in precise terms what makes the play enjoyable or engaging and what detracts from the experience. What are the play's strong and weak points?

6. After revising and proofreading your review, submit the completed draft via Canvas by the end of the day on 20 November 2023.

Additional Notes

As you are working on this review, find examples of existing play reviews that you can use as models for this assignment.

Consider, too, your audience—other students in this classroom. Will they all enjoy this play? Or, will the play appeal to a particular sub-group of students in the class or in the larger campus community?

Do not hesitate to elaborate on the physical details of the theater, the stage, the lighting and sound. Consider closely anything you see that you can attribute to local directorial, performance, or production decisions by the people who have staged this play.

Grading Standards

The Play Review will receive grade out of 100 points based on the following criteria:

• Clarity of written expression.

• Organization of ideas.

• Attention to specific details in the performance.

• Adherence to the above guidelines.