Review Guidelines Page
Assignment Guidelines for Writing
Theatrical Reviews:
A requirement of most Introduction to Theatre Arts courses is a written production evaluation in which students are asked to apply the vocabulary and concepts presented in class to the actual circumstances of a theatrical performance. The evaluation provides an opportunity to express informed and intelligent opinions about a live theatre performance. The following format and guidelines are suggested for such an assignment.
The Assignment:
Evaluate the way in which three theatrical elements assigned by the instructor (from among: acting, directing, producing, the script, scenery, lighting, costumes, and sound) either contribute to or detract from the overall production. The production evaluation is an important assignment because it allows you to apply the principles and concepts that you have learned in class: analyze your own reactions in order to understand your perceptions of the play; express yourself with clarity, style, and effectiveness; and develop and use good standards of theatrical criticism. The superior production evaluation is an expression of your thoughts and emotions. The superior production evaluation is thoughtful, honest, and careful. The superior production evaluation is a well-composed, reasoned, and supported argument.
Form & Style Instructions:
Form:
· Must be typewritten, using 8 ½ x 11, unlined, white bond paper (no onionskin).
· Must be double-spaced with 1" margins all around.
· Must be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. No paper clips, tape, or torn & turned corners.
· Dot-Matrix computer printing is acceptable, but only in dark, near letter quality fonts. (If you are not sure of your font's acceptability, bring in a sample for approval before the paper is due.)
· A Cover page is unnecessary. Your name, the date, and the title of both the review and the play should appear at the top of the first page.
· Papers that do not adhere to this assigned form will be penalized.
Length:
· A minimum of two (2) full pages. A maximum of four (4) full pages.
· With 1" margins all around, there should be 25-27 lines per page.
Proofing:
· The paper must be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
· Anyone turning in a paper that has not been proofed (fresh out of the typewriter or printer) will undoubtedly turn in a paper full of grammar, spelling and typographical errors.
· Mistakes in spelling, grammar, usage, and sentence construction show careless writing. This will result in less than maximum credit for the assignment.
Writing a Review for Credit (Some Hints):
When you write a theatrical review you will want to tailor your review to an audience who has not seen the play and to which you will be making a critical assessment. Since this will be based on your developing aesthetic sensibilities, you may want to ask these questions of yourself:
Are you being open to unfamiliar subjects, ideas and conventions?
Are you being to judgmental on moral differences opposite your own?
If there are subjects you feel should not be on stage, can you subjectively evaluate the play, and temper the review with the understanding that art is an expression?
What standards you are applying? Why did you choose them?
Critical Responses, whether professional or casual, ultimately involve these three major questions:
· What was attempted?
· How fully was it accomplished?
· Was it worth doing?
Additionally, a review will usually contain these facts and elaborations:
· What play was performed? Who was the playwright? What background information on the playwright is necessary in understanding the play?
· When did the performance take place? Will there be additional performances?
· Who was involved in the production that you wish to note? The actors? The director?
· The designers? (not all the designers may be note-worthy to you )
· What were the apparent goals of the script and the production?
· How effectively did the director achieve these goals? The actors? The designers?
· Should others see this production? Why?
Be alert to the following:
· Do not use "preform" when you mean, "perform."
· "A lot" (many) is two words. It is not "alot."
· Actors put "makeup" on their faces (one word, do not hyphenate).
· One who does "playwriting" is a "playwright"
· "Theatergoer" or "playgoer" is spelled as one word.
· Play titles are either underlined or italicized. Do not put them in quotation marks or in all upper-case letters.
· Contractions are generally inappropriate to the style of writing required for production evaluations.
· Always put quotation marks outside of the punctuation.
· Both male and female performers are referred to as actors there are no gender specifications.
· Be careful to distinguish between the actors (the performers) and the character (the roles they play). You are given a program for each performance, so use the appropriate and correctly spelled names.
· Be careful to distinguish between the play (as written by the author) and the production (as presented by the particular theatre organization).
· Be conscious of gender specific pronouns. Try to construct sentences that do not rely on he, she, him, her, etc.
· It is extremely advisable that you keep a copy of your paper as insurance against its accidental loss or destruction.
Expressing, Explaining, and Defending Your Opinions:
You are not graded down for expressing and defending your honest opinions. Your views are your own. You will not get a better grade for favorable comments or a lesser grade for negative remarks. So, write what you think. Be sure, however, to state your opinions in clear, concise sentences and in well-organized paragraphs. Consider the production evaluation as your best attempt at making a compelling, strong argument for your opinions. Keep in mind that it is not enough to state that the "acting was fantastic, but the scenery was inappropriate and unexciting." You must explain what was "fantastic" about the acting using specific examples to back up your explanation, and you must explain exactly why the scenery was "inappropriate and unexciting." Since you are the writer, it is unnecessary to introduce every opinion with "I felt that”. Opinions and observations that are particularly incisive, astute, original and well supported are the hallmarks of a superior paper.