Assignments

Prior to our development meetings and throughout the month of December, the performers were tasked with various development assignments to keep the process up between gatherings. These are they:

Meeting Assignments
11/18/10:
Bring a puppet.

• Can consist of 1-3 items
• Must read from stage (something that occupies more space than just a hand)
• Must have a mechanic; a plunger won't work, but a plunger with a cracked suction cup that flaps (mechanic) will
• Must be untraditional (e.g., sock, paper bag, classic marionette, stick puppet)

Must have:

• Distinctive voice
• Three repeatable signature movements (think Muppets/commedia characters - this is how this guy nods, runs, plays the fiddle)
• Ability to monologize

Does not have to have:

• Life history
• Smooth or finished look
• Immediate recognizability (this is a man, this is a dog, this is a furry monster)

The ideal way to make this puppet is to find it, utilize something extant to its full absurdity.

'Blog Assignments
Assignment 1: Character Voice Post #1
Must be posted by: 12/2/10, Thursday
Write a post of 50-75 words in the voice of your character as you see him or her now. The title of the post should be the character's name, and the subject of the text his or her thoughts on the show as it stands at this point. Thoughts can be anything from "I don't know" to "here's what it's all about." Thoughts are written in character, with no explanations or justifications. NONE OF THIS IS SET IN STONE. From the name to the voice to what's written, it's all subject to change.


Assignment 2: Puppetry Research Post #1
Must be posted by: 12/3/10, Friday
Make a list of four items. Post three interesting (but true) facts or events from the history of puppetry. Make it a bulleted list, with points as brief as they need to be, so long as they are interesting to you. Include in your list one fact or event that is not true. Later we will try to guess which of the others’ “facts” is not a fact at all.


Assignment 3: Lazzi Post #1
Must be posted by: 12/4/10, Saturday
Construct one lazzi (gag) based on our information about story, setting and character so far, and name it in the format: “The Lazzi of the ___________.” A lazzi is a planned bit that can be summoned up at any point in an improvisation, and can be a sequence of some details, or a simple behavior, or a gag. E.g.:

• The Lazzi of the Google: Every time Elizabeth’s character mentions “Google,” Heather thinks it’s a sexual term, Conor supposes it to be a foreign one.
• The Lazzi of the Pinch Hitter: An argument is conducted between two puppets held by different puppeteers, but they need a break and some water, so they hand both off to one person, who keeps up the puppetry while they continue the argument from lounging positions, drinking water, etc. Finally they return but, through a mix up, are doing the puppetry for the opposite puppet. This ends the argument.
• The Lazzi of the Creative Curse: Because he’s in the company of women, Conor can’t cuss a blue streak as he’s used to doing alone in his basement.

Assignment 4: Character Voice Post #2
Must be posted by: 12/7/10, Tuesday
Writing in the voice of your character (as you perceive it today) set out what it is you want and need from your fellow characters. This does not have to be long, but it should be specific, at least at some point in what you’re writing. Reminder - there are no right or wrong answers at this stage of things. As soon as anyone else writes this assignment, respond in the Comments section of their post - in the voice of your character - as to why they can't have what they want/need from you.


Assignment 5: Puppetry Research Post #2
Must be posted by: 12/8/10, Wednesday
Write a quick summary about a notable figure from the history of puppetry. Two requirements:

• The person must have lived in some period prior to the twentieth century (his or her lifespan can straddle into the 1900s if need be).
• You must include one embedded link to a research source.

Assignment 6: Lazzi Post #2
Must be posted by: 12/9/10, Thursday
Construct one running gag based on our information about story, setting and character so far. It needn’t necessarily involve your character. It must occur in a “three,” though the repetitions needn’t be back-to-back. Finally, the third repetition should have a twist or “punchline,” if you will (and even if you won’t). E.g.:

1. When he needs a puppet, but can’t get one, Bob takes off one of his socks and uses it.
2. This happens again, and he uses the other sock, but it has a hole in it through which his middle finger protrudes.
3. It happens again, but Bob’s out of socks, so he pursues the women’s socks and they flee him. So he reaches into his pants for the obvious solution, whereupon the women throw their socks - and all socks they can find, anywhere - at him.

Assignment 7: Character Image Post #1
Must be posted by: 12/10/10, Friday
In a single posting, insert three images that exemplify your character. These images may be of anything, including yourself. Only TWO of these images may be pictures of human beings. Be sure to cite the source of your image in the photo caption (which may be added from a menu that pops up when you click on the photo in the editor). In the body text, provide at least one sentence per photo that explains your association between it and your character. Be specific.

Assignment 8: Puppetry Practice Post #1
Must be posted by: 12/11/10, Saturday
Post a video of a puppet character!  You may do this on your own, or prepare today and I will record your performance for you at tomorrow’s meeting.  The character must have:

• A puppetry mechanic (i.e., moving mouth, eyes, arm, etc.)
• Distinctive movement
• Characteristic voice different from your own

Assignment 9: Character Arc Post #1

Must be posted by: 12/16/10, Thursday

Character arc.  Assuming for the moment that we will follow the Wizard-of-Oz trope in terms of your character’s journey, diagram a series of events or scenes that take your character through:

• Discovery/acknowledgement of his or her personal problem.
• Unsuccessful grappling with that problem.
• Ultimately overcoming or reconciling the problem.

These events or scenes don’t have to involve the other characters, but it will be helpful to you down the line if they do.  Don’t be shy about “dictating” others’ actions - they’ll only do what they want in an improvisation, anyway.  If you come up with more than the points above - great!  Just make sure you include all three that are already listed.  This can take any form it pleases.