Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers

James Thomas, Professor of Theatre and Head of the PhD for Scholar-Directors at Wayne State University is a graduate of St. Ambrose College (BA), Villanova University (MA), and the University of Texas at Austin (PhD). Thomas has also taught theatre at Mount Holyoke College, Marquette University and Florida State University, where he was Associate Dean of the School of Theatre. His recent directing credits include Six Characters in Search of an Author and Cymbeline at Detroit's Hilberry Theatre, and Ah, Wilderness! and The Skin of our Teeth at the Bonstelle Theatre. His research has been published in Theatre Journal, Theatre Topics, and Contemporary Theatre Review. He is also translator of the books of Russian director Anatoly Efros and Director of Wayne State University’s Study Abroad Program with the Moscow Art Theatre School. He is currently at work on a directing textbook.

Preface


Acknowledgements


Introduction





Chapter 1: Action Analysis


Chapter 2: Given Circumstances


Chapter 3: Background Story


Chapter 4: External and Internal Action


Chapter 5: Progressions and Structure


Chapter 6: Character


Chapter 7: Idea


Chapter 8: Dialogue


Chapter 9: Tempo, Rhythm, and Mood


Chapter 10: The Style of the Play


Chapter 11: Postmodernism: A Case Study





A Final Word


Appendix A: Further Questions for Script Analysis


Appendix B: Effective Analysis of the Mise-en-Scene


Bibliography


Index