Persuasive speech:Dramatization

Dramatization (dramatics) is the most complex and the most demanding of all of the forms of oral communication. In dramatization, all of the principles, techniques, and fundamentals applicable to other speech activities are blended and coordinated. The actor uses all of himself to present and interpret a selection: his face, hands, torso, legs, voice, temperament, personality, and experiences. We dramatize certain material because it can best be presented in a representative interpretation: presenting a "life-like picture or image of a character in a situation to an audience." We dramatize primarily through accent and emphasis, in order to point up some things and to tone down others.

However, it is necessary that we clearly understand the terms that we use. For example, not everything is dramatic-even though it can be made to appear so. Often you will hear the most commonplace thing described as dramatic.

A "drama" is a "literary composition that tells a story, usually of human conflict, by means of dialogue and action, to be performed on a stage, by actors." The word "dramatic" means "having the characteristics of a drama"namely conflict. It also implies that something is full of action and conflict and is exciting.1

"Drama" and "dramatic" are frequently mispronounced. The preferred pronunciation of "drama" is drah-ma; the first "a" rhymes with the same sound in "car." The first "a" in "dramatic" is a short, soft "a" as in "ago."

The uses of the principles learned in connection with the art of dramatization are not limited to the stage. They can also be applied to many other professions and in many walks of life. A lawyer pleading a case employs many techniques of dramatization, as does the minister in his sermons, or the high school teacher in presenting new material to his class. The storyteller will be twice as effective in relating an experience if it is made to be dramatic.

The basis of all drama and dramatic situations is conflict. Without a conflict there is no action; there can be very little story, very little characterization, and very little excitement. But, remember, there are many degrees of excitement, action, and conflict. A baseball game has conflict, has action, and can be exciting. But, a conversation (say on philosophy) can have a conflict, can have action, and can be exciting, also. There is a great difference between a philosophical discussion and a baseball game, but both are dramatic to a degree, and both require definite methods of presentation. We can learn from both situations and can apply our principles of dramatization in each.

Let us examine some of the things that can be learned from dramatization that will be of use to us both on and off the stage.

1.What You Should Learn in Dramatization

You should learn to act, to be dramatic, to make other things dramatic, for several definite reasons. As an actor, you learn:

Teamwork

Everyone in a play must work together, just as a baseball team must have teamwork.

Self-Control

Attention is focused on the actor. He must perform well under a certain amount of pressure just as a great hitter must if he comes up to the plate with the bases loaded.

Behavior

You can learn more about the author's ideas concerning human motivation by acting in his play than by merely reading it. Taking part in a play, gives you a better understanding of human nature. For example, anyone who delivers Marc Antony's famous funeral oration in a production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar will appreciate how quickly a mob can be swayed with a rabble-rousing speech.

To Be Someone Else

Some of us find it very difficult to change. The older we get, it is said, the more we resist change.

It helps us to understand human emotions better if we assume the identities of others for a while. If a girl takes the part of Mrs. Zero in Elmer's Rice's The Adding Machine, she will get a good idea of what a nagging wife is really like, and it should help her to avoid becoming one herself. If a boy takes the part of the narrator in Thornton Wilder's Our Town, he should gain a better understanding of the great value of life and should therefore learn to see his family in a new and better light.

Arrangement for Emphasis

The same principles involved in decorating a store window, composing an advertisement, remodeling a house, arranging furniture in an office, or choosing suitable clothes apply equally to staging a play. The more you know about theatre, the more you know how to arrange things in life to point up one thing and to point down another.

How to Establish an Atmosphere

Every home, every office, every place of business needs the right "atmosphere" to achieve success. As a director, actor, and observer of the drama, you learn how to establish atmosphere, the mood or feeling of a place. No matter what work or profession you choose in later life, you will benefit from knowing how to establish atmosphere. Directing, acting in, and observing the drama will help you to learn.

2.What Play Do We Choose?

"You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear," is an old saying. You certainly can't take a poorly written, weak, little play and stage it so that the actors and the audience learn very much. In order to realize the advantages of drama, we must have a good script to perform, IT IS BETTER TO DO A GOOD PLAY ADEQUATELY THAN IT IS TO DO A POOR PLAY EXCELLENTLY.

The excerpts at the end of this chapter, with the list of plays suggested below, will offer a good variety of plays to choose from. Most state universities now have lending libraries where suggestions for appropriate plays can be obtained. However, the theatre club or the speech classes should have good persuasive speech topics in catalogues, such as the following, to consult:

David McKay Co., Inc., 119 W. 40th St., New York 18, N.Y. The Dramatic Publishing Co., 179 North Michigan Avenue,

Chicago 1, Illinois Samuel French, 25 West 45th St., New York 36, N.Y.

Dramatists Play Service Inc., 14 East 38th St., New York 16, N.Y.

Some plays suggested for possible high school production are as follows: ?

Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring (Dramatists Play Service) Abe Lincoln in Illinois by Robert E. Sherwood (Dramatists Play Service) Bell, Book and Candle by John Van Druten (Dramatists Play Service) Dial "M" for Murder by Frederick Knott (Dramatists Play Service) Ethan Frome by Owen Davis and Donald Davis (Dramatists Play Service)

The Hasty Heart by John Patrick (Dramatists Play Service) An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley (Dramatists Play Service) Ladies in Retirement by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham (Dramatists Play Service) Life with Mother by Howard Lindsay & Russcl Grouse (Dramatists Play Service) My Sister Eileen by Joseph Fields & Jerome Chodorov (Dramatists Play Service) Stagp Door by Edna Ferber & George S. Kaufman (Dramatists Play Service) Solid Gold Cadillac by Howard Teichmann and George S. Kaufman (Dramatists Play Service) The Winslow Boy by Terence Rattigan (Dramatists Play Service)

Alice in Wonderland by Alice Gerstenberg (Longman's) The Whole Town's Talking by John Emerson and Anita Loos (David McKay Co., Inc.) Around the World in Eighty Days by Nicholas Groh (Dramatic Publishing Co.) Our Miss Brooks by Perry Clark (Dramatic Publishing Co.) The Defiance of David Charles by Hal Kesler (Dramatic Publishing Co.) Love Is Eternal by Irving Stone (Dramatic Publishing Co.) Cheaper by the Dozen by Perry Clark (Dramatic Publishing Co.) Best Foot Forward by John Cecil Holm (Dramatic Publishing Co.)

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay by Jean Kerr (Dramatic: Publishing Co.)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Kendall (Dramatic Publishing Co.)

The Ponder Heart by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov (Samuel French)

Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton (Samuel French)

The Late Christopher Bean by Sidney Howard (Samuel French)

Captain Applejack by Walter Hackett (Samuel French)

Nothing But the Truth by James Montgomery (Samuel French)

Ten Little Indians, by Agatha Christie (Samuel French) Charley's Aunt ,by Brandon Thomas (Samuel French) Death Takes a Holiday by Alberto Cassella (Samuel French) Seventeen by Booth Tarkington (Samuel French) The Charm School by Alice Duer Miller & Robert Milton (Samuel French)

Springtime for Henry by Benn W. Levy (Samuel French) Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward (Samuel French) Kind Lady by Edward Chodorov (Samuel French)

STUDENTS OF UPPER DARBY HIGH SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA PERFORM A SCENE FROM GEORGE BERNARD SHAW'S ARMS AND THE MAN:

3. How Do We Learn to Act?

There are many basic techniques and fundamentals to the art of acting. But, a knowledge of these does not necessarily mean that you can act. You may know the skills necessary for playing baseball, but you must practice until you become proficient in them. Acting is a method of interpretation in which we incorporate all our knowledge and experience and attempt to create a character different from ourselves, through the use of our own physical and mental mechanisms. Some people prefer to say we "pretend" to become someone else, since we never escape out of ourselves; others say we "become" or "believe" we are a certain character. This is the basic difference between the "technical" and the "method" approach to acting. But, this is a discussion which we shall leave to the classroom and to the individual teacher. Books have been written on the subject, and we shall not attempt to present the arguments here. In this chapter, the basic techniques essential to all good acting will be discussed, but it is only through your own experiments, trials-and-errors, and practices that they will become a basic part of your speech proficiency.

In general, OBSERVATION OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR is the watchword and secret to characterization and good acting. The more we know about people, how they react, how they appear, and how they speak, the better our own attempt to create a character will be.

There are two styles of acting: presentational and representational. The presentational style is that in which the actor speaks his part but does not necessarily create a character that he wants the audience to believe. He is only an actor speaking. The emphasis is on the language.

Representational acting is that style in which the actor portrays a character which he wishes the audience to accept as a distinct personality. There is a careful and a skilled blending of character and language. This style is more natural and realistic. This is the style of acting we are most accustomed to viewing on the stage, on television, and in movies. Presentational acting is associated with bygone days, plays, and actors.

In Older to learn to act, you must be willing to try, new things, to be laughed at a little, to let yourself go. Unless you are cast in a part which is just like yourself, you cannot expect to play the part well unless you become different. This is hard. Are you game enough to try? Acting incorporates the use of your body and your voice to present the material that has been selected. Acting is both physical and mental, and at all times the actor must possess perfect self-control and be in harmony with the material being presented.

It is first necessary to study your script carefully, so that you have a full understanding of the play, your character, and what the author intended your character to be. When this is completed, you are ready to begin to assume a character.

You will feel awkward at first and uncertain what to do. Consider your voice, your facial expressions, and your body in connection with your character. Remember, age is often one of the most important determining facts of characterization.

CONSIDER YOUR VOICE, YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, AND YOUR POISE

Hands and Feet (Limbs)

Youth: This should be no special problem. Try to forget that you have hands and feet. Be relaxed and not stilted. Move normally.

Middle age: The body has begun to slow down. The posture may relax a little, letting the shoulders droop a little. In getting up and down from chairs and sofas, move slower than normally.

Old age: Muscles do not respond as well as they once did. The knees may be a little bent. Unless the part says otherwise, relax your posture. In getting up and down from chairs, and in going upstairs, move slowly. Push yourself out of your chair with one hand; move carefully. It is important that you study people who are the same age as the part you are to play. How do they move? Do you do things the way they do?

Voice

YOU MUST BE HEARD. Amateurs tend to talk in their normal voices. You do not have to shout, but you must speak with energy. If you turn your back to the audience, talk louder than before. If you must whisper, whisper loudly. What good will it do you to speak if the audience can't hear you? Do not get provoked if the director keeps telling you he can't hear you. Be sensible. Raise your volume.

Adjust your voice to the age of your character.

Youth: This should be no problem. It is usually wise for young people to try to keep their pitch down, for the sake of projection and audibility.

Middle age: Listen to the speech of your parents. Speak a little slower than you ordinarily do. Keep the pitch down. Form your words more distinctly.

Old age: Many older people tend to speak either more softly or more loudly than the average. There will be longer pauses between sentences. The voice may have a little crack or rasp in it. Think of yourself as being old. Concentrate on being old. Think about it during the day. Then sound old.

Facial Expression

The first dramas were presented by the ancient Greeks and were performed outdoors. Each actor wore a mask (or false face) to emphasize the kind of person lie was. A young lover wore a smooth, smiling mask, while an old woman had a grotesque, withered mask. This helped the audience, which was seated far away, to grasp the atmosphere of the play.

When theatres had only gaslights or candlelight, it was necessary for the actors to use broad facial expressions to communicate to the audience. The audience often used field glasses to follow the play.

However, in these days of electric lights, the actor docs not have to exaggerate to such an extent, though he must still exaggerate a little in order that his facial expressions "carry" to the last row. If lie frowns, it should be a good frown; if lie laughs, it should be a healthy laugh; if lie is sad, his face should plainly show disappointment, grief, or sorrow.

Keep as much of your face toward the audience as possible. If you are talking to someone sitting across from you, keep your face partly pointed toward the audience. Talk as little as you can with your back to the audience, unless you are seeking a special effect.

React to what is being said to you, Don't just stand there. Let your face show that you are listening.

When you react, exaggerate your reaction to some extent. Do not OVERACT, but do not under act either. Acting takes much energy which should be skillfully controlled.

Body

Remember, yon are acting with your entire physical body and personality, not just with your voice, hands, feet and face. All of you must respond to the part.

It is through the body that we express the inward emotion or feelings of a character. This is true in real life also, The body clearly shows the temperament and feelings of a person. There is much movement and activity when a person is happy or excited; the body moves slower and with less energy and movement when a person is sad or depressed. A person does not walk briskly and smartly when he is sad, nor does he slouch when he is happy.

ACT WITH YOUR ENTIRE PHYSICAL BODY AND PERSONALITY. Notice the people about you and see how the body reflects the mind, the thoughts, and the feelings

Adjust your body to the age of your character.

Youth: Unless the part calls for something else, a young person playing the part of a young person usually needs to concentrate on keeping his movements simple and clean. Jerky movements, too much waving of the arms, too much disjointed action, calls attention to itself. Try to move easily. Observe the movements of a deer or a cat; see how little energy is wasted, notice the smoothness and exactness of the movements.

Middle age: Relax the body somewhat. The muscles should not be as firm or as quick to respond as in youth. The body should seem heavier to you than before. Move with more effort. Do not bounce in and out of chairs, or run at full speed.

Old age: An older person appears to move the parts of his body separately, rather than with co-ordination. The body is heavy and moves with effort. Try to remember that you have lived for 60 years or more and not just for 16. Feel the weight of the body as it moves.

Sometimes you must appear to walk a longer distance on the stage than the actual space available allows. It is then necessary to take shorter steps and to walk in a curve rather than in a straight line. It may be that you must appear to be moving normally. Thus, you will need to practice this movement.

The circular movement is generally more attractive and graceful than any other movement. It is often necessary when working in period dresses with full skirts or trains. This will enable the wearer to keep the bulk of material from getting underfoot.

4.Characteristics and Character Traits

In order to play a part effectively, you must get a real feeling for the role. This takes some time. You will need at least a month to let the new personality develop. Think about the character you are playing when you are going from class to class, walking home from school, or combing your hair in the morning. What would this other person be doing if you were actually he? How would he walk to class; how would he act going home in the afternoon; how would he comb his hair?

Now, although it is necessary to feel the part, you must not be carried away with the whole thing. An actor must at all times be in control of himself, because he is to represent another, not be another. Although he may feel himself to be the character while he is rehearsing and acting, he must not let these feelings become dominant and out of control. It is more important that he should appear to feel, than that he should actually feel.

Let us take an example. Suppose Merle is cast in the role of Queen Elizabeth I of England at fifty years of age. What should Merle do in order to approach the characterization?

First, of course, she should study the part thoroughly, and try to understand what the queen did and why she did it. Then she should read several articles about the queen, so that she understands what kind of person Elizabeth I really was. Then she should decide what physical and mental characteristics the Queen possessed.PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICSMENTAL CHARACTERISTICSLong-waisted (so much so that she created a new fashion in clothes).Jealous of her rivals. In need of flattery by men.Stiff in movement. Some nervous hand movements when excited: twists rings, holds head a little to one side, taps her foot when seated.Determined to rule her country well and to make it powerful.Intelligent.Vain about her looks, but aware that she is not pretty.

Suppose Howard is selected to play the grandfather in You Cant Take It With You. What should Howard do to begin the characterization?

First, he should observe the elderly men that he sees around him: how they walk and how they talk. When he gets some idea of how an elderly man behaves, he should study the play carefully to find out the personality of Grandpa Vanderhof. Then he is ready to make a list such as the one below.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICSMENTAL CHARACTERISTICSPosture is relaxed but not stooped,Likes people; keeps a pleasant look on his face.Speaks slowly and deliberately.Doesn't get ruffled easily.Thoroughly enjoys life.Points his finger at people when he talks to them.Is not ambitious and does not care who knows it.Sighs after he sits down. Smokes a pipe and can never find his matches.Is willing to give the other fellow a chance and to see his side of the story.

Once you get the mood, the idea is "to stay in character;" in other words, to be always the person you are pretending to be. You will need to get a firm grip on your character in order to consistently appear to be that someone. You may not always succeed, but it will be fun trying.

After notes on characteristics have been made, think about each one and how you can best incorporate each detail into your characterization. Find movements and gestures that will help you refine your characterization and give it a life of its own.

5. Stage Directions

In order to act or direct you must first make certain that you know stage directions and stage terminology. We will list some of the common terms here. These must be learned by both actors and directors in order to understand each other.

The Playing Area

For the usual proscenium stage, where the audience views the action from only one side, the areas of the stage are labeled as below:

Note the following:
"UP" means away from the audience
"DOWN" means toward the audience
"RIGHT" is to the actor's right as he faces the audience
"LEFT" is to the actor's left as lie faces the audience

So, when the director says to an actor, "cross up right," he means for the actor to go to the back of the stage and to the left, as far as the audience is concerned. The actor should learn these areas thoroughly and be certain he can respond to them quickly.

Stage Business

"Business" refers to the gestures and minor bodily movements of the actor. It is stage business that helps to round out the characterization or concept of the character for the audience.

Suppose, for example, an actor in your play is interpreting an elderly character. In order to help his characterization, he may develop the following: the habit of taking a deep breath just after he sits down, a very slight tremor or shake from time to time in his left arm and hand, stooped shoulders, and the habit of mopping his brow with a handkerchief. (His hand could show the tremor here.)

Suppose an actress in your play must appear to be a widely-traveled, intelligent woman of thirty-five who is the mother of several children. The following bits of stage business might prove helpful: she might have a darning basket and be working on some mending for her children sometime during the play; she might have a pair of glasses which she wears when she has to read anything (glasses on a chain would be good); she might wear clothing which is obviously foreign and could call attention to it. An unusual comb in her hair and a shawl are suggested unusual items of attire.

In other words, you are trying to develop the character by SUGGESTED ACTION, so that the audience gets a complete picture.

A director may suggest the stage business or actors may think up stage business for themselves. However, consider carefully if the business: (1) is appropriate' to the character; (2) results in scene-stealing (calling attention to one actor, when another should be getting the attention); (3) can be consistently done.

6. Stage Actions

The following specific situations require careful handling in order to assure proper stage actions.

Running. Excessive activity on a stage tends to produce comedy. Beware of more than two characters moving quickly, unless the action is highly necessary to the plot. If actors must run, they should take smaller steps than usual.

Fighting and struggling. If possible, lighting should take place off stage. If a thief is to be captured and tied up, let him run out and be brought back in, all tied up. If a fight must take place, it can begin on stage, work its way off stage, and conclude off stage.

Eating and drinking. If the actors are to eat and drink on stage, the food should be sufficiently tasty that they can eat it comfortably. Cold mashed potatoes, colored water, and dry bread hardly help an inexperienced actor to act naturally while eating. A little planning can help the actor to look forward to eating and drinking on stage, rather than hating to see the time arrive.

Kissing. Kisses should be short, because an audience is easily made uncomfortable by a kiss. Young people exaggerate this audience tendency because they themselves are self-conscious. It is usually best to have the couple kiss so that the kiss cannot be seen by the audience. If the man's head is in the audience's way, the audience will have to imagine the kiss. Its imagination may be more perfect than the performance.

Showing of affection. It may be well to substitute an embrace for a kiss. This has even been done in so romantic a play as Romeo and Juliet. Embraces should be short and quiet. Let the actors come together simply and quietly, and then separate.

The holding of hands is often enough to show deep emotion and feeling. The characters may simply approach each other and grasp hands firmly. Excessive physical contact between characters is usually in poor taste and is poor theatre.

Violence. Murders and other forms of violence form a problem for the stage. Unless they are very skillfully done, they seem amateurish and funny. Take a tip from the ancient Greek theatre, and let extreme violence occur off stage. Our imaginations can provide details better than all but the most talented actors.

If the violence must occur on stage, keep it as simple and as concealed as possible. After the violence has occurred, it may be that the victim can fall out of sight behind a couch or a chair. He might even be in a doorway and stagger out of sight. At least, his face should be concealed. Avoid any literal show of violence or pain. Avoid carrying the victims of violence off stage. This is usually poorly done and the results can be disturbing.

Keep your hands occupied. Many inexperienced actors do not know what to do with their hands. It may be that the director can suggest something that will help. Smoking and drinking of beverages are often used in the professional theatre to ease this situation, but they arc inappropriate in high school performances. There are many adequate substitutes: a girl can carry a book, an umbrella, a big purse or handbag or a wrap over her arm; a boy may carry a raincoat, an umbrella, a briefcase or a coat over his arm.

Even more appropriate items should be suggested by the part the actor is to play. People are seldom sufficiently at ease to let their hands lie still. Tennis rackets, a package, a train timetable-all of these things help the inexperienced actor to use his hands properly, provided they fit into his character and DO NOT GET IN HIS WAY. If carrying an item causes confusion, of course, lie will have to omit it.

A HANDCLASP MAY BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A KISS

7. Basic Steps in Preparing the Production

Let us imagine that the director has been asked to present the beginning of Act III from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The action of the scene is that Caesar meets the soothsayer and the petitioners in the street. He moves into the capitol where Brutus, Cassius and others surround Caesar on the pretext of asking for the recall of Publius Cimber, who had been exiled; Caesar is stabbed; the conspirators discuss their deed. Mare Antony's servant asks if Antony may come safely to learn why Caesar was killed; Antony enters and appears to make friends with the conspirators.

Casting

The director will make an effort to get as many people to read for the scene as possible, so that he can pick the best people. Posters should be made announcing where students may report to try out. Announcements should be made in assembly, in classes, and in the newspaper.

When those who wish to read for the parts are assembled, the director should distribute copies of a part of the scene to the group, discuss briefly what it means, and then request groups of two or three to read at a time. The director will usually have everyone read at least twice so that he can hear various combinations of voices together.