Theatre Essay

Submission 1: Adaptation of a Biblical Narrative

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Following the tradition of the medieval Búblical plays, students will choose one short Biblical episode or narrative and rewrite that narrative into a short Biblical play. Students should

create characters and provide them with dialogue, include stage directions to indicate setting and action, and provide a plot following a dramatic structure, such as Aristotle’s beginning,

middle, and end or Freytag’s pyramid. Attention should be paid to the conventions of medieval theatre, as well. Approximate length will be 750 – 1000 words.

Students will submit their drafts for peer review before turning in the assignment to the instructor for a grade.

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Submission 2: Cultural Adaptation of a Biblical Narrative

Once students have revised their adaptation of a Biblical narrative based on peer and instructor feedback, students will adapt their Biblical plays to fit one genre and historical period (for

instance, a classical Greek tragedy like Oedipus; a Noh play like Matsukaze; a Shakespearean tragicomedy like The Tempest; etc.). In order to create a cultural adaptation, students

should review the lectures, their own notes, and the assigned readings for that week. Students should choose a minimum of four conventions from that genre and historical period and

rewrite their Biblical play to include them. Conventions may include dramatic devices, structural elements, character types, stage design, and / or costuming. Students may not choose

the medieval English period, as that material was covered for the first submission. Approximate length will be 750 – 1000 words.

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Submission 3: Cultural Adaptation of a Biblical Narrative

Students will adapt their Biblical plays to fit one other genre and historical period (for instance, a classical Greek tragedy like Oedipus; a Noh play like Matsukaze; a Shakespearean

tragicomedy like The Tempest; etc.) not previously covered. See instructions for Submission 2 above. Students may not choose the medieval English period, as that material was

covered for the first submission. Approximate length will be 750 – 1000 words.

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Submission 4: Reflection Paper

Students will write an essay reflecting on their choices in each of their adaptations, in three sections corresponding to the three previous submissions. Students should respond to the

following questions: I’ll get these questions to you.