THEATRE 325 - SCRIPT ANALYSIS
Spring 2016 Syllabus and Outline
Class Meetings: Tuesday & Thursday 12:30-13:45 PM
Location: DA 101
Instructor: Randy Reinholz
Office: DA 205
Office Contact: (619) 594-0229
reinholz@mail.sdsu.edu
http://ttf.sdsu.edu/
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10:30-12:00 or 3:15-3:45 or by appointment
A heartfelt thank you to C. J. Keith and Shelly Orr for letting me use their syllabus for this class
THEA 325 is designed to provide you with various methods and tools for analyzing a script. This
course prepares you to analyze a work of dramatic literature in terms of its function on stage but
leaves to other courses (Acting, Directing, Design, Stage Management, etc.) the task of actually
implementing the possibilities discovered during analysis.
Script analysis will be discussed from the point of view of potential directors, actors, stage
managers, and designers, though it is the director’s comprehensive understanding of a script that
will be the primary focus of the course.
Five plays and one screenplay will be read and discussed.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Keith, Script Analysis (customized packet, Aztec Bookstore) Even though Reinholz is teaching,
the packet is under the name of Keith
Doubt: a parable by John Patrick Shanley
All My Sons by Arthur Miller
Lend Me A Tenor by Ken Ludwig
The Piano Lesson by August Wilson
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare In Love by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
You are also required to attend one of the TFM Student Filmmakers Showcases and bring me
your ticket stub.
COURSE OUTCOMES
• Identify the components of classic dramatic structure
• Analyze a text for dramatic structure
• Identify the key elements of tragedy, dramatic, comedic, and farce genres of scripts
• Develop tools for understanding and analyzing a script including time lines, French Scene
charts, and fortunes graphs
• Explore language and imagery as elements of storytelling
• Research historical and cultural backgrounds of assigned scripts
• Identify and discuss plot, character, theme, language, objectives, turning points and conflict in a
variety of script genres
• Apply script analysis tools to a full-length script or screenplay
THEA 325 – Script analysis Spring 2016
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Participation
Thoughtful, articulate questions, opinions and ideas exchanged between you and your classmates
are an integral part of your learning experience. Discussion in class cannot be replaced by
reading or other outside work. Your participation will be a percentage of your semester grade.
More than two unexcused absences will affect your grade. Excused absences include medical
emergencies or appointments documented by a doctor’s note, and specific family emergencies.
Illnesses are to be called in to the instructor at: 619-594-0229. This is considered both
professional discipline and academic courtesy, and your instructor thanks you 
The University Policy File includes the following statement on Absence for Religious
Observances: By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructor of
affected courses of planned absences for religious observances.
Instructors shall reasonably accommodate students who notify them in advance of planned
absences for religious observances.
Assignments
Specific assignments will be given in conjunction with the study of specific plays, please refer to
the Class Calendar. If they are handed in on the day they are due, some (not all) assignments may
be redone and resubmitted for higher points. LATE assignments will receive fewer points than
assignments handed in on the due date, and may not be re-done.
Each student will prepare an oral report to be presented in class on a specified date. Topics and
dates will be handed out in class. Your report should be 5-10 minutes long and must be
accompanied by a PowerPoint (or other application) visual presentation.
Final Project
A significant part of your effort in this course will be directed toward your Final Project. Please
note that the Final Project may become an important part of your future work in Theatre 359 Directing I. Your choice of play should suit the purposes of Script Analysis and Directing I. In
other words, I will not let you choose a play either too easy or too complex, nor unsuitable in any
other way for either class. Award-winning, or noteworthy, classic, published plays are the
strongest choices.
A note about Plagiarism: Plagiarism, the use of another’s words and/or work without
appropriate sourcing or crediting, is a serious literary and academic offense. It will not be
tolerated in this class. The Theatre Department and the University supports and encourages the
use of the internet, books, articles, magazines, trade publications, etc., as tools for research, and
we hope you avail yourself of all these excellent resources. However, you must use standard,
accepted methods of citing works by others. If any of your research is found to be plagiarized,
you will receive an F for that entire project or assignment, and reported to the Center for Student
Rights and Responsibilities.
No exceptions.
I encourage you to talk with me about this if you have any questions and/or would like
clarification.
Reinholz
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THEA 325 – Script analysis Spring 2016
GRADING for Assignments, Projects, and Exams: 100 points
Doubt: a parable
Core Action Statement
French Scene Chart
3
7
All My Sons
Timeline
10
Lend Me A Tenor
Character Analysis
Fortunes Graph
5
5
Midterm
10
The Piano Lesson
Core Action Statement
Scene Analysis
3
7
Macbeth
Language/Imagery
10
Shakespeare In Love
Page to Screen
5
Oral Report
Final Project
Class Participation
10
20
5
100 points possible
93-100 = A
90-92 = A87-89 = B+
80-86 = B
77-79 = B74-76 = C+
67-73 = C
64-66 = C61-63 = D+
53-60 = D
50-52 = D-
Reinholz
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THEA 325 – Script analysis Spring 2016
Theatre 325 -- SCRIPT ANALYSIS
Spring 2016 -- CLASS CALENDAR
DATE
CLASS
ASSIGNMENT
Thurs Jan 21 Introductions, Syllabus, Calendar,
Plays, Packet, Oral Reports topics
Final Project; Classic Dramatic Structure
Read Doubt: a parable
D DOUBT: a parable
Tues Jan 26
The World of the Play
Given Circumstances. Conflict
Discuss French Scene Charts
Major and Minor Dramatic Questions
Thurs Jan 28 Doubt: Reports
Historical-Biographical Background
Character Objectives
Review FS Charts
Tues Feb 2
Doubt: Reports
Read key scenes: 4, 5, 8 Turning Points, Cruxes
Discuss Final Projects
View Film clips
Thurs Feb 4
Doubt: Reports
Discussion of French Scene chart findings
Explicit/Implicit Actions. View film clips
Oral Report topics due
Core Action Statement:
in-class exercise
RID
ERS
TO
THE
SEA
French Scene Chart due
ALL MY SONS
Tues Feb 9
All My Sons: Reports
Plot vs. Story
Tragic Structure, Freytag’s Pyramid
Timeline: discuss, view examples
Film clips, various
Thurs Feb 11 All My Sons: Reports
Themes. Turning Points in Text
Read scenes from play; film clip
Reinholz
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THEA 325 – Script analysis Spring 2016
Tues Feb 16
All My Sons: Reports
Timelines – Discussion of findings
Event/Action Q’s & A’s
Discuss Course Final Project
Timeline due
Thurs Feb 18 All My Sons: Reports
Play Q’s & A’s
Spine (“Meaning”). Film clips
Tues Feb 23
Read Lend Me a Tenor
All My Sons film
LEND ME A TENOR
Thurs Feb 25 Lend Me a Tenor: Reports
Comic Structure, Comic Character, Farce
Assignments
Final Project play titles due
Tues March 1 Lend Me a Tenor: Reports
Character Analysis due
Discussion of Findings in Character Analysis
Thurs March 3 Lend Me a Tenor: Reports
Character Spectrum (packet)
Tues March 8 Lend Me a Tenor: Reports
Discussion of findings
Review for Midterm
Thurs March 10
Fortunes Graph
of Max & Tito due
Start reading Piano Lesson
MIDTERM
EXAM
Cont. reading Piano Lesson
THE PIANO LESSON
Tues March 15
Thurs March 17
Tues March 22
The Piano Lesson: Reports
Introduction, Assignments
Title, Plot Summary, Themes
Core Action, in-class
exercise
The Piano Lesson: Reports
Character relationships; backstories, tensions
Scenic Symbolism, Film Clips
Begin reading Macbeth
The Piano Lesson: Reports
cont. Film Clips
Thurs March 24
The Piano Lesson: Reports, Film
Macbeth: Introduction, Assignments
Scene Analysis due
Finish reading Macbeth
SPRING BREAK
Reinholz
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THEA 325 – Script analysis Spring 2016
MACBETH
Tues April 5 Macbeth: Introduction, Assignments
Reports; Plot and Sources, Themes
Review Story, key plot points
Theory of Equivalent Impact
Thurs April 7 Macbeth: Reports
Paraphrase, Subtext; Banquo’s soliloquy
Text Q&A
Banquo’s soliloquy:
in-class exercise
Tues April 12 Character relationships, character arcs:
Read key scenes from play
Production Values Past and Present: vid clips
REMINDER:
Thurs April 14
Storyline/Imagery due
Read Shakespeare In Love
Film Clips:
Implications of Choices for Staging the Witches
Text Q & A, key scenes
Tues April 19 In-class reading/staging the Banquet Scene
Key scenes
Final Projects due April 28
Read Shakespeare In Love
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
Thurs April 21 Shakespeare In Love Reports
Screenplay structure. Application of analysis
First scene in film: backstory
Tues April 26
Discuss Final Projects. Cont. film
Thurs April 28
Film clips; directorial choices;
visual metaphors, turning points
REMINDER:
Final Projects due April 28
Page To Screen Pt 1
in-class work
Final Projects Due
Tues May 3
Cont. film
Page to Screen Pt. 2 (in class)
Tues May 5
Finish film. Last day of class
Page to Screen Pt. 2 (in class)
Thursday May 12th Final 10:30-12:30
Final Projects handed back
Please Note: The Class Calendar is subject to change. I will make every effort to provide
advance notices of any changes. Flexibility is a virtue 
Reinholz
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