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Plot Structure Notes
Theatre Crafts
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Today’s Schedule
 Discuss
viewing requirement
 Recommendation: Present Laughter
 Intro
to upcoming project
 Plot
structure notes
 We will talk Finding Nemo!
 Select
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stories
SLHS
Presents the
Play
Create plot structure on your Grimm fable
Present Laughter
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The Upcoming Project
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Select a Grimm fairytale/fable to turn into a play
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Groups of 2-4
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Cinderella
Little Red Cap (aka Little Red Riding Hood)
The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats (yup… not pigs)
Sleeping Beauty
In your groups, you will create the following
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A plot structure
A script (with blocking)
 Blocking = character movement
A set design
Costume design
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A plot structure pyramid
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Exposition
 Set
the scene
 Introduce
 Establish
 There
characters
point of view
is no story… yet
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Exposition in Finding Nemo
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Marlin’s cautious nature is shown when he goes in and out of the home
indefinitely
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Nemo’s ‘lucky fin’ is revealed, showing that he was physically affected by the
barracuda attack.
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We also see that Nemo is a regular kid, annoyed by his father’s worrying.
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Marlin is socially awkward, revealed through his terribly unfunny joke.
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Inciting incident
 The
story starts where the trouble starts
 Create
conflict
 Complicate

your protagonist’s life
Protagonist = main character
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Inciting incident in Finding Nemo
 When
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 It
does the conflict truly begin?
Nemo is taken by the divers
is the origin of the next act, the rising action
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Rising action
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The story builds
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Key characters are in focus
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Characters are in trouble
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Many small challenges
leading to the bigger goal
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Rising action in Finding Nemo
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Dorie!
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Marlin encounters the sharks.
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Marlin goes through the jellyfish.
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Meets Crush

Nemo gains the friendship of the aquarium fish.
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Nemo attempts to escape the aquarium.
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Climax
 The
moment of greatest tension
 The
point to which all events have led
 Characters
act
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Climax in Finding Nemo
 The
search for Nemo intersects with Nemo’s own
adventures in the dentist’s office.
 The
climax continues into the ocean, reaching its
peak when Nemo rescues the fish trapped in a net.
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Falling action
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Events are a result of the climax
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The story nears its end
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What is the fallout from the climax?
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Falling action in Finding Nemo
 Nemo
saves Dorie after she is knocked
unconscious
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Resolution
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The protagonist solves the problem
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Characters change
because of the
journey
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Resolution in Finding Nemo
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Marlin finally tells his whole joke.
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Marlin is no longer over protective of his son.
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Nemo is confident and happy.
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Your objective
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Create a plot structure for the Grimm fable of your choice
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Cinderella
Little Red Cap (aka Little Red Riding Hood)
The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats (yup… not pigs)
Sleeping Beauty