Book of Sides II: Original, Two-Page Scenes for Actors and Directors

     Introduction     

The introduction to the first Book of Sides focused on using that book in scenework with the particular aim of utilizing the short length of the scenes to focus more narrowly on one particular aspect of performance at a time. From an educational perspective, students generally absorb a simpler lesson more effectively. If students, especially beginning students, are confronted with performance notes about truthfulness, emotion, conflict, structure, subtext, and blocking all at the same time, they are likely to be overwhelmed and retain little. When lessons are focused, students are more likely to retain and synthesize knowledge, and topics can be made appropriate to where individual students are in their learning.

It is ...