Play Guide [1.2MB PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

Debriefi ng Questions
1. Do you feel more prepared to see the play? Why or why not?
2. As you look at the characters in this play, do any of them seem like people you
know? How does that make you feel?
3. Do any of you see any elements of yourself in the characters? In the story? In what way?
4. Can you see how these characters might be “updated” to fi t in 2010?
Tell the class that the remainder of the workshop will focus on looking at The Glass
Menagerie through contemporary eyes. Students will work together to create a 2010
“production” of The Glass Menagerie fi lled with the contemporary objects or cultural
references that would be found in a 2010 version of The Glass Menagerie. The list we
generated is a starting point – if students have other ideas, they should discuss them with
the teacher and bring them in. Each student will select an item (not their own) to write
a monologue about the meaning of that object as seen through the eyes of one of the
characters. The meaning can be positive or negative, depending on the character chosen.
Through this activity, we will create contemporary versions of Amanda, Laura, Tom, and
Jim.
If appropriate, skip ahead to sharing a sample monologue.
1) Each student should bring in a contemporary object/item that indicates a specifi c
cultural reference (photo, CD, etc.) that correlates with one of the references or objects
found during the analysis of The Glass Menagerie. Please let students know that if an
object that they want to bring in is large or expensive or an object that they do not own,
they may bring in a picture of the object instead. All students must have brought their
objects in before ATC returns for the post-show workshop.
2) After the students see the performance, each student should think of one additional
thing that each character wants, as well as one new adjective to describe the character.
Students should share those with the class.
Day 2 Activity
1) Briefl y discuss the performance.
2) Explain that today the students will be writing their monologues as contemporary
versions of the characters in The Glass Menagerie. Begin with one of the sample
monologues below. Ask for a student volunteer. Using the original monologue and
contemporary prop provided, have one student model a monologue and prop for the
contemporary “production.” The monologue will also contain a character description
for 2010, which the student will not read aloud. The student performing the monologue
should read it however, to get a sense of the character is being portrayed. All student
The Glass Menagerie
Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 35