Play Guide [356k PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

The Great GatsbyDISCUSSION• Much of the play is punctuated by jazz music. What is the origin of this style of music?Why do you think this genre of music was chosen to underscore the action? Write anexploratory essay looking at the origins of jazz and its relevance to 1920s America, andspecifically The Great Gatsby.• Simon Levy gives this stage direction in the beginning of his adapted script: “Thedescribed stage setting is the idealized vision of the play played out against a largerthan-lifemythic backdrop where spectacular production elements substitute for thelyric beauty of Fitzgerald’s descriptive prose; however, symbolism and metaphor,which are central to the novel, may be realized in many ways, and I leave it to theimagination of directors to tell the story as simply or elaborately as they choose.”• What directorial choices did you notice in this production of The Great Gatsby thathighlighted the symbolism and metaphor of the novel? Write a brief essay about thecreative choices made in this production in relation to the original concept of thenovel. Provide specific examples of theatrical elements—lighting, music, and scenicdesign—that were used to replace Fitzgerald’s elegant and descriptive prose. Whataspects of the production were successful at capturing the world of Gatsby? Was thereanything from the book that was not translated to the stageTheatre/Arts Activities• Think of an important event in your life and choose a symbol that could represent it.Write a story or scripted scene about that event and incorporate your symbol usingfigurative language. Alternatively, compose a song, or create a painting or sculpturethat contains your symbol.• Find a section from your favorite book that contains both dialogue and descriptivelanguage. Try to develop an adaptation of that section into a script for a play. Usetheatrical elements-- lighting, music, and scenic design—to replace the descriptiveprose. Present your scene to the class and discuss the challenges you encountered andjustify the choices you made.• Find an example of someone who had achieved The American Dream —it can bea fictional character, someone from pop-culture, politics, or someone you knowpersonally. Using a shoebox you will create a visual display of that person’s life.Research your individual and on the outside of the box use pictures, documents, orarticles that portray the individual’s public appearance. On the inside of the box,decorate it to display what you think that person feels on the inside.Select a character from• The Great Gatsby with whom you least identify. In the firstperson - as Gatsby, Daisy, Nick, Tom, Jordan or someone else from the book – writea monologue that defends your behavior. Try to convince the audience that you are anoble human being. Present your monologue to the class and try to use your body andvoice to take on attributes of your character. Discuss with your class the challenges ofrelating to a character and playing him/her.Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 52