Name Play

Worksheet: Given Circumstances

This exercise is designed to help you fill in some of the factual puzzle pieces of your
character. If you can’t find the answers to these questions in your script, you may have to
use your imagination. The goal is greater understanding of your character’s actions and
thought processes. This is particularly important when you are playing a character whose
circumstances are very different from yours.

Instructions: To begin, answer these questions about your character’s environment:

 What is the time period?

 What is the location?
 What is the season?

Now, answer these questions about your character’s status:

 What is your social standing (noble, peasant, working class, etc.)?
 What is your family situation?
 What is your education?
 What kind of relationships do you have?
 What kind of vocabulary do you use?

Finally, answer these questions about your character’s personal traits:

 What are your goals and expectations in life?
 What are your dreams?
 How is your temper?
 Are you generous or stingy?
 Are you patient and forgiving, or demanding and strong willed?
 What other significant questions would help you build the character?

After you have answered these questions as fully (or imaginatively) as possible, write a
few paragraphs (in the first person) about how these circumstances, given to you by the
writers, affect your character. Then, look at one song through your character’s eyes,
taking these Given Circumstances into account, and write a journal entry (in the first
person) that encompasses the action of the song / monologue. Finally, read your
paragraphs aloud. Write down new insights, images, and ideas that come to you as a
result of this work.

THE 5 Ws
WHO is your character? (Their personal history)

WHEN does it take place? (Time of the day, season, historical period)

WHERE? (Place, location)

WHAT does take place? (Conflict)

WHY? (Motivation)

All five are interconnected: by developing your character's personal background you are
preparing me for understanding your character’s motivations; defining the time-frame,
you give us hints about their social psychology; shaping the the conflict, you discover the
inner conflict.