Thaiss and Davis call the drama review "the encounter of bright minds with powerful moments, the capture of fleeting insight…" For paper #2 , write a review of the Theater of the First Amendment's performance of Grimm Tales either for a weekly magazine or for a scholarly journal.

The minimum word limit for this paper is 1000 words, the maximum 1500 words. Please type and double-space all drafts and the final version of the paper. No type smaller than 10-point, or greater than 14 point, please.

Guidelines
First, see the performance, and take extensive notes on what you see. Remember the themes we discussed in class and use your familiarity with the text to judge how well the performance imagines that text into dramatic life.

Before you begin to write, read thoroughly Chapter 4 in Writing. Note particularly the three elements the writers see as essential to the successful review (reportage, analysis and judgment). Make sure you understand how the balance between those elements changes in the review depending upon its intended audience.

Look at some sample reviews. Writing suggests magazines which you should be able to find in the University or Public Libraries. Look at American Theatre (in Fenwick Library's periodical collection) for examples of more scholarly reviews.

Then imagine the audience for whom you have chosen to review. W rite a thorough audience analysis (again according to the guidelines in Writing) before you begin to draft your paper. Think carefully about who might compose your audience, and what their expectations of a review might be. Make sure you include the audience analysis with both your draft and final versions of the review.

Finally, once you have drafted your paper, mark in the margin those sections which you see as, respectively, reportage, analysis and judgment. Assess on a separate sheet of paper how well you think your paper has met Thaiss and Davis' criteria for a successful magazine or scholarly drama review.

Ideas for Focus in the Review (drawn from Ch. 4 of Writing)

What does the production attempt to do?

What are the writer, director, actors and designers trying to create and to what end? Why have they chosen this particular approach to the production?

To what extent was the intention you observed achieved?

To what extent was that intention worthwhile in relation to the text, in relation to other similar dramatic productions and in relation to the historical, social or cultural roles of drama?

The performance notes that it is intended for a family audience. To what extent does it fulfill that mission?