Lesson Title: Adaptation: Play to Movie Lesson # Date:

Name: Aaron Livingstone Subject ELA Grade(s): 10/11/12

Rationale

This is another lesson looking at media, specifically, adaptation of theatre to film. Film has taken a central and
commanding place in modern media, replacing literature and theatre as the primary vehicle of meaning and
storytelling in pop culture. To begin to understand why this may have happened, we need to look at the strengths
and weaknesses of theatre as compared to film. This lesson focusses on these differences, and allows students
to continue to play with and explore the concept of adaptation as it applies to literature, culture, and media.

Curriculum Connections

Big Ideas
Texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed.

Curricular Competency
Recognize and understand how different forms, formats, structures, and features of texts enhance and shape
meaning and impact
Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful texts for a variety of
purposes and audiences

Content
A variety of text forms and genres
Reading strategies

Core Competency
critical thinking: students examine their past experiences with theatre and then use what they know to turn a
movie scene into a stage scene. Then, as a class, professional attempts of adaptation are analyzed and
critiqued.

Learning Intentions Activity Assessment

Stories can be told across multiple Initial free write Completion
media

Plays and films are the result of Theatrical adaptation (main activity) Group work: observation
many people working toward one Individual work: completion
artistic goal. There are numerous
practical decisions that go into
making them.

These decisions determine what the Class discussion of clips General interest, insightful
focus and meaning of a story contributions
ultimately is.
The choice of medium can be a
determinant of a play or films
success.

Prerequisite Concepts and Skill

It is helpful of the students have prior experience with theatre, either as cast, crew, or audience.
 Materials and Resources with References/Sources

For Teacher For Students

Pieces of paper with names of movies on them (for making groups). The movies Paper/pens
should be ones that students are likely to have seen.

Clip from Glengarry, Glen Ross (David Mamet, 1983)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6YgjcRHvx4

and from the movie Glengarry, Glen Ross (1992, dir. James Foley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVHJrz6Sk7U
(syncs up with the clip above at 1:55)

Clip from Noises Off (Michael Frayn, 1982)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmJWPGZp1-Y&t=2900s
(starting at 21:45)

and from the movie Noises Off (1992, dir. Peter Bogdanovich)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjkRw2GAxRo&t=98s

A clip from the play God of Carnage (Yasmina Reza, 2006)

And from the movie Carnage (2011, dir. Roman Polanski)

Or any other congruent clips from a play and its movie adaptation.

Note: not all performances are created equal. The teacher should attempt to find
stage clips from Broadway productions, or at least ones that are professionally
filmed (bootlegged clips are not acceptable), in order to make a fair comparison.

Projector for main activity directions, or a handout x 30 students

Differentiated Instruction (DI)

The clips suggested in this lesson were chosen because I could find them. If the teacher can find or has access
to clips that they would prefer to show, or that would be more topical to course themes (such as immigration),
they should do so (for instance, I mention Carnage because it is a great movie adapted from a play, but I could
not find a decent clip of the play).

regarding the main activity:

The main activity of this lesson could easily be expanded into a project. An entire movie could be adapted to a
play, and a website, handbill, or other promotional media could be presented on it (or an entire script, if students
are up for it). If this is to be the case, the teacher should discuss the roles with the students, and check in to
make sure that work is divided equally.
The teacher should be flexible with groups and roles. If there is an overlap of interest, or if the demands on one
role are greater due to the nature of the film being adapted (some films are heavy on dialogue, for instance), let
students gang up on a role.
A detailed drawing of a set is a perfectly acceptable alternative to notes, as is a sketch of a costume or makeup
job. Creativity is always encouraged.

Organizational/Management Strategies
Groups will be made by labelling a group of 6 desks with a movie name and letting students self-select when they
sit down based on preference. If one movie is more popular than the others, or if this grouping doesnt go as
planned, dont fret. Keep the groups that worked in terms of size, and break the rest of the class up into groups
as usual. Then get those groups to vote on what movie they want to work with. its important that everyone in the
group has seen the movie in order to participate.
The pacing of this class depends heavily on the main activity. I strongly suggest that if the students are engaged
and having fun, that you milk it for all its worth. The rest of the unit after this lesson is very flexible in terms of
class time.
Finally, if the main activity turns into a drawn-out explanation of the plethora of people and duties required to
produce a play or movie, then so be it. Behind-the-scenes exploration is seldom boring, and the students might
hear a description of a job that appeals to them, setting them on a vocational trajectory.

Lesson Activities

Teacher Activities Student Activities pacing

Introduction Introduction
Students enter the room and sit at a labelled
group of desks depending on a movie they
like. 5
Check in: results from the anonymous poll re.
further study of immigration themes 5

Free write: have you ever been to a play? If

Free write
so, what was it, and did you enjoy it?
If not, what movie(s) have you seen that you
think would make good plays? Why? 5

Now, in your groups of 6, decide on roles:
need 2 writers, 2 artistic designers, and 2
directors.*
*These notes on roles should be put up on a
projector or handed out so students can refer
to them constantly for direction
*This activity will require upkeep: students will
run out of ideas, or think they have covered
everything: it is the teachers job to make sure
students are communicating with each other
and thinking of all the practical and aesthetic
elements of theatre.
You are going to turn your groups movie into
a play. You each have responsibilities. Decide
on a scene or portion of the movie to adapt.
Roles are doubled so you have someone to
bounce ideas off of.
2 writers: how will you adapt the action,
meaning, and themes of the movie into a
stage script (one writer focusses on dialogue,
the other on stage prompts)
2 artistic designers: what will you need in
terms of setting, props, and costumes and
makeup? (one designer specializes in lighting
and sound, the other in costuming)
2 directors: What are the most important
parts of the movie that need to be preserved
in the play? Themes, motifs, or messages?

Make notes of artistic or practical decisions.

At the end, the directors will report on their

movie
40
Discuss: what works for theatre? What
Class discussion: teacher scribes doesnt?
10

Show Clip from Glengarry, Glen Ross (David

Mamet, 1983)

And then clip from the movie Glengarry, Glen

Ross (1992, dir. James Foley)
Any comments? what works? What doesnt?
Class discussion 10

Show Clip from Noises Off (Michael Frayn,

1982)

And then from the movie Noises Off (1992, dir.

Peter Bogdanovich)
Any comments? what works? What doesnt?
Class discussion (this play is very popular, but the movie was
universally panned by critics. Why might that
Important note: all written work in this unit be?) 10
should be collected and saved. It will be
handed back near the end of the unit to total
help students prepare for the unit exam. 85

Cross Curricular opportunities:

Drama students will have an edge during this activity. There is a strong opportunity for crossover with the
drama classes. If there is time and motivation, students can be given a tour and guest lecture by a drama
teacher on the production of theatre. This could be done either before or after the main activity.