Let’s Talk About Drama

We often hear people talk about drama in their life, but have you ever paused to think about where the term comes from? Drama dates back to the Ancient Greeks who told stories by performing them in front of an audience. Often, these stories dealt with tragic events such as death, war, and betrayal. In the Let’s Talk About Drama project, we’ll explore both the personal and written form of drama to answer the question: How can we write monologues to address important issues in our life and society?

What is a Monologue?

A monologue is a speech given by a single character, in which they express their thoughts aloud, either to the audience or another character. In a monologue, the speaker often reveals aspects of their character while describing a particular situation or series of events. For our contest, you will create a one to two minute monologue that:

● Introduces a situation and character.● Explores an issue in your life or society through the point of view of a character.● Demonstrates understanding of the background and context of the issue.

Learning from the Best

For thousands of years, playwrights have created characters to talk about important topics. To understand how drama can be used to explore a social issue, we will read the play Master Harold and the Boys by Antol Fugard, about the relationship between a schoolboy and his servants in South Africa during the apartheid era. While reading the play, we’ll discuss the essential question: How does racism or hatred in society affect people’s actions and beliefs? We’ll also examine a character’s monologue and analyze what their speech reveals about

how they have changed, their interactions with other characters, and the theme of the play.

Your Time to Shine

Have you ever wanted to be a performer? Think you’ve got what it takes to shine in the spotlight? Even if you’ve never thought about getting on stage, you’ll be able to practice public speaking skills that you can use in your career. For Inspire’s first ever Monologue Showcase, you’ll perform your monologue for an acting professional on Thursday June 1, where you can impress our audience by demonstrating energy, fluid

speaking, and command of performance techniques. There’s plenty of drama in the world today, and now is the time to act (get it?) to spread the word about what matters to you.