A Project in Audience Research: An Investigation of the High and the Low Interest Periods in Seven New and Seven Successful Plays

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A_PROJECT IN AUDIENCE RESEARCH: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE HIGH AND THE LOW INTEREST PERIODS IN SEVEN NEW AND SEVEN SUCCESSFUL PLAYS

by T h e o d o re P a u l , J r .

A d i s s e r t a t i o n s u b m itte d i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e d e g r e e o f D o c to r o f P h i l o s o p h y , i n t h e D e p a rtm e n t o f S p e e c h a n d D r a m a tic A r t i n t h e G r a d u a te C o l le g e o f t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Io w a A u g u s t 1950

ProQuest Number: 10991974

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is d e p e n d e n t upon the quality of the copy subm itted. In the unlikely e v e n t that the a u thor did not send a c o m p le te m anuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if m aterial had to be rem oved, a n o te will ind ica te the deletion.

uest ProQuest 10991974 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). C opyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C o d e M icroform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1346

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The w r i t e r w i s h e s t o e x p r e s s h i s a p p r e c i a t i o n t o P r o f e s s o r E. F.

C. Mabie f o r h i s d i r e c t i o n ;

C u rtis f o r h is su g g estio n s;

t o Dr.

James

a n d t o H a r o l d H ayes a n d

W i l l i a m M organ f o r t h e i r c o o p e r a t i o n .

TABLE OF CONTENTS C h a p ter I

II

page

INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................

1

P r e v io u s R e s e a rc h in A udience R esponse. O b j e c t i v e s o f P r e s e n t S t u d y .........................

1 5

COLLECTING THE DATA............................................................

8

O b t a i n i n g t h e I n t e r e s t R e c o r d .................... 8 The A u d i e n c e R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r . . 8 8 The R a t i n g S c a l e ........................................ P la y s O bserved and A nalyzed. . . . 11 S e le c tio n and T ra in in g o f O b s e r v e r s ........................................................ 13 I n s t r u c t i o n t o O b s e r v e r s .................... 1 6 C o n d i t i o n s U n d e r Which O b s e r v a ­ t i o n s Were M a d e ......................................... 18 C o o r d i n a t i o n o f S c r i p t and Tape. . 20 P r o c e s s i n g t h e I n t e r e s t R e c o r d ...........................22 N u m erical V alues f o r R a tin g S c a le . 22 A d ju stin g f o r D iffe re n c e s in R u n n i n g T im e ....................................................24 V alue o f th e A verage R a t i n g . . . . 25 S e l e c t i n g t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s t o be I n v e s t i g a t e d . . . . . 26 D e te rm in in g M inutes to Study . . . 26 V a lu e o f t h e P e r c e n t a g e S y s t e m . . 2? Ill

DISTRIBUTION OF THE HIGH AND THE LOW INTEREST MINUTES IN THE NEW AND THE SUCCESSFUL P L A Y S ....................................................................... 3 1 T e c h n i q u e s f o r S t u d y ................................................... 3 1 G raphic P r e s e n t a t i o n o f D i s t r i b u t i o n ................................................... 33 L o c a t i o n o f th e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u te s . 35 I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f F ig u re 6 and F i g u r e 7 ............................................................. 37 L o c a t i o n o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t P e r i o d s . . 38 E x p o s i t i o n i n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s .......................................... 39 Low I n t e r e s t F o l l o w i n g R i s i n g C u r t a i n s ............................................................. 42 iii

page

C h a p te r

R e l a t i o n o f H igh I n t e r e s t t o Low I n t e r e s t ................................................. ^3 D u r a t i o n o f H igh I n t e r e s t M in u te s . . . . S e l f - L i m i t i n g o f H igh I n t e r e s t D u r a t i o n ........................................................... ^5 R e l a t i o n o f H igh I n t e r e s t P e r i o d s t o P l o t , C o n f l i c t , a n d Ob­ stacle D i f f e r e n c e s i n U n ity B etw een t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . . 53 D iscu ssio n of D iffe re n c e s in D u r a t i o n ........................................................... 5 ^ R e l a t i o n o f U nity to D u ra tio n . . . 55 D u r a t i o n o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t P e r i o d s . . 5 6 R e l a t i o n o f D u ra tio n to P lay S t r u c t u r e ........................................................... 58 Summary.................................................................................... 59 IV

ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE HIGH AND THE LOW INTEREST MINUTES................................................................ 6 l T e c h n i q u e s o f I n v e s t i g a t i o n .................................. 61 D e v is in g T echniques f o r D e s c rib in g C o n t e n t o f a M i n u t e .................................. 62 D e te rm in in g R e l i a b i l i t y o f Tabul a t i v e D e s c r i p t i o n .............................. M ak ing t h e D e s c r i p t i v e T a b u l a t i o n . 70 T o t a l i n g t h e M e a s u r e m e n t s .................... 72 C om posite P e r c e n t a g e s f o r E ach G roup o f P l a y s ............................................ 73 C om posite P e r c e n t a g e s f o r B oth G r o u p s ................................................................ 7 6 D e s c r i p t i o n o f M inutes o f H ig h e s t A v e r a g e I n t e r e s t ...................................................... 77 D e s c r i p t i o n o f M inutes o f Lowest A v e r a g e I n t e r e s t ...................................................... 78 Ite m s O c c u r r in g i n B oth th e H igh and t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s W i t h A p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e Same F r e q u e n c y . . . 81 C o m p a r i s o n o f t h e H ig h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s ......................................................82 Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s B a s i c a l l y E x p o s i t o r y ......................................................82 iv

page

C h a p te r

S t r u c t u r a l B a s i s f o r Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s ............................... 84 D r a m a t i c A c t i o n s ...............................................85 V a r i e t y a n d C o n t r a s t ..................................... 8 6 S u b j e c t M a t t e r ....................................................91 Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s . 94 V

DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE HIGH INTEREST MINUTES OF THE NEW AND THE SUCCESSFUL PLAYS....................................................................... 9 7 97 Summary S t a t e m e n t s ............................................. E x p l a n a t i o n o f T a b l e s X, X I, X I I , a n d X I I I .............................................. 9 8 C o m p a r i s o n o f t h e H ig h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s .................................................105 D ram atic A c tio n ..........................................105 Summary o f D r a m a t i c A c t i o n . . . . 1 1 3 S u b j e ct M a t t e r ................................................. 113 Summary o f S u b j e c t M a t t e r . . . . 116 T echniques f o r V a r ie ty and C o n t r a s t ...................................................... 1 1 7 Summary o f T e c h n i q u e s f o r V a r i e t y a n d C o n t r a s t ........................ 124 Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s ............................. 125

VI

DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE LOW INTEREST MINUTES OF THE NEW AND THE SUCCESSFUL PLAYS.....................................................................128 Summary S t a t e m e n t s ............................................. 1 2 8 E x p l a n a t i o n o f T a b l e s XIV, XV, XVI, a n d X V I I ............................................ 129 C o m p a r i s o n o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s 1 3 5 D r a m a t i c A c t i o n ........................................ 1 3 6 Summary o f D r a m a t i c A c t i o n . . . . 142 S u b j e c t M a t t e r .................................................143 Summary o f S u b j e c t M a t t e r . . . . 146 T echniques f o r V a r ie ty and C o n t r a s t ......................................................146 v

page

C h a p te r Summary o f T e c h n i q u e s f o r V a r i e t y a n d C o n t r a s t .................... Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s ............................................. V II

150 152

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .............................................

156

Summary o f M e t h o d o l o g y ................................... R eview o f F i n d i n g s a n d C o n c l u s i o n s . . D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e F o u r t e e n P l a y s ......................... C o n c lu sio n s and I m p l i c a t i o n s . . . D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s I n Terms o f th e D i s t r i b u t i o n o f the H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t P e r i o d s ....................................................... C o n c lu sio n s and I m p l i c a t i o n s . . . D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New and the S u c ce ssfu l P lay s . . . D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New and the S u c c e ss fu l P lay s . . . C onclu sio n s and I m p l i c a t i o n s . . . S u g g estio n s f o r F u rth e r R esearch . . . R e s e a r c h D i r e c t e d Tow ard t h e P r o d u c t i o n ............................................. R e s e a r c h D i r e c t e d Toward t h e O b s e r v e r ..................................................

156

APPENDICES................................................................................ A

B

S y n o p s e s o f t h e H ig h I n t e r e s t M inutes o f the S u c c e s s f u l P la y s . The M i n u t e s ' L o c a t i o n a n d A verage I n t e r e s t R a tin g a r e I n ­ cluded . . . . . . . . . . . . . S y n o p s e s o f t h e H ig h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New P l a y s . The M in u te s ' L o c a tio n and Average I n t e r e s t R atin g a re In c lu d e d . . vi

157 157

158

159 159 160

161 161 162 163 1 6h 165

165

180

page

C h a p te r C

D

S y n o p s e s o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M inutes o f th e S u c c e s s f u l P lay s. The M i n u t e s * L o c a ­ t i o n and Average I n t e r e s t R a t i n g a r e I n c l u d e d ......................... 1 9 3 S y n o p s e s o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New P l a y s . The M in u te s ' L o c a tio n and Average I n t e r e s t R a t i n g a r e I n c l u d e d . . 202

BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................

v ii

210

TABLE OF FIGURES F ig u r e

page

1

The M e i e r A u d i e n c e - R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r . . .

9

2

S am ple o f Tape U s e d i n R e c o r d i n g O b s e r v e r ' s I n t e r e s t ..............................................................10

3

The R a t i n g S c a l e :

4

D r. N. C. M e i e r O p e r a t i n g A u d i e n c e R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r .................................................................. 19

5

G rid i n P la c e Over T hree Scenes o f The P a t r i o t s .............................................................................23

6

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e H ig h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s ............................................................

A c t u a l S i z e ................................1 1

32

7

D i s t r i b u t i o n by P e r c e n t a g e s o f t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s ..................................... Jk

8

P h o t o g r a p h o f T a b u l a t i o n S h e e t U se d . . . .

v iii

71

TABLE OP TABLES T a b le

page

I

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f O b s e r v e r s .....................................

14

II

A n a l y s i s o f t h e Top F i f t e e n P e r c e n t o f t h e A v e r a g e R a t i n g s ..................................................

28

A n a l y s i s o f t h e L o w e s t Ten P e r c e n t o f t h e A v e r a g e R a t i n g s ..................................................

29

S a m p le Work S h e e t f o r The P a t r i o t s , A c t I I S c e n e 1 .................................................................

30-A

III IV V

VI

V II

V III

IX

X

The Number a n d P e r c e n t o f t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f A l l o f t h e P la y s i n Each o f the F ive D iv is io n s . . .

36

C o m p l e t e L i s t o f I t e m s U se d f o r T a b u l a t i v e l y D e s c r i b i n g t h e H ig h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e ssfu l P lay s. . . . ........................................

65

F ig u r e s I n d i c a t i n g P e rc e n ta g e s o f the T o t a l Number o f H ig h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n W hich a G-iven I t e m A p p e a r e d i n E a c h o f t h e F o u r t e e n P l a y s I n v e s t i g a t e d ....................

74

F ig u re s I n d i c a t i n g P e rc e n ta g e s o f the T o t a l Number o f Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n Which a G-iven I t e m A p p e a r e d i n E a c h o f t h e F o u r t e e n P l a y s I n v e s t i g a t e d ....................

75

C om posite P e r c e n t a g e s I n d i c a t i n g th e R e l a t i v e F r e q u e n c y W i t h W hich Any G iv e n I t e m O c c u r r e d i n t h e H ig h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s ............................................................

79

I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r T h a t G roup o f P l a y s i n W hich t h e I t e m Was M ost F r e q u e n t l y U se d , D u r i n g t h e H ig h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s . C enter Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n Which The I t e m A p p e a r e d .......................................................

99

ix

page

T a b le XI

X II

X III

Item s A ppearing in F i f t y P e r c e n t o r More o f t h e H ig h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s . If A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G-roup, t h e P e r ­ c e n tag e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r G roup i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u r p o s e s o f C om parison . . .

101

Item s A p p ea rin g in T w enty-Five P e r c e n t t o F i f t y P e r c e n t o f t h e H igh I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P lay s. I f A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G ro u p , th e P e rc e n ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r Group i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u rp o s e s o f C om parison . . .

102

I t e m s A p p e a r i n g I n L e s s T han T w e n t y - F i v e P e r c e n t o f t h e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u te s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s . If A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G ro u p , t h e P e r ­ c e n ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r Group i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u rp o s e s o f Com parison . . .

103

XIV

I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r T h a t Group o f P l a y s i n W hich t h e I t e m Was M ost F r e q u e n t l y U s e d D u r i n g t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s . C e n t e r Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n W h ich t h e I t e m A p p e a r e d .............................................. 1 3 0

XV

I t e m s A p p e a r i n g i n F i f t y P e r c e n t o r More o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New an d the S u c c e s s f u l P la y s . I f A ppearing i n J u s t One G ro u p , t h e P e r c e n t a g e Ex­ p r e s s i n g F re q u e n c y o f A ppearance i n th e O t h e r G roup i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u r p o s e s o f C o m p a r i s o n ....................................................................... 132

XVI

Ite m s A p p earin g in Tw enty-Five P e r c e n t to F i f t y P e r c e n t o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s . If A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G roup, t h e P e r c e n ­ ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A ppearance in t h e O t h e r Group i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u r ­ p o s e s o f C o m p a r i s o n ........................................................ 1 3 3 x

page

T a b le XVII

I t e m s A p p e a r i n g i n L e s s T h an T w e n t y F i v e P e r c e n t o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P lays. I f A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G-roup, the P e rc e n ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r Group i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u rp o s e s o f C om parison . .

xi

.

13^

1 C h ap ter I INTRODUCTION P r e v i o u s R e s e a rc h In A udience Response The s y s t e m a t i c s t u d y o f a u d i e n c e r e a c t i o n t o v a rio u s ty pes of d ram atic p ro d u c tio n s is a r e l a t i v e l y f i e l d of in v e stig a tio n . done in t h i s a r e a , av ailab le

V ery l i t t l e

new

work h a s t h u s f a r b e e n

a n d t h a t w h i c h h a s b e e n done i s n o t

t o a l l who m i g h t w i s h t o u s e i t .

There has been

c o n s id e ra b le r e s e a r c h re p o r te d in the a re a s of a e s t h e t i c a p p r e c i a t i o n and p e r c e p t i o n ,

a s w e l l a s on t h e i n f l u e n c e o f

v a r i o u s s t i m u l i on a v a r i e t y

of s u b je c ts .

ever,

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m a te ria l p u b lish e d d e a lin g w ith

a u d ie n c e re s p o n s e to d ra m a tic p r o d u c tio n s . The f a c t i s

t h a t t e c h n i q u e s f o r su c h s t u d i e s have

b een d e v e lo p e d and u s e d c o m m e rc ia lly f o r a number o f y e a r s . The f a c t i s , av ailab le

also ,

th a t the r e s u l t s o f such s tu d ie s are not

to th e p u b l i c ,

o f t h e m ovie s t u d i o ,

i n s o f a r a s t h e y become t h e p r o p e r t y

a d v e r tis in g agency,

ra d io netw ork,

or

p la y p ro d u c e r t h a t c o n t r a c te d f o r the r e s e a r c h in th e f i r s t p lace.

Some o f t h e r e s e a r c h h a s a c t u a l l y b e e n d i r e c t e d

t o w a r d e n l a r g i n g t h e a p p e a l o f a p a r t i c u l a r m ovie o r r a d i o p ro d u ctio n ,

b u t,

f o r t h e m o st p a r t ,

the a u d ie n c e re s p o n s e

is

u s e d s i m p l y a s a c l u e t o t h e am o u n t o f money t h a t s h o u l d be

2 in v e ste d in a d v e rtis in g , gross

o r a s a means o f e s t i m a t i n g t h e

in ta k e a t th e box o f f i c e . The C o l u m b i a B r o a d c a s t i n g Company u s e s a n a u d i ­

ence r e s e a r c h s e rv ic e of i t s

own w i t h w h i c h t o p r e v i e w new

program s and th u s determ in e t h e i r s u i t a b i l i t y aired .

1.

1

A r t h u r M. S i n d l i n g e r ,

fo r being

w i t h h i s T ele d o x m achine,

has

MT e s t i n g A u d i e n c e R e a c t i o n , " B u s i n e s s Week, D e c e m b e r 2 0 , 1 9 * 7 , PP. 5 7 - 5 8 .

even u s e d a u d ie n c e r e s e a r c h te c h n iq u e s to p ro d u ce b e s t s e llin g novels.

A one h o u r s y n o p s i s o f a f u l l l e n g t h n o v e l

i s r e c o r d e d by a g o o d r e a d e r . th is

re a d in g and re c o rd s i t s

A s e l e c t e d group l i s t e n s r e a c t i o n on t h e T e l e d o x .

to Re­

v i s i o n s a r e t h e n made i n t h e n o v e l on t h e b a s i s o f t h i s 2

audience resp o n se.

2.

D r.

G e o rg e G a l l u p 1s A u d i e n c e R e s e a r c h

Thomas W h i t e s i d e , " S i n d l i n g e r * s S l i d e R u l e A u t h o r s , " New R e p u b l i c , D e c e m b e r 6 , 1 9 ^ 8 , p p . 1 1 - 1 3 .

I n s t i t u t e p ro v id es a p r e - t e s t stu d io .

s e r v i c e f o r a t l e a s t o n e movie

W ith a h i g h l y s c r e e n e d p o p u l a t i o n sam ple o f o n ly

forty -tw o su b je c ts

the I n s t i t u t e

r e a c t i o n to a p i c t u r e .

secures a lik e - n e u tr a l- d u ll

A fte r a c a r e f u l a n a ly s is o f the

audience resp o n se the I n s t i t u t e

recom mends d e l e t i o n s a n d

3 i ad d itio n s

1.

t o t h e m ovie b e i n g p r e - t e s t e d *

" G a l l u p G a d g e t , N B u s i n e s s Week, F e b r u a r y J,

19^5 > P* 8 0 .

S in c e none o f t h e s e a u d ie n c e r e s e a r c h s e r v i c e s are

in te re ste d

i n g i v i n g away t r a d e s e c r e t s by c o r r e s p o n 2 dence o r p e rso n a l in te rv ie w one m u s t d e p e n d on t h e r a t h e r

2.

D r. G e o r g e G a l l u p was i n t e r v i e w e d by H a r o l d H ayes i n A ugust 19^8. H ayes r e p o r t s t h a t he o b t a i n e d l e s s i n ­ f o rm a tio n ab o u t th e te c h n iq u e s and r e s u l t s o f th e I n ­ s t i t u t e * s r e s e a r c h t h a n i s a v a i l a b l e i n an y n u m b e r o f p o p u la r m agazines.

g e n e r a l and p o p u la r iz e d d e s c r ip tio n s o f th e t o o l s , purposes, how ever,

and r e s u l t s o f the r e s e a r c h .

is

I t is p o ssib le,

to g e t a re a s o n a b ly c l e a r p i c t u r e

m ents u s e d by t h e s e v a r i o u s a g e n c i e s .

m ethods,

o f the i n s t r u ­

" G a llu p 's g a d g e t”

t y p i c a l o f most an d u s e s th e b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s em ployed

in the m a jo rity o f th e in s tru m e n ts . W h i le w a t c h i n g t h e p i c t u r e , e a c h member o f t h e a u d ie n c e h o ld s a d i a l w hich i s c o n n e c te d to t h e m achine. And e a c h r e g i s t e r s e n j o y m e n t , o r l a c k o f sam e, by t u r n i n g a p o i n t e r on t h e d i a l as the scenes u n fo ld . S e t t i n g s f o r the p o i n t e r a r e “ l i k e , ” " l i k e v e r y m u c h , ” " n e u t r a l , 11 " d u l l , 11 "very d u l l . " The m a c h i n e r e c e i v e s a n d t o t a l i z e s t h e s e o p i n i o n s i n o n e l i n e on a r e e l o f p a p e r . Its speed Is synchro nized w ith th a t o f th e p ic tu r e p ro jecto r. When a k e y o f t h e f i l m ' s a c t i o n i s added to the re c o r d , the g raph r e v e a ls not only

th e g e n e ra l accep tan ce o f the p i c t u r e b u t a ls o a u d ie n c e o p in io n of s e p a r a te sc en es and even o f in d iv id u a l g a g s. 1

1.

" G a l l u p G a d g e t , " B u s i n e s s Week, F e b r u a r y 3 , 19^5# P* 8 0 .

An i n s t r u m e n t s i m i l a r t o t h e one d e s c r i b e d i s th e t h e a t r e a t W ichita U n iv e rs ity ,

in s ta lle d in

where s t u d i e s a r e b e i n g

made u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f Dr. F o r e s t Whan.

It

i s assumed

t h a t th e r a t i n g s c a l e s a re changed w henever a d i f f e r e n t ty p e o f judgm ent I s d e s i r e d . One s t u d y , w h i c h seem s t o h a v e c e r t a i n p u r p o s e s i n common w i t h t h e p r e s e n t o n e , b u t a b o u t w h i c h l i t t l e be f o u n d ,

can

was c a r r i e d on i n a R u s s i a n t h e a t r e .

P s y c h o t e c h n i c I a n s i n Moscow h a v e s t u d i e d t h e i n t e r a c t i o n o f s ta g e , p l a y e r , and au d ien ce on a s c i e n t i f i c b a s i s . T rained o b serv ers s i t in th e th e a tr e and u n o b tru s iv e ly fo llo w the s c r i p t , n o tin g every audience resp o n se— a p p lau se , boos, leav e ta k in g . I t is p o ssib le n o t o n ly to e s tim a te th e p o p u l a r i t y w ith v a r i o u s a u d ie n c e s o f s p e c i f i c a c t o r s and p l a y s , b u t to a s c e r t a i n th e com parative e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f e v e ry p la y and o f d i f f e r e n t modes o f p l a y i n g t h e same r o l e . ^

2.

B. L. S m i t h , H. D. L a s s w e l l , a n d R. D. C a s e y , P r o p a ­ ganda , C om m unication, and P u b lic O p in io n , P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 ^ 6 , p . 102. T h i s b r i e f r e v i e w o f t h e w ork i s

cate

sim ply to i n d i ­

t h a t some w o rk i s b e i n g done i n t h e a r e a o f t h e p r e s e n t

5 stu d y ,

b u t t h a t th e l i t e r a t u r e

u n av ailab le.

It

is

concerning i t

f u r th e r apparent th a t

is

larg ely

th e com m ercial

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a r e more i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e s e l l i n g q u a l i t i e s o f a p a r t i c u l a r p ro d u c tio n th a n they a re w ith fundam ental r e s e a r c h to d is c o v e r b a s ic a s p e c ts of e f f e c t i v e p la y w r itln g . C o m p e t i t i o n dem ands t h a t t h e s e i n v e s t i g a t o r s on th e im m ediate p r o d u c t i o n . resu lts value,

Thus,

if

co n cen trate

the te c h n iq u e s and

o f su ch r e s e a r c h a re to ac h iev e

th e ir g reatest

t h e e x p e r i m e n t s m u s t b e p o i n t e d t o w a r d more b a s i c

r e s e a r c h and w ith a w id er i n v e s t i g a t i v e scope. s tu d y i s one o f a s e r i e s b e in g c o n d u c te d

The p r e s e n t

w ith th is p o in t of

view . O b j e c t i v e s o f P r e s e n t Study One c o n c e p t o n w h i c h m o s t d r a m a t i c t h e o r i e s a g r e e is

t h a t th e audience is

th is,

th e dom inant f a c t o r .

the t h e o r i s t drops the s u b je c t,

p resen t,

H aving s t a t e d

f o r th ere a re ,

at

a l m o s t no d a t a on w h i c h t o b a s e a s t u d y o f a u d i e n c e

response. The e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e ( a u d i e n c e ) p a r t i c i p a ­ t i o n i s a c tiv e o r p a s s iv e , the re s p o n siv e n e s s to d i f f e r e n t s o r t s o f s t i m u l a t i o n , th e I n t e r ­ c o n n e c tio n betw een group and I n d i v i d u a l r e ­ a c t i o n s , t h e way i n w h i c h t h e e m o t i o n a l r e ­ sponse a f f e c t s the conduct and h a b i ts o f th e s p e c t a t o r s — a l l o f th e s e a r e s o c i a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l p ro b lem s c o n c e rn in g w hich a l ­ m o s t n o t h i n g i s k n o w n . . . C o n s i d e r t h e one q u estio n of a tte n tio n . The d e g r e e t o w h i c h

th e p la y w r ig h t has been p re o c c u p ie d w ith o t h e r m a t t e r s d u r i n g th e p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e drama may o r may n o t d i s t u r b t h e u n i t y o f t h e f i n i s h e d p r o d u c t ; b u t we c a n j u d g e t h e p r o d u c t a c c u r a t e l y a s a summary o f t h e p l a y w r i g h t ' s th o u g h t, w ith o u t w o rry in g ab o u t th e a u t h o r 's d a y - t o - d a y mood d u r i n g i t s c o m p o s i t i o n . But t h e p r e o c c u p a t i o n s o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l members o f th e a u d ie n c e , th e d e g re e to w hich t h e i r a tte n tio n is co n cen trated or d if f u s e d , d eterm in es t h e i r p a r t i c i p a t i o n in the d ram atic ev en ts. i

1.

J o h n Howard L aw son, T h e o r y a n d T e c h n i q u e o f P l a y w r i t i n g a n d S c r e e n w r i t i n g . G-. P. P u t n a m ' s S o n s , 19^9* P* 300* U n d e rlin in g s are those of p re s e n t w r ite r . B e f o r e d r a m a t i c t h e o r y can be e x p l a i n e d i n te rm s

o f audience resp o n se,

a g r e a t many s o c i a l a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l

q u e s t i o n s must be a n sw e re d .

The p r e s e n t s t u d y I s c o n c e r n e d

w i t h i n v e s t i g a t i n g o n ly one s m a ll p a r t o f t h e e n t i r e p r o ­ blem .

If

the d ra m a tis t i s

to have any g u id e o t h e r th a n h i s

own s u b j e c t i v e r e a c t i o n t o h i s own s u b j e c t i v e e x p e r i e n c e s it

i s n e c e s s a r y t h a t he h a v e some i n d i c a t i o n o f t h o s e t y p e s

o f d r a m a t i c m a t e r i a l w h ich a u d i e n c e s f i n d most and l e a s t in te re stin g .

The t e c h n i q u e e m p lo y e d c o n s i s t s

in fin d in g

o u t w hat m in u te s i n th e p l a y t h e s p e c t a t o r s fo u n d to be most and l e a s t i n t e r e s t i n g ,

and th e n d e s c r i b i n g th o s e

moments i n t e r m s t h a t w i l l r e v e a l t h e i r l o c a t i o n i n t h e p la y and th e d r a m a tic te c h n iq u e s , w hich they c o n ta in e d .

elem ents,

and c o n te n t

I n a d d i t i o n to d e s c r i b i n g th e h i g h and th e low i n t e r e s t m in u tes i n the p l a y s ,

the stu d y w i l l a ls o p o i n t o u t

t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s

e x i s t i n g betw een th e h ig h

a n d t h e l o w I n t e r e s t moments i n p l a y s w r i t t e n by s t u d e n t p l a y w r i g h t s a n d th o s e w r i t t e n by s u c c e s s f u l p l a y w r i g h t s . Any i n s i g h t a s t o w h a t t y p e s a n d e l e m e n t s o f d r a m a t i c m a t e r i a l p o s s e s s a b a s ic i n t e r e s t a p p e al should e n a b le a l l p l a y w r i g h t s t o move f o r w a r d t o w a r d more e f f e c t i v e w r i t i n g . The o b j e c t i v e s o f t h e p r e s e n t s t u d y ,

th en ,

a r e to

s e c u r e a c o n tin u o u s r e c o r d o f th e i n t e r e s t re s p o n s e w hich a g r o u p o f f r e q u e n t t h e a t r e g o e r s made t o b o t h New a n d S uccessful p lay s,

to d is c o v e r the l o c a t i o n and c o n t e n t o f

th o se p e rio d s o f h ig h e s t and lo w est i n t e r e s t , o u t any s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s groups o f p la y s .

and to p o in t

t h a t e x i s t b e t w e e n t h e two

8 C hapter I I COLLECTING THE DATA O b ta in in g th e I n t e r e s t Record The A u d i e n c e R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r The i n s t r u m e n t u s e d t o s e c u r e a c o n t i n u o u s I n ­ t e r e s t r e s p o n s e t o t h e d r a m a t i c p r o d u c t i o n s was t h e M e i e r 1s A udience Response R e c o r d e r .^

1.

T h is s m a ll m achine,

Norman C. M e i e r , "The M e i e r A u d i e n c e R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r , " The A m e r i c a n J o u r n a l o f P s y c h o l o g y , J a n u a r y 1 9 5 0 , v5T. 63; No." 1,' pp.' 87^89T

illu stra te d

i n F ig u re 1, e n a b le d th e o b s e r v e r to r e c o r d

c o n tin u o u s ly h is I n t e r e s t in th e p ro d u c tio n .

T his I n t e r e s t

r e c o r d was made on a w ax ed p a p e r , i l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g u r e 2 , w h i c h moved u n d e r t h e r e c o r d i n g s t y l u s a t t h e r a t e o f o n e f o u r t h in c h p e r m inute. The R a t i n g S c a l e The r a t i n g s c a l e by w h i c h t h e o b s e r v e r s w ere ask ed to r a te scale.

t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n t h e p l a y was a s i x p o i n t

Above t h e n e u t r a l p o s i t i o n t h e s c a l e was m a r k e d

Somewhat I n t e r e s t i n g — Q u i t e I n t e r e s t i n g — V e r y I n t e r e s t i n g . B e l o w N e u t r a l t h e s c a l e w a s . m a r k e d Somewhat U n i n t e r e s t i n g —

10

'

The P a t r i o t s :

A ct I Scene 2

F ig u re 2 S am ple o f Tape U sed i n R e c o r d i n g O b s e r v e r 1s I n t e r e s t

Q u ite U n in te re s tin g . 1

1.

E x p e r i e n c e sh o w e d t h a t a r a t i n g o f V ery U n i n t e r e s t i n g was a l m o s t n e v e r r e c o r d e d . The s c a l e w a s , t h e r e f o r e , s h i f t e d i n o r d e r t h a t a r a t i n g a b o v e V ery I n t e r e s t i n g m i g h t be r e c o r d e d i f t h e o b s e r v e r w i s h e d t o do s o .

Very I n t e r e s t i n g Q uite I n t e r e s t i n g Somewhat I n t e r e s t i n g N eu tral Somewhat U n i n t e r e s t i n g Q uite U n in te re s tin g F ig u re 3 The R a t i n g S c a l e :

A ctu a l S ize

P la y s O bserved and A nalyzed F o u r t e e n p l a y s were i n v e s t i g a t e d i n t h i s

study.

S e v e n o f t h e s e p l a y s w e r e w r i t t e n by s t u d e n t p l a y w r i g h t s a t t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Io w a . in

t h e s t u d y a s New p l a y s .

These p l a y s a r e r e f e r r e d to

T h e s e p a r t i c u l a r s e v e n New p l a y s

w ere s e l e c t e d f o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n b e c a u s e th e y were t h e o n ly o n e s p r o d u c e d d u r i n g t h e t i m e c o v e r e d by t h i s i t was p o s s i b l e

to o b t a i n the

in te r e s t record.

s tu d y on w h ich Two o f t h e s e

New p l a y s r e c e i v e d two p r o d u c t i o n s - - H e r S o u l *s Gone

9

A - B l a c k b e r r y i n 1 a n d When t h e Bough B r e a k s ,

Both p l a y s

w ere r e v i s e d b etw e e n p r o d u c t i o n s an d w ere p r e s e n t e d w i t h d iffe re n t ca sts,

on d i f f e r e n t s t a g e s ,

and w ith d i f f e r e n t

o b s e rv e rs o p e r a tin g the audience resp o n se r e c o r d e r s . The s e c o n d g r o u p o f s e v e n p l a y s was made up o f a random s e l e c t i o n o f dram as t h a t had r u n s u c c e s s f u l l y f o r a t l e a s t one s e a s o n i n New Y o rk . money f o r t h e i r a u t h o r s , terest

A l l o f t h e s e p l a y s h a d made

producers,

and b a c k e r s .

The i n ­

r e c o r d s on t h e s e p l a y s w e r e o b t a i n e d d u r i n g a n

e l e v e n n i g h t s 1 r u n o n t h e Community S e r i e s a t t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Io w a T h e a t r e .

These p l a y s a r e r e f e r r e d to

in th e stu d y as S u c c e ssfu l p la y s, A list p lay s,

o f t h e s e v e n New a n d s e v e n S u c c e s s f u l

and t h e i r a u th o rs ,

follow s:

New p l a y s 1. 2. 3.

h. 5. 6. 7.

A f t e r th e R e c i t a l . J o s e p h B aldw in H e r S o u l 1 s, G-one A - B1 a c k b e r r y i n 1 No. I , J o h n P a u l e y H e r S o u l 1 s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n * No. II_> J o h n P a u l e y When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. ,1, L o u i s G. G a r d e m a l When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. T l , L o u i s G. G a r d e m a l G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r , R o b e r t De L. T w i g g s , J r . t h e E a r t h , M o n ic a J u l i c h H e i r e s

S u ccessfu l p lays 1* 2. 3* 5. 6. 7.

The P a t r i o t s . S i d n e y K i n g s l e y O u r Town, T h o r n t o n W i l d e r Command D e c i s i o n , J o s e p h W i s t e r H a i n e s H o lid a y , P h i l l i p B arry Angel S t r e e t , P a t r i c k H am ilton L i l i o m , F e r e n c M olnar B e r k e l e y S q u a r e , J o h n L. B a l d e r s t o n

13 S e le c ti o n and T ra in in g o f O bservers The o b s e r v e r s c h o s e n t o r e c o r d t h e i r i n t e r e s t r e s p o n s e s w e r e s e l e c t e d o n l y on t h e b a s i s o f t h e i r s e x , t h e i r e x p r e s s e d i n t e r e s t i n drama, w h ich they a t t e n d e d th e t h e a t r e . sam p lin g a t y p i c a l t h e a t r e n e x t most v a l u a b l e

and th e fre q u e n c y w ith S ince th e f a c i l i t i e s

for

a u d ie n c e w ere n o t a v a i l a b l e ,

the

i n t e r e s t r e c o r d was t h o u g h t t o b e o b ­

t a i n e d f r o m p e o p l e w i t h some s o p h i s t i c a t i o n i n t h e a t r e whose i n t e r e s t w ould be te m p e re d w i t h s o m e th in g o f a c r i t i c a l judgm ent.

From t h e v i e w p o i n t o f t h e s t u d e n t p l a y w r i g h t ,

t h e r e a c t i o n s o f s u c h o b s e r v e r s may be t h e m o s t v a l u a b l e . O b s e r v e r s t h u s q u a l i f i e d w e r e s e l e c t e d by t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r f r o m among h i s a c q u a i n t a n c e s ,

a n d by means o f a q u e s t i o n 1

n a i r e c o n c e r n in g a t t e n d a n c e and i n t e r e s t i n th e t h e a t r e .

1.

On t h i s q u e s t i o n n a i r e t h e o b s e r v e r was a s k e d t o i n d i ­ cate: how f r e q u e n t l y he a t t e n d e d t h e t h e a t r e a n d / o r t h e m o v i e s ; w h a t k i n d o f d r a m a t i c p r o d u c t i o n he m o s t e n j o y e d ; t h e amount o f t r a i n i n g o r e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e a t r e work. The i n t e r e s t r e c o r d s o f t h o s e o b s e r v e r s who i n d i c a t e d t h e m o s t e x p e r i e n c e , i n t e r e s t , a n d a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e t h e a t r e w ere s e l e c t e d f o r s t u d y . In a l l ,

tio n .

17 6 o b s e r v e r s were u s e d i n th e i n v e s t i g a ­

T a b l e I show s t h e b r e a k d o w n o f o b s e r v e r s by i n d i ­

v id u al p lay s,

by t h e two g r o u p s o f p l a y s ,

a n d by s e x e s .

C o n s i d e r a b l e d i s p a r i t y w i l l be n o t e d i n t h e n u m b e r o f

14 T able I D is tr ib u tio n o f O bservers

Name o f P l a y

No. o f O b s e r v e r s

B e rk e le y Square L ilio m Angel S t r e e t O u r Town H oliday Command D e c i s i o n The P a t r i o t s

Ik

7 7 8 6 8 9 5 50

15 15 11 15 15

Ik 99

Of th e E a r t h H e r S o u l ’ s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n ' H e r S o u l ' s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n ' When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. 1 When t h e B ough B r e a k s No. 2 George W a sh in g to n C a r v e r A f te r the R e c ita l

N o.l N o.2

T o tal A verage number o f o b s e r v e r s p e r p l a y :

10 18 8 5 21 10 5 77 176

S u cce ssfu l p lay New p l a y

Ik 11

A v e r a g e n u m b e r o f m a le o b s e r v e r s : S u cce ssfu l p lay New p l a y

7 7 .9

A v erag e number o f fe m a le o b s e r v e r s : S uccessful p lay New p l a y

Men

7 3 .1

Women 7 8 7 5 7 6 9

k9 k

6 16 5 3 17 5 3 55

5 2 22

105

71

2 3 2

k

o b se rv e rs p e r p lay , women.

as w e ll as in the r a t i o

o f men t o

Two o f t h e New p l a y s w e r e g i v e n b u t o n e p e r f o r m a n c e

d u r i n g a t i m e when o n l y f i v e a u d i e n c e r e s p o n s e r e c o r d e r s were a v a i l a b l e .

T h i s m e a n t t h a t no more t h a n f i v e

r e c o r d s c o u l d be p r o c u r e d f o r e a c h show.

H ow ever,

in te re st in v e sti­

g a t i o n o f t h e i n t e r e s t r e c o r d s o f t w e n t y o b s e r v e r s f o r two d i f f e r e n t p l a y s r e v e a l e d t h a t th e use o f o n ly f i v e o b s e r ­ v e r s does n o t p r e s e n t a s e r i o u s h a n d ic a p to th e p r e s e n t stu d y .

I t was f o u n d t h a t

the h ig h e s t type o f agreem ent

among o b s e r v e r s was a t t h o s e p o i n t s i n t h e p l a y w h i c h t h e average

f o r a l l o b s e r v e r s i n d i c a t e d a s b e i n g t h e m o st a n d

th e l e a s t

in te re stin g .

The r e s u l t was t h a t f o r t h i s

in v e sti­

g a t i o n th e d i f f e r e n c e betw een th e av e ra g e r a t i n g o f f i v e o b s e r v e r s a n d t h e a v e r a g e r a t i n g o f f i f t e e n o b s e r v e r s was the d if f e r e n c e

i n t h e l o c a t i o n o f one h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e

a n d one low i n t e r e s t m inute*

T h i s was n o t t h o u g h t t o b e a

serio u s e rro r. The d i f f e r e n c e

i n t h e r a t i o o f men t o women m i g h t

be c o n s i d e r e d a w eakness i n th e p r e s e n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n .

The

o b j e c t i v e s an d p u r p o s e s o f th e p r e s e n t s tu d y were n o t w e l l d e f i n e d u n t i l a f t e r s e v e r a l o f t h e New p l a y s h a d b e e n p r o ­ duced.

The o b s e r v e r s f o r t h e s e p l a y s h a d b e e n s e l e c t e d w i t h

no c o n c e r n f o r s e x d i f f e r e n c e s . how ever,

F u rth er in v e stig a tio n ,

sh o w e d t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e a v e r a g e

16 r a t i n g s o f a g r o u p o f men a n d a g r o u p o f women a r e e x 1

trem ely s l i g h t .

1.

T herefore,

i n o r d e r t o make t h i s

W i l l i a m M o rg a n , i n a n u n f i n i s h e d i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f t h e i n t e r e s t r e s p o n s e s o f men a n d women u s i n g t e c h n i q u e s s i m i l a r to t h o s e em ployed In th e p r e s e n t s t u d y , f i n d s t h a t t h e r e a r e s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s betw een a c e r t a i n p e r c e n t a g e o f men a n d women i n t h e i r r e s p o n s e to c e r t a i n d ram a tic in c id e n ts , but th a t the av erag es f o r t h e two g r o u p s a r e s t r i k i n g l y s i m i l a r .

ex p lo ra to ry in v e s tig a tio n

i t was n e c e s s a r y t o p r o c e e d w i t h

w h a t m a t e r i a l was a v a i l a b l e . In stru ctio n s

to O bserv ers

A f t e r t h e o b s e r v e r s were s e l e c t e d , to a p p e a r a t the th e a tr e

tw en ty m in u tes b e f o r e c u r t a i n tim e

on th e n i g h t o r n i g h t s o f th e p la y . duced to

th e y w ere a s k e d

Here th e y were i n t r o ­

th e aud ien ce resp o n se re c o r d e r ,

and th e fo llo w in g

i n s t r u c t i o n s w e r e r e a d t o the m : You h a v e b e e n a s k e d t o t a k e p a r t i n a n e x p e r i ­ ment to s t u d y a u d i e n c e r e s p o n s e i n t h e t h e a t r e . T h i s i s d o n e by means o f t h e A u d i e n c e R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r , w h i c h i s t h e l i t t l e b o x - l i k e m a c h in e on t h e t a b l e . T h is m achine w i l l e n a b l e you to r e c o r d y o u r i n t e r e s t p a t t e r n on a p a p e r t a p e . You w i l l n o t i c e t h a t t h e h a n d l e o n t o p o f t h e m a c h i n e may b e moved u p a n d down a l o n g a r a t i n g scale. A tta c h e d to t h i s h an d le i s a s t y l u s w hich rem ains in c o n s ta n t c o n ta c t w ith a w axed-paper t a p e i n th e box. T h i s t a p e i s f e d f ro m a r o l l i n s i d e th r o u g h th e m achine. As y o u move t h e h a n d l e t h e s t y l u s s c r a t c h e s t h e wax c o a t i n g o f f the p ap er. You w i l l n o t i c e t h a t t h e s c a l e h a s

six p o sitio n s. R e ad in g from to p to b o tto m , they are: V ery I n t e r e s t i n g , Q u i t e I n t e r e s t i n g , Somewhat I n t e r e s t i n g , N e u t r a l , Somewhat U n i n ­ t e r e s t i n g , and Q uite U n in te r e s tin g . You w i l l be r a t i n g t h e o v e r a l l i n t e r e s t v a l u e o f t h e p l a y . I n r a t i n g y o u r i n t e r e s t In the p l a y , I t i s o n ly y o u r own p r i v a t e , I n d i v i d u a l o p i n i o n w h i c h i s d e ­ sired . How y o u t h i n k y o u s h o u l d f e e l a b o u t t h e p l a y , o r how i n t e r e s t e d y o u t h i n k o t h e r p e o p l e a r e , i s n o t w h a t we w a n t t o know. T h e r e I s no r i g h t o r w r o n g way t o f e e l a b o u t t h e p l a y . The way y o u f e e l a b o u t i t i s t h e r i g h t way so f a r a s you a re concerned. So p l e a s e re m e m b e r t h a t i t I s y o u r own i n t e r e s t r e s p o n s e w h i c h we w o u l d l i k e t o have you r e c o r d . We w o u l d l i k e t o h a v e y o u I n d i c a t e y o u r i n t e r e s t i n t h e w h o l e o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n as y o u s e e i t — n o t j u s t th e a c t i n g o r any o t h e r s i n g l e elem ent. P l e a s e t r y e s p e c i a l l y t o be s u r e t h a t t h e h a n d l e o f t h e m a c h i n e i s a l w a y s a t t h a t p o i n t on t h e r a t i n g s c a l e w hich b e s t d e s c r i b e s th e d e g re e o f y o u r i n t e r e s t a t t h e moment. You may make a s many m ovem ents o f t h e h a n d l e a s y o u l i k e . You n e e d n o t k e e p t h e h a n d l e d i r e c t l y on s p e c i f i c s c a l e m a r k s , f o r y o u r i n t e r e s t may f a l l a n y w h e r e b e t w e e n t h e t e r m s t h e s e m arks I n d i c a t e . An i n ­ f i n i t e n u m b e r o f d i f f e r e n t r a t i n g s may be made. I w i l l b e i n t h e room w i t h y o u k e e p i n g a r e c o r d o f th e r u n n in g tim e o f th e p l a y . As t h e l i g h t s dim o u t a n d t h e c u r t a i n comes u p , I s h a l l s a y t h e w o r d , “M a r k . H When I s a y t h i s , w i l l e a c h on e o f y o u p l e a s e move t h e h a n d l e o f h i s m a c h i n e u p , t h e n down a n d r e t u r n i t to t h e N e u t r a l p o s i ­ tio n . At t h e e n d o f t h e s c e n e o r a c t I w i l l s a y , “M a r k , " a g a i n . When I d o , w i l l y o u p l e a s e move t h e h a n d l e up a n d down a n d t h e n t o “N e u t r a l . " I s h a l l g i v e t h i s s i g n a l “M a r k , M a t t h e b e g i n n i n g and end o f ea ch sc en e. S in c e th e m achines w i l l ru n c o n t i n u o u s l y , w i l l you p le a s e l e t th e h an d le r i d e a l o n g a t t h e “N e u t r a l " p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n a c t s and sc e n e s. Are t h e r e an y q u e s t i o n s ?

18 C o n d i t i o n s U n d e r W hich O b s e r v a t i o n s Were Made The p l a y s o b s e r v e d w e r e p r o d u c e d i n f o u r d i f f e r e n t t h e a t r e s o n t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f Io w a c a m p u s .

A ll o f the

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s o b s e r v e d w e r e p r e s e n t e d on t h e m a i n s t a g e o f the U n iv e r s ity T h e a tre .

For these p la y s,

t i o n s w e r e made f r o m t h e r e a r o f t h e h o u s e .

the o b se rv a­ The o b s e r v e r s

w e r e made a s c o m f o r t a b l e a s c i r c u m s t a n c e s p e r m i t t e d a n d t h e m a ch in e s w ere p l a c e d d i r e c t l y b oo th,

a s shown i n F i g u r e k.

i n f r o n t o f th e m i n a l i t t l e A dim r e d l i g h t o v e r t h e

m a c h i n e made t h e r a t i n g s c a l e v i s i b l e all

tim es.

to th e o b s e rv e r a t

Two o f t h e New p l a y s w e r e o b s e r v e d i n t h i s

same

t h e a t r e w ith o b s e r v a tio n a l c o n d itio n s s i m i l a r to those f o r the S u c c e ssfu l p la y s.

T h r e e o f t h e New p l a y s w e r e p r o d u c e d

i n M a c B r id e A u d i t o r i u m w i t h t h e o b s e r v e r s l o c a t e d i n t h e f r o n t row o r c h e s t r a .

The a u d i e n c e r e s p o n s e r e c o r d e r s w e r e

p l a c e d on t a b l e s d i r e c t l y w ith in easy reach.

i n f r o n t o f th e o b s e r v e r s and

The o b s e r v a t i o n s ,

in th is

th e atre,

were

-made a t s u c h c l o s e r a n g e t h a t t h e l i g h t f r o m t h e s t a g e p r o ­ v id e d th e i l l u m in a tio n f o r the r a t i n g s c a le .

One p l a y was

p r e s e n t e d I n t h e U n i v e r s i t y H i g h S c h o o l T h e a t r e a n d o n e was g i v e n a G r e e n Room p r o d u c t i o n .

In b oth in sta n c e s

th e dim ly

l i g h t e d b o o th s w ere u s e d to house th e a u d ie n c e r e s p o n s e r e ­ corders,

an d t h e o b s e r v e r s were p l a c e d i n a p o s i t i o n from

w h ich th e y c o u ld e a s i l y see and h e a r.

19

F ig u re k D r.

N. C. M e i e r O p e r a t i n g A u d i e n c e - R e s p o n s e R e c o r d e r

20 If

th e c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w hich th e o b s e r v a t i o n s

w e r e made w e r e n o t t h e b e s t c o n c e i v a b l e , be s a i d t h a t

it

can a t l e a s t

th e o b s e r v e r s were a b l e to see and h e a r as

w e ll as th e m a jo rity o f the audience. C o o r d i n a t i o n o f S c r i p t a n d Tape D uring th e perfo rm an ce th e i n v e s t i g a t o r tim ed th e s c r i p t i n o r d e r to c o o r d in a te i t w ith th e o b s e r v e r s i n t e r e s t record.

To do t h i s w i t h a c c u r a c y d e m a n d e d t h a t b e f o r e t h e

p e rfo rm a n c e th e i n v e s t i g a t o r sh o u ld have o b ta in e d a f i n a l sc rip t

in w hich a l l a d d i t i o n s ,

been in d ic a te d .

o m issions,

I t was f u r t h e r d e s i r a b l e

an d r e v i s i o n s had to w atch a d r e s s

r e h e a r s a l i n o r d e r t o become f a m i l i a r w i t h l e n g t h o f s c e n e s , a n d tim e ta k e n b etw een s c e n e s . d escrib ed in It

L ong p i e c e s o f b u s i n e s s n o t

th e s c r i p t w ere n o te d . was s u c h a r e v i s e d s c r i p t t h a t t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r

tim ed d u r in g ea ch n i g h t o f the p la y .

As t h e c u r t a i n s p a r t e d ,

t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s i g n a l l e d t h e o b s e r v e r s t o make a v e r t i c a l m a rk on t h e t a p e a n d t o s t a r t r e c o r d i n g t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n th e p la y . sto p -w atch . to

At t h e same I n s t a n t t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s t a r t e d a As t h e s c e n e p l a y e d t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r l i s t e n e d

t h e d i a l o g u e a n d a t e v e r y t h i r t y - s e c o n d i n t e r v a l he

m a r k e d a n HX,t o v e r t h e w o rd i n h i s on s ta g e a t t h a t i n s t a n t .

s c r i p t t h a t was s p o k e n

I f no w o rd s w e r e b e i n g s p o k e n

21 w hen t h e h a l f - m i n u t e e n d e d , word i n

th e i n v e s t i g a t o r m arked t h a t

the s t a g e b u s i n e s s w hich b e s t d e s c r i b e d th e s i t u a ­

t i o n on s t a g e . the d e s c r i p t i o n .

O c c a s i o n a l l y i t was n e c e s s a r y t o m a r g i n a t e T h is m arking o f h a l f - m in u t e

t i n u e d th ro u g h o u t th e scene o r a c t .

in te rv a ls

con­

When t h e s c e n e e n d e d ,

t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s i g n a l e d t h e o b s e r v e r s t o make a n o t h e r v e r t i c a l m a rk on t h e

t a p e by m o v in g t h e h a n d l e up a n d down,

and to s to p r e c o r d in g .

A t t h e same i n s t a n t ,

s t o p p e d and a r e a d i n g ta k e n . the

f i n a l tim e o f th e a c t ,

The i n v e s t i g a t o r t h e n r e c o r d e d

fo r th a t p a r t i c u l a r perform ance,

as t h i r t y - f o u r m in u tes— t h i r t y seconds,

seconds—p lu s eig h te e n

o r as t h i r t y - f o u r m inutes— f o r t y - e i g h t seconds,

w h a t e v e r t h e a c t u a l tim e m ig h t have b e e n . was u s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e m a n ce.

t h e w a t c h was

or

Such a m ethod

r u n n in g tim e o f e a c h p e r f o r ­

The i n v e s t i g a t o r u s e d a d i f f e r e n t c o l o r e d p e n c i l o r

some o t h e r d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g d e v i c e e a c h n i g h t ,

so t h a t

the

i n t e r e s t r e c o r d s f o r a p a r t i c u l a r n i g h t w ere c o o r d i n a t e d w ith the tim ed s c r i p t f o r t h a t n ig h t. S i n c e t h e t a p e on w h i c h t h e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g i s r e c o r d e d e m e r g e s f r o m t h e m a c h in e a t t h e r a t e o f o n e - q u a r t e r in c h p e r m inute,

i t was p o s s i b l e t o d i s c o v e r w h a t t h e

in d i­

v i d u a l o r g r o u p r e s p o n s e was t o an y h a l f - m i n u t e p e r i o d i n t h e p l a y f o r any o r a l l p e r f o r m a n c e s .

22 P r o c e s s in g the I n t e r e s t R ecord N u m e ric a l V alues f o r H a tin g S c a le When t h e t a p e s h a d b e e n c o l l e c t e d f r o m t h e a u d i ­ e n c e r e s p o n s e r e c o r d e r t h e y w e r e p r o c e s s e d so t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h e y c o n t a i n e d w o u l d be more m e a n i n g f u l . first

The

s t e p i n t h i s p r o c e s s i n g was t o make a r e c o r d o f t h e

o b s e r v e r 1s i n t e r e s t a t m i n u t e i n t e r v a l s

th ro u g h o u t th e p la y .

F o r c o n v e n ie n c e i n m aking s u c h a r e c o r d t h e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s c a l e was g i v e n n u m e r i c a l v a l u e s t h u s l y : 3*5 Very I n t e r e s t i n g

3 .0

Q uite I n t e r e s t i n g

2.0

Somewhat I n t e r e s t i n g

1.0

N eu tral

0.0

Somewhat U n i n t e r e s t i n g

- 1*0

Q uite U n in te re s tin g

- 2.0 -2 .5

E a c h m a j o r s c a l e d i v i s i o n was f u r t h e r d i v i d e d i n t o p o in ts.

By u s i n g t h e g r i d ,

a s shown i n F i g u r e 5 ,

ten m arked

v e r t i c a l l y a c c o r d in g to th e s e n u m e ric a l v a lu e s and h av in g tim e m a rk in g s on i t s

h o rizo n ta l ax is,

i t was p o s s i b l e

to

se c u re r a t h e r q u ic k ly a m in u te-b y -m in u te r e c o r d o f the i n ­ t e r e s t r e s p o n s e s o f any d e s i r e d g ro u p o f p e o p l e .

A d ju stin g f o r D ifferen ces

i n R u n n i n g Time

S in ce the i n t e r e s t

records fo r d if f e r e n t p e r f o r ­

m a n c e s o f t h e same p l a y w e r e u s e d i n t h i s

study,

i t was

n e c e s s a r y t o d e v i s e a sc h em e t h a t w o u l d m i n i m i z e t h e d i f f e r ­ e n c e i n r u n n i n g t i m e b e t w e e n one p e r f o r m a n c e a n d a n o t h e r . T h i s was a c c o m p l i s h e d by s e l e c t i n g t h e t a p e s f o r t h a t p e r ­ form ance o f e a c h scen e o r a c t w hich had a ru n n in g tim e t h a t was m o s t n e a r l y a n a v e r a g e o f a l l tim es.

The l e n g t h o f t h i s

the d i f f e r e n t ru n n in g

i n t e r e s t r e c o r d was t h e n u s e d

a s a " n o r m . H E a c h "norm" s c e n e was m a r k e d o f f i n f o u r o r more e q u a l p a r t s ,

d e p e n d i n g on t h e l e n g t h o f any g i v e n s c e n e .

T hese m a rk in g s were th e n t r a n s f e r r e d to t h e g r i d u s e d to make t h e n u m e r i c a l r e c o r d .

E a c h s c e n e t h a t was l o n g e r o r

s h o r t e r t h a n i t s "norm 11 was a l s o d i v i d e d i n t o

t h e same

number o f e q u a l p a r t s . T h e r e f o r e , when t h e g r i d ,

m a rk e d a c c o r d i n g t o

t h e "norm 11 s c e n e , was p l a c e d o v e r a l o n g e r s c e n e t h e f i r s t r e a d i n g was t a k e n w i t h t h e f i r s t m i n u t e on t h e g r i d c o r r e s ­ p o n d i n g t o t h e f i r s t m i n u t e on t h e t a p e .

The g r i d r e m a i n e d

i n t h i s p o s i t i o n u n t i l t h e f i r s t d i v i s i o n mark on t h e g r i d was r e a c h e d .

The g r i d was t h e n r e p l a c e d so t h a t t h e f i r s t

d i v i s i o n m ark on t h e g r i d c o r r e s p o n d e d w i t h t h e f i r s t v i s i o n m ark o n t h e t a p e . d i v i s i o n m ark.

d i­

A s i m i l a r s h i f t was made a t e a c h

I p t h i s way t h e d i f f e r e n c e

i n r u n n i n g tim e

b e t w e e n o n e p e r f o r m a n c e a n d a n o t h e r was m i n i m i z e d .

Inves­

t i g a t i o n s h o w e d t h a t i n m o s t c a s e s when a s c e n e s t a r t s a f a s te r rate

th an f o r a n o th e r perform ance,

at

the f a s t e r r a te

c o n t i n u e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s c e n e . ^ The same c a n be s a i d f o r a

1.

H a r o l d H a y e s , i n a n u n p u b l i s h e d P h .D . d i s s e r t a t i o n show s t h a t t h e s p e e d o f s c e n e s i s r e m a r k a b l y c o n s i s t e n t f o r t h e same p e r f o r m a n c e . A slow scen e I s th e r e s u l t o f a c u m u l a t i v e “s l o w n e s s 11 t h a t c o n t i n u e s t h r o u g h o u t the scene. The s l o w n e s s i s n o t t h e r e s u l t o f one o r two b i t s o f b u s i n e s s o r l i n e r e a d i n g s . The same i s t r u e o f t h e s c e n e s t h a t a r e p l a y e d f a s t e r d u r i n g one perform ance th an a n o th e r.

slow r a t e .

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reason,

sa tin g fo r d ifferen ces

t h e a b o v e s y s t e m o f compen­

i n r u n n in g tim e i s c o m p a r a tiv e ly

accu rate. V alue o f th e A verage H a tin g As s o o n a s a l l o f t h e t a p e s t o b e u s e d a r e p r o ­ c e s s e d i n t h i s way,

th e num erical v a lu e s o f the r a t i n g s

g i v e n by e a c h o b s e r v e r f o r e a c h m i n u t e c a n be t o t a l e d . average r a tin g of a l l observers d iv id in g th is

c a n t h e n be a r r i v e d a t by

t o t a l by t h e n u m b e r o f o b s e r v e r s .

I t is w ith

th e h ig h e s t and the lo w est o f th e se average r a t i n g s th is

study is

sp e cifica lly

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concerned.

th at

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a n d a n a l y z i n g t h o s e moments i n t h e p l a y w h i c h w ere f o u n d t o have th e h i g h e s t av erag e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g l i e s

i n the

p o ssib ility

o f l e a r n i n g s o m e th in g as to what th o s e d r a m a tic

e le m e n ts a r e w hich a r e a b le to c r e a t e

such I n t e r e s t .

I t was a s s u m e d t h a t t h o s e moments o f a d r a m a t i c p r o d u c tio n w hich r e c e iv e d the h ig h e s t average i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s w o u l d , when a n a l y z e d a n d d e s c r i b e d ,

give th e p la y ­

w r i g h t some c l u e a s t o t h o s e d r a m a t i c e l e m e n t s a n d t e c h ­ n iq u e s w h ich have a b a s i c i n t e r e s t a p p e a l. S e l e c t i n g t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s t o be I n v e s t i g a t e d D e te rm in in g M inutes to Study The h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s s t u d i e d w e r e t h o s e t h a t c o n s t i t u t e d th e to p f i f t e e n p e r c e n t o f a l l th e average ratin g s.

T h i s means t h a t i n a p l a y w i t h a r u n n i n g t i m e o f

one h u n d red m in u te s ,

th o s e f i f t e e n m inutes w ith th e h ig h e s t

a v e ra g e r a t i n g s w ere s t u d i e d .

The b o t t o m t e n p e r c e n t o f t h e

lo w I n t e r e s t m in u te s were s t u d i e d , p lay ,

or,

f r o m t h e 100 m i n u t e

t h o s e t e n m in u te s w i t h th e lo w e s t a v e r a g e r a t i n g were

selected . The p e r c e n t a g e s y s t e m was u s e d i n o r d e r t o fa c ilita te

com parison betw een i n d i v i d u a l p la y s and betw een

t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l g r o u p s o f p l a y s .

I f on ly th e

m in u te s w i t h an a v e r a g e r a t i n g above o r below a c e r t a i n p o i n t on t h e r a t i n g

s c a le had been u se d ,

th e s e com parisons

c o u l d n o t h ave b e e n made. V alue o f th e P e r c e n t a g e System The r e a s o n f o r s e l e c t i n g t h e h i g h e s t f i f t e e n p e r c e n t and th e lo w e s t te n p e r c e n t of th e m inutes i s v e a l e d by T a b l e I I a n d T a b l e I I I . w e r e t o be r e p r e s e n t a t i v e

re­

I f th e m inutes s e l e c t e d

o f h i g h an d low i n t e r e s t ,

i t was

n e c e s s a r y to t a k e t h a t p e r c e n t a g e o f th e t o t a l number o f m i n u t e s i n t h e p l a y w h i c h w o u l d go n e i t h e r t o o lo w f o r t h e h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes, m in u tes.

n o r t o o h i g h f o r t h e lo w i n t e r e s t

The m o s t d e s i r a b l e

l i m i t s w ould have b e e n f o r th e

h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s n o t t o h a v e gone b e l o w Q u i t e I n t e r ­ estin g

( 2 . 0 ) . a n d f o r th e low I n t e r e s t m in u te s n o t t o have

come a b o v e Somewhat I n t e r e s t i n g ( 1 . 0 ) .

A l t h o u g h I t was

n o t p r a c t i c a l to s e l e c t th e m inutes f o r stu d y a c c o r d in g to these lim its ,

e x a m i n a t i o n show ed t h a t t h e f i f t e e n a n d t e n

p e r c e n t a g e s w ould most n e a r l y s e t th e p r o p e r b o u n d a r i e s . The f i f t e e n p e r c e n t r a n g e ( a v e r a g e ) from 1 .7 to 2 .3 ; to 2 .5 .

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s i t was f r o m 2 . 0

T h r e e o f t h e New p l a y s h a d h i g h i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s

t h a t w e r e l o w e r t h a n was d e s i r a b l e . (average)

f o r t h e New p l a y s was

The t e n p e r c e n t r a n g e

f o r t h e New p l a y s was f r o m 0 . 0

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s i t was f r o m 0 . 3 t o 0 . 9 .

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an(^ i n B e r k e l e y S q u a r e ,

1 /S e e Synopses i n th e A ppendix/.

A n o t h e r c o n d i t i o n s e e m e d t o e x i s t when t h e s e x t a l k becam e a p a r t o f the p la y f o r a c o n s id e ra b le p e r io d

o f tim e.

t h e r a t h e r e x t e n d e d s c e n e b e t w e e n Manningham

and

A ngel S t r e e t , f o r exam ple,

In Nancy i n

the i n t e r e s t r i s e s o u t o f the

ra n g e o f low i n t e r e s t b u t n o t in th e ran g e o f h ig h i n t e r e s t . R egardless of th is

rise

in i n t e r e s t

f a c t o r s o p e r a t i n g on s ta g e be d i f f i c u l t

to a s c r i b e

t h e r e w e r e so many o t h e r

d u rin g the scen e,

t h a t i t w ould

the in c r e a s e d i n t e r e s t to th e sex

t a l k only. Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s The d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n ­ t e r e s t p erio d s 1.

c a n be s t a t e d i n s e v e r a l w ay s:

T h e r e was a d i f f e r e n c e

in purpose.

The lo w

i n t e r e s t moments w e r e more c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e

95 p r e s e n t a t i o n o f b ac k g ro u n d m a t e r i a l th a n were th e h i g h i n t e r e s t m inutes* 2.

T h e r e was a d i f f e r e n c e

in th e e x t e n t to w hich

d r a m a t i c a c t i o n was e m p l o y e d .

The h i g h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s made c o n s i d e r a b l y g r e a t e r u s e o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n t h a n d i d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s . 3.

The same t y p e s o f e x p o s i t i o n a n d d r a m a t i c a c t i o n a p p e a r e d i n b o t h th e low and th e h i g h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

The d i f f e r e n c e was i n t h e f r e q u e n c y

w i t h w h ich t h e y w ere u s e d an d i n th e d e g r e e to w h i c h e a c h was d e v e l o p e d i n t h e m i n u t e . The h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s w ere g e n e r a l l y p o s i t i v e a n d d y n a m i c i n q u a l i t y , w h i l e t h e low i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s w e r e som ew hat s t a t i c , 5.

a n d s l o w i n te m po.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s c o n t a i n e d a c o m b i n a t i o n o f d ram atic a c tio n s ,

mood,

and em o tio n al i n t e n s i t y

te m p o , l o u d n e s s l e v e l ,

t h a t made th e m more

d r a m a t i c a l l y e f f e c t i v e t h a n t h e lo w I n t e r e s t m inutes. These f i v e s t a t e m e n t s a r e l i t t l e d i f f e r e n t ways o f s a y i n g t h e same t h i n g ,

more t h a n f i v e

b u t t h e y do p o i n t

up t h e f u n d a m e n t a l a n d g e n e r a l d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h and th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s a s th e y a p p e a r e d i n a l l f o u r t e e n o f th e p la y s in v e s tig a te d .

H a v in g i n d i c a t e d t h e s e g e n e r a l

96 d i f f e r e n c e s betw een a l l h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes and a l l i n t e r e s t m in u tes,

it

lo w

i s p o s s i b l e to p r o c e e d to an i n v e s t i g a -

t i o n o f th e d if f e r e n c e s

t h a t e x i s t e d betw een th e s e h ig h i n -

t e r e s t a n d l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s.

C h a p te r V DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE HIGH INTEREST MINUTES OF THE NEW AND THE SUCCESSFUL PLAYS Summary S t a t e m e n t s On t h e b a s i s o f t h e e v i d e n c e c o l l e c t e d by means o f the d e s c r i p t i v e

t a b u l a t i o n the f o l lo w i n g s t a t e m e n t s can

b e made c o n c e r n i n g t h e d i f f e r e n c e s a n d s i m i l a r i t i e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s: S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — The c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s w e r e m o st o f t e n used to p r o v id e th e v e r b a l con­ flic ts. And t h e s e c o n f l i c t s w e r e c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h e m a in p l o t a n d them e o f t h e p l a y . New p l a y s — The v e r b a l c o n f l i c t s w e r e b e t w e e n a c o m p a r a ­ ti v e l y g r e a t v a r ie ty o f p eo p le, and f r e ­ q u e n t l y not betw een c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s . The c o n f l i c t s i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s w ere o f t e n n o t a n I n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e m a in p l o t o r th e m e . S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — The m e n t a l c o n f l i c t s a n d i n n e r s t r u g g l e s o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s w ere c l e a r l y r e v e a l e d a n d w e r e made t o add to th e d r a m a tic e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. New p l a y s — M e n t a l c o n f l i c t s a d d e d l e s s to t h e d r a m a t i c e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes th a n t h e i r fre q u e n c y o f a p p e a ra n c e m ight have i n d i c a t e d .

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — S u s p e n s e a p p e a r e d i n more t h a n h a l f o f th e h ig h I n t e r e s t m inutes. New p l a y s — S u s p e n s e a p p e a r e d i n l e s s h ig h I n t e r e s t m inutes.

th an h a l f o f the

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — H igh e m o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y , r a p i d tem po, c o n s i d e r a b l e p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y , and m oderate lo u d n e s s l e v e l most n e a r l y c h a r a c t e r i z e d th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. New p l a y s — M o d e r a t e e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y , m o d e r a t e tem po, h i g h lo u d n e s s l e v e l , e x p o s i t i o n to develop c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n , and concern w ith f a m i l y r e l a t i o n s h i p s w ere t h e o n l y i t e m s w h ich w ere c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . E x p l a n a t i o n o f T a b l e s X. X I, X I I ,

and X III

The d a t a i n d i c a t i n g t h e d i f f e r e n c e s

in th e h igh

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s h a v e b e e n a r r a n g e d i n t a b u l a r f o r m so t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e s a n d sim ila ritie s

c a n be e a s i l y

seen.

In T able X th e ite m s a re

l i s t e d u n d e r t h e h e a d i n g s o f T ypes o f D r a m a t i c A c t i o n , S u b jec t M atter,

T echniques f o r V a r ie ty and C o n t r a s t,

and

M iscellan eo u s.

The n u m b e rs I n t h e c e n t e r c o lu m n i n d i c a t e

t h e a v e r a g e p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e t o t a l number o f h i g h i n t e r e s t m in u tes w ith w hich a g iv e n Item a p p e a re d in th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f e i t h e r t h e New o r t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . t o p o i n t up t h e s e d i f f e r e n c e s

In o rd er

in frequency o f o cc u rren c e,

th e ite m i s p l a c e d o n ly u n d e r the ty p e o f p l a y i n w h ich i t was m o s t f r e q u e n t l y f o u n d .

F o r exam ple,

verbal c o n f lic t

99 T a b le X I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r t h a t G roup o f P l a y s i n W h ich t h e I t e m Was M ost F r e q u e n t l y U s e d D u r i n g t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M inutes. C e n t e r Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n W hich t h e I t e m A p p e a r e d

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Rapid s u c c e s s i o n o f a t t e n ­ tio n c a tc h in g d evices C onsiderable p h y s ic a l ac tiv ity O ff-s ta g e n o ise o r b u s in e s s

8

E x p o s itio n to f u r t h e r p l o t

kl

36 3 T echniques o f V ariety & C ontrast

T echniques o f V ariety & C ontrast

Exchange o f s h o r t and lo n g speeches Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l

Types o f D ra m a tic A c t i o n V erbal c o n f l i c t M ental c o n f l i c t Suspense

Sub.lect M a tte r

Sub.lect M a tte r E x p o s itio n to develop ch aracterizatio n Fam ily r e l a t i o n s h i p Love i n t e r e s t Sex ( t a l k )

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s

1 63

12

6k

Exchange o f lo n g sp e e c h e s Exchange o f s h o r t sp e e c h e s

36

19 42 71 42

M oderate lo u d n e s s l e v e l

50 62

50

100 Table X (C ontinued) I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r t h a t G ro u p o f P l a y s i n W hich t h e I t e m Was M ost F r e q u e n t l y U s e d D u r i n g t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M inutes. C e n t e r Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s I n W hich t h e I t e m A p p e a r e d New P l a y s

P ercentage

T echniques o f V ariety & C ontrast

Gay mood S h ifts

i n mood

Low e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y M oderate e m o tio n a l in te n sity

M o d e r a t e tempo L i t t l e p h y sical a c tiv ity V io len t p h y sic a l a c tiv ity M iscellan eo u s No. o f c h a r a c t e r s c a rry in g dialo g u e E n tran ces (average p e r p lay No. o f w o r d s I n min. A pproxim ate a v e ra g e rate

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s T echniques o f V ariety & C o n tra st S h if t s in lo u d n ess l e v e l L i g h t mood

50 30 9

52

83

87

S e r i o u s mood

33

29 29 23

F antasy

63 52 ^3

52 73

35

37 51

0 25

64 36 30

36

6

54

38

46

37

16

41

8

8

H ig h e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y S h if t s o f em otional in te n sity S lo w tempo R a p i d tempo S h i f t s i n tempo C onsiderable p h y s ic a l a c tiv ity V io len t p h y sic a l a c tiv ity M iscellaneous

2 .7 2 .4 2.9 3 .5

No. o f c h a r a c t e r s on s t a g e

3-5 3 . 0 2.0 2 .9 1 3 6 128

E x its

149

14'

101 T a b l e XI I t e m s A p p e a r i n g i n F i f t y P e r c e n t o r More o f t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P lay s. I f A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G-roup, t h e P e r c e n ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r G-roup i s A lso I n c l u d e d f o r P u r­ p o s e s o f Com parison

New P l a y s V erbal c o n f l i c t

E x p o s i t i o n to f u r t h e r p lo t To d e v e l o p c h a r a c t e r ­ iz atio n F am ily r e l a t i o n s h i p Exchange o f s h o r t speeches Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l M oderate lo u d n e s s le v el H igh lo u d n e s s l e v e l S h i f t s in lo u d n ess lev el S e r i o u s mood M oderate e m o tio n a l in te n sity H igh e m o tio n a l in te n sity M o d e r a t e tempo

P ercentage 64 A9

7k

40

53

65

45

5k

7k

82

98

92

73

41

63 50

6k kz

62 50

71

V erbal c o n f l i c t M ental c o n f l i c t Suspense C o n sid erab le p h y s ic a l a c tiv ity E x p o s iti o n to f u r t h e r p lo t To d e v e l o p c h a r a c t e r i z a ­ tio n Exchange o f s h o r t s p e e c h e s M oderate lo u d n e s s le v el

kz

50

52

83

87

63

52

6k

73 51 54

36

S u c c e ssfu l P lays

S h i f t s in lo u d n ess lev el S e r i o u s mood M oderate e m o tio n a l In ten sity H ig h e m o t i o n a l in te n sity M o d e r a t e te mpo R a p i d tempo

102 T a b l e X II I te m s A p p e a r in g i n T w e n ty -F iv e P e r c e n t to F i f t y P e r c e n t o f t h e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u te s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s . I f A ppear­ i n g i n J u s t One G-roup, t h e P e r c e n t a g e E x p r e s s in g F requency o f A ppearance f o r t h e O t h e r G roup i s A l s o In c lu d e d f o r P urposes of C om parison

New P l a y s

P ercentage

M ental c o n f l i c t Suspense Humor L ittle p h y sical a c tiv ity C onsid erable ph y sical a c tiv ity E x p o s i t i o n to p r e s e n t v ita l s ta tistic s

49 40 29

53 24

45

37

45

54

L ove i n t e r e s t Exchange o f s h o r t and lo n g speeches

30 73 45

27 41 36

36

19 42 42

L i g h t mood S h i f t s i n mood Low e m o t i o n a l in te n sity S h i f t s in em o tio n al in te n sity S lo w tempo R a p i d te mop S h i f t s i n tempo

50 50 30 33

65

36

29

25

23

43

44 37

35 36 30

S u c c e ssfu l P lays

54 38

L i t t l e p h y sical a c tiv ity E x p o s iti o n to p r e s e n t v ita l sta tistic s Fam ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s Love i n t e r e s t Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l H igh l o u d n e s s l e v e l L i g h t mood S h i f t s i n mood S h i f t s in em otional in te n sity S lo w tempo S h i f t s I n tempo

Table X III I t e m s A p p e a r in g i n L e s s Than T w e n ty -F iv e P e r c e n t o f t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e ssfu l P lay s. I f A ppearing In J u s t One G r o u p , t h e P e r c e n t a g e E x p r e s s i n g F req u en cy o f A ppearance i n th e O t h e r Group i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u rp o s e s o f C om parison

New P l a y s

R apid s u c c e s s io n o f a tte n tio n catch in g devices T h reaten ed p h y s ic a l co n flict V io len t p h y sic al a c tiv ity O ff-s ta g e n o ise o r b u sin ess Sex ( ta lk ) Exchange o f lo n g speeches

P ercentage 29

24

10

15

7

8

0

5

7

8

6 8

16

1 36

12

0 0

Gay mood

9 25

3 19 4 2 6

23

S u c c e ssfu l P lays Humor R apid s u c c e s s io n o f a tte n tio n catch in g d evices T hreatened p h y s ic a l co n flic t A ctu al p h y s ic a l c o n f l i c t V io len t p h y sic a l a c tiv ity O ff-s ta g e no ise o r b u sin ess Sex ( t a l k ) Exchange o f lo n g sp e e ch e s Exchange o f s h o r t and lo n g speeches O n ly one c h a r a c t e r s p e a k i n g A udience p a r t i c i p a t i o n Gay mood Low e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y

104 ap p e a re d in s e v e n ty - f o u r p e rc e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes o f

th e S u c c e ssfu l p la y s ,

percent of

t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s .

ite m ,

th erefo re,

b u t i n only s i x t y - f o u r The

i s p l a c e d i n T a b l e X u n d e r “S u c c e s s f u l

P l a y s . 11 T a b l e s X I,

X II,

a n d X I I I show t h e same i t e m s

grouped In s e c tio n s i n d ic a t in g t h e i r frequency o f o cc u rren c e. T a b l e XI c o n t a i n s t h o s e i t e m s t h a t a p p e a r e d I n f i f t y p e r ­ c e n t o r more o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f e i t h e r t h e New o r the S u c c e s s fu l p la y .

T a b l e X II c o n t a i n s t h e i t e m s u s e d

i n from t w e n t y - f i v e to f i f t y p e r c e n t , c lu d e s the

item s u sed in l e s s th an tw e n ty -f iv e p e r c e n t o f

th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. percent of p lay s,

and T able X II I i n ­

I f t h e I t e m was u s e d i n f i f t y

th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes o f b o th groups o f

th e n the

item i s

S u c c e s s f u l colum ns.

If

e n t e r e d i n b o t h t h e New a n d t h e t h e I t e m was u s e d i n f i f t y

percent

o r more o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s,

bu t in l e s s th an f i f t y p e rc e n t of th e h ig h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s ,

then the p e rc e n ta g e s e x p re s s in g

f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e a r e e n t e r e d u n d e r 11S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s " i n T a b l e X I, X II o r X I I I .

a n d u n d e r "New P l a y s "

F o r exam ple,

i n e i t h e r T able

V erbal c o n f l i c t i s

en tered in

T a b l e XI u n d e r b o t h "New P l a y s " a n d " S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s , " s i n c e i t was u s e d i n s i x t y - f o u r a n d s e v e n t y - f o u r p e r c e n t

o f th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes.

Suspense,

how ever,

is en tered

i n T a b l e XI u n d e r " S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s " b u t i n T a b l e X I I u n d e r "New P l a y s , "

sin ce

s u s p e n s e was u s e d i n f i f t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t

o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s b u t i n o n l y f o r t y p e r c e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p lay s. T a b l e s X, X I, X I I ,

and X I H used in c o n ju n c tio n

w i t h T able V II, p r o v id e th e d a ta f o r th e com parison betw een t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s. C om parison o f th e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u tes o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s By a r r a n g i n g t h e d a t a c o n c e r n i n g t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s i t p o ssib le

is

t o c o m p a r e t h e h i g h I n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New

p l a y s w ith th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s i n a n a t t e m p t t o d i s c o v e r some o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e s

th a t

e x i s t b e t w e e n th e m . D ram atic A c tio n One o f t h e m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s l i e s

In th e fre q u e n c y and e x t e n t to w hich c e r t a i n

ty p e s of dram atic a c tio n o ccu rred .

V erbal c o n f l i c t . th e use o f v e r b a l c o n f l i c t

The d i f f e r e n c e s seem t o

th at e x ist

in d ic ate

in

o th er ra th e r

b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . If

the p e rc e n ta g e s e x p re s s in g frequency o f occu rren ce

t h r e e m ain t y p e s o f v e r b a l c o n f l i c t a r e c o n s i d e r e d ,

f o r the

th ese

d i f f e r e n c e s becom e a p p a r e n t : V erbal c o n f l i c t

New

B etw een c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s B etw een c e n t r a l a n d l e s s e r c h a racters B etw een c h a r a c t e r s and o f f ­ stag e o b je c t o r person T o tals

Successful

3 3%

5 tyf0

17$

12%

13^

63%

The m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e h e r e d o e s n o t lie

i n the

to ta ls.

True,

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s d i d e m p lo y

more v e r b a l c o n f l i c t t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s , i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r seem s t o l i e

b u t t h e more

i n th e fre q u e n c y w i t h w hich

th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s u se d v e r b a l c o n f l i c t betw een th e c e n t r a l ch aracters.

F i f t y - f o u r p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes

in th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s c o n ta in e d v e r b a l c o n f l i c t betw een two o r more c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s ,

as a g a in s t t h i r t y - t h r e e

p e r c e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s .

The

f a c t t h a t t h e New p l a y s h a d a g r e a t e r n u m b e r o f c o n f l i c t s b etw een c e n t r a l and l e s s e r c h a r a c t e r s and betw een c h a r a c t e r s and o f f - s ta g e o b je c ts o r persons is d e f i n i t e l y

rela ted

to

107 th e c h a r a c te r is tic s

o f t h e New p l a y s d i s c u s s e d a t some

l e n g th in C h ap ter I I I .

T h e r e i t was p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e

New p l a y s u s e d a g r e a t e r v a r i e t y o f c h a r a c t e r s co n flic ts,

in the v e r b a l

a n d t h a t b o t h t h e c h a r a c t e r s a n d c o n f l i c t s w e re

freq u en tly not clo sely

r e l a t e d t o t h e m a in p l o t o f t h e p l a y .

The d a t a i n d i c a t e

t h e t e n d e n c y o f t h e New p l a y s

n o t to keep the c o n f l i c t s as t i g h t l y grouped aro u n d the c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s as d id the S u c c e s s f u l p la y s .

The

g r e a t e r c o n s i s t e n c y w ith w hich the S u c c e s s f u l p la y s used c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s f o r v e r b a l c o n f l i c t c a n b e s e e n by a r r a n g in g th e p la y s in

r a n k o r d e r d e t e r m i n e d by

the f r e ­

quency w ith w hich v e r b a l c o n f l i c t betw een c e n t r a l c h a ra c ­ t e r s was e m p l o y e d : V e r b a l C o n f l i c t Betw een C e n t r a l C h a r a c t e r s New p l a y s S uccessful p lay s

7$ 24$

1 7 $ 18$ 39$ 42$

20$ 63$

47$ 65$

58$ 67$

65$ 78$

A rev ie w o f the synopses o f th e h ig h I n t e r e s t m inutes In H e r S o u l *s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n 1 a n d G e o rg e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r w i l l r e v e a l t h i s l a c k o f u n i t y betw een th e v e r b a l c o n f l i c t s a n d t h e m a in c o n f l i c t . M ental c o n f l i c t .

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s se e m e d t o

use m ental c o n f l i c t as a ty p e o f d ra m a tic a c t i o n w ith g r e a t e r f r e q u e n c y a n d w i t h more d r a m a t i c e f f e c t i v e n e s s

th an

108 d i d t h e New p l a y s .

S i x t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t

m inutes in th e S u c c e ssfu l p la y s c o n ta in e d t h i s elem ent,

as

a g a i n s t f o r t y - n i n e p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes in t h e New p l a y s .

These m e n ta l c o n f l i c t s and i n n e r s t r u g g l e s

w e r e t a b u l a t e d o n l y when t h e y w e r e e x t e r n a l i z e d t o t h e p o i n t o f b ein g o b v io u s e i t h e r to an o th er c h a ra c te r's L ilip m ,

the a u d ie n c e d i r e c t l y o r th ro u g h

r e a c t i o n to the m ental c o n f l i c t .

Angel S t r e e t ,

and B erkeley Square,

In

f o r exam ple,

the

o b s t a c l e s w h i c h t h e c h a r a c t e r s w ere a t t e m p t i n g t o o v e r c o m e c a u se d v a r io u s m ental c o n f l i c t s If, is

how ever,

t o b u i l d up w i t h i n them .

any em pathic resp o n se to t h i s

t o be s e c u r e d f r o m t h e a u d i e n c e ,

d irec to r,

in n er stru g g le

th e n the p la y w rig h t,

th e

o r t h e a c t o r m u s t somehow manage t o e x t e r n a l i z e

the c o n f l i c t .

O n ly i f

th is

e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f the m ental

c o n f l i c t c a n be a c c o m p l i s h e d i s t h e r e much hope o f m a k in g i t d ram atically e ffe c tiv e . L lliom i s a p a r t i c u l a r l y e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n c a n be e f f e c t e d .

g o o d e x a m p l e o f how t h i s S i n c e t h e p l a y was l a r g e l y

c o n c e r n e d w i t h a m a n ' s r e f u s a l t o g i v e i n t o h i s own b e t t e r n atu re,

i t was r a t h e r i m p o r t a n t t h a t t h e a u d i e n c e b e a b l e

t o s e e w h a t L l l i o m was t h i n k i n g a n d f e e l i n g . s a y s one t h i n g b u t f e e l s way o f c o m m u n i c a t i n g t h i s

som ething e l s e ,

I f L llio m

t h e r e m u s t be some

c o n f l i c t to th e a u d ie n c e .

It

is

e x t r e m e l y u n l i k e l y t h a t t h i s m e n t a l c o n f l i c t was t h e m a in

c a u s e o f th e h i g h i n t e r e s t e x p r e s s e d i n any s c e n e , b u t t h e r e can be l i t t l e

d o u b t t h a t t h e m e n ta l c o n f l i c t ad d e d m eaning

to th e scen e and gave th e a u d ie n c e a d e e p e r u n d e r s ta n d i n g and a p p r e c ia t io n o f th e s i t u a t i o n . I n t h e New p l a y , a r o u n d K a r l Stamm. tr a tio n over h is

Of, t h e E a r t h , t h e a c t i o n c e n t e r s

K arl i s

in a b ility

s lo w ly b e i n g consumed by f r u s ­ t o p r o d u c e a m ale h e i r .

One c a n

assum e,

of course,

t h a t d u r i n g e v e r y moment o f t h e p l a y

K arl i s

s t r u g g l i n g w i t h i n h im s e lf o v e r h i s b ig problem ;

but

t h e t a b u l a t i o n shows t h a t o n l y e i g h t e e n p e r c e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s c o n t a i n e d a n y t h i n g t h a t c o u l d be r e c o g n i z e d as m en tal c o n f l i c t . t h e p l a y was K a r l ' s

O nly a t i n f r e q u e n t i n t e r v a l s

i n n e r s t r u g g l e e x t e r n a l i z e d to th e p o i n t

w h e r e a n a u d i e n c e c o u l d be s u r e him a c t t h a t w a y . "

th ro u g h o u t

j u s t w h a t i t was t h a t

I t is at le a st In terestin g

"made

t h a t some o f

th e h i g h e s t i n t e r e s t m inutes in th e p la y d id c o n ta in t h i s e x t e r n a l i z e d m ental c o n f l i c t . Suspense.

The c r e a t i o n o f s u s p e n s e i n d r a m a v e r y

understan d ab ly re q u ire s co n sid erab le s k i l l , very lik e ly ,

some e x p e r i e n c e

technique,

and,

i n w r i t i n g f o r the s ta g e .

It

r e q u i r e s c a r e f u l s e l e c t i o n and a rran g em en t o f the s u s p e n s e crea tin g m aterials. d o u b t,

Good a c t i n g a n d c l e v e r s t a g i n g c a n ,

h e ig h te n the e f f e c t ,

no

b u t th e s u sp e n se s i t u a t i o n must

i n v a r i a b l y be i n c l u d e d i n t h e s c r i p t .

Assuming t h a t s u s p e n s e

110 is

o n e o f t h e more d i f f i c u l t d r a m a t i c a c t i o n s

d iffe re n ce

to a c h ie v e ,

the

i n f r e q u e n c y o f a p p e a r a n c e b e t w e e n t h e two g r o u p s

o f p l a y s d o e s n o t seem s u r p r i s i n g l y l a r g e . sio n c r e a tin g suspense

The t y p e o f t e n ­

ta b u la te d in t h i s study appeared in

f i f t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t of th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s and i n f o r t y p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s . o r d e r f o r th e

The p e r c e n t a g e s a r r a n g e d i n r a n k

in d iv id u a l p lay s are: Suspense

New p l a y s S uccessful play s Some p l a y s ,

5$ 24$

of course,

18$ 44$

40$ 47$

47$ 53$ 50% 5 0 $

67$ 9^$

h a d much more o p p o r t u n i t y t h a n o t h e r s

to use suspense as a d ram a tic a c tio n .

I t w o u l d n o t be e x p e c ­

t e d t h a t a l l p l a y s s h o u ld have s u s p e n s e i n n i n e t y - f o u r p e r ­ c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes, S u rp rise. p rise

in th is

to tle 's

The d r a m a t i c a c t i o n d e s c r i b e d a s s u r ­

s t u d y was v e r y i n f r e q u e n t l y

"rev e rsa l of fo rtu n e ."

in c lu d e d th o se

In cid en ts,

c e r t a i n s h o c k v a l u e due rence.

as d i d Angel S t r e e t .

th a t of A ris­

S u r p r is e as t a b u l a t e d here

speeches,

or actio n s

t h a t had a

to t h e i r sudden o r u n e x p e c te d o c c u r ­

I n H e r S o u l 1 s Gone A -B l a c k b e r r y i n 1

No. I ,

i n t h e m i d s t o f much c o n f u s i o n o v e r h i s p o s s i b l e

G -arrett, d eath ,

e n t e r s q u i e t l y w i t h an i c e cream cone c l u t c h e d i n h i s hand;

Ill W alt,

i n When t h e Bough B r e a k s ,

shocks h is m other and th e

a u d i e n c e by s u d d e n l y i m p l y i n g h i s Mary Ann;

sexual re la tio n s w ith

i n The P a t r i o t s , H a m i l t o n s t u n s J e f f e r s o n w i t h t h e

r e v e l a t io n o f B u r r 's

tru e

ch aracter;

in the f i n a l m inutes o f

Command D e c i s i o n , a s u d d e n c h a n g e o f o r d e r s come t h r o u g h f o r D ennis.

I t w as t h i s

ty p e o f s u r p r i s e w hich a p p e a rs w i t h

e q u a l f r e q u e n c y i n b o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . M ost o f t h e s e s u r p r i s e s a r o s e o u t o f t h e s c e n e i n w h i c h t h e y occurred. co n flic t,

The s u r p r i s e

m o s t o f t e n came i n t h e m i d d l e o f a

a t th e h e ig h t of co n fu sio n ,

o r as a r e le a s e

from

the te n s io n o f suspense. P h y sical c o n f l i c t .

P o ssib ly

t h e m o st i n t e r e s t i n g

a s p e c t o f p h y s ic a l c o n f l i c t as a d ram a tic a c tio n i s th e ex­ t e n t t o w h i c h i t was n o t u s e d i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f e i t h e r t h e New o r t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . P h y s ic a l C o n f l i c t — T hreatened New p l a y s S u ccessfu l p lay s

0

0

0

0

7$ 0

9$

13$

11$

11$

13$ 17$

17$ 18$

P h y s ic a l C o n f lic t—A ctual New p l a y s S uccessfu l p lay s

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

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%$0

0

11%

18%

If

the in fre q u e n t appearance o f p h y s ic a l c o n f l i c t

is

to

the in f re q u e n t appearance of " v io le n t

a c tiv ity ,"

p h y sical

rela ted

i t b e c o m e s e v e n more a p p a r e n t t h a t s t a g e p l a y s d e p e n d v e r y

little

on b r o a d p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y as an i n t e r e s t c a t c h i n g

device.

The e x t e n s i v e ,

if

not o b lig a to ry ,

a c t i o n i n m o t i o n p i c t u r e s makes i t s in th ese

stag e p la y s q u ite

l i m i t a t i o n s o f the t h e a t r e

use o f such

in fre q u e n t appearance

n o ticeab le.

Even th e p h y s i c a l

in stag in g f ig h ts ,

barroom b ra w ls does n o t p ro v id e the e n t i r e s u c h a c t i o n s a r e u s e d so i n f r e q u e n t l y .

duels,

a n s w e r a s t o why

In the h ig h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s t h e r e was n o t a s i n g l e a c tu a l p h y sical c o n flic t,

and

in stan ce of

w h ile in the S u c c e s s fu l p la y s o nly

s i x m in u tes o u t o f a t o t a l o f 126 h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes con­ ta in e d a c tu a l p h y sical c o n flic t. P h y sical a c t i v i t y .

A lthough p h y s ic a l c o n f l i c t

an d v i o l e n t p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y were n o t u s e d to any g r e a t ex ­ t e n t i n e i t h e r t h e New o r t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s ,

it

d id

a p p e a r t h a t t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s made more u s e o f " c o n s i d e r ­ able" p h y s ic a l a c t i v i t y

t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s .

The f o l l o w ­

ing p e rc e n ta g e s e x p re s s in g frequency of o ccu rren ce in d ic a t e t h a t t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e New p l a y s u s e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l am ounts o f " l i t t l e " p h y sical a c tiv ity :

and " c o n s id e r a b le "

P h y sical A c tiv ity — L i t t l e New p l a y s S uccessful p lay s C om posites: ^ 7% 37$

7%> 29 $ 3 6% 22% 22%

12$

k7% 53%> 7 0 $ 73$ k>2%> bk%> ^7% 68%

New p l a y s S uccessful p lays

P h y s ic a l A c t i v i t y — C onsiderable New p l a y s S u ccessfu l p lay s C om posites: 45$ 55$

26% 30% k0% 21$ b 7% > 50%

kl% 53% 60% 63% 53%> 6 2 $ 7 1 $ 7 2 $

New p l a y s S uccessful p lays

The m a j o r i t y o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s,

how ever,

used co n sid erab le p h y sic a l a c t i v i t y .

Summary o f D r a m a t i c A c t i o n In the a re a o f d ram atic a c tio n ,

th en ,

the h ig h

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w e re c h i e f l y d i f f e r ­ e n t i a t e d f r o m t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s by a more f r e q u e n t u s e o f v e r b a l c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n c e n t r a l ch a ra cte rs, flic t,

a more f r e q u e n t a n d e f f e c t i v e u s e o f m e n t a l c o n ­

a som ew hat g r e a t e r u s e o f s u s p e n s e ,

a n d t h e more

fre q u e n t appearance o f co n sid e ra b le p h y s ic a l a c t i v i t y . S u b je c t M atter E x p o sitio n .

The d i f f e r e n c e s

i n the fre q u e n c y w ith

w h i c h e x p o s i t i o n was u s e d i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ere r a t h e r s l i g h t .

The

fo llo w in g p e r c e n ta g e s f o r the freq u en cy o f o c c u rren c e in each

Hi play

in d ic a te

t h a t t h e New p l a y s c o n t a i n e d more e x p o s i t i o n

to f u r t h e r p l o t

th a n d id the S u c c e s s fu l p la y s :

E x p o sitio n (To P r e s e n t B a c k g r o u n d M a t e r i a l ) New p l a y s 7% iy% 18J? 33% 35%> S u ccessfu l p lay s 0 11% 1 6% 21% 29%

53% 5 3 % &7% 67%

(To F u r t h e r P l o t ) New p l a y s Successful

59% 6 3% 67% 65% Qk%

p la y s 33^

7k% 7^% 80% 100% 9 b% 100% 100% 100%

(To D e v e l o p C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n ) New p l a y s Successful

9 3 ^ 9 3 ^ \ 00% p l a y s 5 2 % 9 k% 100%>

100^

100^ 100^

100%

100% 100%

100% 100%

The p e r c e n t a g e s u n d e r E x p o s i t i o n t o F u r t h e r P l o t p r e s e n t f u r t h e r e v id e n c e to i n d i c a t e

t h a t th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes

o f t h e New p l a y s w e re more f r e q u e n t l y l o o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h e m a i n p l o t t h a n w e re t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s ­ fu l p lay s.

The f i g u r e s

in th i s p a r t i c u l a r a re a are probably

s l a n t e d i n f a v o r o f t h e New p l a y s .

S i n c e i t was d i f f i c u l t

a t t i m e s t o know w h a t t h e m a i n p l o t a c t u a l l y was i n s e v e r a l o f t h e New p l a y s ,

th e i n v e s t i g a t o r o c c a s i o n a l l y gave th e p l a y

th e b e n e f i t o f th e doubt. how ever,

Even w i t h th e f i g u r e s o b t a i n e d ,

t h e New p l a y s g e n e r a l l y show ed l e s s c o n c e r n w i t h

f u r t h e r a n c e o f p l o t d u r in g th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes th a n d id the S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . Fam ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s .

S e v e n ty - th r e e p e r c e n t o f the

h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s i n t h e New p l a y s c o n t a i n e d d i s c u s ­ sio n s co n cern in g fam ily r e la tio n s h ip s , p e r c e n t o f the

S uccessful p lay s.

as a g a in st fo rty -o n e

T his c o m p a ra tiv e ly g r e a t

d i f f e r e n c e may he o n l y a comment o n t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f th e p la y i t s e l f . p lay s are

I f th e

com pared t h e r e

“f a m i l y p l a y s "

in b o th groups o f

i s much l e s s d i f f e r e n c e

in the

f r e q u e n c i e s w i t h w h ic h f a m i l y r e l a t i o n s h i p s were u s e d . E i g h t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes in H oliday c o n ta in e d fam ily r e la tio n s h i p s ,

as a g a in s t e ig h ty -s e v e n

p e r c e n t i n When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. I_.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s o f O u r Town c o n t a i n e d f a m i l y r e l a t i o n s h i p s

in

s i x t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u te s a s a g a i n s t e i g h t y - o n e p e r c e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s i n Of t h e E arth . rela tio n

I t w o u l d se em t h a t when t h e f a m i l i e s b o r e t h e same to t h e drama,

the appearance o f fam ily r e l a t i o n ­

s h i p s i n t h e h i g h I n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s was somewhat e q u a l . Love i n t e r e s t .

On a n a v e r a g e ,

t h e New a n d t h e

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s h a d a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e same num ber o f h i g h I n t e r e s t m in u tes c e n te r e d around sc e n e s w ith love

in te re st.

The d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e s e m i n u t e s b e t w e e n t h e p l a y s was n o t so s i m i l a r .

E v e r y New p l a y h a d a t l e a s t one h i g h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e t h a t c o n t a i n e d a p o r t r a y a l o f l o v e i n t e r e s t on s t a g e ,

118 w h i l e The P a t r i o t s a n d Command D e c i s i o n c o n t a i n e d no l o v e I n t e r e s t p o r t r a y e d on s t a g e d u r i n g the h i g h i n t e r e s t m in u te s o r a t any o t h e r tim e d u r in g th e p la y .

F i v e New p l a y s a n d

t h r e e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s c o n t a i n e d a t l e a s t one h i g h i n t e r e s t m inute e a c h i n w hich th e l o v e r s k i s s .

Somewhat t h e same

r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e two g r o u p s o f p l a y s was m a i n t a i n e d i n th e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f the m inutes c o n t a in i n g t a l k ab o u t sex. F o u r new p l a y s h a d a t o t a l o f e i g h t h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a t c o n ta in e d r e f e r e n c e s to o r t a l k ab o u t sex.

Two

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s had a t o t a l o f f o u r m in u te s w i t h su c h con­ ten t. Summary o f S u b j e c t M a t t e r The r e s u l t s o f t h i s

lim ited in v e stig a tio n of

s u b j e c t m a t t e r seem t o r e v e a l c o m p a r a t i v e l y f e w d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s ­ f u l p lay s.

The New p l a y s h a d a t e n d e n c y t o i n c l u d e e x p o s i ­

t i o n o f background m a t e r i a l w hile th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s con­ t a i n e d more e x p o s i t i o n t o f u r t h e r p l o t .

T his ev id en ce

p o i n t s tow ard the f a c t t h a t th e h ig h i n t e r e s t p e r io d s of t h e New p l a y s more f r e q u e n t l y c o n t a i n e d d r a m a t i c a c t i o n l o o s e l y r e l a t e d to th e p l o t th a n d id th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . S i n c e t h e New p l a y s made c o n s i d e r a b l y g r e a t e r u s e o f fam ily r e la ti o n s h i p s ,

and a s l i g h t l y g r e a t e r u se o f lo v e

117 I n t e r e s t and se x as s u b je c t m a tte r th an d id the S u c c e s s fu l p lay s, are

one i s

t e m p t e d t o c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e New p l a y w r i g h t s

so m e w h a t l i m i t e d i n t h e i r s c o p e o f s u b j e c t m a t t e r ,

t h a t th e y te n d to d e v e lo p r a t h e r s to c k m a t e r i a l . had been f i f t y th is

New a n d f i f t y

and

I f th ere

S uccessful p lay s in v e s tig a te d ,

f r e q u e n t u s e o f f a m i l y s i t u a t i o n s m i g h t be s i g n i f i c a n t .

W ith o n ly s e v e n p l a y s i n e a c h group t h e r e i s an I n s u f f i c i e n t sam ple from w h ich to draw su c h a c o n c l u s i o n . of love

i n t e r e s t and sex ( t a l k ) ,

As i n t h e u s e

the d i f f e r e n c e s

th at e x ist

i n te rm s o f f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u rr e n c e a r e too sm a ll to need i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o r to w a r ra n t a c o n c lu s io n . T ech n iq u es f o r V a r ie ty and C o n tra s t The u s e o f d i f f e r e n t l e n g t h s p e e c h e s , tio n s o f lo u d n ess l e v e l ,

of v aria­

o f v a rio u s em otional i n t e n s i t i e s ,

a n d o f d i f f e r e n t te m p o s c o n s t i t u t e

f o u r o f t h e m o st f r e ­

q u e n t l y u s e d t e c h n i q u e s by w h i c h t h e p l a y w r i g h t ,

the a c to r ,

and th e d i r e c t o r can c r e a t e v a r i e t y and c o n t r a s t i n th e th eatre.

B o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d t h e s e

tech n iq u es,

b u t c e r t a i n d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e two g r o u p s

a r e e v i d e n t a s to th e m anner i n w hich th e t e c h n i q u e s were u se d d u r in g th e m inutes o f h i g h e s t i n t e r e s t . D istrib u tio n of speeches. u nder D is tr ib u ti o n of Speeches,

it

I n T a b l e s V I I a n d IX, c a n be o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s em ployed an exchange o f lo n g s p e e c h e s ,

an

e x c h a n g e o f s h o r t s p e e c h e s a n d an e x c h a n g e o f s h o r t a n d lo n g sp eech es,

w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f o n e m i n u t e i n When

t h e Bough B r e a k s No. I I when a n e x c h a n g e o f l o n g s p e e c h e s was u s e d .

The p r e d o m i n a t e

types of d i s t r i b u t i o n

i n b o t h the

New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ere t h e e x c h a n g e o f s h o r t s p e e c h e s and th e exchange o f s h o r t and lo n g sp e e c h e s.

The

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s showed a te n d e n c y to w a rd g r e a t e r v a r i a t i o n a n d c o n t r a s t i n d i a l o g u e p r e s e n t a t i o n t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s . Loudness l e v e l .

A m o d e r a t e l o u d n e s s l e v e l was

m o st f r e q u e n t l y u s e d i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f b o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . sh ifts

Both groups o f p la y s u se d

in th e lo u d n e s s l e v e l in f i f t y p e r c e n t o f the h ig h

i n t e r e s t m inutes.

The c h i e f d i f f e r e n c e ,

p e r c e n ta g e s g iv e n below i n d i c a t e ,

l a y i n t h e more f r e q u e n t

u s e o f a c o m p l e x s h i f t by t h e New p l a y s , m in u te s u s e d low ,

m oderate,

as th e co m p o site

i.e .,

more o f t h e

and h ig h lo u d n e ss l e v e l s d u r in g

t h e same m i n u t e . Loudness L e v e l : Low M oderate H igh S h ifts

New P l a y s

S u c c e ssfu l P lays 71 %

50jg 50 %

T h i s c o m p l e x i t y o f s h i f t se em s t o h a v e r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e s h o r t e r d u r a t i o n o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e New

119 p lay s,

and from th e c o m p a r a tiv e ly g r e a t v a r i e t y o f i n c i d e n t s

w hich c a u s e d th e s h i f t s .

The l a c k o f s u s t a i n i n g q u a l i t y i n

the scene o f te n r e s u l t e d in a s in g le loud speech,

follow ed

o r p r e c e d e d by s p e e c h e s o f m o d e r a t e o r lo w l o u d n e s s l e v e l . Exam ples o f t h i s u sa g e i n c l u d e G ra n n y 's sudden o u t b u r s t s o f a n g e r o r h a p p i n e s s i n H e r S o u l 1s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n 1; t h e b o i s t e r o u s n e s s o f one o f t h e w h i t e b o y s i n A c t I o f G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r ; V e r n i e r * s e m o t i o n a l o u t c r y t o Mary i n A f t e r the R e c i t a l .

These h i g h i n t e r e s t s c e n e s a r e o f s h o r t

d u r a t i o n b u t th ey a l l p a s s th ro u g h th r e e d i f f e r e n t lo u d n e ss le v els

i n one m i n u t e ' s t i m e .

The p a t t e r n f o r t h e l o u d n e s s

l e v e l o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s was somewhat d i f f e r e n t . p o ssib ly ,

to th e lo n g e r d u r a t i o n o f the su sp en se,

o r love scen e,

Due,

co n flict,

t h e l o u d n e s s s t a y e d a t one o r two l e v e l s ,

moved t h r o u g h a l l

and

t h r e e l e v e l s l e s s o f t e n t h a n d i d t h e New

p lay s. E m otional I n t e n s i t y .

It

is

i n t e r e s t i n g to f i n d

t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e New p l a y s show ed a g r e a t e r u s e o f H ig h loud n ess l e v e l , in te n sity .

th ey used c o n s id e ra b ly l e s s h ig h em otional

T h is,

it

seem s,

i s a n i n t e r e s t i n g comment on t h e

r e l a t i o n o f lo u d n e s s l e v e l to em o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y .

The im­

p l i c a t i o n may be t h a t t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New play s o c c a sio n a lly

s u b s t i t u t e d a h ig h loudness le v e l f o r a

la c k o f genuine h ig h em o tio n al i n t e n s i t y .

S everal in stan ces

of th is

e v i d e n t s u b s t i t u t i o n a r e a p p a r e n t i n H e r S o u l 1s Gone

A -B l a c k b e r r y i n 1 No. I , There a r e ,

a n d No. I I ,

on th e o t h e r hand,

and A f t e r the R e c i t a l .

fre q u e n t in s ta n c e s in the h ig h

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w h e re h i g h e m o t i o n a l I n t e n s i t y was p r o d u c e d w i t h o n l y a m o d e r a t e l o u d n e s s l e v e l . B e r k e l e y S q u a r e , O u r Town, L l l l o m , a n d A n g e l S t r e e t a c h i e v e d a h ig h em otional i n t e n s i t y m oderate lo u d n e s s l e v e l .

tim e a f t e r tim e w i t h o n ly a It

c a n be s a i d t h a t t h e m o s t

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c em o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s was a " h i g h " e m o t i o n a l i n te n sity . Tempo.

T h e r e was a r a t h e r w e l l d e f i n e d d i f f e r e n c e

i n tempo b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s d u r i n g t h e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

A m o d e r a t e tempo was m o st c h a r a c t e r ­

istic

s i n c e i t was u s e d i n s i x t y - f o u r

o f t h e New p l a y s ,

p e r c e n t o f th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

u s e d a r a p i d te mpo i n f i f t y - f o u r p e r c e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m inutes as a g a i n s t t h i r t y - s i x p e r c e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s .

The c o m p o s i t e p e r c e n t a g e s on t h e

f o l l o w i n g p a g e r e v e a l t h a t t h e New p l a y s u s e d c o n s i d e r a b l y le ss

r a p i d tempo a n d a few l e s s

S uccessful play s:

sh ifts

i n tempo t h a n d i d t h e

Tempo

New P l a y s

Slow M oderate R apid S h ifts

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s 37#

36# 30#

S in c e tempo,

as used h ere,

is

an e m p a th ic r e s p o n s e

t h a t g iv e s th e o b s e r v e r a f e e l i n g o f a c c e l e r a t i o n and speed,

o r o f r e t a r d a t i o n and slow ness,

it

is not n e c essarily

r e l a t e d to t h e number o f words spoken i n a g iv e n m in u te . fact,

In

t h e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a v e r a g e num ber o f w o r d s

spoken i n th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes had c o m p a ra tiv e ly l i t t l e r e l a t i o n t o t h e tempo t h a t was f e l t .

The New p l a y s ,

a v e r a g e d 1 3 6 w ords sp ok en p e r m in u te a s a g a i n s t 128 words f o r the S u c c e ssfu l p la y s .

One r e a s o n why t h e n u m b e r o f

words sp o k e n i n th e m in u te c a n n o t be t a k e n as a m easu re o f tempo i s t h a t a s c e n e may n o t c o n s i s t e n t i r e l y o f s p e e c h . T h ere w i l l be p a u s e s f o r d r a m a tic e f f e c t ; p a n t o m i m e may be i n t r o d u c e d ;

stage b u sin e ss o r

p h y s i c a l a c t i o n may o c c u r .

Each

o f t h e s e may s p e e d up o r s l o w down t h e tempo w i t h o u t a n y w ords b e i n g spoken. Words s p o k e n i n a m i n u t e . d u rin g the h ig h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s ,

a v e r a g e d t e n f e w e r w o rd s

s p o k e n i n a m i n u t e t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s .

Since b o th

g r o u p s o f p l a y s u s e d a s p e e c h r a t e o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 148 w ords p e r m in u te ,

It

i s e v i d e n t t h a t the S u c c e s s f u l p la y s

122

had s l i g h t l y

l e s s tim e d e v o te d to s p e a k in g d u r in g th e h ig h

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s .

The more r a p i d

tempo w h i c h t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s a c h i e v e d c o u l d n o t h a v e r e s u l t e d from a c o n tin u o u s and r a p i d flo w o f w ords,

sin ce

t h e f l o w o f w o r d s was n e i t h e r a s c o n t i n u o u s n o r a s r a p i d a s i t was f o r t h e New p l a y s .

The n u m e r i c a l d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n

th e a p p r o x i m a t e s p e e c h r a t e a n d t h e number o f words sp o k e n d u r in g th e m inute a p p e a rs a s f o llo w s : New p l a y s S u ccessfu l p lays

1 1 k 5

3 8

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s '

3 17

12 28

22 33

^5 57

more r a p i d tempo d u r i n g t h e

h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s c a n p a r t i a l l y be a c c o u n t e d f o r by t h e broader p h y sic a l actio n ,

the h ig h e r em o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y ,

the f r e q u e n t use o f v e r b a l c o n f l i c t , suspense.

a n d t h e c r e a t i o n o f more

The d i r e c t i n f l u e n c e o f d i r e c t i o n ,

a c t i n g and e f f e c t i v e l i n e sig n ific a n t,

r e a d i n g on tempo i s ,

stag in g ,

good

no d o u b t ,

b u t no a t t e m p t was made t o m e a s u r e i t

in th is

p a r t i c u l a r study. Number o f c h a r a c t e r s u s e d .

For each h igh i n t e r e s t

m inute a

c o u n t was made o f t h e n um ber o f c h a r a c t e r s

on s t a g e

as w ell

as o f t h e n um be r who s p o k e .

who w ere

The c o m p o s i t e s

on th e f o l l o w i n g page i n d i c a t e t h a t th e d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h i s a r e a b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w e re r a t h e r slig h t:

123 Number o f C h a r a c t e r s :

New P l a y s

C arry ing d ia lo g u e On s t a g e It

does a p p e a r,

how ever,

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s

2 .k

2 .7 2 .9

3 .5

t h a t d u rin g the h ig h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s f r e q u e n t l y h a d more p e o p l e o n s t a g e i n p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e num ber o f p e o p l e d o i n g t h e t a l k i n g t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s .

T h i s w o u l d make i t p o s s i b l e

to i n c l u d e a l a r g e r number o f s p e a k e r s i n any s u s t a i n e d scene.

F urtherm ore,

the c h a ra c te rs not engaged in speech

d u r i n g a p a r t i c u l a r m i n u t e w o u ld be a v a i l a b l e actio n s

to th e

to p ro v id e r e ­

sp eech o f the o th e r s .

R e l a t i o n o f e le m e n ts i n th e m inute to th e a v e ra g e in te re s t ratin g . d escrib e

If

the v a r i o u s ite m s u se d i n t h i s s tu d y to

the h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes are a c t u a l l y

used in c r e a tin g d ram atic e f f e c t iv e n e s s ,

the e le m e n ts

th en the d if f e r e n c e s

i n t h e u s e o f t h e s e e l e m e n t s s h o u l d be r e f l e c t e d i n t h e d e ­ g r e e o f i n t e r e s t e x p r e s s e d by t h e o b s e r v e r s .

I f the h ig h e s t

i n t e r e s t m inutes o f a g iv e n p la y c o n ta in e d c o n s id e r a b le verbal c o n flic t,

suspense,

p h y sical a c tiv ity ,

some s u r p r i s e ,

a r a p i d te m p o ,

em o tio n al i n t e n s i t y ,

co n sid erab le

a s e r i o u s mood, a n d a h i g h

one m i g h t e x p e c t t h a t t h e a v e r a g e i n ­

t e r e s t r a t i n g f o r t h e s c e n e w o u l d be c o m p a r a t i v e l y h i g h .

If

th e h i g h i n t e r e s t m in u te s l a c k e d t h e s e e le m e n ts to any g r e a t ex ten t,

one m i g h t e x p e c t t h e a v e r a g e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g t o be

c o m p a ra tiv e ly low er. co n sid ered in th is

The r e l a t i v e l y

stu d y ,

s m a l l number o f p l a y s

a s w e ll as the u n e q u a l number o f

observers

f o r the d i f f e r e n t p la y s ,

co rrela te

sta tistic a lly

made i t

i m p r a c t i c a l to

the I n t e r e s t r a t i n g s

f o r a g iv en

m inute w ith a p a r t i c u l a r ite m o r c o m b in a tio n o f ite m s w h ich t h a t m inute c o n t a i n e d .

H ow ever, a r a t h e r g e n e r a l p i c t u r e

o f the r e l a t i o n o f

th e av erag e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s to th e con­

t e n t o f th e m inute

c a n be s e c u r e d from th e S ynopses o f th e

H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n A p p e n d i x A.

In the ap p en d ix each

h ig h i n t e r e s t m inute has been s y n o p s iz e d , i n t e r e s t r a t i n g w hich i t

receiv ed

is

and the av erag e

in d icated .

Ag e n e r a l

p ictu re of

h e i g h t o f r a t i n g t o c o n t e n t o f s c e n e c a n be

secured in

t h i s way.

Summary o f

T echniques f o r V a rie ty

and C o n tra s t

B o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d s i m i l a r tech n iqu es fo r g ain in g I n t e r e s t m inutes.

v a r i e t y and c o n t r a s t in th e h ig h

The same d e v i c e s w e r e u s e d ,

b u t the

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s more f r e q u e n t l y u s e d t h e d e v i c e a t a h i g h le v el,

so t o s p e a k .

Of t h e t e c h n i q u e s a n d d e v i c e s d i s c u s s e d ,

t h e c h i e f d i f f e r e n c e s were c e n t e r e d a r o u n d l o u d n e s s l e v e l , em o tio n al I n t e n s i t y ,

a n d te m p o .

th a t h ig h em otional i n t e n s i t y ,

In general i t

c a n be s a i d

r a p i d te m p o , a n d m o d e r a t e

l o u d n e s s l e v e l were c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e h i g h i n t e r e s t

m in u tes o f th e S u c c e s s fu l p la y s . sity ,

m o d e ra te tem po,

M oderate e m o tio n a l i n t e n ­

and e q u a l u se o f b o t h h i g h and low

l o u d n e s s l e v e l m o st n e a r l y c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s . Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e H i g h I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s The d i f f e r e n c e s S u ccessfu l p lay s w ere,

in th e c o n t e n t o f the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes

in la rg e p a r t,

of k in d .

e x i s t i n g b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e

B asically ,

d i f f e r e n c e s o f d e g re e and e x t e n t ,

not

th e h i g h e s t i n t e r e s t i n th e p l a y s seemed

t o b e o b t a i n e d by s i m i l a r m eans.

T h e r e was no s i n g l e

ele­

ment o r c o m b i n a t i o n o f e l e m e n t s t h a t made i t p o s s i b l e

to

d i s t i n g u i s h a l l New p l a y s f r o m a l l S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s .

If

one p l a c e s

t h e f o u r t e e n p l a y s on a c o n t i n u u m w i t h t h e p l a y

w i t h t h e l o w e s t a v e r a g e - o f - a l l - h i g h - i n t e r e s t - r a t i n g s on one end,

and th e p la y w ith the h ig h e s t a v e r a g e - o f - a l l - h i g h -

i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s on t h e o t h e r e n d , do n o t f a l l

in to

fu l p lay s.

The f o l l o w i n g l i s t

to low ; is

it

is

t o o n e a t g r o u p s c o m p o se d o f New a n d S u c c e s s ­ i s a r r a n g e d i n o r d e r from h i g h

the av e ra g e h ig h i n t e r e s t r a t i n g ,

in d icated :

seen t h a t the p la y s

and type o f p la y

A verage o f a l l H i g h I n t e r e s t Min.

Name o f P l a y

Angel S t r e e t B e rk e le y Square When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. I H oliday When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. I I O u r Town H e r S o u l ' s Gone AB l a c k b e r r y i n ' No, I The P a t r i o t s A f t e r the R e c i t a l Command D e c i s i o n L iliom H e r S o u l ' s Gone AB l a c k b e r r . y i n ' No. I I G e o rg e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r Of t h e E a r t h

Type o f P lay

2.8 2 .5

Successful Successful

2 .3 2. 2

New Successful

2. 2 2. 2

New Successful

2 .1 2 .0 2.0 1 .9 1.9

New Successful New S uccessful Successful

1. 6 1 .5 1 .4

New New New

I t w o u l d be e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e g r e a t e s t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f a S u c c e s s f u l a n d a New p l a y w ould be f o u n d b e tw e e n Angel S t r e e t and 0 £ th e E a r t h . These d i f f e r e n c e s ,

h o w e v e r , w o u ld n o t n e c e s s a r i l y be t h o s e

f o u n d b e t w e e n B e r k e l e y S q u a r e a n d G eo rg e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r . There a r e ,

i n o t h e r w ords,

no a b s o l u t e

d i f f e r e n c e s betw een

t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s.

The c h i e f d i f f e r e n c e

c a n o n l y be d e s c r i b e d a s a t e n ­

dency f o r th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s

to u se c e r t a i n e le m e n ts o f

d r a m a more f r e q u e n t l y a n d w i t h g r e a t e r d r a m a t i c e f f e c t i v e n e s s t h a n do t h e New p l a y s . The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s t e n d e d t o u s e more v e r b a l c o n f l i c t betw een c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s ,

more s u s p e n s e ,

more

127 m en tal c o n f l i c t s , tem po,

broader p h y sical a c tiv ity ,

more v a r i a t i o n

in the d i s t r i b u t i o n of sp eech es,

g r e a t e r u n i t y betw een p l o t , o b stacles, New p l a y s .

a more r a p i d

ch aracters,

c o n f l i c t s and

a n d more h i g h e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y ,

than d id th e

None o f t h e s e a l o n e c o n s t i t u t e a s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e New an d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . sid e re d to g eth er,

how ever,

Con­

i n term s o f a c u m u la tiv e e f f e c t ,

t h e y may w e l l a c c o u n t f o r some o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s g i v e n t o t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s.

C h a p te r VI DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE LOW INTEREST MINUTES OF THE NEW AND THE SUCCESSFUL PLAYS Summary S t a t e m e n t s The e v i d e n c e c o l l e c t e d by means o f t h e d e s c r i p t i v e t a b u l a t i o n w a rra n ts the fo llo w in g s ta te m e n ts co n c e rn in g the d i f f e r e n c e s an d s i m i l a r i t i e s o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s : S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — Of t h e t h r e e t y p e s o f e x p o s i t i o n t a b u l a t e d , e x p o s i t i o n to f u r t h e r p l o t was u s e d m o s t f r e q u e n t l y . New p l a y s — Of t h e t h r e e t y p e s o f e x p o s i t i o n t a b u l a t e d , e x p o s i t i o n o f background m a t e r i a l and ex­ p o s i t i o n o f c h a r a c t e r w ere m o st f r e q u e n t l y used. S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s - - “C o n s i d e r a b l e p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y " was u s e d t w i c e a s o f t e n a s I n t h e New p l a y s . New p l a y s — S e v e n t y - s e v e n p e r c e n t o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m inutes c o n ta in e d l i t t l e p h y s ic a l a c t i v i t y . S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — V erb al c o n f l i c t betw een c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s was u s e d t w i c e a s o f t e n a s i n t h e New p l a y s . New p l a y s — V e r b a l c o n f l i c t s o f a n y t y p e a p p e a r e d i n o n ly s e v e n te e n p e r c e n t o f the m in u te s . S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — S u s p e n s e was u s e d t h r e e t i m e s a s f r e q u e n t l y a s i n t h e New p l a y s . New p l a y s — S u s p e n s e was u s e d i n o n l y s e v e n p e r c e n t o f the m in u tes.

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s - - M o d e r a t e e m o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y , moder­ a t e lo u d n e s s l e v e l , and m o d erate tempo w e r e m ost n e a r l y c h a r a c t e r i s ­ tic . New p l a y s — Low e m o t i o n a l I n t e n s i t y , l o w l o u d n e s s l e v e l , a n d s l o w tempo w e r e m o st n e a r l y c h a r a c t e r ­ istic . S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s — T h e r e w e r e more e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s made d u r i n g t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m inutes th a n d u rin g the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes o f the S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . New p l a y s — T h e r e w ere f e w e r e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s made d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a n d u r i n g t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s . E x p l a n a t i o n o f T a b l e s XIV, XV, XVI, a n d XVII These s t a t e m e n t s d ifferen ces

I n d i c a t e t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t

t h a t e x i s t b e t w e e n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f

t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s .

The d i f f e r e n c e s e x i s t i n g

f o r e a c h i n d i v i d u a l ite m i n v e s t i g a t e d w i l l be found in T a b l e s V I I I a n d XIV.

The f i g u r e s f o r e a c h p l a y i n T a b l e V I I I

express in percen tag es

the fre q u e n c y w i t h w hich an ite m

a p p e a r e d i n th e t o t a l number o f low i n t e r e s t m in u te s .

T able

XIV c o n t a i n s t h e c o m p o s i t e p e r c e n t a g e s e x p r e s s i n g f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e f o r t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e s e v e n New and the se v e n S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s .

Each Item i s l i s t e d u n d er

. t h a t g r o u p o f p l a y s i n w h i c h i t a p p e a r e d t h e m o st o f t e n ; th e p e rc e n ta g e s f o r b o th groups o f p la y s are e n te r e d in o r d e r to f a c i l i t a t e

com parison.

For purposes o f p o in tin g

T a b le XIV I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r T h a t G roup o f P l a y s i n W hich t h e I t e m Was M o st F r e q u e n t l y U s e d D u r i n g t h e Low I n t e r e s t M inutes. C e n t e r Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n W hich t h e I t e m A p p e a r e d .

New P l a y s

P ercentage

D ram atic A ctio n M ental c o n f l i c t L i t t l e p h y sical ac tiv ity

D ram atic A ctio n V erbal c o n f l i c t

17 32 19 7

21

77

53

16 8

^1

26 29

17

68

kl F am ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s

C onsiderable p h y s ic a l activ ity O ff-s ta g e n o ise o r b u sin e ss

57 82

E x p o s itio n to f u r t h e r p l o t

29

Love i n t e r e s t S ex ( t a l k )

66

25

k

12

T echniques o f V ariety & C on trast

T echniques o f V ariety & C ontrast Exchange o f s h o r t speeches

78

Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l

0 8 61

^6 1

kQ S h i f t s i n mood

Humor Suspense

S u b ject M atter

S u b ject M atter E x p o s itio n to p r e s e n t v ita l sta tistic s

S u c c e ssfu l P lays

20

68 6

13 4-3 52 12 59 11

No one s p e a k i n g O n l y one c h a r a c t e r s p e a k i n g M oderate lo u d n e s s l e v e l H igh l o u d n e s s l e v e l L i g h t mood

131

T a b l e XIV ( C o n t i n u e d ) I t e m s L i s t e d U n d e r T h a t G-roup o f P l a y s i n Which t h e I t e m Was H o s t F r e q u e n t l y U s e d D u r i n g t h e Low I n t e r e s t M inutes. C e n t e r Columns C o n t a i n P e r c e n t a g e s o f T o t a l Number o f Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s i n W hich t h e I t e m A p p e a r e d .

New P l a y s

P ercentage

T echniques o f V ariety & C o n trast M oderate e m o tio n a l in te n sity S lo w tempo L i t t l e p h y sical a c tiv ity

T echniques o f V ariety & C ontrast 4l

55'

Low e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y

64 59 A3 7

46 A3 50 20

M o d e r a t e tempo R a p i d tempo

77

53 M iscellaneous

M iscellan eo u s

C h a ra cte rs speaking

S u c c e ss fu l P lay s

123

128

134 2.2 2 .6 2 .0 0.8

142 2.1 3.2 6. 0 4. 0

Number o f w o rd s s p o k e n p e r m inute A pproxim ate a v e ra g e r a t e C h a r a c t e r s on s t a g e E n tran ces p e r p lay E x its p er p lay

132

T a b l e XV I t e m s A p p e a r i n g i n F i f t y P e r c e n t o r More o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P lay s. I f A p p e a r i n g i n J u s t One G ro u p , t h e P e rc e n ta g e E x p re s s in g Frequency o f A p p e a r a n c e i n t h e O t h e r Group i s A lso I n c lu d e d f o r P u rp o se s o f Com parison

New P l a y s L i tt le p h y sical a c tiv ity E x p o s iti o n to p r e s e n t v ita l s ta tis tic s E x p o s iti o n to d ev e lo p ch aracterizatio n F am ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s Exchange o f s h o r t speeches Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l S e r i o u s mood M oderate e m o tio n a l in te n sity S lo w tempo

P ercentage

77

53

68 41

57 82

99 66

84 41

78 61 46 48 65

68 43 52 59

64 59 43

S u c c e ssfu l P lays L itt le p h y sical ac tiv ity E x p o s itio n to p r e s e n t v ita l s ta tis tic s E x p o s itio n to f u r t h e r p l o t E x p o s itio n to d ev e lo p c h a ra cte rizatio n Exchange o f s h o r t speeches

55

M oderate l o u d n e s s l e v e l L i g h t mood S e r i o u s mood Low e m o t i o n a l I n t e n s i t y

46 43 50

M o d e r a t e tempo

61

133

T a b le XVI Ite m s A p p ea rin g i n T w enty-Five P e r c e n t to F i f t y P e r c e n t o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New and the S u c c e s s f u l P la y s . I f A ppearing in J u s t One G-roup, t h e P e r c e n t a g e E x p r e s s i n g F req u en cy o f A ppearance in th e O th er G ro u p i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u r p o s e s o f C om parison

New P l a y s

M ental c o n f l i c t

E x p o s i t i o n to f u r t h e r p lo t

M oderate lo u d n e s s lev el L i g h t mood Low e m o t i o n a l in te n sity

M o d e r a t e tempo

P ercentage

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s V erbal c o n f l i c t

17 32 19

41 26 29

17

41

Humor C onsiderable p h y s ic a l ac tiv ity

41 66 25 61

82 41 29 43

Fam ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s Love i n t e r e s t Low l o u d n e s s l e v e l

46 48

52 59

41

55

64 59 43

46 43

50

M oderate e m o tio n a l in ten sity S lo w tempo

134 T a b le XVII I t e m s A p p e a r i n g i n L e s s T h an T w e n t y - F i v e P e r c e n t o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P lay s. I f A ppearing i n J u s t One G ro u p , t h e P e r ­ c e n ta g e E x p re s s in g F requency o f A ppearance i n th e O t h e r G-roup i s A l s o I n c l u d e d f o r P u r p o s e s o f C om parison

New P l a y s V erbal c o n f lic t Suspense Humor S u rp rise R apid s u c c e s s io n of a tte n tio n catch in g d evices T h reaten ed p h y s ic a l co n flict C o nsid erable p h y s ic a l a c tiv ity V io len t p h y sic a l ac tiv ity O ff-s ta g e noise o r b u sin ess Sex ( t a l k ) Exchange o f lo n g speeches Exchange o f s h o r t and lo n g speeches H igh lo u d n e s s l e v e l S h i f t s in lou d n ess lev el Gay mood S h i f t s i n mood H igh e m o tio n a l in te n sity S h i f t s in em otional In ten sity R a p i d tempo S h i f t s i n tempo

P ercentage 17 7 19 2

Al 21 29 3

3

3

1

k

16

Al

6

k

8 A

17 12

2

3

12 0 0 1

8 2 6 12

8 3 20

7 5 11

10

11

lA 7 7

11 20 10

S u c c e ssfu l P lay s Suspense S u rp rise R apid s u c c e s s io n of a tte n tio n catch in g devices T hreatened p h y s ic a l co n flict V io len t p h y sic a l activ ity O ff-sta g e no ise o r b u sin ess Sex ( t a l k ) Exchange o f lo n g speeches Exchange o f s h o r t and long speeches A udience p a r t i c i p a t i o n No c h a r a c t e r s p e a k i n g H ig h l o u d n e s s l e v e l S h if t s in lo u d n ess lev el Gay mood S h i f t s i n mood H ig h e m o t i o n a l in ten sity S h if t s in em otional In ten sity R a p i d tempo S h i f t s i n tempo

135 up th o s e ite m s t h a t a p p e a r e d w ith g r e a t e s t f re q u e n c y in e i t h e r t h e New o r t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , XVII h a v e b e e n I n c l u d e d .

T a b l e s XV, XVI, a n d

Item s u se d in f i f t y p e r c e n t o r

more o f t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s a p p e a r i n T a b l e XV; t h o s e used in tw en ty -fiv e

to f i f t y p e r c e n t o f th e low i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s a p p e a r i n T a b l e XVI; a n d t h o s e i t e m s u s e d i n l e s s t h a n t w e n t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s a p p e a r i n T a b l e XVII. C o m p a r i s o n o f t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s By e x a m i n i n g t h e d a t a f o r t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s a n d c o m p a r i n g th e m w i t h t h e d a t a f o r t h e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s ,

I t is p o ssib le

t o make two g e n e r a l s t a t e m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g t h e d i f f e r e n c e s e x i s t i n g b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s i n r e s p e c t to t h e i r low i n t e r e s t m in u te s : 1.

T h e r e w e r e more d i f f e r e n c e s f o u n d b e t w e e n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s th a n betw een th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

2.

The d i f f e r e n c e s f o u n d b e t w e e n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s were l a r g e r th a n th e d i f f e r e n c e s betw een the h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. The f o l l o w i n g d i s c u s s i o n w i l l be c h i e f l y c o n c e r n e d

w i t h p o i n t i n g up t h e s e o u t s t a n d i n g d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e

l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . D ram atic A ctio n V erbal c o n f l i c t . d iffe re n ce

P o s s i b l y t h e m o st s i g n i f i c a n t

b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s l a y i n

th e e x t e n t to w hich th e

two g r o u p s o f p l a y s e m p l o y e d v e r b a l

c o n f l i c t d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s . served th a t

It

h a s b e e n ob ­

i n b o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s t h e

lo w i n t e r e s t m in u te s were p r e d o m i n a t e l y e x p o s i t o r y . sp ite of th is , flic t

In

th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s c o n ta in e d v e r b a l con­

o f some k i n d I n f o r t y - o n e p e r c e n t o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t

m inutes,

as a g a in s t sev en teen

m i n u t e s i n t h e New p l a y s .

p e r c e n t o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t

The

c o n f l i c t s used

by b o t h g r o u p s

o f p l a y s w e r e f r e q u e n t l y s i m i l a r so f a r a s p u r p o s e , t i o n in the p la y ,

lo ca­

and r e l a t i o n to th e p l a y were c o n c e rn e d .

The c h i e f d i f f e r e n c e was i n t h e g r e a t e r n u m b e r o f c o n f l i c t s w h i c h t h e New p l a y s u s e d .

It

w o u ld seem t h a t

i f ex p o sitio n

o f b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l c a n be

in te g ra te d w ith

e x te n d e d con­

flic ts,

then c o n f l i c t s

ex p o sitio n .

T his,

c o u l d be i n t e g r a t e d w i t h e x t e n d e d

of course,

New p l a y s h a d s i m p l y done i t

i s what had been done.

The

more f r e q u e n t l y .

A l t h o u g h i t may be somewhat d i f f i c u l t t o m e a s u r e accu rately ,

th e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f c o n f l i c t a s an e x p o s i t o r y

d e v i c e c a n h a r d l y be o v e r e s t i m a t e d .

In th e e l e v e n t h m inute

137 A c t I S c e n e 1 o f When t h e Bough B r e a k s No. I , "becomes f u r i o u s w i t h L i l l i e M r s.

Duhon e n t e r s

her.

I n th e se co n d m in u te , Act I ,

m achine gun. m in u te 's ratin g s.

B oth o f th e s e

tim e.

down

sasses

o f Command D e c i s i o n ,

the

h isb u sin e ss,

b a r r e l o f E v an s's u b ­

In c id e n ts are p lay ed in a

N e i t h e r o f them r e c e i v e d h i g h i n t e r e s t

But what th e y a c c o m p lis h e d ,

s i t i o n on w hich p l o t , flic ts

Mae w e a r i l y

map w h i c h i s none o f

and f in d s h im s e lf s t a r i n g

Duhon

Mae f o r b e i n g t a r d y a g a i n .

th e house and L i l l i e

B ro ck h u rst looks a t a

M rs.

may b u i l d ,

i n t h e way o f e x p o ­

c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n and f u r t h e r con­

c a n o n l y be f u l l y r e a l i z e d by c o m p a r i n g

t h e m w i t h t h e many e x p o s i t o r y m i n u t e s o f v a r i o u s p l a y s t h a t c o n t a i n e d f e w o r no s u c h e x p o s i t i o n a l c o n f l i c t s . Suspense.

More e v i d e n c e o f t h e g r e a t e r u s e o f

d r a m a t i c a c t i o n In th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f th e S u c c e s s ­ f u l p lay s is

s e e n i n t h e f o l l o w i n g f i g u r e s w h i c h show t h e

p e rc e n ta g e s e x p re s sin g frequency of o ccurrence fo r: Suspense New p l a y s 0 0 8 10 10 S u ccessfu l p lay s 0 8 17 17 33 C om posites: 7$ Mew p l a y s 21$ S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

10 33

14 3&

The c o m p o s i t e s i n d i c a t e t h a t s u s p e n s e a p p e a r e d t h r e e

tim es

more f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s ­ f u l p l a y s t h a n i t d i d i n t h e New p l a y s .

Here,

ag ain ,

b o th

138 groups o f p la y s used i t

i n t h e same way.

The d i f f e r e n c e

a l m o s t a l t o g e t h e r one o f f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e . s u s p e n s e u s e d i n th e low i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s ,

is

The

how ever,

does

d i f f e r som e w hat f r o m t h a t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s . As was s e e n i n t h e u s e o f v e r b a l c o n f l i c t ,

the su sp e n se

c o n t a i n e d i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s seems t o be d i r e c t e d tow ard e n l i v e n i n g th e e x p o s i t i o n .

Most o f i t

o u s ly p o in te d tow ard th e a c t u a l p l o t l i n e ,

i s not o bvi­

a l t h o u g h i t may

p r o v i d e s o m e t h i n g t h a t moves t h e p l o t f o r w a r d .

In the

s e c o n d m i n u t e , A c t I I S c e n e 2 o f B e r k e l e y S q u a r e , some suspense is

c r e a t e d a s th e Duchess s p e a k s o f P e t e r ' s

c e n t r a t e d l a c k o f a t t e n t i o n to K ate. and t r i e s

to b ru sh i t o f f .

con­

Lady Ann f l u s t e r s

A su sp en se-lik e q u a lity is

p r o v i d e d i n t h e f i r s t m i n u t e o f t h e t h i r d a c t o f Q ur Town as the dead p eo p le q u i e t l y

t a k e t h e i r p l a c e s on s t a g e b e f o r e

th e S ta g e Manager e x p l a i n s

th e ir presence.

t h e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s i s drawn as i t o ften is , to

is

f o r th e most p a r t n o t a s s h a r p l y

in the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes.

how ever,

it

The s u s p e n s e o f

may w e l l a d d v a r i e t y ,

As m i l d a s i t i f n oth ing e ls e ,

th e e x p o s itio n . Humor.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s a l s o c o n t a i n e d more

humor i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s . A cco rd in g to the t a b u l a t i o n , th e d ia lo g u e ,

the b u s in e s s ,

humor was c o n t a i n e d e i t h e r i n o r bo th ,

d u rin g tw en ty -n in e

139 p e r c e n t o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , a s a g a i n s t n i n e t e e n p e r c e n t o f t h o s e m i n u t e s i n t h e New plays* P h y sical a c t i v i t y .

A nother type o f d ra m a tic

a c t i o n e m p l o y e d more f r e q u e n t l y b y t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w as t h a t o f 11c o n s i d e r a b l e p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y . n

The c o m p o s i t e

p e r c e n t a g e s o f f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e show r a t h e r w e l l t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d more p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a n d i d t h e New p la y s: P h y sical A c tiv ity L ittle C onsid erable It

New P l a y s

S u cce ssfu l P lay s

78$ 16$

53$ ^2$

ca n be s e e n t h a t a l t h o u g h l i t t l e

most n e a r l y

ch aracteristic

p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y was

o f b o th groups o f p la y s ,

S u ccessfu l p la y s co ntained a s ig n if ic a n tly o f Hc o n s i d e r a b l e 11 p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y .

the

g r e a t e r am ount

As a m a t t e r o f f a c t ,

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d a l m o s t a s much " c o n s i d e r a b l e " p h y sical a c tiv ity

i n t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s a s t h e New

p la y s used d u rin g th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. E n tra n c e s and e x i t s .

What w o u ld se em t o be a n

a t t e m p t on t h e p a r t o f p l a y w r i g h t ,

d irec to r,

e n l i v e n t h e s c e n e by means o f b o d i l y a c t i o n ,

and a c t o r to was,

no d o u b t ,

a u g m e n t e d b y t h e movement o f a c t o r s on a n d o f f t h e

scene.

A r a t h e r l a r g e d i f f e r e n c e e x i s t s betw een the g roups o f p l a y s a s to th e a v e ra g e number o f e n t r a n c e s an d e x i t s t h a t w e r e made d u r i n g t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s .

I n com put­

i n g t h e n u m b e r o f e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , e a c h g r o u p was n o t i n c l u d e d . u s e d by t h e New p l a y , S u ccessfu l p lay , g et an a c c u ra te o th ers,

one p l a y i n

The s p a c e - s t a g i n g t e c h n i q u e

George W ashington C a r v e r , an d t h e

O ur Town, made i t

v irtu ally

im p o s s ib le to

count of e n tra n c e s and e x i t s .

F or the

e a c h e n t r a n c e o r e x i t t h a t o c c u r r e d d u r i n g a lo w

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e was r e c o r d e d , a n d t h e a v e r a g e n u m b e r f o r e a c h p l a y was p r o c u r e d .

The c o m p o s i t e a v e r a g e

f o r ea ch group

o f p la y s fo llo w s: New P l a y s

S u c c e ssfu l P lays

2 .0 0 .8

6.0 JKO

E n tran ces E x its

The e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d more e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s

t h a n t h e New p l a y s c a n be p a r t i a l l y

e x p l a i n e d by t h e l o c a t i o n a n d d u r a t i o n o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e two g r o u p s o f p l a y s . rath e r d e fin ite

The New p l a y s h a d a

p a tte rn of d is trib u tio n in to

lo w i n t e r e s t e x p o s i t o r y

m inutesf e l l .

T h e r e was

w hich a rath e r

th ese

e x t e n d e d p e r i o d o f low i n t e r e s t i n th e f i r s t the p la y ,

te n m inutes o f

and sev en ty -tw o p e r c e n t o f th e r i s i n g c u r ta in s

w e r e f o l l o w e d by one o r more m i n u t e s o f lo w i n t e r e s t . se e m s r a t h e r l o g i c a l ,

and th e e v id e n c e i n d i c a t e s ,

It

th at

t h e s e m in u te s c o n t a i n e d a c o m p a r a t i v e l y l a r g e number o f e n tra n c e s and e x i t s .

The c u r t a i n o c c a s i o n a l l y a r o s e on a n

e m p ty s t a g e o n t o w h i c h c h a r a c t e r s s o o n e n t e r e d . a c t o r s w e r e d i s c o v e r e d on s t a g e ,

If

th en d u rin g the e a r l y

m in u tes o f th e scene o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s e n t e r e d to th e a c tio n .

the

jo in in

The f i r s t m i n u t e s o f s c e n e s a n d a c t s

in the

New p l a y s c o n t a i n e d s i m i l a r movement. The r e a s o n f o r l e s s movement i n a n d o u t o f t h e s c e n e d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s was p a rtia lly

due t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f

t h e New p l a y s d i d n o t o c c u r c o n s i s t e n t l y e i t h e r i n e x t e n d e d p erio d s

in the f i r s t te n m inutes of th e p la y o r in s h o r t e r

p e r io d s a f t e r the m a jo rity of r i s i n g c u r ta in s .

I f t h e low

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s h a d b e e n l o c a t e d i n t h e same p l a c e s a s t h e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s of th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , g r e a t e r number o f e n t r a n c e s and e x i t s

a co n sid erab ly

m ig h t have b ee n t a b u l a ­

t e d f o r t h e New p l a y s . O ff-s ta g e no ise and b u s in e s s .

The f a c t t h a t o f f ­

s ta g e n o ise o r b u s in e s s o c c u rr e d tw ice as o f t e n in th e I n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s a s i n t h e low

low

in te re st deal.

m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s may n o t mean a g r e a t

It

does,

how ever,

a d d t o t h e e v i d e n c e w h i c h shows

t h a t d u r i n g th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p lay s

"more t h i n g s h a p p e n e d . "

o u tsid e more,

The e x t e n s i o n o f t h e p l a y

t h e c o n f i n e s o f t h e s e t may h a v e d o n e c o n s i d e r a b l y

how ever,

th a n c a u se a te m p o ra ry d i v e r s i o n from th e

a c t i o n on s t a g e . T h o se d r a m a t i c a c t i o n s t a b u l a t e d a s s u r p r i s e , p h y sical c o n flic t,

and a r a p id s u c c e s s io n o f a t t e n t i o n

c a tc h in g d e v ic e s w ere,

i n th e low i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f b o t h

t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , sence.

c o n s p i c u o u s by t h e i r a b ­

A ctual p h y s ic a l c o n f l i c t d id not ap p ear in e i t h e r

group o f p l a y s .

None o f t h e a c t i o n s m e n t i o n e d h e r e

o c c u r r e d i n more t h a n f o u r p e r c e n t o f t h e m i n u t e s i n e i t h e r t h e New o r t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s . actio n s,

The l a c k o f t h e s e d r a m a t i c

to g e th e r w ith a re d u c tio n in frequency o f occurrence

o f a l l o f t h e o t h e r t y p e s o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n , w o u l d se em to a c c o u n t f o r some o f t h e r e d u c t i o n o f I n t e r e s t i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m in u tes. Summary o f D r a m a t i c A c t i o n The d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s i n t h e a r e a o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n c a n be s u m m a r i z e d b r i e f l y .

Both groups o f p l a y s u se d

143 ap p ro x im ately

t h e same a m o u n t o f s u r p r i s e ,

m ental c o n f l i c t ,

p h y sical

c o n f l i c t , and r a p id s u c c e s s io n

of a tte n tio n

catch in g

devices.

w ere d i f f e r e n t i a t e d

from the

New p l a y s hy t h e more f r e q u e n t

flic t,

suspense,

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

h um o r,

use o f v e r b a l con­

co n sid erab le p h y sic a l a c t i v i t y ,

a n d by a g r e a t e r n u m b e r o f e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s . a s d r a m a t i c a c t i o n was c o n c e r n e d ,

Insofar

t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s

o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w e r e more n e a r l y s i m i l a r t o t h e h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes,

t h a n w ere t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s

o f t h e New p l a y s . S ub.lect M a tte r E x p o sitio n . ta b u la te d — ex p o sitio n ,

Of t h e f o u r t y p e s o f s u b j e c t m a t t e r fam ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s ,

love i n t e r e s t ,

a n d s e x ( t a l k ) — t h e m o st i n t e r e s t i n g r e s u l t s

seem t o c e n t e r

around e x p o s itio n . of occurrence

The c o m p o s i t e p e r c e n t a g e s f o r f r e q u e n c y

i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s a r e : New P l a y s

E x p o sitio n To p r e s e n t b a c k g r o u n d m aterial To f u r t h e r p l o t To d e v e l o p c h a r a c t e r iz atio n

68fo 99 %

S u cce ssfu l P lay s

57%

82 $

Qb%

E x p o s i t i o n o f b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l was u s e d more t h a n t w i c e a s f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u ccessfu l play s

t h a n i t was i n t h e h i g h I n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f

3.4 4 b o th groups. in d icate,

T his s u p e r i o r fre q u en cy does n o t a c t u a l l y

how ever,

t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e lo w i n t e r e s t

m in u te s were p r e d o m i n a t e l y e x p o s i t o r y .

F o r th e most p a r t ,

t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s w e r e more c o n c e r n e d w i t h e x p o s i t i o n t h a n w i t h an y o t h e r one t h i n g .

D uring the h ig h i n t e r e s t

m i n u t e s t h e e x p o s i t i o n was more o r l e s s d ram atic a c tio n s . ex te n t of d u ratio n ,

i n c i d e n t a l to the

On t h e b a s i s o f f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e , and p u rp o se o f the m inute,

it

seem s

e v i d e n t t h a t e x p o s i t i o n o f b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l was a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s . E x p o s i t i o n t o f u r t h e r p l o t was c o n t a i n e d i n t w i c e a s many l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s i n t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s a s i n t h e New p l a y s .

T h i s p o i n t s up r a t h e r v i v i d l y t h e e x t e n t t o

w h i c h some o f t h e New p l a y s l a c k an y c l e a r l y d e f i n e d p l o t . The t e n d e n c y t o e m p h a s i z e c h a r a c t e r r a t h e r t h a n p l o t i s a l s o a p p a r e n t from th e above f i g u r e s .

The Mc h a r a c t e r s t u d y 11

q u a l i t y o f c e r t a i n o f t h e New p l a y s s e e m e d o f t e n t o be c a u s e d by o r t o r e s u l t f r o m a v a g u e p l o t .

The c h a r a c t e r s

f r e q u e n t l y s e e m e d t o e x i s t o n l y f o r t h e i r own s a k e , i n c i d e n t s and s i t u a t i o n s o f t e n a p p e ared as t h a t had l i t t l e

11v i g n e t t e p l o t s "

r e l a t i o n t o e a c h o t h e r a n d no r e c o g n i z a b l e

c o n n e c t i o n t o a m a in i d e a , o r o b stacle.

and th e

purpose, p lo t,

them e,

c o n flic t,

Love i n t e r e s t , sh ip s. p lay s

sex ( ta lk ) ,

and fam ily r e l a t i o n ­

D u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s n e i t h e r g r o u p o f c o n ta in e d "love

freq u en tly .

i n t e r e s t p o r t r a y e d on s t a g e " v e r y

H oliday u se d such lo v e i n t e r e s t i n th e e x te n d e d

e x p o s i t i o n a l scene a t the f i r s t o f the p la y . cep tio n ,

very l i t t l e

t r a y e d on s t a g e . "

W ith t h i s e x ­

u s e was made o f " l o v e i n t e r e s t p o r ­

T alk co n cern in g th e lo v e i n t e r e s t

o c c u rr e d w ith a p p ro x im a te ly e q u a l fre q u e n c y in b o th the New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s .

F am ily r e l a t i o n s h i p s a s su b ­

j e c t m a t t e r in th e low i n t e r e s t m in u tes o c c u r r e d w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e same f r e q u e n c y a s i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s a n d i n s i m i l a r p r o p o r t i o n s o f Nexir t o S u c c e s s f u l p lay s.

Sex ( t a l k ) ,

on t h e o t h e r h a n d , a p p e a r e d o n l y h a l f

a s o f t e n i n t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s a s in th e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

The low i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f

the S u c c e s s f u l p la y s c o n ta in e d sex ( t a l k )

f o u r t i m e s more

f r e q u e n t l y th a n d id the h ig h i n t e r e s t m in u tes. sex (ta lk )

A ll o f t h i s

i n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l

p l a y s was c o n t a i n e d i n A n g e l S t r e e t , B e r k e l e y S q u a r e , o r H o lid ay .

F o r J u s t w h a t p u r p o s e t h e s e x was i n t r o d u c e d i s

som ew hat c o n j e c t u r a l . in the p la y ;

One c a n n o t s a y t h a t i t

i s o u t o f key

n e i t h e r c a n i t be c o n s i d e r e d o b l i g a t o r y .

The

f a c t t h a t t w e n t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o r more o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m inutes o f th e s e th r e e p la y s c o n ta in e d sex ( t a l k )

seem s t o

146 add f u r t h e r evidence

to i n d i c a t e t h a t s e x ( t a l k )

n ot c r e a te audience i n t e r e s t . the

sex (ta lk )

alone

There i s a p o s s i b i l i t y

was i n t r o d u c e d i n a r a t h e r d e l i b e r a t e

to e n l i v e n an o th e r w is e d u l l scen e.

does th a t

attem p t

N eed less to say ,

there

i s no p r o o f f o r s u c h a c o n j e c t u r e . Summary o f S u b j e c t M a t t e r The m o st i m p o r t a n t e v i d e n c e i n t h i s s e c t i o n seem s t o be t h a t w h ic h i n d i c a t e s

t h a t d u r i n g th e low i n t e r e s t

m in u tes: 1,

E x p o s i t i o n o f b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l was u s e d more th a n tw ice as f r e q u e n t l y as i n the h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

2,

The New p l a y s c o n t a i n e d more e x p o s i t i o n o f b a c k ­ ground m a t e r i a l and e x p o s i t i o n to develop c h a ra c ­ t e r i z a t i o n th a n d id the S u c c e s s f u l p la y s .

3,

The New p l a y s r e l a t e d t h e a c t i o n a n d d i a l o g u e t o t h e p l o t i n l e s s th a n h a l f o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u tes. The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s r e l a t e d t h e a c t i o n a n d d i a l o g u e t o t h e p l o t t w i c e a s f r e q u e n t l y a s d i d t h e New p lay s.

T echniques f o r V a r ie ty and C o n tra s t D istrib u tio n of speeches.

D u rin g the low i n t e r e s t

m in u tes b o th groups o f p la y s u se d an exchange o f s h o r t s p e e c h e s more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n t h e y d i d d u r i n g t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m inutes.

A c c o m p a n y in g t h i s ,

a s m i g h t be e x p e c t e d ,

was a r e d u c t i o n i n t h e n u m b e r o f e x c h a n g e s o f s h o r t a n d l o n g

speeches.

The s l i g h t i n c r e a s e i n t h e v a r i e t y o f t h e d i s ­

t r i b u t i o n was p a r t i a l l y

due t o v a r i o u s t e c h n i q u e s u s e d f o r

e x p o s itio n or stag in g .

George W a sh in g to n C a r v e r u s e d

co n sid erab le n a rra tio n .

O u r Town u s e d o n l y one c h a r a c t e r

s p e a k i n g d u r i n g s i x t y - s e v e n p e r c e n t o f th e low i n t e r e s t m inu tes,

an d e i g h t e e n p e r c e n t o f th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s

c o n t a i n e d no s p e e c h w h a t s o e v e r .

There a r e ,

ev id en tly ,

no

s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s in th is p a r t i c u l a r area. E m otional i n t e n s i t y .

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s show ed

a c o m p a ra tiv e ly g r e a t c o n t r a s t in em o tio n al i n t e n s i t y be­ tw een th e h i g h an d th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s .

D uring th e h ig h

i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s h i g h e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y was m o st f r e ­ q u e n tly used, freq u en tly

w h i l e a l o w e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y a p p e a r e d m ost

i n t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e same p l a y s .

F o r t h e New p l a y s a m o d e r a t e e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y was m o st f r e q u e n t l y u s e d i n b o t h t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m in­ u tes.

D u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

were p r e d o m i n a t e l y o f low e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y .

D uring the

h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ere p r e d o m i n a t e l y o f h igh em otional i n t e n s i t y ,

w hile

d o m in a te ly m oderate i n i n t e n s i t y .

t h e New p l a y s w ere p r e ­ I n o t h e r w ords,

t h e New

p l a y s w e r e m o st f r e q u e n t l y o f m o d e r a t e e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y i n b o t h t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

w hereas th e

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s s h i f t e d from a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y em o tio n al i n t e n s i t y c h a ra c te ristic ally

in the h ig h i n t e r e s t p e rio d s

h igh

to a

l o w e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y d u r i n g t h e lo w

in te r e s t p erio d s. Tempo.

The tempo o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s

o f t h e New p l a y s was m o s t f r e q u e n t l y s l o w ; p l a y s were most f r e q u e n t l y m o d e ra te .

the S u c c e s s f u l

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

u s e d c o m p a r a t i v e l y more " r a p i d tempo" t h a n t h e New p l a y s d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s , much.

a lth o u g h n e i t h e r u sed very

B oth groups o f p la y s l i t e r a l l y

d r o p p e d one d e g r e e i n

tem po f r o m t h a t w h i c h t h e y m o st f r e q u e n t l y u s e d d u r i n g t h e h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes. ch a ra cte ristic ally

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s d r o p p e d f r o m

r a p i d to c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y

m oderate;

t h e New p l a y s d r o p p e d f r o m c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y m o d e r a t e ch a ra cte ristic ally

slow .

In g en eral,

then,

to

t h e tempo o f

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s 1 lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s was som ew hat f a s t e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e New p l a y s . Loudness l e v e l .

The d i f f e r e n c e s i n l o u d n e s s

l e v e l s b e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ere com­ p arativ ely slig h t.

The c h i e f d i f f e r e n c e w o u l d se em t o l i e

in th e use o f h ig h lo u d n e ss l e v e l .

When t h e B ough B r e a k s

No. I I was t h e o n l y New p l a y t h a t h a d a lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e w ith a h ig h lo u d n ess le v e l.

Of t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , L i l i o m ,

The P a t r i o t s , H o l i d a y . a n d B e r k e l e y S q u a r e u s e d a h i g h

lo u d n ess le v e l

i n a t o t a l o f f o u r t e e n low i n t e r e s t m in u t e s .

The l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l s . y s w e r e more e v e n l y d i v i d e d b etw e en low and m oderate lo u d n e s s l e v e l w ere

t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p l a y s .

to g e th er,

it

is

evident th a t

than

Taken a l l

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s h a d more

v a r i e t y o f l o u d n e s s l e v e l s d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s . sh ifts

T h e r e was a v e r y s m a l l n u m b e r o f

i n l o u d n e s s l e v e l f o r b o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l

p lay s. Mood.

B o t h t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ere

p redom inately se rio u s u tes.

i n mood d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m in­

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s ,

however,

u s e d a l i g h t mood

more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n d i d t h e New p l a y s .

A lthough a s e r io u s

mood was u s e d m o st f r e q u e n t l y i n b o t h t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m in u tes,

th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s u s e d i t

le ss

f r e q u e n t l y th a n d id the h ig h s. Words s p o k e n p e r m i n u t e a n d a p p r o x i m a t e r a t e . Successful p lay s,

d u r i n g t h e low i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s , u s e d more

w o r d s s p o k e n i n t h e m i n u t e a n d a more r a p i d s p e e c h r a t e d i d t h e New p l a y s .

The

An i n t e r e s t i n g c o n d i t i o n i s

th an

r e v e a l e d by

c o m p a r i n g t h e f i g u r e s f o r t h e num ber o f w o rd s s p o k e n w i t h t h e approxim ate sp eech r a t e

f o r b o t h t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n ­

t e r e s t m inutes o f b o th groups of p la y s :

150

Number o f w o r d s s p o k e n A pproxim ate sp e e c h r a t e N ote th e

H igh I n t e r e s t

Low I n t e r e s t

New:

Succ:

New:

Succ:

128 147

123 13&

128

136 1%

1^2

r e d u c t i o n i n b o t h th e number o f words spoken an d

th e approxim ate sp eech r a t e te r e s t p erio d s.

f r o m New h i g h t o New lo w i n ­

The a v e r a g e n um be r o f w o r d s s p o k e n i n t h e

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s was 128 p e r m i n u t e i n b o t h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s , e v e n t h o u g h t h e r e was a s m a l l d r o p i n r a t e .

T h i s means t h a t

t h e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s had as many w o r d s s p o k e n i n a l o w I n t e r e s t m i n u t e a s t h e y d i d i n a h ig h i n t e r e s t m inute,

b u t t h a t more o f t h e m i n u t e ' s t i m e was

d e v o te d to speech . Summary o f T e c h n i q u e s f o r V a r i e t y a n d C o n t r a s t The d i f f e r e n c e s i n t e c h n i q u e s f o r v a r i e t y a n d c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s a r e d i f f i c u l t to e v a lu a t e .

It

is

tru e

th a t

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s more f r e q u e n t l y u s e d a l i g h t mood, a low e m o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y , le v el.

T his does n o t,

the d if f e r e n c e s

a r a p i d te m p o ,

and a h ig h lo u d n e s s

how ever, g iv e a v ery c l e a r p i c t u r e o f

th at e x is t.

These t e c h n i q u e s f o r v a r i e t y

a n d c o n t r a s t w ere u s e d I n s u c h a way d u r i n g t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m inutes t h a t i t

is

v irtu ally

im possible to a s c r ib e

ch a ra cte ristic s

t o t h e New a n d t o t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s .

151 The d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m in­ u tes

f o llo w a r a t h e r g e n e r a l p a t t e r n o f r e d u c t io n in the

d egree o f em otional i n t e n s i t y ,

loudness,

was u s e d i n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s .

o r te m p o ,

th a t

W ithin t h i s p a t t e r n

t h e S u c c e s s f u l l o w s a r e more n e a r l y s i m i l a r t o t h e S u c c e s s ­ f u l h i g h t h a n t h e New l o w s a r e t o t h e New h i g h s . R e l a t i o n o f c o n t e n t to i n t e r e s t r a t i n g . in te re st

I f the

i n a g iv e n m inute i n a p l a y i s a r e s u l t o f th e con­

t e n t o f t h a t m inute,

then th e h e ig h t of th e i n t e r e s t ex ­

p r e s s e d in th e m inute s h o u ld , tio n of th a t co n ten t.

t o some e x t e n t ,

I f dram atic a c tio n s

be a r e f l e c ­

create

in te re st,

t h e l a c k o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n s may be e x p e c t e d t o c a u s e a le ssen in g of in te re s t.

T h is i s what e v i d e n t l y

d u r i n g t h e low i n t e r e s t m in u t e s . o th er fa c to rs

th a n th o se

There a r e ,

ta b u la te d in th is

no d o u b t ,

s tu d y w hich

c o n t r i b u t e b o t h to i n t e r e s t and d i s i n t e r e s t . o f the d ia lo g u e , the s p e c ta to r ,

the a c t i n g ,

the s ta g in g ,

th e s iz e o f the a u d ie n c e ,

o th e r fa c to rs e n te r in to in te re st or d isin terest. ra th e r clearly ,

how ever,

of th is

i n th e A ppendix,

The q u a l i t y

the com fort o f and a h o s t o f

t h e t o t a l p i c t u r e o f w h a t makes f o r The d a t a o f t h i s

study in d ic a t e

t h a t th e c o n t e n t o f th e m inute i s

s tr o n g ly r e f l e c t e d in the i n t e r e s t r a tin g . p ic tu re

takes p la ce

relatio n sh ip

The m ost c o m p l e t e

c a n be g a i n e d f r o m t h e s y n o p s e s

and from T a b le s V II and V I I I ,

w hich

152 c o n t a i n th e p e r c e n t a g e s o f fre q u e n c y w ith w hich th e ite m s a p p e a re d i n e a c h o f the f o u r t e e n p la y s . d e s c r i p t i o n f o r any m inute i s

If th is

tab u lativ e

com pared w i t h th e s y n o p s e s

and th e a v e ra g e r a t i n g f o r t h a t m inute,

i t w i l l be m o st

a p p a r e n t t h a t t h e amount o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n em ployed, w e l l a s t h e r a t e o f te m p o ,

h e ig h t o f loudness l e v e l ,

degree o f em otional i n t e n s i t y , average i n t e r e s t r a tin g . tio n sh ip is ta in s,

as and

a r e c l o s e l y r e l a t e d to th e

A g e n e r a l s t a te m e n t o f the r e l a ­

t h a t t h e more d r a m a t i c a c t i o n t h e m i n u t e c o n ­

and the h ig h e r th e degree o f em otional I n t e n s i t y ,

tem po, a n d l o u d n e s s l e v e l ,

th e h i g h e r th e r a t i n g o f th e low

i n t e r e s t m inute w i l l be. Summary o f D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s The d i f f e r e n c e s e x i s t i n g b e t w e e n t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s a r e somewhat more p r o n o u n c e d t h a n a r e t h e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m in u tes.

The f r e q u e n t u s e o f c e r t a i n d r a m a t i c

a c t i o n a n d t e c h n i q u e s i n t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s may a c c o u n t f o r th e i r c o n s is te n tly h ig h er a v e ra g e -o f-a ll-th e -lo w -in te re s tratin g s.

If

t h e p l a y s a r e p l a c e d I n o r d e r from h i g h e s t to

lo w e s t a c c o r d in g to t h e i r a v e r a g e - o f - a l l - t h e - l o w - i n t e r e s t *

ratin g s,

it

is

s e e n t h a t t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

a r e r a t h e r w e l l d i f f e r e n t i a t e d from e a c h o t h e r . fo llo w in g is

such a l i s t

The

o f the f o u r t e e n p l a y s w i t h th e

a v e r a g e low i n t e r e s t r a t i n g and th e ty p e o f p l a y i n d i c a t e d : Command D e c i s i o n The P a t r i o t s Angel S t r e e t H oliday L ilio m B e rk e le y Square H e r S o u l * s Cone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n 1 No. I I . When t h e Bough B r e a k s 8. No. I I O u r Town 9. 1 0 . .- H e r S o u l ' s Gone A - B l a c k b e r r y i n ' No. I When t h e Bough B r e a k s 11. No. I Of t h e E a r t h 12. G e o rg e W a s h i n g t o n C a r v e r 13. 14. A f te r th e R e c ita l 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7-

W i t h o n l y one e x c e p t i o n , h i g h e r t h a n t h e New p l a y s .

0 .9 0 .8 0 .8 0.8 0 .7 0 .6

Successful Successful S uccessful Successful S uccessful Successful

0 . 6 New 0 . 5 New 0 .4 S u ccessfu l 0 . 4 New

New 0 . 2 New 0 . 0 New ' 0 . 2 New 0 .3

the S u c c e s s fu l p la y s are

When t h i s

is co n sid ered ,

to ­

g e t h e r w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s more f r e q u e n t l y u s e d t h o s e e l e m e n t s t h a t se e m t o make f o r h i g h e r i n t e r e s t ,

it

seem s e v i d e n t t h a t t h e

New p l a y s a r e c o n s i s t e n t l y more e f f e c t i v e of ex p o sitio n .

in t h e i r h an dlin g

S u c h a c o n c l u s i o n may he d raw n i n s o f a r a s i t

r e l a t e d t o t h e s e v e n New a n d t h e s e v e n S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u n d e r in v e stig a tio n . The r e s u l t s o f t h e t a b u l a t i o n show t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f b o t h t h e New a n d t h e

S u c c e s s f u l p la y s c o n ta in e d e x p o s i t i o n of background m aterial.

D u r i n g t h e s e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s t h e New p l a y s

m ost f r e q u e n t l y u se d l i t t l e le v el,

p h y sical a c tiv ity ,

m oderate e m o tio n a l i n t e n s i t y ,

c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e New p l a y s ,

lo w l o u d n e s s

a n d a s l o w te m p o .

By

th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s o f

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d f r o m two t o t h r e e t i m e s a s much verbal c o n flic t,

suspense,

" c o n s i d e r a b l e 11 p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y ,

e x p o s i tio n to f u r t h e r p l o t , le v e l.

In a d d itio n ,

r a p i d te m p o , a n d h i g h l o u d n e s s

t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u s e d more humor,

more l i g h t n e s s o f mood a n d more l o w e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y . B oth groups o f p la y s used e x p o s itio n o f c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n a n d b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e same f r e ­ q u en c y , w h ile th e S u c c e s s f u l p la y s in c l u d e d e x p o s i t i o n to f u r t h e r p l o t i n e i g h t y - t w o p e r c e n t o f t h e low i n t e r e s t m inutes,

a s a g a i n s t f o r t y - o n e p e r c e n t f o r t h e New p l a y s . These d i f f e r e n c e s s u g g e s t t h a t t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

w e r e t h e more s k i l l f u l

in the tre a tm e n t of e x p o s itio n .

T h e i r e m p h a s i s on e x p o s i t i o n o f p l o t i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e c o n ­ t e n t o f t h e l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s was u n i f i e d w i t h t h e p l o t o f the p la y s ,

so t h a t t h e e x p o s i t i o n o f c h a r a c t e r a n d o f

b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l became more m e a n i n g f u l . w ith th is c o n flic ts,

In teg rated

e x p o s i t i o n were c o m p a r a t i v e l y f r e q u e n t v e r b a l m ental c o n f l i c t s ,

p h y sic al ac tio n .

In g e n e ra l,

suspense,

humor,

and b ro ad

t h e lo w I n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f

155 t h e New p l a y s w e r e l e s s

I n t e r e s t i n g a c c o r d in g to the

e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e e x p o s i t i o n was n o t a c c o m p a n i e d by t h e s e dram atic a c tio n s .

C h a p te r V II SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Summary o f M e t h o d o l o g y T h i s s t u d y was e x p l o r a t o r y m ental in d e sig n .

in n a t u r e and e x p e r i -

I t s p u r p o s e was t o i n v e s t i g a t e

t h e m ost

a n d t h e l e a s t i n t e r e s t i n g m i n u t e s i n s e v e n New a n d s e v e n S u ccessfu l p lays sim ila ritie s

to d e te rm in e th e d i f f e r e n c e s and

t h a t e x i s t b e t w e e n th em .

O bservers,

chosen

on th e b a s i s o f t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n drama and f r e q u e n c y o f a tte n d a n c e a t the t h e a t r e , te re st scale

w ere a s k e d t o e x p r e s s t h e i r i n ­

i n e a c h m inute o f the p la y a c c o r d i n g to a r a t i n g t h a t i n c l u d e d r a t i n g s f r o m a b o v e Very I n t e r e s t i n g t o

below Q u ite U n i n t e r e s t i n g . records fo r each p lay ,

From t h e o b s e r v e r s '

in te re st

the av erag e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g f o r ea ch

m i n u t e o f t h e p l a y was c o m p u te d . The a v e r a g e I n t e r e s t r a t i n g s

re p re s e n tin g th e

h ig h e s t f i f t e e n p e r c e n t and the lo w est te n p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l number o f m in u te s i n e a c h p l a y were t h e n s e l e c t e d f o r stu d y .

T h e s e h i g h a n d lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s i n e a c h p l a y

o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l a n d t h e New g r o u p s w ere t h e n d e s c r i b e d i n term s of d i s t r i b u t i o n

th ro u g h the p la y ,

and in term s o f th e

f re q u e n c y w ith w hich v a r io u s d ram a tic elem e n ts a p p e a re d in t h e h i g h a n d t h e lo w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e p l a y .

W ith

157 th ese d a ta fo r each p lay , p o site

a s w e l l a s t h o s e d a t a i n com­

form f o r e a c h group and b o th group s o f p l a y s ,

thought p o s s ib le

i t was

t o d i s c o v e r some o f t h o s e e l e m e n t s a n d

t e c h n i q u e s w h i c h seem t o c r e a t e a u d i e n c e

in te re st.

The New

a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l g r o u p s o f p l a y s were t h e n com pared a s to t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n a n d t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e lo w a n d t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m in u tes. R e v ie w o f F i n d i n g s a n d C o n c l u s i o n s D i f f e r e n c e s B e tw e e n t h e H i g h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f th e F o u rteen P lay s 1.

The b a s i c p u r p o s e o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s was

to p r e s e n t d ram atic a c tio n ;

the b a s ic purpose o f the

l o w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s was t o p r e s e n t e x p o s i t i o n . 2.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s w e r e c h i e f l y d i f f e r e n ­

t i a t e d f r o m t h e l o w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s by t h e i r more f r e ­ quent use o f v e rb a l c o n f l i c t ,

suspense,

su rp rise,

su ccessio n s of a tte n tio n catch in g d ev ices,

rap id

and

“c o n s i d e r a b l e n p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y . 3.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

lo w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n t h e

used h ig h em otional i n t e n s i t y ,

sh ifts

in em otional i n t e n s i t y ,

lev el,

sh ifts

te m p o ,

a n d a s e r i o u s mood.

m oderate o r h ig h lo u d n e s s

in loudness l e v e l,

m oderate o r r a p i d

k.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

t h e lo w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s ,

more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n

c o n ta in e d love

in te re st

p o r t r a y e d on s t a g e . C onclusions and Im p lic a tio n s 1.

These f i n d i n g s as to the d i f f e r e n c e s betw een th e

h i g h and th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s i n d i c a t e

th e con­

t r i b u t i o n w hich th e d ra m a tic a c t i o n s i n v e s t i g a t e d made t o t h e o b s e r v e r s ’ i n t e r e s t i n t h e p l a y . 2.

The f i n d i n g s a s t o t h e u s e o f e m o t i o n a l i n t e n s i t y ,

lo u d n ess le v e l,

tempo,

a n d mood c o n t a i n i m p l i c a t i o n s

a s t o t e c h n i q u e s f o r g a i n i n g v a r i e t y a n d c o n t r a s t by w h ic h th e d i r e c t o r an d a c t o r can hope to a c h i e v e a maximum a u d i e n c e r e s p o n s e . 3.

S ince th e h ig h e s t average

i n t e r e s t in the p la y

c a n e v i d e n t l y be a c h i e v e d by t h e u s e o f c e r t a i n t y p e s and co m b in atio n s o f d ram atic a c tio n s w ith o u t r e l a t i o n t o m a in p l o t , it

m a in c o n f l i c t ,

or p rin c ip a l ch aracters,

i s q u i t e a p p a r e n t t h a t p r o p e r em phasis and su b ­

o r d i n a t i o n p l a y an i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n e f f e c t i v e drama­ tiz a tio n .

If it

is d esirab le

to have th e c e n t r a l

c h a r a c t e r s i n v o l v e d i n t h e m ost i n t e r e s t i n g s c e n e s o f the p la y ,

t h e n i t w o u l d be w i s e t o h a v e s u c h s c e n e s

c o n t a i n more d r a m a t i c a c t i o n t h a n do t h o s e w hich m inor c h a r a c t e r s f i g u r e .

scenes in

159 D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s i n T erm s o f t h e D i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e H ig h a n d t h e Low I n t e r e s t P erio d s 1.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w e r e ,

New p l a y s ,

more n e a r l y t h a n t h e

s i m i l a r to each o t h e r as to th e l o c a t i o n

an d d u r a t i o n o f th e h i g h and th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s . a.

The the and act

b.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , more c o n s i s t e n t l y t h a n t h e New p l a y s , h a d a h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d i n th e f i n a l m in u tes o f the seco n d a c t .

c.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n t h e New p l a y s , h a d a lo w i n t e r e s t p e r i o d a t th e b e g in n in g o f the a c t s o r sc e n e s.

d.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , by c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e New p l a y s , a c h i e v e d h i g h a n d lo w i n t e r e s t p e r io d s of lo n g e r d u ra tio n .

e.

2.

The the and act

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , more c o n s i s t e n t l y t h a n New p l a y s , h a d more lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s few er h ig h i n t e r e s t m inutes i n the f i r s t t h a n i n any o t h e r .

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s , more c o n s i s t e n t l y t h a n New p l a y s , h a d more h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s f e w e r lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s i n t h e l a s t t h a n i n any o t h e r .

The New p l a y s ,

p lay s,

more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n t h e S u c c e s s f u l

s e l f - l i m i t e d the d u r a tio n o f th e h ig h i n t e r e s t

p erio d s. C o nclusions and Im p lic a tio n s 1.

These f i n d i n g s as to d i s t r i b u t i o n i n d i c a t e

t h a t th e l o c a t i o n and d u r a t i o n o f th e h ig h and th e low i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s w ould

160 s e e m t o make f o r t h e g r e a t e s t d r a m a t i c e f f e c t i v e n e s s . 2.

The c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e p a t t e r n o f d i s t r i b u t i o n

from S u c c e s s f u l p l a y to S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s u g g e s t s t h a t th e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y w r i g h t s h ad an a b i l i t y th e ir m aterial, to a rra n g e

to c o n t r o l

to p r e d e te r m in e au d ie n c e r e s p o n s e ,

th e most a n d th e l e a s t

and

in te r e s tin g p erio d s

o f t h e p l a y i n a p a t t e r n t h a t w o u l d a c h i e v e a maximum effect. D i f f e r e n c e s B etw een th e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u tes o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s 1.

The h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

d i f f e r e d f r o m t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e New p la y s in th e

same a r e a s ,

b u t n o t t o t h e same e x t e n t ,

t h a t t h e c o m p o s i t e h i g h i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s d i f f e r e d f ro m t h e c o m p o s i t e lo w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s . 2.

The c o n t e n t o f t h e h i g h i n t e r e s t p e r i o d s o f t h e

S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s was, New p l a y s , o b stacle, 3.

to a g r e a t e r d e g re e th a n in the

c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h e m a in p l o t , co n flic t,

them e,

and c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r s o f the p la y .

The h e i g h t o f t h e a v e r a g e

i n t e r e s t r a t i n g f o r any

g i v e n m i n u t e was c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h e n u m b e r a n d ty p e s o f d r a m a tic a c t i o n s w hich t h a t m inute c o n t a in e d .

D i f f e r e n c e s B e t w e e n t h e Low I n t e r e s t M i n u t e s o f t h e New a n d t h e S u c c e s s f u l P l a y s 1.

The l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

co n tain ed ,

w i t h t w i c e t h e f r e q u e n c y o f t h e New p l a y s ,

e x p o s ito ry d ialo g u e 2.

t h a t f u r t h e r e d the p l o t .

The l o w i n t e r e s t m i n u t e s o f t h e S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s

u s e d th e f o l l o w i n g d r a m a t i c a c t i o n s an d t e c h n i q u e s from two t o t h r e e

t i m e s a s f r e q u e n t l y a s d i d t h e New p l a y s :

V erbal c o n f l i c t , tiv ity , 3.

suspense,

r a p i d te m p o ,

co n sid erab le p h y sic a l ac­

and h ig h lo u d n e ss l e v e l .

The h e i g h t o f t h e i n t e r e s t r a t i n g s f o r a g i v e n

m i n u t e was c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h e n um be r a n d t y p e s o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n w h ich t h a t m inute c o n t a i n e d . C o n c lu sio n s and I m p lic a tio n s 1.

The New p l a y w r i g h t s show ed c o m p a r a t i v e l y more s k i l l

in the h a n d lin g of b r i e f ,

d ram atic s i t u a t i o n s

th an in

th e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f e x p o s ito ry m a te r ia l. 2.

New p l a y w r i g h t s e x h i b i t e d a t e n d e n c y d u r i n g t h e

h i g h an d th e low i n t e r e s t m in u te s to d e v e lo p c h a r a c t e r ­ i z a t i o n by e x p o s i t i o n r a t h e r t h a n by r e l a t i n g

the

c h a r a c t e r to a s t o r y w hich e n a b le d the c h a r a c t e r to rev ea l h im self. 3.

The S u c c e s s f u l p l a y s sh o w ed s k i l l i n a c c o m p a n y i n g

e x p o s itio n w ith in te r e s t - a r o u s in g d ram atic a c tio n s .

Type o f s u b j e c t m a t t e r seems t o h a v e b e e n o f l e s s Im portance to the c r e a t i o n o f au d ien ce i n t e r e s t th a n was t h e d r a m a t i c a c t i o n w i t h w h i c h i t was p r e s e n t e d . If

two c h a r a c t e r s on s t a g e w ere a r g u i n g a s t o t h e

relativ e average

m e r i t s o f c a p i t a l i s m a n d communism,

the

i n t e r e s t a r o u s e d w o u l d more p r o b a b l y b e a

r e sp o n se to th e v e r b a l c o n f l i c t th a n to the c o n te n t o the d ia lo g u e , 5.

U n ifica tio n of p lo t,

ch aracters

co n flic ts,

o b stacles,

and

i s e s s e n t i a l t o maximum d r a m a t i c e f f e c t i v e

ness. S u g g e s tio n s f o r F u r t h e r Study T h i s s t u d y I n a u d i e n c e r e s p o n s e i s one o f a s e r i e s now i n p r o g r e s s a t t h e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f These p r o j e c t s

Iowa.

in clu d e:

1.

An i n t e n s i v e s t u d y o f t h e m e t h o d o l o g y . (T he r e s u l t s o f t h i s s tu d y have been a v a i l a b l e to the p r e s e n t i n v e s t i g a t o r . )

2.

A study o f sex d if f e r e n c e s responses.

3.

A s tu d y o f th e re s p o n se o f Jews, C a t h o l i c s , P r o t e s t a n t s to p l a y s w i t h r e l i g i o u s them es.

in term s o f i n t e r e s t and

A stu d y o f d i f f e r e n c e s in the i n t e r e s t re s p o n s e s o f v a rio u s o c c u p a tio n a l groups. The p o s s i b i l i t i e s r e s e a r c h se em t o l i e

o f t h i s m e th o d o f a u d i e n c e

i n two d i r e c t i o n s .

The r e s e a r c h may

p o i n t e d tow ard the p r o d u c tio n i t s e l f o r tow ard the ob­ server.

S everal p ro je c ts

p o ssib le

and w orthw hile.

su g g e st them selves as b e in g

R e s e a r c h D i r e c t e d Tow ard t h e P r o d u c t i o n 1.

S ec u re a u d ie n c e r e a c t i o n to the r e a d i n g s o f e a r l y

d rafts b asis 2.

o f p l a y s , a n d u s e t h e a n a l y s i s o f th e m a s a f o r r e v is in g the p la y s.

Make a c o m p a r a t i v e s t u d y o f t h e i n t e r e s t r e s p o n s e s

to s ta g e p l a y s , shows.

If

m ovies,

r a d i o drama,

th e i n t e r e s t p a tte r n s f o r a p a r t i c u l a r

drama t h a t had been a d a p t e d to a l l be s e c u r e d ,

and t e l e v i s i o n

it

t h e s e m edia c o u l d

m ight p r o v i d e w o rth w h ile d a t a as to

t e c h n i q u e s o f a d a p t a t i o n f r o m one f o r m o f d r a m a t i c p r e s e n t a t i o n to a n o th e r. i n t e r e s t i n g c o r o l l a r y to

I t w ould a l s o p r o v i d e an t h e r e c e n t s t u d y by C h a r l e s

G-aupp o f m o vie a d a p t a t i o n s 3.

Make a c a r e f u l l y

to s ta g e p l a y s .

c o n t r o l l e d stu d y o f p o s s ib le

d if­

f e r e n c e i n i n t e r e s t p a t t e r n s betw een d i f f e r e n t p e r ­ f o r m a n c e s o f t h e same p l a y .

T h i s c o u l d be done i n c o n ­

ju n c t i o n w ith a s e l e c t e d group o f s p e c t a t o r s ,

each of

whom w o u l d o b s e r v e a l l o f t h e p e r f o r m a n c e s a n d r a t e i n o r d e r from " b e s t"

to

"w o rst."

In t h i s manner i t

m i g h t be p o s s i b l e t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e

th e m

d i f f e r e n c e ' s f r o m one p e r f o r m a n c e t o a n o t h e r a r e o f a m agnitude t h a t a f f e c t s au d ie n c e re s p o n s e . D e v e l o p r a t i n g s c a l e s a n d t e c h n i q u e s by w h i c h v a r i o u s e l e m e n t s o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n c a n be r a t e d a n d t h e i r e f f e c t i v e n e s s m easured. Re s e a r c h D i r e c t e d Tow ard t h e O b s e r v e r I n t h i s a r e a an a t t e m p t c o u l d be made t o i n v e s ­ tig a te

the i n t e r e s t re sp o n se s of i n d i v i d u a l s o r groups o f

p e o p le to d i s c o v e r the in f lu e n c e s o f v a rio u s e n v iro n m e n ta l facto rs

on t h e r e s p o n s e t o d r a m a t i c p r o d u c t i o n s .

Some o f

t h e f o l l o w i n g q u e s t i o n s m i g h t be a n s w e r e d : 1.

What d i f f e r e n c e s i n i n t e r e s t ( o r o t h e r ) r e s p o n s e s a r e o c c a s i o n e d by d i f f e r e n c e s i n a g e , s e x , o c c u p a ­ t i o n , c h u r c h m em bership, e d u c a t i o n a l b a c k g ro u n d , and p o l i t i c a l a f f i l i a t i o n s , b e l i e f s and a t t i t u d e s ?

2.

What i s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n r e s p o n s e s t o d r a m a tic p r o d u c tio n s and the resp o n se to o r a p p re c ia tio n o f o th e r a e s th e tic experiences?

3.

What i s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e r e s p o n s e t o d r a m a tic p r o d u c t i o n s and th e a t t i t u d e s , p r e j u d i c e s , l i k e s and d i s l i k e s o f th e o b se rv e r? These and o t h e r p r o j e c t s

able

should p ro v id e

co n sid er­

i n f o r m a t i o n a n d i n s i g h t a s t o how a n d why p e o p l e r e a c t

a s t h e y do t o v a r i o u s d r a m a t i c p r e s e n t a t i o n s . w rig h t,

d irec to r,

The p l a y ­

a n d a c t o r w o u l d t h e n h a v e some b a s i s o t h e r

t h a n t h e i r own i n s i g h t f r o m w h i c h t o g a u g e a u d i e n c e r e a c t i o n .

165 APPENDIX A S y n o p se s o f th e H igh I n t e r e s t M in u tes o f th e S u ccessfu l P lay s. The M i n u t e s ' L o c a t i o n a n d A v e r a g e I n t e r e s t R a t i n g Are I n c l u d e d THE PATRIOTS

C p