Basic Structure:

• You will be assigned a topic, your group will have  9-10 minutes to cover your topic
• Identify the main subtopics you want to cover within your larger topic
• brainstorm how to cover those subtopics in your play, then divide subtopics into scenes
• Groups of 10-12 (you choose your own group of 3-4 – we assign your group to a group)
• Roles: Writers, props/costumes, researchers – everyone is an actor (must have a narrator to help provide information and transitions)
• you will be given a set of families to use as characters in your play
• You must use all of the families at least once in your play, they will help you show interaction between various groups of people
• Show scenes from American Life in a variety of settings (rural, urban, ethnic, etc.)
• This is a play that follows 3 families through the generations. Who are they and what are they about?  Are they farmers, wealthy land/store owners, etc.  How do these families intersect?
• What historical conditions/events bring them together?
• What historical conditions/events separate or cause conflict among them?
• 1 family must be in each scene – you must use all three families in the course of your part of the play
  
  

Topics

• Populists/Progressive Era-young Generation I
• WWI & 1920s (no flappers/jazz/pop culture)-older Generation I
• Great Depression/New Deal –young Generation II
• Homefront during WWII-older Generation II
• Cold War & postwar America - young Generation III
• Civil Rights Movement & early 1960’s-young Generation III

Steps in the Play Creation Process:

1. Divide your major topic(s) into subtopics
2. Assign your subtopics to scenes
3. Research and brainstorm for each scene, then decide which family members and other characters you will need for each scene
4. Write your scene scripts
5. List the props and costumes you will need for each scene, assign individual group members to get costumes & props
6. Rehearse and polish
7. Rehearse and polish
8. Rehearse and polish some more
9. Present your part of the play to the class on Friday, April 25

List of Families:
Remember that each family must appear in your play at least once, and that all scenes must include at least one of the three families.
Family #1 (The Smythe Family) – New Money. always at the forefront of the economic and social trends.  Very conscientious of social status, rules, etiquette, etc.  They are an urban family living in high society.

• Mother
• Father
• Child 1
• Child 2
• Child 3
• Child 4

Family #2 (The Johnson Family) – Rural, traditional American values.  Not overly concerned with social trends or social status.  Looking to raise a solid family who are upstanding members of their community. 

• Grandmother
• Grandfather
• Uncle
• Mother
• Father
• Child 1
• Child 2
• Child 3
• Child 4
• Child 5
• Child 6
• Child 7

Family #3 (Whatever Name you Choose)– Recent immigrants.  This family is a traditional, hard working family looking to stake their claim in America, but they still have family back home who may or may not travel to the land of opportunity.  This is the most flexible family in terms of the characters and how they emerge throughout the play.

• Mother 
• Father
• Great Aunt
• Child 1
• Child 2
• Child 3
• Child 4