As I think of the play and write more of the scenes, I have been wondering more and more about the structure of the play. This isn't a narrative story, it is not necessarily being led by the series of events. This is especially true seeing as how I've been jumping through time to craft certain scenes. This is a montage, a collage of images and moments, but I want it to have a foundation, something to drive things, not necessarily for the audience, but so that I know where things are going.
In a happy, subliminal accident, I found the structure of the play. In Couturier's opening monologue, I wrote: "You are about to take part in a sacred ritual." By "sacred ritual," I meant theatrical performance. But what if he meant a mass? What if I created a mass of images rather than prayers? What if I took the structure of the mass and created the scenes to speak to those moments of the mass? This means there would be prayers, there would be an offering, scripture. I planned to use the scripture readings to explore the character of the Virgin Mary. If this is a mass, then it would make sense to have Mary in a biblical scene in the play. I have listed the general form and parts of the Catholic mass in order to keep myself moving forward:
Entrance Procession
Greeting
(Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water)
Penitential Rite
Kyrie
Gloria
Opening Prayer
First Reading
Responsorial Psalm
Alleluia or Gospel Acclamation
Gospel
(Homily)
Profession of Faith
General Intercessions / Prayer of the Faithful
Presentation of the Gifts / Preparation of the Altar
Prayer over the Gifts
Eucharistic Prayer
Lord's Prayer
Sign of Peace
Breaking of the Bread
Communion
Prayer after Communion
Blessing
Dismissal
This is my structure. Not every part of the mass will have a separate scene, but it will progress in time. The intercessory prayers might be connected to the offering and presentation of the gifts. This will also help me craft scenes and find that "motivation" I've been looking for. It gives the scenes a purpose. Not a traditional theatrical "What For?" but a purpose nonetheless.
About Me
- Chris
- Chris Leyva is originally from Albuquerque, NM. He received an M.F.A. from the Playwrights Workshop at The University of Iowa and a B.A. in Directing from Coe College. Chris recently directed a production of his play, "All Grace," (Richard Maibaum Award in Playwriting, workshop production, 2006 Iowa New Play Festival) for the Columbus Arts Festival in 2008. His play, "Solamente Una Vez; A Thaw," was named a finalist in the Regional Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre’s 2007 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition and was presented in a staged reading at Playwrights Horizons and at the Alliance. Other plays include: "The Brothers Caramillo--Eulogy for a Piece of Sh*t" (staged reading 2008, Great Plains Theatre Conference, semi-finalist PlayLabs 2008), "Bloodletting" (reading 2006, Bison Theatre), "Holy Schmidt!," (staged reading, 2005 Iowa New Play Festival), "Father Bob," (workshop production, University of Iowa), and "Dialogues with Lars," (finalist, YES Festival of New Plays, Northern Kentucky University; semi-finalist, New Play Festival, Florida Studio Theatre).
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