Name Title of Song

Worksheet: Imagination

Instructions: The following suggestions are meant to inspire your imagination.

Your work can take any form, such as journal entries, poetry, daydreams, letters, songs,
drawings, sewing, bicycle riding, and more. There is no limit to this. Choose the prompts
from this list that interest you.

Dig deeply into the situations and circumstances you will need for your character
and the show. Perhaps you need to think about how life would be if you had a son (Blood
Brothers), a cow (Into the Woods), a lamb (Gypsy), or a dog (Wizard of Oz). How about
imagining a day in the lifeall twenty-four hours of itfor your character? Think about
a good day, a bad day, a childhood memory, an acceptance speech, a secret that nobody
knows. If you prefer to be less structured, you can simply make a list of 100 questions to
ask your character, and then answer them.

I prefer to . . .
When I was twenty-nine (or nineteen, or forty-nine) . . .
At my present age, what I know for sure is . . .
What I do best is . . .
I have no idea . . .
One recurring nightmare I have . . .
When Im nervous or upset or have a serious decision to make I . . .
Nothing makes me feel better at the height of winter than . . .
If I had nothing else to do I would . . .
Describe one day within every decade of your life (When I was ten, twenty,
thirty . . . )
If someone were to empty the bag that is your character, what would they find?
Also, what kind of bag would it be (silk, rag, leather, paper)? If you like, you can
actually make and fill this bag.
Write your resume.
Find ten images every day for a week.
Life episodes: write one long paragraph about various events of your life.
Reveal your sex life or a scandal in a letter to yourself.
Write your obituary or will.
Name Title of Song

Worksheet: Outside Research

Outside research uses other sources to gain information about your character. Here is a
list of places to begin your outside research:

Historical books on the time period and location

Primary source material from which the show is derived
Other biographical material published about your character (Is your character
based on a real person or a pre-existing fictional character?)
Other works by the same writer
Books, movies, photos, paintings or other media on the subject matter or
events in the show

Instructions: Based on your outside research, name three things you would like to
incorporate into your character work and where you found the information that sparked
your ideas. Name three facts that you didnt know before you began your research. Did
you learn anything that surprised you?
Name Title of Song

Worksheet: Who am I?

Instructions: From what you have learned about your character from outside and inside
research, complete the following statement as a template to open your imagination:

If I were that character, and what happened to that character

happened to me, I would . . .

Start with the name of your character and one known situation your character encounters
in the script. Then create a way you would handle that situation or an action you would
take if you were that character. Do this for five to ten different situations. Here are some
examples:

If I were Anna in The King and I, and I were a mother, I would tuck my son into
bed every night with a good night kiss.

If I were Lancelot in Camelot, and I were secretly in love, I would imagine my

loves head on the pillow next to mine.

If I were Claude in The Bakers Wife, and my wife left me, I wouldnt be able to
bake because of my grief.

If I were Lizzie in 110 in the Shade, and a man told me I was beautiful, I would
treat him like the liar he is for making fun of me.
Name Title of Song

Worksheet: Creating an Arc for an Ensemble Role

Instructions: Using the column format below, make a list of any and all songs, stage
activities, and dialogue for your character in the order they appear in the script. If you
play several characters over the course of the show, you will need to do this exercise for
each one separately.
Next, identify how the group numbers or scenes that you are in affect the main
characters. Do you and the other members of the ensemble represent society (The Music
Man)? Are you commenting on the action and telling the story to the audience like a
Greek Chorus (Urinetown)? Do you represent a specific point of view that contradicts or
agrees with the main characters (Finians Rainbow)? Keep in mind that the ensemble may
fulfill different roles in different scenes.
After youve figured out what your role is, think about whether the ensemble, as a
whole, makes a shift. Do you serve the story differently at the beginning, middle, or end
or the show? Some examples of shifts might be to go from festive and jovial to dark and
disapproving, or from innocent to jaded, or careful to carefree. Notice whether the shift
happens mid-song or mid-scene, and identify what makes the shift occur. Does one of the
main characters convince you to change? Does something happen? In order to help tell
the story, your character will need to mirror the rest of the ensemble during these shifts.
Does your character go along with the change willingly, or reluctantly? If reluctantly,
then what finally convinces you?
Using the outline youve created for your lines, songs, and activities, write a few
paragraphs that describe your characters journey through the whole show.

Song Title/
Other Stage Activities/
Scene Number Dialogue Ensembles Role in this Scene
Name Title of Song

Worksheet: Drawing the Character

Instructions: This is as simple as it sounds. Spend some time drawing the character at
various stages of his or her journey through the show. If you are not an accomplished
artist, thats fine. The point is to try and experience the character through your eyes and
fingers. You may want to observe people in the park, at the mall, or at a party to get some
ideas for physical shape. This art project may lead you to do other drawings or artwork.