The Alchemist (Jonson) Lesson Plan

Stage Directions

Kind of Activity:

Group Discussion

Objective:

Students will come up with their own method of staging a scene from the play.

Structure:

Jonson's stage directions were sparse, if not non-existent. It's possible that early drafts of his works often didn't even include character entrances and exits, leaving readers to assume them based on dialogue. This lack of specific direction can be challenging for directors, leaving much to their imaginations, although it also gives plenty of room for individual interpretation. Students will take a seat in the director's chair for this activity: in small groups, they will figure out how they might go about staging...