Theatrical Review Guidelines and RubricMr. Tryzbiak
The review is to be an evaluation of a live theatrical piece in which you are not directly involved.
To receive credit the review must be –
Typed in black, Times Roman 10 or 12 point font and double-spaced.
1 ¼ inch right and left margins, 1-inch top and bottom margins.
The review may be turn in in hard copy form on or before the due date. The review may be E-mailed to If emailing you will receive a conformation from Mr. Tryzbiak that your document has been received and is readable to him. You are responsible for making sure it is received and readable prior to the due date. Plan ahead.
A ticket stub and program must be turned in to Mr. Tryzbiak prior to the due date.
DO
Back up all your opinions with valid reasons.
Use vocabulary used in Theatre Arts’ Class.
Be objective and fair.
Evaluate the entire production.
Be constructive. Indicate good points along with those you felt needed improvement.
Be sincere. Believe what you say.
Write the review soon after seeing the production, while it is still fresh in your mind.
AVOID
Being constantly negative.
Being overly critical. Approach a performance with an attitude of enjoying it.
Being arrogant. Be humble, kind and understanding of the difficulty of performing.
Anyone found cheating/plagiarizing on all or part of any assignment will receive: a zero for the assignment, a parent phone call, 2-1 hour afterschool detentions, and be referred to an administrator for further disciplinary consequences. If a student provides his/her work to another student, and that student copies the assignment and submits it as his/her own work, both students will receive zeroes and face the disciplinary consequences mentioned above. A second offense for cheating/plagiarizing could result in an immediate transfer from Collegiate Academy.
The Review should have the following five parts. Each part is worth 10 point. The total point possible of the review is 50 points
10 / 5 / 0Paragraph 1 - The Basics
- The name of the play
- Author/Composer/Lyricist
- Place of performance
- Date of performance
- Director’s name.
- In a few sentences tell about the basic theme of the play and a very general plot. Avoid retelling the entire play.
Paragraph 2 - The Acting
React to the performers playing the characters. Be sure to use their names.
Were they believable?
Comment on:
- Their vocal performance. How was the volume, tempo, vocal quality, interpretation, articulation?
- Their physical performance. Were the gestures, movement, and business suitable to the characters?
- Their emotions.
- Their relationships. Was there teamwork? Was there a proper relationships between characters?
Paragraph 3 - The Direction
Comment on:
- The concept of the play.
- The director's choice of tempo for the play.
- The casting of the roles.
Did the piece run smoothly? / All of the required information is included in the review. / Most of the required information is included. / Much of the required information is not included.
Paragraph 4 - The Design
Be sure to use the names of the designers responsible for the work.
Comment on:
- The Set: Did it establish the correct mood and background for the play?
- The Lights: Did they convey the proper mood, emphasis and illumination?
- The Costumes and Make-up: Were they true to the period of the show? To the Characters?
- The Sound: How did the sound effects and music contribute to the show's mood?
Paragraph 5 - The Reaction
Comment on:
- The audience’s reaction. Who was in the audience? (ages, sex, etc)
- Your reaction. Would you recommend it to others? Who?