Another important aspect of play production is emphasis on stage directions. Marqués has provided his readers with a wealth of descriptive gestures, attitudes and actions which give us added insight into character developmont. In conjunction with Viola Spolin’s suggestions on “Character” (p. 253-269),
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these directions can be introduced to the students before the day’s reading in order to insure a richer interpretation. This also provides an expanded vocabulary for the students in the use of stage language and illustrates the non-verbal aspect of theatre. Following are the pages and corresponding directions:
ACT I
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P. 9 muttering, briskly, annoyed
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10 reacting
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11 pretending
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12 interrupting herself, slyly
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14 mending
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15 twisting furiously
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16 suddenly somber, dryly
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17 sincerely indignant, changing her tone
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18 trying not to laugh, trying to be strict
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19 shrugging her shoulders
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22 sharply, disturbed, alarmed
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23 offended, rebelling
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24 jesting
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25 enthusiastically
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31 undecided
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32 squats, timidly, anguished
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33 tears his hair with rage
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34 limping, slightly ironic, gently
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37 looks questioningly, absorbed
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38 indignant, furious, calmly
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39 withdrawing, evading, hopefully, authoritatively
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42 snooping, disconcerted, evasive
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44 anguished
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45 shouting wildly
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48 moved
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49 lovingly, carressing
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50 absorbed, smiling understandingly
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51 signaling
ACT II
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60 pause
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61 sincerely, protesting, mischievously, ironically, ashamed, with vigor
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64 dignified, with contempt
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65 indignantly, sighing
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66 in anguished surprise
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67 startled
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68 watching fearfully
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69 in a bad mood, distracted
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70 abashed
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71 her voice trembles with emotion and uncertainty
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73 offended
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74 looking fixedly
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75 desperately, turns sharply
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76 animated
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77 reproaching him
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78 pronounced with affected correctness
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79 with a forced laugh
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80 startled, sarcastically
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81 passionate supplication, somber
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82 in a deafening voice
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83 hysterical, aloof
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85 pensive, with disgust, with sudden dryness
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86 conclusively, somewhat restrained
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87 with an air of superiority, terrified, retreating
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88 annoyed
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90 uneasy
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94 defeated
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97 reacts calmly and diligently
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98 rushes out, like a shot
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99 in a low, forceful voice
ACT III
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110 a gesture of impatience, indolently
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112 changing her tone, in a low voice, full of emotion, gets up violently
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115 advancing menacingly
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117 insisting, annoying pause
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120 with comic disconcertedness
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121 brusquely
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123 laughing bitterly
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125 distrubed, evading him
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133 reading with difficulty, her voice trembling from emotion
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134 in a serious tone
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135 becomes absorbed by his reading
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136 urgently, desperately, in anguish, frightened
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137 rebelling
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138 somber
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141 grumbling
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142 pretending indignation
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143 dryly
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145 cautiously, with tenderness
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146 astonished, indignant, pensively, sobs
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151 terribly upset
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154 her voice begins to break