MISSION VIEJO HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA Autobiography Checklist The autobiography of you character should be written in the first person (I, me, mine) for immediate personalization of your exploration. Third person (he/she, him/her, hers/his) creates a separation from the character. As you write, allow experiences of your own life to enter the life of the character. Be specific, detailed, imaginative, personal. Study the play for what is given. Do research where you need to fill in important blanks. Create the rest. Let yourself go!
WHO AM I? How do I feel about who I am? Name: what is my full name (even if it is not in the script)? What does it mean to me? Age: What is my birthday? How do I feel about my age? Social Status: Where do I fit into the social structure that I live in? How do I feel about it? Education: How extensive has my education been? Elementary, high school, college, trade school, graduate school, personal study-- what are my favorite subjects, favorite projects, popularity, least favorite subjects, hang-ups? Economic Status: How does my financial situation fit into the financial structure of the world around me? Racial/Ethnic/Religious Grouping: Do I belong to a specific group? Any incidents involving my relationship to the culture I was born into? Job/Career: What, if any, is my work history? Major Failures: What have I screwed up? How has it affected my life? Stories? Interests and Talents: What do I have a passion for? Do I get to fulfill my passions?
WHO IS MY FAMILY? How do I feel about my family? Parents: What are their names, ages? Are they still alive? If they have passed away, how did they die? How do I feel about them? How do I feel about their relationship? How has it affected me? Siblings: What are their names, ages? How do I feel about each of them? What is my place in the family – oldest, middle, youngest, only child? Relatives: Are there any other family members (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) who were/are of importance to me? What are they like? History of home/family life: What was my upbringing? What events were important in my home or family life in my childhood, adolescence, adulthood?
FRIENDS / OTHERS How do I feel about the people in my life? Friends: Who were my childhood, adolescence, adulthood friends? How did we meet? What are they like – names, ages, temperaments, looks, etc.? How have they affected me? Others: Who is the most important person in my life? Why? Who do I look up to? Why? Who do I long to meet? Why? Who do I trust? Why? Who do I fear? Why? Who am I in conflict with? Why? Any crushes/idols? Any pets/animals? Details, stories, incidents about any of these people? Current relationship status: Single, dating, married, partnered, divorced? How do I feel about these relationships? Current family: Who surrounds me now – parents, children, mate, siblings, roommates? What are they like – temperament, looks? Is this important? How do I feel about each of them? How do I treat the people around me? How do they treat me? Why?
WHERE AM I? WHEN DO I LIVE? Location History: Where was I born? Where have I lived? Where do I live now? How have these places affected me? How do I feel about where I have lived? Any incidents or stories about my home? Current surroundings: Where do I live now? What is my address? What does my bedroom look like? My bathroom? My closet? What is the weather? How does it affect me? Am I in an urban or natural environment? Historical time period: What is the date? What are the current political, social, economic, religious, and class structures? How do they affect me? Are we at peace? Or war? What major world events are happening around me? Cultural time period: What are my current modes of transportation? Current fashion, values, entertainments? How do I feel about the current culture?
WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE / SOUND LIKE? HOW DO I MOVE? Stats: What is my height, weight, hair color, eyes, skin color, muscle tone or lack of, body shape, distinguishing characteristics (natural or manmade)? How do I feel about my physical appearance? Health: Did I, or do I, have any illnesses, deformities, physical challenges, physical injuries? How do they affect me now, physically and emotionally? Movement: What was my physical self-image as a child, adolescent, adult? Has it changed? How do I feel now? Have I been involved in athletics? Do I dance? Am I overweight? Do I hate my body? Do I flaunt my body? Do I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders? Am I self-conscious, expansive, careful, protective, aggressive, etc.? Why? How does this affect the way I carry myself and move? Grooming Habits: What do I wear? Do I take care of my clothing? Do I care about clothing? Do I or don’t I take care of my skin, teeth, hair, nails, etc.? Why? Do I bathe? Do I wear make-up? Do I stay abreast of current fashion or not care about it? Why? Vocal Nature: Am I loud, soft, quick slow? Do words come a mile a minute or am I deliberate? Why? Do I use a big vocabulary or just a few words? Why? Is my voice musical or harsh?
WHAT DO I BELIEVE IN? Spiritual: Do I participate in any other spiritual rites/rituals? What stories do I have about my spiritual beliefs? Family: what is important to me? The nuclear family? American “traditional” family? No family? Respect for elders? A family of friends? Why do I believe this and how does this belief affect me? What events surround this belief? Prejudice: Who am I better than? Who is unworthy? How do I feel about people who are different in race, religion, sexual orientation, political belief, economic strata, ethnic grouping, cultural background, educational or social background? How did I come to feel this? How does it affect my behavior? Fears: Who do I fear? What event do I fear? What state of being do I fear? Why? What stories do I have about these fears? Am I hiding anything? Priorities: What is most important to me? What guides my behavior? Why?
DAILY HABITS Routines: What is my schedule? Why do I live this way? How important is keeping my schedule to me? What happens when I stray from my routine? Spending Time: What do I do in my free time? Do I have any idiosyncratic behaviors? Eccentric patterns? What do I think about? Why do I do these things? Any stories? Coping: What makes me happy? What makes me sad? Why? Details.
PAST & FUTURE Events: First words, first memory, first toy, first injury, first loss, first threatened, holidays, birthdays, first trip to the dentist, etc. Goals: What do I want right now (objective)? Why? What is in my way (obstacle)? What will I do when I get what I want (reaction)? What do I want in my life (superobjective / spine)? What’s in my way? What will I do/ what am I willing to do to get what I want (action)?
SUBJECTIVE INFORMATION What is my favorite characteristic about myself? Least favorite? Why? Have these changed over the years? What are my favorite colors, foods, music, clothing, time of day, season, etc.? Do I have any object or thing of special significance? What is it? Why is it important? Do I lie to others, blame them, enable, be honest, passive, aggressive, etc.? Examples. Why?
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