Prof. Suzanne Miller
Pitch Paper
English 2002 * Spring, 2019
Due: Wednesday, May 15th—printed copy due in class*. Late paper will not be accepted.
Think about the four plays we have completed thus far: The Rising of the Moon, Othello, Water by the Spoonful, and Disgraced, and choose the one that you think would be most appropriate, compelling, and possibly even life-affecting for your fellow City Tech students. Then do the following:
Write a “pitch” (we will review this term) in the form of a 4-5 page letter to the artistic director (we will review this term as well) of Voorhees Theater.
The pitch will include the following:
In the introductory paragraph…
- Ground the reader by providing a brief overview of the play’s plot.
- Give a clear thesis that follows the equation THESIS = topic + comment on the topic.
- The topic is simply that you think Voorhees should produce your chosen play. The comment on the topic is WHY you think fellow City Tech students would benefit from watching this play.
In the main body of the letter…
- Discuss two or three scenes in the play that illustrate your thesis well. Use specific examples from the play along with direct quotes that tie back to your reason for choosing this play for a City Tech audience.
- Include a review from at least one production (not a book review) that backs up your argument of would make this a riveting show to see at City Tech.
In the concluding paragraph…
- Convince the reader that you are passionate about this project, and provide a sense of the production you have planned. Explain that you are sending either images or audio clips via email (which you will do by sending them to me), and in this paragraph explain what you are sending and why you have chosen these images or clips. Choose oneof the suggestions from the list below. (You may also suggest another idea to me, and if it meets the criteria, I will approve it).
- Find three images for the set. Find at least three images that you might give to a set designer. These images might be practical (for example, pictures of actual furniture or a drawing of a room that might you think best represents the set), or your images may be conceptual (colors, textures, etc. that you think represent the “feeling” of the place where the play takes place.
OR
- Find three images for the costumes. Follow the directions above.
OR
- Find three clips to give to a sound designer: this might be clips of songs that are played between scenes or sound effects that may occur during the scenes.
OR
- Cast the main characters of the play by submitting “headshots” of the actors/actresses. (If you choose Othello, do not cast the actors/actresses from the film.
- End the pitch by adding one more convincing reason as to why this play is the one that City Tech students need to see.
