Writing a scene based on a painting.

Choose a “masterpiece” painting with at least three figures in it. The definition of a masterpiece is deliberately vague, but seek out the wise counsel that generations of art critics, historians, and the culture at large have to offer in this regard

Imagine a dramatic situation depicted in the moment captured by the painting.

Write a short (3-4 page) scene that leads up to that moment. The scene must include at least one reversal (see also peripeteia), and can include entrances and exits of other characters as long as the final image matches the painting. Do not go overboard with descriptive stage directions; your dialogue and action should motivate the final image, not your italics.

You’ll have exactly 12 minutes from beginning of rehearsal until “opening night.”