Emotional Zones

Synonyms

Emotional Boundaries. Mood Scape.

Introduction

In this scene the stage will be divided into three different emotional zones. The performers must adopt the emotion of the zone that they are in.

Description

Emotional Zones is a handle that overlays an open scene. The host will typically collects emotions suggested by the audience. The host then divides the stage into three parts assigning an emotion to each section. For example, stage left is joy, center stage is sadness and stage right is hopeful. One would hope that in regular course of a scene the performers would naturally move across the stage and be affected by the designated emotion.

For example if a performer is located stage left their character would be suffused with joy. Regardless of the narrative and dialogue of the scene the character will sound and appear joyous. When the same character moves to center stage (as part of the narrative) the will suddenly become very sad. Whether the character justifies their emotional change depends on the artistic leanings of the house. The narrative is always more important than the handle. Performers should not sacrifice the narrative arc for short term laughs from emotional changes.

Gimmicks

• Rapidly crossing boundaries and altering emotions.
• Straddling a boundary and combining emotions.
• Have many emotional zones (more than three).
• Use obscure complicated emotions.

Variations

• Profession Zones; Animal Zones; Political Party Zones; Genre Zones.
• Emotional Object – whichever character has the object is imbued with the emotion.

Credits

• None

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