by Jennifer Tibbets
(GRETCHEN SCHRIVER enters left and walks down left. SILHOUETTES congregate up right and throughout the speech slowly spread out across the back of the stage, legs and arms spread wide to represent the prairie.)
GRETCHEN SCHRIVER: I am American. In 1885 my family left the newly united Germany. It was the Industrial Revolution and machines were replacing people. My family was no longer needed. America was still wide open, though. They entered through Galveston, Texas, and eventually made their way up the Mississippi River to Milwaukee. They farmed. They took all that land, that prairie grass waving mile after mile, and started turning it into the infamous bread basket. They built churches and music halls, and, well, they really settled into America.
Use the passage below to answer the question.
How does the dramatic structure present an image of the prairie?
(1 point)
Speech and gestures combine to suggest a general impression.
Lyrical spoken language evokes a figurative impression.
Set design stages a vivid backdrop for the unfolding action.
Gestures and scenery create a detailed literal representation.
1 answer
The correct answer is: Set design stages a vivid backdrop for the unfolding action.
In the passage, the staging with silhouettes spreading out to represent the prairie suggests that the set design plays a significant role in visually conveying the image of the prairie as a vast and open landscape. This complements and enhances the spoken words, creating a more vivid and immersive experience for the audience.
