NAME: ___________________________________________
Stage direction is an important part of play writing, because movement on stage can emphasize certain lines, thoughts,
or actions of characters.
For example, in Twelve Angry Men, the author has Juror #9 lean against the wall of the room by himself to emphasize
how he is alone with his thoughts about being a lonely, old man who needs attention.
Another example is when Juror #2 and Juror #4 speak to each other separately from everyone else at the water cooler. In
order to be heard by the audience, two and four need to be listened to separately because they are much quieter than
the angry, high-tempered, loud arguments that others are having at the jury room table.
DIRECTIONS: It is your job to take the following scene for 12 Angry Pigs and include stage direction for the characters to
emphasize their personalities, actions, and feelings during the scene. Be prepared to act out your scene for the class!
Group 1 Scene – Four Group Members
Pig #8: ______________________
Pig #3: _________________________
Pig #1: ______________________
Pig #2: _________________________
PIG #8: I’m not oinking because I’m voting not guilty.
Everyone else groans.
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #3: You think that Big Bad Wolf is innocent?
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #8: Well, I haven’t made up my mind yet. There have been so many stories about wolves doing terrible things.
Maybe we’ve paid more attention to those fairy tales, and not enough attention to the evidence? There should be
enough evidence to convince us all of the wolf’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #3: There’s plenty of evidence!
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #8: Well, I’d like to hear what all of you think.
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #1: Okay, that sounds fine. Let’s take turns and explain to our fellow pig why we think the wolf is guilty. Why don’t
you go first?
STAGE DIRECTION:
PIG #2: Me? Oh, well, I guess I just think he looks awful scary. I can just picture him huffing and puffing and blowing
down those houses.
PIG #8: But you didn’t see him do it.
In this scene, Pig #8 is still alone in his beliefs that the suspect may be not guilty because of reasonable doubt.
What stage direction did you decided to include and why? What do these stage directions emphasize about the
characters or their thoughts/actions during this scene? Why would this help your performance and the audience’s
understanding of the scene?