CHARACTERANALYSISWORKSHEET

Playtitle______________________________________ Date______________________
Actor_____________________________ Character____________________________

DRAMATICACTIONfortheplay
RememberthatacharacterisdeterminedONLYAFTERhisactions,notbefore.First,analyzethe
characterswantsanddesires.WhatisthecharactersTHROUGHLINEOFACTIONfortheentireplay.
Lookingoverthecourseofthescript,whatisthethroughlineforeachcharacter?

OBJECTIVE(DesireorVictory)
Thisisastatementofwhatacharacterwantsmost;power,dominanceoverothers,loveforanother,
elfintegrity,dominanceoverfear,etc.
Answerthesequestions:
WhatdoIreallywant?Why?WhendoIwantit?Why?

OBSTACLE(Other)
Thisisthepersonorthingthatispreventinghimfromgettingwhathewants.Whatorwhois
standinginhisway?Fromwhom(intheplay)doeshewantit?Whointheplaycanhelphim?Who
intheplaycanhurthim?
Answerthesequestions:
Fromwhom(intheplay)doIwantit?Why?Whointheplaycanhelpme?Why?
Whointheplaycanhurtme?Why?Whataremydeepestfears?Why?

TACTIC(Will)
Thisisacharactersrelativestrengthinattaininghiswantsordesires.Howcanhegetwhathe
wants?How(andwhom)canhethreaten?How(andwhom)canheinduce?Howstrongorweakis
hisinnerstrength?Isitstrongenoughtopushhimthefulllimit,orwillhecompromise?Doeshe
haveanysenseofmoralresponsibilitytoothers?Howhonestishewithothersandwithhimself?
(acharactersmoralstancewillaffecttheattainmentofhiswantsanddesires)
Answerthesequestions:
HowcanIgetit?Why?How(andwhom)canIthreaten?Why?How(andwhom)canI
induce?Why?

EXPECTATION(Resolution)
Everycharacterhas5basicHumanNeeds.These,inonewayoranother,ultimatelybecomewhat
thecharacterexpectstoget.Whatdoesthecharacterexpectintheend?Whydoesheexpecttoget
it?Whydoesitexcitehim?Whatwillhedowhenhegetsit?
1)Winning 2)Survival 3)Validation 4)Love5)Happiness

Answerthesequestions:
WhydoIexpecttogetit?Whydoesitexciteme?WhatwillIdowhenIgetit?

DRAMATICACTIONwithinascene
1.Whatdootherssayaboutthischaracter?

2.Whatdoesthischaractersayaboutothers?
3.Whatdiscoveriesdoesthischaractermake?
4.Howdoesthisinformationaffecteachcharacter?Doesitchangetheirbehavior,wayofthinking,
needs?
5.Doesthisinformationsignalavictory?adefeat?areasonforreevaluation?
6.Charactersobjective,obstacleandtactic
7.Whatisthecharacterssubtext
8.Charactermoodintensityuponenteringthescene(thisisthephysicalorbodystateofthe
character)
*heartbeat:rate*perspiration:heavy,light,etc.*stomachcondition
*muscletension*breathing:rate,depth

CHARACTERIZATION
INTERNALS
1.Background(culture,childhood,upbringing,specialmemories)
2.Mental(intellect/commonsense,right/leftbrain)
3.Spiritual(religion,beliefsandvalues)
4.Emotional(calm,angry,gentle,..whenandwhy)

EXTERNALS
1.Dress(casual/formal,day/night)
2.Movement(bounce,sway,swagger,)
3.Posture(slouched,straight,leadswithhead/hips/chest.)

4.Voice(pitch,rate,volume,inflection,quality)
5. Mannerisms(habitsthecharacterdoeswithoutaprop)

CHARACTERPROFILEQUESTIONS
1.Whatisyourfullname?
2.Whatdoesyournamemean?origin?
3.When&wherewereyouborn?currentage?
4.Whatisyourastrologicalsign?explain.
5.Whatisyouroccupation?
6.WhatisyourChinesezodiacsign?explain.
7.Whoisyourgreatestrolemodel?
8.Whatexcitesyou?

9.Whatsecretsdoyouhave?
10.Whatareyourdeepestfears?
11.Whodoyouhate?love?
12.List10adjectivestodescribeyou.
13.Whatareyourhobbies?
14.Whatfoodbestdescribesyou?
15.Whatdiscoverieshaveyoumadeinthelastyear?
16.Whatanimalwouldbestdescribeyou?why?
17.Whatisyourfavorite:
color?

animal?

food?
movie?

book?

music?

ANYTHINGELSE..........

PREVIOUSACTION

Thisisspecificinformationfromthescript,whichdetailstheeventsandactionwhichoccurredpriortothe
playbeginning.NotespecificallyYOURCHARACTERSpreviousaction.Itisnotnecessarytoknow
otherspreviousaction.