Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. WOMAN ONE(a little reluctantly)Well . . . sometimes I go to bed late at night. A couple of times . . . a couple of times I'd come out on the porch and I'd see Mr. Goodman here in the wee hours of the morning standing out in front of his house . . . looking up at the sky.(she looks around the circle of faces)Based on the dialogue and stage directions, what should the reader imagine in this scene?
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.As they suddenly start toward the house. In this brief fraction of a moment they take the first step toward performing a metamorphosis that changes people from a group into a mob. They begin to head purposefully across the street toward the house at the end. Steve stands in front of them. For a moment their fear almost turns their walk into a wild stampede but Steve's voice, loud, incisive and commanding makes them stop. STEVEWait a minute . . . wait a minute! Let's not be a mob!The people stop as a group, seem to pause for a moment and then much more quietly and slowly start to walk across the street.What is Steve’s perspective about the group approaching Les Goodman’s house?
Read the stage direction from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. NARRATOR'S VOICEMaple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree lined little world of front porch gliders, hop scotch, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor.There is a pause and the CAMERA MOVES OVER to a shot of the Good Humor man and two small boys who are standing alongside just buying ice cream.Based on this stage direction, readers should picture Maple Street as a
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. CHARLIEThat don't seem likely. Sky's just as blue as anything. Not a cloud. No lightning. No thunder. No nothing. How could it be a storm?Which element of drama is highlighted in this piece of dialogue?
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. STEVEThe two of us can go, Charlie.(he turns to look back at the car)It couldn’t be the meteor. A meteor couldn’t do this.He and Charlie exchange a look then they start to walk away from the group.What do the stage directions tell the reader about Steve’s and Charlie’s point of view?
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. DONAnd he never did come out to look at that thing that flew overhead. He wasn't even interested.(he turns to the faces in the group, his face taut and serious)Why? Why didn't he come out with the rest of us to look?Based on this excerpt, what is Don’s perspective on Les Goodman?
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. MRS. BRAND(from her porch)Steve? What was that? STEVE(raising his voice and looking toward porch)Guess it was a meteor, honey. Came awful close, didn't it?In this excerpt, how does Steve feel about the flash of light?
Read the excerpt from Act I of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.The boy suddenly stops again conscious of the parents staring at them and of the sudden hush of the crowd.CONTINUED34. CONTINUED 34. SALLY(in a whisper, sensing the antagonism of the crowd)Tommy, please son . . . honey, don't talk that way –What does this excerpt tell the reader about Sally’s point of view?
Read the excerpt from act 1 of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.As we hear the voices creep up from down below, small, mildly disturbed voices, highlighting these kind of phrases: VOICESElectricity's off.Phone won't work.Can't get a thing on the radio.My power motor won't move, won't work at all.Radio's gone dead!Based on the stage direction and the dialogue, what should the reader picture in this scene?
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