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Welcome back everyone!

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The focus of this session is language.

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Today, we'll explore
languages in The Lion King

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and how a Playwright uses
specific language

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to create the way
each character speaks.

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In The Lion King Kids,

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three African languages,
in addition to English

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are used to tell the story.

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Zulu, Xhosa and Swahili.

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The creators of The Lion King on Broadway,
wanted African languages to help

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transport the audiences imagination
to Africa for action of the play.

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Language plays
an important part in the theater.

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Writers don't just create the story,
they also choose which words to use

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so that the audience best understands
the setting, characters, plot,

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and mood of the play.

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Although all writers
use language in this way,

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Playwrights have a unique challenge.

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In addition to creating a plot,

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using language is an essential part
of a Playwright's job.

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In a novel, an author can create
a character's thoughts, but a Playwright

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uses only a character's dialog and actions
to tell a story on stage.

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Language a playwright uses
for a character's dialog

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can tell us a lot
about the character.

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Take a look at this line
from The Lion King Kids: "That was today?"

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"Oh, I feel simply awful...

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Must have slipped my mind."

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Syndee, what did you notice about
the Playwright's use of language?

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Well, the stage direction says insincere.

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So I'm thinking this character
doesn't mean a word he says,

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and he uses some fancy words like simply.

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So he seems like he might be smart,
but very evil.

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Sounds a lot like Scar, if you ask me.

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Okay, my turn.

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Here's another one.

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Can you guess who this is, Jelani?

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"Everything exists
in a delicate balance. As King..."

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"You need to respect all creatures."

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"From the crawling ant to the leaping
antelope."

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The words delicate balance
make this character seem wise.

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I also notice that this character
is very poetic when he talks.

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You could have just said
be nice to everyone, but instead

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he says you need to respect all creatures,

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from the crawling ant
to the leaping antelope.

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This character speaks in a noble manner.

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Is it Mufasa?

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Right!

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The Playwright chooses language
that help us understand

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that Mufasa is a King and a strong leader.

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Specific language choices help create
each character in The Lion King.

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The Playwright uses lots of words

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to let us know
that Zazu is a fussy worrier,

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that Rafiki is a spiritual guide
and full of questions,

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and Timon is sarcastic and funny.

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So even before amazingly talented
actors like me —

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—like us— start rehearsals, the Playwrights

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have used language
to help shape the characters in our story.

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When a Playwright makes these choices,
he or she is writing

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in the character's voice.

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Now, let's look at stage directions,

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another form of theater language.

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The Playwright helps
tell the story by specifying unspoken

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action in stage directions.

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Stage Directions
can include entrances and exits.

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Whether a character runs, walks, or bows,
and even instructions

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on how to say a line,
perhaps smiling or nodding.

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Remember that example of Scar's line?

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"Insincere" is a stage direction.

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Stage directions
are written in parentheses or italics

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and are never spoken.

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They just tell the actors and Director
what is happening in the scene.

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Think of them like secret notes
from the Playwright.

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As an actor,

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stage directions
help me understand the play.

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Check out this scene.

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We'll highlight the stage directions

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so you can see how they play out
in the scene on stage.

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"She's gonna eat me!"

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"Hey Who's gonna? Whoa!"

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"I'm stuck!"

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"Aaaaaaaa!"

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"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

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"Gosh!"

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"Yeah ha ha ha!"

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"Hey it’s all right, buddy, I'm here for ya."

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"Everything's gonna be okay."

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"Get her! Bite her head!"

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"What's going on?"

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"Go for the jugular... the jugular!"

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"Who's biting who?"

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"Whoa, whoa!"

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Stage directions tell us a lot.

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They tell us that Pumbaa and Timon
are running away from a hungry Nala,

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and that Simba steps in to save them.

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If it weren't for stage directions,
who knows what would happen.

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I can't help it.

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I get hungry sometimes.

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Today, we learned about the way
language is used in The Lion King.

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From incorporating African languages
to help the audience experience

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the setting, to writing in character
voice, to using stage directions.

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Authors can carefully choose words

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to accomplish a lot
more than just writing a plot.

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Now, you'll explore language further
by matching dialog to characters

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in The Lion King Kids and
writing some original scenes

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for Zazu, Timon and Pumbaa, and Scar.