4/7/2026 - Week 13 / Meeting 23: Solos / Hero's Journey

 

I
 
Unit: Dramaturgy
Theme: Hero's Journey
 
Introduction

 
In 1949, Campbell published The Hero with a Thousand Faces, a book in which he discusses his theory of the mythological structure of the journey of the archetypal hero found in world myths. The Hero's Journey refers to a wide-ranging category of tales in which a character ventures out to get what he/she needs, faces conflict, and ultimately triumphs over adversity. 
 
 II
 
 Learning Objectives
 
  •  Understand the main stages of your story
  • Explain why the hero's journey is important for the actor 
  • Gain an awareness of the importance of doing the dramaturgy of your piece
  • Experience the hero's journey.
 
 III
 
Main Lesson
 
1 
 
Warm Up
 
 
2
 
Rehearsal of Movement, Voice and text
 
 
 3
 
 
 

  

 

 Question 3

 

Use the 12 stages of the hero's journey seen above organize the dramaturgy of your solo. Explain each one of your choices.

 

 



 -----------------------------------------

 4
 
 
 Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey is divided into two big halve: the ordinary world and the special world. The journey has 12 stages (See the diagram below). 
 
 



   
 5
 
 
 
Watch Video


(3:10 min)

Hero's Journey Stages
  1. The Ordinary World: The audience meets the Hero in the ordinary world.
  2. The Call to Adventure: The Hero receives the call to adventure: a challenge, a quest or a problem that must be faced.
  3. Refusal of the Call: The Hero expresses fear and is reluctant or refuses the call.
  4. Meeting the Mentor: A meeting with the mentor provides encouragement, wisdom, or magical gifts to  push the Hero past fear and doubt.
  5. Crossing the Threshold: The Hero finally accepts the challenge and crosses the threshold into the special world.
  6. Tests, Allies, Enemies: The Hero learns about the special world through tests, encountering allies and enemies.
  7. Approach to the Inmost Cave: The Hero makes the final preparations and approaches the innermost cave.
  8. The Ordeal: The hero endures the ordeal, the central crisis in which the Hero confronts his greatest fear and tastes death.
  9. Reward: The Hero enjoys the reward of having confronted fear and death.
  10. The Road Back: The Hero takes the road back and recommits to completing the journey.
  11. The Resurrection: The Hero faces the climactic ordeal that purifies redeems and transforms the Hero on the Threshold home.
  12. Return with the Elixir: The Hero returns with the elixir to benefit the ordinary world.

Question 5
(10:00 min)
Re-arrange the steps of the hero's journey by doing one of three things: naming them in your own words, diagramming them your own way or drawing them in a way they make sense to you. 


 
============================
 
 
IV
 
A Note to Remember 
 
Follow your bliss.

V
Case Study
 

 4

 

 Joseph Campbell

The Hero's Journey is a classic story structure that's shared by stories worldwide. Coined by American  professor of literature Joseph Campbell (1904 - 1987).  Campbell, who taught at Sarah Lawrence College, a private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. 



(4:49 min)
 

Question 6

 What do you think Campbell means when he says, "if you are following your bliss"?
 
 

VI

Activity

Rehearsal of solo applying new awareness of the stages of the hero's journey. Those who are making up, please do this exercise on you own and reflect on it by writing your reflection on Discussion Board.

 

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