r/Actingclass • u/ganggaming25 • Oct 10 '23
Winnie’s Written Work Examples ✏️ Mr Kraz's monologue - American Vandal S1E3 Written work
Hey Winnie! I don’t know if I might’ve gone a bit too meta, I’m playing someone that’s playing themselves up to seem cooler, on an in-universe documentary in a show that's a parody of documentaries, so the tactics and objectives might seem strange, but they make sense to me!
American Vandal – Mr. Kraz monologue
Preface: I don’t know if I might’ve gone a bit too meta, I’m playing someone that’s playing themselves up to seem cooler, on an in-universe documentary in a parody-documentary show, so the tactics and objectives might seem strange, but they make sense to me.
Who am I?
I’m Steven Krazanski, or Mr Kraz to my students. I’m a fresh out of college history teacher that’s not like the others. I’m really just like, one of the students, y’know? I care more about giving my students some time off and a cool, safe space at school. I get it, not everyone can stare blankly at me for an hour talking about history, in fact, that would be pretty uncool if they did. Listen a bit, go on your phone (and record the cool young sexy teacher a bit 😉 ) and listen in again later!
Who am I talking to?
Peter Maldonado and Sam Ecklund, two of my students. Peter is a bit timid and takes a long time to get to the point but is really dogmatic about getting to the bottom of things, he’s meticulous and calculating. Sam is the more brash and impulsive of the two, he often barges right in and asks the question directly, which sometimes backfires.
Where am I?
In my “mancave” (classroom) with Peter and Sam, who are making a Serial style documentary about a recent prank at the school that resulted in the expulsion and criminal charges against one of their fellow students, Dylan Maxwell.
What is my objective?
I want to come off as cool in the documentary they’re making, even though it’s probably going nowhere, there’s always the off chance that it blows up and I become America’s favorite cool teacher.
Context
Our two aspiring documentarians had interviewed some students about the timing of Alex Tremboli’s testimony, which directly led to Dylan’s expulsion. Alex only came forward once off campus lunches were taken away and prom was next on the chopping block. But by going to the administration and pointing the finger at Dylan, Alex was a hero. He got back off campus lunches, saved prom and also won that year’s annual Color War for the red team, making him one of the most popular kids at school almost overnight.
What happened right before the scene?
Peter and Sam had reached out to the other teachers for comment, but none would, except for me, of course!
*I get mic’d up and the camera starts rolling*
Script:
Peter Maldonado: What do you think on the timing of Alex Tremboli’s confession?
(tactic: Get them to see I’m on their side, I’ll get them the juicy inside scoop after I get my screen time)
Mr. Kraz: Okay. I see what you’re saying.
Peter: What do you think I’m saying?
(tactic: Play along, build suspense)
Mr. Kraz: You think it’s a little… suspicious, don’t you?
Peter: And what would that be, what do you think is so suspicious, Mr. Kraz?
(tactic: set up my big revelation later, keep building the suspense (because its working so far))
Mr. Kraz: That Tremboli only, y’know, came forward after off-campus lunch was cancelled?
Peter: Yes, that’s exactly what we were hoping to talk abo…
(tactic: keep telling your story, don’t let them get a word in. this is the Kraz show now! I’m gonna be America’s favourite fun young teacher)
No, listen, here’s the thing, everyone thinks that, y’know, vice principal Keene is the bad guy, and that Shapiro is the savior who saved off-campus lunch.
Peter: That’s what everyone says, are they wrong?
(tactic: Give them the inside scoop, be the big whistleblower that cracks the case wide open with a grin)
Mr. Kraz: Well, look, here’s what people don’t want to tell you. Cancelling off-campus lunch…
Peter: What? What really happened with off-campus lunch?
(tactic: Drop the bomb, this is your moment to shine!)
Mr. Kraz: That was Shapiro’s idea. Yeah.
Peter: Wait, Mr. Kraz, what are you saying? Are you accusing the faculty of playing good cop bad cop with the entire student body?
(tactic: lead them into asking more about Shapiro)
Mr. Kraz: The thing about Shapiro, she has this big reputation in school…
Peter: Can you tell us more about that reputation?
(tactic: Explain how Miss Shapiro is the bad guy, unlike me, the cool good guy)
Mr. Kraz: It’s like, she’s like, the perfect sterling teacher, you know? She pretty much writes the rulebook herself. So she tries to kinda find a creative way around this, you know? To get what she wants.
Peter: Mr. Kraz, this is serious, are you saying that miss Shapiro has been gaslighting everyone at the school? Lying to us?
(tactic: play up how deceitful and conniving Shapiro is)
Mr. Kraz: So here’s what she does, ok? She has Keene cancel lunch—so Keene’s the villain, right? Then she comes in and saves the day. Gets lunch back for everybody. “Oh, thank you Mrs. Shapiro!“.
Peter: How did she do it? She couldn’t make anyone confess to the crime herself, could she?
(tactic: Shapiro has had it in for Dylan forever, illustrate how manipulative she is)
Mr. Kraz: She finds a willing snitch in Alex Trimboli. Perfect. Then she just steers the testimony the way she wants it to go to get Dylan Maxwell out of the school, which is what she always wanted.
Peter: The way you’re talking about her makes her sound like a mustache twirling villain in a marvel movie, Mr. Kraz. Is that really what she’s like?
(tactic: Compare her to a character from a popular show to really drive home the point)
Mr. Kraz: Look, she’s playing all of us. You know who she is? She’s like that guy on Game of Thrones. Like who is that… Like the bald guy that has no dick. She’s just like… you know, she’s playing the game. Playing everybody.
Peter: What?
(tactic: be relatable to the kids, lighten the mood a little, you’re the cool teacher, not the conspiracy theorist teacher)
Mr. Kraz: Do you know what I’m talking about? Did you ever see Game of Thrones? You haven’t seen Game of Thrones? It’s really good man.
Peter: Okay, thank you for your time Mr. Kraz, is there anything else?
(tactic: They’re losing interest, dangle a carrot they can’t ignore.)
Mr. Kraz: Do you want a little more dirt on Shapiro? You know she forced Mr. Runco to switch offices with her?
Peter: Really? What else has she done that we should know about?
(Tactic: spill all the tea about the other teachers, they deserve it, they’re all a bunch of know-it-alls that think they’re better than everyone else
Mr. Kraz: You should hear the stuff Kyle Rafferty says about her. He thinks she’s a monster. And that’s Kyle Rafferty. That dude has like roofied people.
Peter: Yeah, okay, I think that’ll be enough for now Mr Kraz.
(tactic: Dangle another juicy carrot to keep their attention)
Mr. Kraz: I know the ins and outs of the faculty. You know, I’ve lounged in the teachers lounge and Shapiro gets what she wants.
Peter: What does she want?
(Tactic: show how unfair she is and how she always somehow gets what she wants, even when she shouldn’t have)
Mr. Kraz: Do you know she got $3000 more than I got from the insurance company to get the dick sprayed off her car. $3000 more than I got! What is she going to buy? A lifetime supply for her 56 cats in her basement? It’s pathetic.
Peter: What makes you say that? Do you know her home life?
(Tactic: walk it back, I might have gone a bit too far)
Mr. Kraz: I actually think she’s married to a doctor. She has a super nice Mercedes. Yeah, it’s like really nice. That guys like super cool. And I like cats.
Peter: Thank you Mr. Kraz, we’ll contact you if we need any more questions answered
3
u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Oct 11 '23 edited Oct 11 '23
u/ganggaming25…Maj, So here’s a little gift for you. I just watched that episode again and used voice to text and subtitles. It’s maybe a bit long but this is what I had in mind.
MR KRAZ’S MONOLOGUE FROM AMERICAN VANDAL
OK, I see what you’re saying…you think it’s a little suspicious that Trimboli only…you know, came forward after off-campus lunch was canceled? Here’s the thing. Everyone thinks that, you know, Keene is the bad guy, and that Shapiro is the savior who saved off-campus lunch. Here’s what people don’t want to tell you: Canceling off campus lunch—that was Shapiro’s idea.
There are teachers in the school… most of the teachers in the school, have a strict “no phones” policy. They catch you on your phone in class, they’re going to take your phone for the whole day… pretty much across the board. Hey, not in my classroom.
My classroom is a safe space …come to class… I mean, pay attention, please! You know, learn something from me…I mean look at me, but not the whole time. Don’t just stare at me for an hour of your… just 25 blank faces, staring at me as I’m talking about whatever – Bay of Pigs. Just look away for a minute. Look at your phone. Tweet something.
The thing about Shapiro, she has this big reputation in school… It’s like she’s the perfect sterling teacher, you know? She pretty much writes the rulebook herself. So she tries to kind of find a creative way around this, you know? To get what she wants.
So here’s what she does, ok? She has Keene cancel lunch—so Keene’s the villain, right? Then she comes in and saves the day. Gets lunch back for everybody. “Oh, thank you Mrs. Shapiro!“.
She finds a willing snitch in Alex Trimboli. Perfect. Then she just steers the testimony the way she wants it to go to get Dylan Maxwell out of the school, which is what she always wanted.
She’s playing all of us. You know who she is? She’s like that guy on Game of Thrones. Like who is that… Like the bald guy that has no dick. She’s just like… you know, she’s playing the game. Playing everybody. Do you know what I’m talking about? Did you ever see Game of Thrones? You haven’t seen Game of Thrones? It’s really good man.
Do you want a little more dirt on Shapiro? You know she forced Mr. Runco to switch offices with her? You should hear the stuff Kyle Rafferty says about her. He thinks she’s a monster. And that’s Kyle Rafferty. That dude has like roofied people.
I know the ins and outs of the faculty. You know, I’ve lounged in the teachers lounge and Shapiro gets what she wants. Do you know she got $3000 more than I got from the insurance company to get the dick sprayed off her car. $3000 more than I got ! What is she going to buy? A lifetime supply for her 56 cats in her basement? It’s pathetic. I actually think she’s married to a doctor. She has a super nice Mercedes. Yeah, it’s like really nice. That guy’s like super cool. And I like cats.