Drama/Stagecraft
Last update of this page - December 8, 2011
Acting Workshops will be conducted periodically during class. The activities are from Improvisation for the Theater by Viola Spolin. Our focus will be in the following areas.
exposure; seeing; hearing/listening; self-perception; touching; sensory; physical involvement; communication of ideas
Students are to bring their notebook to every class meeting. This notebook should contain the course outline, class notes, handouts, and evaluations. Written evaluations, as well as practical evaluations, will accompany each unit. SPECIAL NOTE: Lack of preparation, missing assignments, performances, or participation points WILL impact your grade.
Welcome to My World – Opening Days - August 22
Syllabus and Classroom Guidelines
Invitation to Drama and the World of the Theatre – Activities
Critical Thinking - Connections, Thinking about the purpose of Theater
Introduction to Drama – What is Theatre?
Historical background: Origins of Storytelling, Mythology August 23 - 26 Notetaking is required
Partner Work: Completion of The Storytelling Tradition Study Guide August 29
Performance - One line of Sundiata August 30 - 31 Directed by Advanced Drama students
Myth TEST September 2
Myth-based plays - Cast, rehearse and perform September 6 - October 6, Final Performance October 7
Off Book Check (50 points) September 16
Six Elements of the Drama - Aristotle September 12 - 15
Stage movement and basic blocking techniques. Stage composition. Activities. October 4-6
Stage Composition Pictures for Fairy Tale. 25 points. October 5
Stage Performance - Interpretation of an Author's Text.
Character Behavior. How to uncover and enact the author's intentions. Subtext. October 10
Casting of Scenes Advanced Drama: Directors - group leaders October 10
Rehearsal Process October 11 - 21
Performance of the polished scene October 24 - 25 100 points
Dramaturgy – Discovering How a Play Means Begin September 21
Meet the Script – What is the unique structure of a play? musical? September 21 - 28
Advanced Drama - Scene Work - Dreamwalk or Bathers October 31 - November 14
Background information for Once on This Island October 31
Read background text - "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Anderson November 1-2
Listen to/view various scene samples and apply structure. Discover HOW the author communicates with his/her audience.
Understand: Listen to and read Once On This Island. Analyze structure, song placement. How are Ahrens and Flaherty communicating with their audience? November 3-7
Song Function Activity November 8
Character Behavior Chart (Pairs Activity) November 9
Once on This Island TEST November 10
Understand: View the movie musical Oliver! Analyze structure, song placement. How is Lionel Bart communicating with his audience? Analyze the structure within the structure, scenes to the whole play. September 26 - 28
Activity: Determining Plot Structure/Plot Analysis, and … Review September 30
Discovering the Who, What, When, and Where
View and study Bye, Bye Birdie. Determine dramatic structure and Character Behavior Chart for Albert. October 14/17
Reader's Theatre -- Stylized Performance of Literature (Did not use this Term)
Skills of the Storyteller: Development of a Reader's Theater script using a Thematic Approach OR traditional approach
Selection, Development, Rehearsal of scripts
Presentation of the original script
Story Theatre - Improvisation in a Fresh and "Relevant" Format (did not use this Term)
Paul Sills and Improvisation. Using effective and functional form in Story Theatre format. Introduction to ST format.
Project: Adaptation of Script
Rehearsal of script
Performance of "Work in Progress" for Critique
Revision, Rehearsal of Scenes "Fix what is broken"
Performance of memorized Story Theatre scene
Stage Performance - Interpretation of an Author's Text. (Advanced Drama)
Character Behavior. How to uncover and enact the author's intentions. Subtext.
Casting of Scenes
Rehearsal Process
Performance of the polished scene
Puppetry - A Unique World with a Unique Point of View (December 1 through the end of the term)
Types of puppets/"Paint the Cow Purple" imagination activity - 12/1
Sewing 101 - learning the basics needed for development of a puppet - 12/2 - 12/6
Puppet Manipulation Exercises (Faces and Walks) 12/6 - 12/8 (TEST on 12/8)
Instruction and completion of the NOSE - 12/7 - 12/8 (50 points)
Instruction and completion of the EYES - 12/8 - 12/9 (50 points)
Instruction and completion of the EARS - 12/12 - 12/13 (50 points)
Instruction and completion of the HAIR - 12/13 - 12/14 (50 points)
Instruction and completion of the BODY and COSTUME - 12/14 - TBA (50 points)
This is the tentative course of study. Changes may be made as necessary.
Meet the "Cow Dra-moo-tic"
Stagecraft students will follow the same basic course of theater background and text interpretation study as outlined above.
Myth-based plays: Stagecraft students will act as crew members for each play. Duties will include - props and prop creation, sound effects and participation as "live" SFX crew for rehearsal and performance of plays.
