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 Introduction to Drama Jennifer Peart [email protected] 434.951-­‐9379 Course Description: Introduction to Drama is designed to introduce and develop skills and experiences useful to students having an interest in and/or an aptitude for drama. As emerging actors, students cultivate and develop attitudes and skills of confidence, courageousness, concentration, full commitment, and self-­‐
control through a clear understanding of the body and voice, ensemble playing, and rehearsed and improvised performance. Students learn stage basics and fundamental theatrical vocabulary, and also develop an appreciation for the role of the audience member in theatrical performance settings and the ability to offer true and effective constructive feedback to fellow performers in the class ensemble and for plays in the wider community. Moreover, students study the primary theatrical genres of comedy and tragedy, their connection and relevance to contemporary dramatic forms, and have fun creating and experimenting within those genres through a wide array of exercises and acting projects. This is a full year course for high school students that meets four times a week for three forty-­‐five minute periods and one eighty minute block period. Course participants receive a numerical grade and one fine arts credit for the year. I am very excited to have this opportunity to serve as your drama teacher this year and hope this is just the beginning of a fun and fruitful relationship of creating theater together here at The Covenant School. I love theater and have devoted much of my life to investigating it. I often ask myself: What is drama? Why does theater endure over time and all over the world? What is it about the art of drama that makes it essential to being human? What is God trying to create or do through me through the practice, study, and love of theatre? Together with your participation, I hope to nurture an environment in which you can explore these questions (and more!) with me, express your imagination through a greater experience of your body and voice, expand your knowledge of and dig deeper into the rich legacy of theater, connect with your classmates and partake in the joy of sharing your talents with the community. Course Objectives: As emerging actors/artists, we will cultivate and develop: •
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An attitude of confidence, courageousness, sensitivity, concentration, full commitment, and self-­‐control A clear understanding of how our bodies work, move, and express effectively •
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A command of our voices through study of sound production, dynamics, projection, articulation, and timbre A strong class ensemble which is characterized by 100% respect and support of each other’s efforts and contributions-­‐ instrumental in promoting a natural ease and sense of play and joy in any group setting An understanding of stage basics and theatrical vocabulary An ability to be believable through portrayal of character, setting, relationship, and action in staged performance An ease with improvised and rehearsed performance alike An appreciation for the role of the audience member/witness in theatrical performance settings and the ability to offer true and effective constructive feedback to fellow performers in the class ensemble and in the wider community A study of the primary theatrical genres of theatrical history, their connection and relevance to contemporary dramatic forms, and the ability to create and experiment within those genres Experience in putting these skills to use in performances within class, for parents, and for the wider community Materials/Supplies: • The textbook: We will be using Theatre: Art in Action from the National Textbook Company. This text is an excellent source for basic theatrical vocabulary, theatrical history, and the essential components of stagecraft. Copies of this text book will be available in class for your use. • Spiral or composition notebook (single subject) and a pen/pencil: These will be kept in class and occasionally be brought home to complete journal response and in class writing work. Students should always have these available in class. (Due by Thursday, Aug. 27th) • A box of tissue: Please bring in your contribution of tissue for the sniffly season! • Dress the part: We move, a lot, in drama. Please not only dress according to what is stated in the handbook dress code, but also dress in order to be fully active in class. This is a particular challenge on chapel dress days, so I encourage all young ladies to bring sweat pants or some alternative to wear during class time on these days in particular. Grading/Assessment: Class Participation (33.3%): This is an acting class, so you are expected to be active! I will help you learn to feel comfortable and confident so that you are an effective actor and an exceptional ensemble player. A rubric for participation will be distributed in class. Your participation will be assessed a total of four times per semester with one-­‐on-­‐one check-­‐ins along the way. Extra-­‐credit note: Effective Performers are Healthy Performers Studies show that the right kinds of movement enhance brain function! In our effort not to be just “brains on sticks” this year, I am encouraging you to apply our physical and vocal work, exercises, and stretches outside the classroom in your daily life not only to improve your coordination, your mobility, and flexibility, but also your brain! Log 150+ minutes per quarter on the last page of your notebook and receive an additional “100” participation grade for the quarter/per quarter. This is a mere 2 minutes daily or 15-­‐20 minutes weekly! I will help remind us all! Homework and Line Checks, Journal Entries, and Quizzes (33.3%): This category embraces simple tasks such as turning in fieldtrip forms and getting this syllabus signed to performance assessments to quizzes given to build your theater vocabulary and knowledge base. We will also utilize journal entries to reflect on play themes, acting challenges, and performance experiences. You may expect one assignment from this category per week. Please note the TCS handbook guidelines regarding late work: “Students are expected to submit all assignments promptly. All missing work will be recorded as a zero until submitted. For late work, 10% of the earned grade will be deducted for each class day the assignment is late (with a maximum of 50% taken off of the earned grade). Any work not completed by the end of the quarter will remain a zero. Some assignments may be graded simply for completion on the due date and will not be accepted late.” I will let you know if an assignment will not be accepted late. Extra-­‐credit is awarded for participation in extra-­‐curricular TCS theatre (think: annual production and/or TCS Improv Show) or attendance to fieldtrips. Extra-­‐credit for these activities will be in the form of dropping your lowest quiz/homework grades up to two per semester. Projects and Tests (33.3%): There will be approximately 4 to 5 tests and/or performance projects per semester. Also, students will be asked to see one play or performance outside of class this year and be asked to share their reflections on it through a paper of at least 250 words. This paper will be due within TWO weeks of seeing the play and will count as a test grade. PLEASE NOTE: You will have a grade card inside of your class folder. I will use these to communicate your participation grades as well as encourage you to keep a log of your grades in these categories. All of your grades will be posted on Net Classroom as well. The final grade for this course will be calculated: Semester 1 and 2 grades weighed at 40% each plus Exam 1 and Final Exam weighed at 10% each. Calendar Our course will unfold in this fashion… August/September Essential Questions: What is drama and theater? What does it take to do drama? How can I express myself? Where do I begin? Who is the creator? Am I creative? Is creativity a learned behavior? Can anyone do drama? Exploring: What am I doing in this class? You as an actor and… • The importance of warm-­‐ups • Expression through the body and voice • Flexibility, coordination, balance through basic dance • Proper breathing techniques and vocal warm-­‐up • Exploration of pitch, dynamics, tempo/duration, and timbre • Articulation and diction • Present time through the play concept and improvisation • Theatre games and the freedom of limitation • Ensemble and our class this year Source material from: Viola Spolin, Improvisation for the Theatre and Ruth Zaporah, Action Theater, textbook Art in Action, classical dramatic texts September/October Essential Questions: What role does story play in drama, plays, theatre? Why do we need stories? What makes a good story? What would you rather have: your things or your memories? Are drama and theater the same thing? How do our stories connect with the Great story? Why has live theater endured through time? Exploring: Discovering the power of Story and actor as storyteller • The Griot and ancient storytelling traditions • Memories of storytelling and discussion of "good" stories • Empathy and connection through story • Exploration of character and the development of character relationship • Stories of location, experience, and imagination • Cultivation of effective storytelling techniques • Story enactment and story theater technique • Basic playwriting work and the development of original monologues, dialogues, and the application of character, location, and action in more complex scenarios (the five W's) • Use of tableau and stage composition principles to build performance • Manipulation of sound effects, cloth, and sticks to support story presentation Source material from: textbook Art in Action;, student improvisation, collaboration, and discussion; fairy and folktales. →Socratic Seminar Exploring: Theater through the Ages • a look at theatre and the role of storytelling throughout the ages and/or ‘theatre history”
• a study of Aristotle’s Six Elements • Preliterate Drama • Greek/Roman Theater • Medieval Theater • Italian Renaissance/La Commedia Dell’Arte • Elizabethan Theater • French Neoclassical Theater • English Restoration • Eastern Theatrical traditions • Realism • Absurdist Theater Source material from: Class lecture, student research, and our textbook Art in Action →Socratic Seminar October/November/December Essential Questions: How do I work with others to create and present meaningful and entertaining stories? What elements will I manipulate to create and present story? How does creating story while improvising differ from when we rehearse? How do I create a character? What are stories that have lasted over the years? How does theater play a part in continue to keep stories alive? What does it take to put on a good play? What is good about being “cast”? What is the value of putting on a good play for an audience? How do we serve God and others by being in a play? Exploring: Creating theater together • Five Senses exercises: Making direct contact with the imagined environment • Stage basics such as stage directions, stage types and parts. • Acting terms and basics such as blocking, “cheating” out and the benefits of being open and closed on stage. • The plot and thought/theme of The Christmas Carol by reading and analysis of the text. • A character or more through the analysis and learning of their assigned part. • Use body and voice to create a distinct character in performance • Tricks for memorizing lines and the benefit of cue scripts. • The role of production elements such as costumes, props, sound effects/melody, set and lights in the completion of a successful production. • Working together as an ensemble to have a successful play Source material from: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Paul Olson →Fieldtrip (Optional and Encouraged): Nov. 4th, 7:30pm Midsummer Night’s Dream, American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, VA Possible Performance: Exam Day, Details TBA Performance Opportunity: Annual Musical Production, Auditions Nov. 3rd and 4th, Production dates Feb. 25th-­‐27th January/February/March: Essential Questions: How do theatre and plays bring before us life’s essential and significant questions? What are the stakes at play in Greek tragedy? What parts of human nature and experience are being brought into play in Greek Theatre? What is a tragedy? Greek Tragedy? What are the forces at play in an ancient and “modern-­‐day” tragedy? What does it mean to be human? Are we inherently flawed? What is our relationship to “the gods” or to God or to destiny? Exploring Ancient Tragedy and contemporary drama • the study of the physical conventions of Greek Theatre • the ancient story of Oedipus • the second play in Sophocles’ Oedipus trilogy: Antigone • characters and relationship with stichomythia dialogues • exploring the Greek chorus • identifying the tragic hero and approaching the idea of catharsis • application of Greek tragic principles by creating an original tragedy Source material from: Aristotle’s Poetics, Sophocles’ Oedipus and Antigone, and Art in Action, class Lecture →Socratic Seminar March/April/May: Essential Questions: What is comedy? What does and how does it reveal aspects of the human condition? What makes us laugh and why? Is laughter necessary? Has what makes us chuckle, chortle, guffaw, and LOL changed over the years and centuries? Why or why not? Exploring The Comic Spirit, Old and New • the clown and the most basic mask of all: the red nose • La Commedia dell’ Arte • the stock characters of the Commedia and half-­‐masks • the “lazzo” and the development of Commedia lazzi, • the role of the “scenario” • enjoyment of classic comics such as Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Abbott and Costello • investigation of current comic forms and their connection to Commedia forms • creation of a final group comedy project rooted in the tradition of the Commedia Source material from: Jacques Lecoq’s The Moving Body, John Rudkln’s Commedia Dell’Arte, Textbook Art in Action, class lecture Possible Performance: date TBA →Fieldtrip (Optional and Encouraged): March 2nd, 8pm, The Triumph of Love, University of Virginia Performance Opportunity: TCS Annual Improv Show 2016, May 13th, 7pm (please save the date) Rules/Expectations/Policies: • Touch only the equipment and tools you need in class. Leave other props, costumes, instruments alone if you have no direct business with them. • Leave your backpacks outside of the classroom—we need space! • Have a pen/pencil and your notebook/folder on hand for each class. Check board for any particular instructions. Trips to your locker to retrieve your materials cause delays in getting started and detract from your full participation. • Be sure your written work has a proper heading, is legible, complete, and on time. •
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Be present. Please do not miss class if at all possible. Your consistent presence is paramount to our success as a class. Please make a concerted effort to schedule doctor’s appointments, make-­‐up tests, and the like for another time. Please remind me at the start of each class if you will have to be absent or if you will be leaving early. If you have to miss class or any part of class, please see me during office hours the next day to see what you have missed. College visits are at my discretion. No gum, food, or drink except for clear water in the classroom, on the stage, or in the auditorium. Make an effort to use the bathroom between classes. Classes are short! Stack chairs at the end of class. Return your notebooks/folders to your class box at the end of class. Put your trash in the trashcan. Take care of yourself and others, always. I am so happy you have chosen to be a part of this class! I can’t wait to get started and/or continue to explore the world of theater with you! Sincerely yours, Jennifer Peart
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IntroDuction to Drama
DUE: Thursday, August 27th
Please let me know that you have seen, read, and marked important dates on your calendars by signing below. Many blessings for a wonderful and fruitful year! We have read and understand the expectations of this course. __________________________ Student Signature ___________________ Date __________________________ Parent(s) Signature ___________________ Date