Download YAI GREENWICH VILLAGE DRAMA GROUP: LIGHT THE STAGE

YAI GREENWICH VILLAGE DRAMA GROUP:
LIGHT THE STAGE
Charlotte Dooling and Parasram Persad
YAI Greenwich Village Day Habilitation Center
I. INTRODUCTION
a. The Greenwich Village Drama Group
The overall objective of The Drama Group is to empower the participants by
nurturing and celebrating their individual talents while at the same time providing
the opportunity to practice communication and social skills. The actors involved
in Drama Group are required to make commitment to the group in terms of
attendance, behavior and work ethic, as well as agreeing to work collaboratively
and cooperatively with the company. While being a member of Drama Group can
be a demanding commitment, it is also incredibly rewarding. A bolstered sense of
self confidence and self esteem is often the result of participation in the group.
The ensemble usually includes approximately 25 to 30 performers, and another
10 to 20 participants will help with sets, props and costumes. Over an average
period of twelve months, the group meets twice a week to rehearse. Each project
culminates in a week of performances for friends, family and peers in the YAI
community.
b. Past productions
We have written, adapted, rehearsed and performed a variety of plays over the
past ten years, including “Romeo and Juliet”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”,
“Twelfth Night”, “The Wizard of Oz”, and many others. We are currently in the last
weeks of rehearsal for “Grease”.
II. ADAPTING SCRIPTS
a. How dialogue is scripted
We adapt the script and the dialogue to suit the needs of the actor playing the
role. “Romeo and Juliet” was shortened to an 18 page double spaced script. The
actors who could handle lengthy passages of texts did - those who were better
suited to speak one word lines had dialogue adapted to them. Some of the guys
have a very particular syntax - the lines are written in incorporate that into the
dialogue. Other than trying to tell the story, we do not feel beholden to any script
as written. It is all about writing a role that the par can perform successfully, a
role that allows the actor to feel special and to have their moment in the spotlight.
b. Scenes from “Grease”
This is an excerpt of a scene from our current production of “Grease”. Notice the
dialogue for “Danny”, the main character. This actor possesses limited
expressive language skills, but he is emotionally connected to the character and
has the ability to portray the feelings/sentiments of the character in non-verbal
ways:
RIZZO: Hey Danny, are you going to the dance tonight?
DANNY: Nah.
KENICKIE: Why not? Your a great dancer.
DANNY: Maybe.
KENICKIE: I got a date from across town. She’s a real bomb shell. Her name’s
Cha Cha. ChaCha DiGregorio.
MARTY: Danny used to date her!
RIZZO: Are you mad Sandy is dating a football player?
DANNY: Nah!
RIZZO: She’s a real Sandra Dee!
(Sandy over hears them)
SANDY: Are you making fun of me Rizzo?
RIZZO: No!
SANDY: Thanks for sticking up for me Danny!
(Sandy exits crying, the Football player runs after her)
KENICKIE: Sheesh! So touchy!
DANNY: Tell me about it. Let’s get out of here!
KENICKIE: Yeah, let’s split. See you around girls!
(Danny and Kenickie exit, followed by the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies Frenchie is left
alone)
c. Sample Scripts (“Romeo and Juliet”, A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz”, “Grease”)
III. VIDEO PRESENTATION
a. 20 minute film presentation of the rehearsal and performance process of “Romeo and
Juliet”
b. Questions
IV. MARY FRAWLEY GRANT
a. The grant was used to purchase lights and sound
b. Video clips of current production using the newly acquired equipment
V. CONCLUSION
a. Video interviews
i. Pharoh
ii. Raj
iii.
Susanna