Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Waiting for Godot

Please read and view the items linked below and be ready to discuss on Tuesday, May 22.  Which design/interpretation of Beckett's play would you most have liked to see?  Why?  What questions would you most want to ask the designers/directors?

First of all, read Peter Hall's Production History -- http://www.samuel-beckett.net/Penelope/production_history.html   This will give you a sense of the world into which this play 'was born'.



Chan's New Orleans Godot 'event':  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/arts/design/02cott.html?pagewanted=all

The National Theatre - Czech Republic, 2010 http://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/Default.aspx?jz=en&dk=predstaveni.aspx&sb=2&ic=5458

State Theatre of South Australia, 2006 --read Victoria Lamb's design notes, view all the photos and the design process as well, please.  http://www.victorialamb.com/stage/Godotdesign.html




And finally, what do you think of the staging below?  What is its significance?   If you are able to find the name of the designer and the production, please let me know so I can properly credit it!  The biggest question in my mind:  does the platform actually teeter-totter?





Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead - May 2 - 4 2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_and_Guildenstern_Are_Dead

This 1966 Tom Stoppard play follows two minor characters from Hamlet.  We will be watching the 1990 film version written and directed by Tom Stoppard himself.  If you miss a class, arrange with me to view whichever portion of the film you need to see during lunch.


Notes and reader reviews of the published play.

We are watching this with the Grade 11 class.  Please go on to read this on-line http://www.samuel-beckett.net/AbsurdEsslin.html, as we will be watching Beckett's Waiting for Godot in another week or so.  The language and concepts will be challenging for you, so your task is to select five passages from this piece of text to bring to a discussion on May 14, 2012

Thursday, 5 April 2012

Have a great Easter

We will resume scene studies/direction after Easter, so you will be splitting your attention between a polishing of your Shakespearean monologues and a new scene.

In the meantime, consider the elevation of a simple thing like water on the floor of a mine to a symbol of life and death, as portrayed in the portion of Gumboots we watched with the Gr.11's at the end of today.

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Assignment: Shakespearean Monologue

You are continuing to work on your Shakespearean monologue. 

This includes: 

a) memorizing it so that you can recite it effortlessly (and    meaninglessly, LOL) like the alphabet; 

b) 'translating' it in writing into the language of a current resident of Dryden, Ontario 

c) rehearsing it with the 'punctuation walk' exercise you were shown in class on Monday

d) choosing a specific setting (place and time) for your 'production' and costuming yourself

e) establishing your staging of the monologue


Your performance will be on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.

We will develop the rubric together on Wednesday, March 28, in class.

Friday, 24 February 2012

Scene Studies #1

This semester you will each have an opportunity to direct two of your classmates in a scene.  Our first scenes are contemporary two-character scenes, due on Thursday, March 1st. 

Group 1:   Director:  Michael, with Jess and Meagan

Group 2:   Director:  Rachel, with Cassie and Neil

Evaluation:


Criteria
Level 4
Level 3
Below Standard—what you need to do next:
Prepared (Actors)

·         Knowing your lines
·         Knowing the script

Authentic interaction between two people in a specific situation at a specific time; confidant, no hesitation in movement/blocking

may need one prompt;

able to cover for partner if something goes wrong
Interaction between two characters in a specific situation, at a specific time; exhibits confidance, little hesitation in movement/blocking

2 – 3 errors

May require a script on stage for occasional prompting

Vocal (Actors)
Audience experiences authentic  voice of the character being portrayed in this specific situation at this specific time

Appropriate volume, pitch, rate, pace, tone

Correct pronunciation

Holds for laughs if necessary

Physical (Actors)
Audience experiences authentic physical communication of the character being portrayed in this specific situation at this specific time

Appropriate use of gesture, facial expression, stance, movement to convey content (message) to audience



Application:  
            Prepared                    4          3          2          1
            Vocal                           4          3          2          1
            Physical                      4          3          2          1
           

Blocking

(Director)
The planned movements and use of set add authenticity to the scene
The planned movements and use of set help to communicate/convey the scene/its message to their audience



Character Portrayal

(Director)
The actors portray authentic characters true to the nature of the scene
The actors have a good sense of what is going on in the scene and use their voice and physicality to portray a definite character



Set/Staging/
Costumes

(Director)
All elements combine to create a superior  theatrical experience for the audience
(set/staging/costuming/ music/sound effects)


Most of the elements combine to establish a good theatrical experience for the audience



Application:  
            Blocking                                              4          3          2          1
            Character Portrayal                           4          3          2          1
            Set/Staging/Costumes                       4          3          2          1
           


Reflection Questions (Thinking/Inquiry Level 1 2 3 4 – degree/quality of thought/insight)
                                    (Communication Level 1 2 3 4 – use of proper terms; clarity of message
                                                                                                for purpose/audience)

If you were an actor, complete A.  If you were the director, complete B.

A.       
1.      In two to three sentences, summarize this scene from your character’s viewpoint.

2.      Explain how your director cast this scene.  (Note:  if it was determined by gender, say so. J)

3.      Did you get the role you preferred?  (Note: if it was determined by gender, say so and move on to question 4.)  If the role was NOT determined by gender, which of the two roles would you have preferred?  Why?

4.      What was the most challenging aspect of portraying this character?

5.      In what way(s) did you draw upon your own personal experiences to portray this character?

6.      In drama classes, you are often thrown into a group to create and perform a scene, or given a script to work on with others.  How did this experience of having an official director change the way you worked? 

7.      What did you like about having a director?  What did you NOT like about having a director?  Based on this experience, how do you plan to approach the role of director when it is your turn?

8.      As a drama student, what was the most challenging part of this task?  (working with others, memorizing, coming to class…. J)  Why?  How did you overcome it?


Reflection Questions (Thinking/Inquiry Level 1 2 3 4 – degree/quality of thought/insight)
                                    (Communication Level 1 2 3 4 – use of proper terms; clarity of message
                                                                                                for purpose/audience)

If you were an actor, complete A.  If you were the director, complete B.

B.

1.      In two to three sentences, summarize this scene.

2.      Explain how you cast this scene.  (Note:  if it was determined by gender, say so. J)

3.      Did your cast fulfill your expectations?  Explain.

4.      What was the most challenging aspect of directing your actors in portraying their characters?   If you could only pick one of these two people to work with again, which of the two would you prefer?  Why?

5.      In what way(s) did you draw upon your own personal experiences as you directed these actors in this scene? 

6.      What did you like about being a director?  What did you NOT like about being a director?  Based on this experience, how do you plan to approach the role of actor when it is your turn?

7.      As a drama student, what was the most challenging part of this task?  (working with others, conveying your vision, coming to class…. J)  Why?  How did you overcome it?



Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Presentations: Greek Theatre and Medieval Mystery

Today you had the full class time to make certain your work was complete and to either a) prepare your oral presentation and/or b) prepare your oral presentation and then observe the ADA 3M's Commedia dell'arte presentations.

I am expecting great and wonderful things from you, since both groups chose to prepare for the entire 75 minutes.

Please take a few minutes to review the tips that I gave to the ADA 3M's on their blog regarding future presentations

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Yike! My bus was cancelled....

You will have time to organize yourselves at the beginning of class, as the ADA 3M students organize and then present their commedia work.

If your group is 'good to go', then you can watch the 3M's.  Otherwise, be ready when they are done.