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. 

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.

A little theatre history side-track.....

Since grad photos were being taken in our classroom this past week, we took a little detour to do some theatre history.

Three of you are creating an informational poster about the Mystery plays of the middle ages, while the other three are doing the same for Greek theatre.

Make certain that the work is divided equally amongst you.  Make sure you are honest on the reflection sheet regarding your own effort and contributions.  Attendance will obviously affect your role in these creations. 

You will be presenting your work to the class on Wednesday, February 22.

Here is the task sheet/rubric to remind you: 

ADA 4M – Theatre History Information Poster  Assignment                                                                                    

Your trio is responsible for creating an eye-catching poster that will provide people in the drama room with accurate information about_____________________________________________________.   You will include the following:  

Criteria	Level 4	Level 3	Next steps needed  to reach provincial standard
(Knowledge/Understanding) Information ·         on Poster ·         in Presentation	Detailed accurate well-organized information provided for the audience (viewer) of the poster;  the images and words are attractive and combine well to effectively  conveying the information; Presenters are able to answer questions correctly without hesitation	Information provided is accurate;  the images and words convey most of the required information; Presenters are able to answer questions correctly
(Communication) Presentation ·         content ·         form	The presenters are well-prepared; the audience can hear and understand everything they say; vocabulary is subject specific and used effectively to convey the message; pace of presentation is appropriate for the audience’s needs	The presenters are prepared; the audience can hear and understand most of what they say without much effort; most vocabulary is subject specific; most of the presentation is done at a pace appropriate for the needs of the audience

Outline of each person’s responsibility and contribution:

Reflection:   (Thinking/Inquiry -  Level 4, 3, 2, 1, R)

1.       What was the most challenging aspect of this assignment?  How did you overcome it?  If there were no challenges for you, explain what it was that made it an easy assignment.

2.       Do you believe that your partner(s) would say that you were a good person to work with?  Why/why not?  Explain what strengths you have when working on this type of assignment.  Explain what weakness you might have when doing this type of assignment and how you could address it in future. 

3.      How might the skills you develop doing this type of assignment benefit you in other situations, for example, the workplace, another class, as a future parent……?

Conflict and Gender

Make certain that you have completed the worksheet from Friday, February 3rd's class.

The three-person 'conflict' scenes you performed on Monday with the ADA 3M's were excellent.  Today, you focused on developing two-person scenes with a conflict centred on gender-based stereotypes.  We only got to see four scenes before the bell rang--looking forward to seeing the rest tomorrow.

Concepts we were reminded of from sharing our work: 

a) how an object can become a symbol (remote control);

b) how physical proximity can represent the distance between our points of view;

c) how our acting partners can support us in a scene when we forget what we had rehearsed;

d) how to hold for laughs while still maintaining a 'natural' flow of dialogue...

We will be using these scenes as a jumping off point as we look at the roles of actor/director/playwright.  In the meantime, check out this site:  http://brechtforum.org/abouttop

How does what we are doing in class around gender conflict related to Augusto Boal's vision of theatre and its role in society?

"How to succeed in Drama class...."

I am so impressed by the work that was shared today by the ADA4M/3M groups!  You've set the bar high--can't wait to see what you'll be accomplishing by May!

If you have been absent, make sure you have your admit when you return to class.

You will need a pen/pencil tomorrow, February 3rd.  Not a ton of writing, but you will need to record some of your thoughts.

Welcome! Let's set the stage......

This is ADA 4M: University/College Prep Drama.  This course requires students to experiment individually and collaboratively with forms and conventions of both drama and theatre from various cultures and time periods.  Students will interpret dramatic literature and other texts and media sources while learning about various theories of directing and acting.  Students will examine the significance of dramatic arts in various cultures and will analyse how the knowledge and skills deeveloped in drama are related to their personal skills, social awareness, and goals beyond secondary school.  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/arts1112curr.pdf

Prerequisite:  ADA 3M (Grade 11 University/College Prep Drama)

As you know, attending class is a vital component of any course.  Because drama is an ensemble activity, your attendance affects everyone in the class.  It is your responsibility to let me (and any group members you might have) know in advance of any plans you have to be away.   Because we are operating as a split class with the Gr. 11's, you must be particularly vigilant about how you use your time.  Always have a pen or pencil or your laptop with you, as there is a significant amount of writing to be done in this course.

Class rules are simple:  show respect for yourself, the class and for the room. 

Please have your parent/guardian sign the letter dated January 27, 2012 and return it as soon as possible.

Assignment #1: 

Using mime, tableau, dialogue and asides, your group will create and present a five minute skit that illustrates the class rules for drama. 

The purpose of this assignment is to show me that you know and understand these basic elements of drama that you learned in Gr. 9 or 10, that you know and understand what 'respect' looks like and sounds like in our class context, and that you know and understand how to work in a group and meet a deadline.

Assigned:  Friday, January 27, 2012
Presentation:   Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Reflection Due: Wednesday, February 1, 2012