Fundamentals of Drama I
Welcome to the Fundamentals of Drama I page:
- Documents – Powerpoint and Other Handouts
- Weekly Calendar – What to expect each week
- Drama Portfolio Entries – What you should have in your notebook.
Documents:
Fundamentals of Drama I Syllabus
Weekly Calendar
Week of November 30-December 4: You will have one complete class period to stage your pictures and to find props and costumes. Pictures will be taken on Wednesday and Thursday. Each group will then complete its display poster as the final assessment for the Stage Movement Unit.
Looking Ahead: Notebooks will be due on December 8&9. Mid-Terms will be given the following week.
Week of November 16-20: We will practice blocking scenes and creating promptbooks for them and then discuss subtext in preparation for our Stage Picture Display project.
Week of November 9-13: We will practice poetry readings and have assessments early in the week and then move on to our unit on Stage Movement including Stage Directions, Blocking, and Stage Pictures.
Week of November 2-6: This week we will begin our Vocal Production Unit. You will learn the qualities of a good voice, how the voice is produced, and how to improve your voice. You will read a poem as your assessment.
Week of October 26-30: On Monday and Tuesday, you will be evaluated on your Improvisation and Performance Skills (see Notebook #17). Then we will begin working on our Improv Shows in groups.
Week of October 19-23: On Tuesday during 2nd Period, we will watch the Georgia Shakespeare Will Power company perform Macbeth. Make sure you have turned in your permission slip from your 2nd Period Copper Teacher and $2.00 by then. We will learn new Improv Games this week: One Minute Expert, Friend or Foe, and Kung Fu Movie.
Week of October 12-16: This week you will retake your Theater 101 Quiz if needed and continue learning and practicing new Improv Games like “Bus Stop” and “Party Guest.”
Week of October 5-9: The Black Day section will have its Theater 101 Quiz on Monday. Both sections will have a follow-up discussion of “Widows” in preparation for writing the Theater Review. We will also continue Improvisation with Hat and Wig Day/Characterization and new games including “Bus Stop” and “Party Guest.”
Theater Review Due Dates: October 13 – Black Day; October 14 – Copper Day
REMINDER: Widows is October 1-3 at 7:00 p.m. Make plans to attend one performance in order to write your Theatre Review!
Week of September 28-October 2: We will continue Theatre 101 with Safety and Procedures. There will be a Quiz on all Theatre 101 Information on October 2 (Copper Day) and October 5 (Black Day). On Monday and Tuesday, we will collaborate with the Art Department on a short posing exercise. We will also work on how to write an effective Theater Review (for the “Widows” assignment). Any remaining time we have will be spent working on Improvisation building on Freeze Frame to learn Revolving Door.
Week of September 21-25: We will continue Theatre 101 with information about Jobs in the Theatre and Safety and Procedures. There will be a quiz on Theatre 101 next week. Also, we will continue with Improvisation 101. Last week, we learned some basic exercises like ABC Story and the Question Game. This week, we will work on the In and Out sequence which builds on “What are you doing?” to two new scene makers: “Freeze Frame” and “Revolving Door.”
Week of September 14-18: This week we will finish our Pantomime projects and reflect on what we have learned. Then we will begin two new units: Theatre 101 – Vocabulary and Terms about the Theatre Space and those who work in it and Improvisation – Basic Improvisation Skills. Drama Notebooks are due on Thursday (Black Day) and Friday (Copper Day) for grading entries 1-10.
Week of September 8-11: This week we will put what we have learned about Pantomime into a short performances to be graded. Working in small groups, you will prepare a short scene set to music.
Week of August 31-September 4: This week we will continue learning the principles of Pantomime performance and start building our trio projects: Pantomime to Music to be performed next week.
Week of August 24-28: We will perform our first graded scenes on Audience Etiquette and then begin our Unit on Pantomime.
Drama Portfolio Entries:
1. What is an Ensemble? What is Improvisation? What is the rule of “Yes, and . . .”? – (8/19)
2. What are the rules of Audience Etiquette? What should an audience always do? What should an audience never do? (8/19)
3. 3 Good Stage Habits: Stay in Character; Stay Visible to the Audience; Speak Loudly and Clearly (8/19)
4. Steps in Presenting a Scene: (8/19)
Hicks says, “Audience – Actors – Action”
- Group Leader Introduces Cast and Scene
- Actors take their places and a beat before beginning.
- Actors perform.
- Group leader says “Scene” to end the scene.
- Actors bow.
- Actors wait for comments from the audience.
5. Rules for Stage Etiquette – Summarize Basic Drama Projects (p. 81) – 8/26
6. Ensemble Etiquette Project Guidelines and Rubric – 8/26
7. Principles of Pantomime – 8/31
8. Pantomime Project Guidelines – 9/3
9. Pantomime Reflection – What makes a good pantomime? – 9/14-15
10. Auditorium Terms List – 9/16-17
11. 12 Essential Improvisation Terms – 9/18 and 9/21: Accept, Advance, Ask-For, Block, Cancel, Condition, Handle, MC, Offer, Prompt, UFO, Waffle
12. Jobs in the Theater – 9/24-25 Click here for Powerpoint of Notes: Who’s Who in the Theatre
13. Safety and Procedures in the Theater – 9/28-29 Click here for Powerpoint of Notes: Drama Safety and Procedures
14. Widows Post-Mortem Questions – 10/5-6
- Who was your favorite actor? Why?
- What moment stood out to you most?
- Make one comment about set, lights, or sound.
- Make one comment about costume, hair, or make-up.
- Give the play a letter grade and justify it.
15. Building A Character Questions – 10/7-8
- Describe your hat or wig.
- What is your name?
- Where are you from?
- What do you like? What do you not like?
- Describe your personality.
- What do you want?
16. Improvisation Inventory – Keep an inventory of all of the games that we learn. For each game, list name, description, conditions, prompts needed, and number of actors. Your list should include: Question Game, ABC Story, Freeze Frame, Revolving Door, Bus Stop, Party Guest, and Mystery Date (Copper Only).
17. Improvisation Self-Assessment -10/15-16 – Rate yourself in these areas:
- I volunteer often and get lots of practice.
- I speak loudly and clearly.
- I stay in character.
- I can always be seen by the audience.
- I make offers.
- I accept offers.
- I know the rules of every game.
18. Additional Improvisation Terms – 10/19-20 – Huddle, Button, Driving, Riding, Hogging, Mugging, Raising the Stakes, Callback, Runner, Platform, Playlist, Plateau
19. Macbeth Discussion Questions (Omit if you did not attend) – 10/20-21:
- What was your overall opinion of the performance?
- Were you able to follow the story?
- Which actor stood out to you most? Why?
- What was your reaction to the costumes and properties?
- What was one thing you did not like about the performance?
[October 22-23 – Add the games “One Minute Expert,” “Friend or Foe,” and “Kung Fu Movie” to your Improv Inventory (#16).
20. Describe in your own words what good improv looks like? After you have performed your assessment in class, reflect on how well you did. Use the vocabulary you have learned about Improvisation in your response.
21. Qualities of a Good Speaking Voice – Take notes on the powerpoint presentation given in class. Click here for Powerpoint: Developing the Voice
22. Copy one of the presentation poems listed in the presentation into your notebook. Double-space.
23. Copy the Script Scoring symbols from The Stage and the School page 111. Mark breaths, phrases, and stressed words in the four lines from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” contained in the Powerpoint presentation.
24. Create your own Tongue-Twister (see Powerpoint). – 11/9 & 10
25. Rules of Stage Movement (Powerpoint) – 11/11 & 12
26. Areas of the Stage and Body Positions (Powerpoint) – 11/11 & 12
27. Creating a Promptbook (Powerpoint) – 11/13 & 16
28. Practice Promptbook Exercises (Powerpoint) – 11/13 & 16
29. Review Promptbook Exercise (Powerpoint) – 11/17 & 18
30. Subtext and Stage Picture Notes – 11/19 & 20
