curplan

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Curriculum Planner
Course Title: Theatre Exploration
Spaces Required: Classroom, access to main stage
Philosophy of the Course
     Theatre Exploration focuses on personal growth and reflection, and offers all students the opportunity to excel. Self-esteem, self-confidence, personal satisfaction, and a sense of community are at the heart of this course. It is designed to integrate the study of theatre and the study of the individual, and to demonstrate the necessity of the endeavor.
Arizona Theatre Essentials to be covered in this course.
Standard 1: Creating Arts
    Individually and in groups, create and script scenarios that develop tension and suspense between believable, interrelated characters.
    Demonstrate mental and physical attributes required to communicate characters different from themselves.
    Cooperate in an ensemble to rehearse and present improvisations and scripted scenes involving themselves as invented characters.
    Work collaboratively and safely to select and create elements of scenery, properties, lighting, sound, costumes, and[or] makeup that will suggest their designs.
Standard 2: Art in Context
    Explain how social concepts apply in theatre and in daily life, literature or history.
    Describe and compare responses to their own works and works by others.
Standard 3: Art as Inquiry
    Explain and justify the meanings constructed from theirs and others’ dramatic performances.
    Analyze how characters change as a result of events in the drama and identify key messages or themes from a dramatic text or performance.
    Describe and evaluate their sense of the effectiveness of classmate’s and others’ contributions to the collaborative process of improvising, scripting and performing scenes.
Course Description
     This course provides students with the opportunity to explore social issues, artistic expression, and collaborative studies, while charting personal growth.
Course Outline
Introduction
Relaxation/Concentration
Social Issues
Voice
Monologue
One Acts
Scene Study
Analysis
Workshop
Duo Scenes
Class Reference Information
     I will provide various handouts and packets of pertinent information.
One Acts -
      This is a Test - Stephen Gregg, Dramatic Publishing Company
      The Fifteen Minute Hamlet - Tom Stoppard, Samuel French
      The Actor’s Nightmare - Christopher Durang, Dramatist’s Play Service
Monologue selection provided by teacher - reference material from personal library includes:
      The Actor’s Book of Monologues - Smith
      Voices of Color - King, Woodie
      Class Dismissed I, II - Bernstein
      The Actor’s Scenebook - Schulman
Selected duo scenes provided by teacher
Great Scenes from the world theater - Ed. by James L.Steffensen, Avon Books
Contemporary Scenes for Student Actors - Ed. by Michael Schulman and Eva Mekler,
        Penguin Books
Projects/Assignment Roster and Values
Participation - 10 points points automatically given for being in class and contributing
   2 points deducted for unexcused absences - if you’re having a problem, come talk to me
Self Evaluations - 30 points
   forms distributed in advance
Journals - 30 points
   includes character analysis, breakdowns, personal notes and , reactions, performance
   feedback from peers, and any other information important to you and your
   development, use journals to your advantage
   Journal - points breakdown:
      Social Issues Journal Assignment - 5 points
      Character Analysis Journal Assignment - 5 points
      Monologue, Duo Scene information - 5 points
      Personal input, feedback, this is for you - 15 points
Monologues - 15 points
    evaluation forms will be handed out in advance
Duo Scenes - 15 points
    evaluation forms will be handed out in advance
Grading System
   90 - 100 = A
   80 - 90   = B
   70 - 80   = C
   60 - 70   = D (This is almost impossible - We need to talk)

Daily Topic Outline
1    Name game, “Who are we” - student, teacher introductions
2    Name game, course introduction, content, structure
3    Name game, “What’s what and where it is”, intro to theatre space
4    Name game, library fun - where it is , how to locate info, why it’s useful
5    Relaxation/concentration exercises - body and mind
6    Relaxation/concentration exercises - body and mind
7    Intro to loosening up - body movement games
8    Movement games/exercises cont.., Social Issues Journal Assignment
9    Social issues discussion - what’s happening in the world and our lives,
      Social Issues Journal Assignment Due

Social issues improvisations: 4-2 day events based on topics chosen by class. Each day includes: games, improvs, topic/tolerance discussions, personal reactions, alternative solutions, etc.. We are concentrating on exploring issues and ourselves before we focus on techniques.

10 & 11   simultaneous pairs, whole group improvs on first issue
12 & 13   simultaneous pairs, whole group improvs on second issue
14 & 15   simultaneous pairs, whole group improvs on third issue
16 & 17   simultaneous pairs, whole group improvs on fourth issue,
    Second Social Issues Journal Assignment
18   Our voices - what can they do?
19   Continue vocal work
20   Drum roll please ..... The Monologue (it’s not so scary), pass out monologue
     evaluation forms
21   Choosing the right monologue for you, where to look, library refresher
22   Memorization techniques - games, exercises, sharing personal techniques for
     memorizing information used in other classes
23   Character analysis - improv and discussion
24   In depth character analysis - group activity, personal time - writing, teacher input,
        Character Analysis Journal Assignment
25   Assigned pairs - working on monologue, offering feedback, sharing techniques,
        Journal Techniques Lists
26   New assigned pairs - sharing and sharpening skills
27   Monologue Presentations - including taping and discussion
28   Monologue Presentations
29   Monologue Presentations
30   Monologue Presentations
31   Monologue Presentations
32   Monologue Presentations
33   The beauty of the One Act Play - an introduction and placement justification,
        All Self-evaluations Due
34   One Acts - in class readings, activities, and discussions
35   One Acts - games and improvs
36   One Acts - in class readings, activities, and discussions
37   One Acts - games and improvs, Journal Check
38   Scene Study - “Where to Begin?” - how, why, etc.., pass out duo scene evaluation
         forms
39   Analyzing scenes together, journal entries
40   Discussion of ground plans, properties, stage directions and necessary adaptations
41   Selected scene read through
42   Collaborative character exploration,
43   Games, improvs - unlock doors
44   Choosing an exciting scene, necessary elements - “Now we know what it should
          look like, time to go for it”
45   Breakdown - make choices and put them on paper - stage directions, props,
          furniture, include this information in your journal
46   Rehearsal guidelines improv, journal entries
47   Simultaneous group read thru - get a feel for your scene
48   Paired character analysis - What does your partner think? - exploration of
          personal opinions/insight, Character Analysis Journal Assignment
49   Objectives improv - “What do you want?”, notes/entries
50   Conflicts/obstacles improv - whole group, notes/entries
51   Blocking - “Where should I go, and when?” - explore space
52   Blocking continued - games, partner drills
53   Interactive movement techniques
54   Memorizing for two, or I can’t get a word in edgewise
55   The art of listening, or “Don’t be just using the time when I’m talking to be
          thinking of whatchu gonna say next!”, notes/entries
56   Conflicting goal improvs - continue exploring the need to listen to your partner
          and look at them when appropriate
57   Gestures - "What should I do with my hands?" or “When you twirl your hair like
          that I want to kill you!” - games, drills
58   Vocal work - you know your lines, explore vocal variety
59   In-depth vocal work - play with every line, notes/entries
60   Interpretation games, improvs
61   Interpretation games, improvs
62   Introduction to workshopping - guidelines, expectations, benefits of collaboration,
          notes/entries
63   Workshop Series - rehearsals, discussions, sharpening skills, exploring peer
          contributions
64   Workshop, journal entries suggested
65   Workshop, journal entries suggested
66   Workshop, journal entries suggested
67   Final group preparation
68   Duo Scene Presentations-including taping and discussion
69   Scene Presentations cont...
70   Scene Presentations cont...
71   Scene Presentations
73   Scene Presentations
74   Scene Presentations
75   Videos - “Does the camera ever lie?” - where are we now - our personal denouement,
        All Duo Scene Self-evaluations Due, Journals Due
Semester Ends
                                                                                    Developed by S.R.