Overall Assessment

1. Performance against project goals and objectives-8
2. Performance against a planned schedule-9
3. Performance against quality goals-9
4. Performance against planned budget-10
5. Adherence to scope (who and how many audience members we reached)-7
6. Design, rehearsal, and performance planning-9
7. Resource management-9
8. Project management-8
9. Development-8
10. Communication-10
11. Team Cooperation-10
12. What we delivered-8

Overall, I thought we had a successful and enjoyable show.

Risk Management

Circumstances that need to be mitigated:
Already mitigated:

• most costumes/props were taken home
• stairwells were unblocked from Bunraku

Still need to be mitigated

• I need to take home my fan
• the puppets need to be put away or hung up
• we need to take down the posters
• the instruments need to be taken home
• thank-you notes (Mr. Gilbert, Mrs. Williams, Mr. Harral, DO, Maddie's mom)

Key Problem Areas

What went wrong?

• when I did the triangle in the second Kyogen, they didn't say a couple "with all my heart" lines, so I couldn't play it have it be effective through repetition
• I didn't have my lines exactly correct
• it was hard to walk with our feet on the ground

What processes didn't work well?

• I thought we could have made our show funnier
• we weren't as in-sync with Kyogen part 2
• we should have worked on the ending more

What specific processes caused problems?

• we didn't have an adequate budget
• I avoided direct eye contact

What were the effects of some of the key problem areas?

• without a budget, we sometimes couldn't maintain total Japanese theatrical integrity
• I felt like I should have looked at each of the audience member

Were there any technical challenges?

• we didn't have the tree projected on the screen
• we were limited with set because of using Miss Hartman's room and the fact that we had to use Noh's set
• having the busu on the desk prevented us from being on our knees

Key Accomplisments

What went right?

• we didn't forget lines during the show
• we stayed in character and acted well

What worked well?

• the different fans worked well and really added to the comedy of the play
• the contrasting robes between the master and servants was really effective
• we kind of improvised with the string on the box

What was particularly useful?

• having class time to work was really useful and coming in the morning
• also it was good to have prior information about Japanese theatre so we knew how we could address blocking and interpretation of the show

What were the highlights?

• I think the relationship between Suheli and Tristan was hilarious and a real crowd pleaser
• I thought the talk-back was great because it showed that we had gotten our message across to the audience and they were interested in our show
• we just had fun with the show

Finally updating

Ahh the drawbacks of an online journal...I had been having trouble getting onto my journal site, so for the past month or so I've been using my hard-copy journal as we progressed in our Japanese theatre studies. Now I will begin the ever-fun process of transferring over from my hard-copy journal to here.

Production Overview

Goals/Objectives of Class

• present a new type of theatre to our audiences
• challenge ourselves to maintain Japanese theatrical identity
• memorize lines and fulfill all character roles
• have a production that flowed/ was synchronized
• make it funny to fulfill kyogen requirements
• find an effective performance space

How did you achieve success on this project?

• we spent several days carefully choosing blocking and line delivery techniques
• we practiced our production almost every class
• we got together the morning of the production to practice and smooth over any jitters

What were your original personal goals at the beginning of this process? (acting and technical)
   Acting:

• memorize all my lines and say them with feeling as my character--so I don't sound memorized
• get into character and effectively portray my character
• portray good chemistry with my other two characters

  Technical:

• take on a directing role with my experience from last year
• make sure blocking and line interpretation made the play make sense and be entertaining
• get costumes that could highlight character differences/similarities
• use noh's set with our play

Post-Mortem for Japanese Theatre

post-mortem=after death--the show is dead...WE KILLED IT! But really, we are tying up loose ends. We use post-mortems to understand our mistakes to improve in the future. We recognize what we've done well and how we fulfilled our expectations. We also need to take care of things that haven't been cleared up. In addition, we can talk about what we did and what happened with our shows.

Coriolanus

On Tuesday October 29, 2013, Mrs. Burke told us about a show with Gamut, Coriolanus. She was telling us how they had to mini post-mortems throughout the show when they had to switch around character positions. Maybe I can go see the show!

"Same Love"

So here's a link to this song I absolutely LOVE by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The video is really thought-provoking too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0

9/11

This isn't really theatre related, but it's emotional, so anything emotional can be theatre related, and I feel like this is just something I need to write.
Every time I looked at the date today, I was reminded how significant today is. Twelve years ago, on September 11, 2001, one of the most tragic events in our country's history occurred. Everyone will remember what happened and everyone will remember what they were doing on that day. I know my age is probably the youngest to be able to at least vaguely recall what happened that day. I remember being excited because I didn't have school. I remember sitting in the basement with my grandma, thinking something wasn't right. I remember finding out more as the days, weeks, months, and years passed. I remember honoring those who served our country so bravely, not just on the anniversary of this day, but every day, as I recite the Pledge to the Flag, and silently sing along to The Star Spangled Banner. I remember going with my mom and dad to begin the project to plant trees at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, PA. I remember seeing the families of victims of the Flight 93 crash working along with me to plant trees, as they too tried to bring nature and beauty to the place where their loved ones' bravery could be honored. I remember hearing about how these regular people made the decision to fight back to try to protect more lives, even though they knew it would mean the immediate end to their own lives. I remember the horror I felt as I really began to understand what 9/11 meant. I remember thinking what if it had been my sister, my dad, my mom? How do you even go on? How do you accept that someone you loved, someone you thought you would spend the rest of your life with, was gone due to some senseless act of violence? It's these questions that really make me reflect on this day. This day is for love, not hate. This is not a day when we should blame a group of people for what happened. This is a day when we should be thinking: what can we do to make sure something like this never happens again? This is a day when we need to be preaching the message of love. Forgiveness. Compassion. And most importantly, peace. This is not a day when we should be thinking about revenge, but a day we should be thinking about mending relationships and working together toward a common goal: peace. I know world peace is probably an unattainable goal, but that does not mean we should not strive for it. Too often, this day turns into sadness and bitterness about the past, when we really need to take it as a lesson for the future.

Conserving Energy

Today, at the end of the school day, our principal, Mrs. Baumgartener told us that the school was being asked to conserve energy, so they were supposed to shut off a lot of the lights. Then, when we were walking through the hallway, it was much darker, but I thought it was a lot nicer. I liked it because it felt calmer and the lights were blaring into my eyes, stressing me out, and giving me a head ache. This made me think that maybe it'd be nice to have more subtle dim lighting during a production. It just makes things a little more low-key and I think it's more comfortable for everyone.

XC Meet

Oh my gosh we had a cross-country meet yesterday when the heat index was over 100 degrees! It was probably the most awful I've ever felt during a race--one kid even had to get taken away in an ambulance because he got such bad heatstroke. It was ridiculous! But it also kind of reminded me of theatre because it can get really friggin hot onstage, especially if you have heavy costumes on. Also, I had a splitting headache after the meet, and I often get those after strenuous periods of acting because you're just exerting so much energy. I guess the heat just isn't pleasant for anyone...and then it was 109 today, no big deal.

Dress-up

I came back from Colorado a week before my mom and sister, so I stayed with a family friend. She is a historian who does presentations for schools, so she has basically her entire basement devoted to her costume collection. She often uses me as a guinea pig to try stuff on, and I often borrow costumes from her for various school projects. She's basically my second mom and I love her to death! On August 16, 2013, she had me try on this new dress she'd gotten, which I think is absolutely gorgerous! I didn't even think about putting it on here until we were talking about how journals can include costume/color ideas. I can totally see myself using this costume in a play...kinda wish it was still in style :)

Journal Sharing

Today, September 5, 2013, we shared our different journals. Gwen went first, and her journal is interesting because she has an online component and hard copy. The URL for her site is www.gweniferrr.tumblr.com. I actually thought it's good idea to have these two different mediums for journals because I sometimes struggle to find the time or computer access to update my online version, so maybe this year, I will need to be more open to a physical journal.
Tristan had a mini-journal, which I found interesting because he said the large journals prove too intimidating, and I can definitely relate to that feeling, even with this journal because there's a whole page of white space here that I feel like I need to fill!
Josh shared his journal which he said is somewhat bare because he prefers to write in his personal journal, which I found interesting because I've always wanted to keep a personal journal, but I never feel like I have time or it just falls off after a few days of writing in it.
Maddie uses a sketchbook so she can use as much space as she wants and it makes it easier to draw sketches without lines getting in the way, which I find interesting because I also don't like drawing sketches on lined paper.
Natalie uses her journal for a lot of analysis and then connects it to theatre at the end, which is something I like to do because I often find my life has connections to theatre.. She also likes to write critiques of plays.

Theatre Games

School restarted on August 26th, which meant we were back to theatre class! It was really fun because we started off with a theatre game called Yes! Mrs. Burke said we're going to be doing more theatre games this year, which I'm really excited for. We've done Yes, which is where you have to make eye contact with someone and they say yes and make eye contact with someone else, before switching places with the person they just made eye contact with. We also played Oooahh Ooo watn tatn (spelling???) which is where you sing this song that's really just sounds and not really words. You also make the beat to the song by slapping hands around a circle like slapdilioso. Can't wait for some new games :)

Metatheatre

We are currently reading Hamlet by William Shakespeare in IB English. Today we were watching a movie version of the play. It was interesting to see how much the differed from the script. It was especially significant because in Act 1, Scene 2, it's intended that Claudius and the Queen are speaking to Hamlet in front of the court, but this was a personal conversation separately. After the scene ended, Mrs. Emerick said that they'd been practicing metatheatre, which is when actors show that they know they are only acting. We kind of talked about this in theatre, with breaking the third wall and showing that you know the audience is there. metatheatre seems pretty interesting, and it might be a cool topic for an RI or IPP.

American Musical Find

While working on researching information for the last summer assignment, I came across this link  about PBS making a six-episode documentary about the evolution the American Musical. I thought it'd be cool to watch parts of this in class when it comes out. I told Mrs. Burke about it, and she was definitely game! She said maybe I could even help lead this unit, which would be really cool because I LOVE musicals! I've been going to Broadway shows since I was a little girl, so I actually think this show could be really interesting, and definitely relevant to our class.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/about/

Running into Theatre

On Sunday August 4, 2013, I went on a 7.5 mile run with my dad. We ran up to Horsetooth Reservoir, which we'd done several times before, and then around Dixon Reservoir, which I hadn't run around before. At one point, we had to stop because my dad had gotten a rock in his shoe, and what do you know? There was an amphitheater about 200 feet from the trail! I couldn't take a picture obviously because I was on a run, but it was really cool to see! It was a cute little place, and in an absolutely beautiful setting: surrounded by trees with the reservoir and mountains in the background. It would be a really fun place to have a performance. It just goes to show, you never know when you'll "run" into theatre...pun intended :)

Summer Assignment #6

The last summer assignment was cmpletely new for me, as it was a looking forward to the new topics of this year to come.
Here's the prompt:
Looking Forward to our 2013 – 2014 IB Theatre Curriculum – Please research the following topics, and then write a 500 – 750 word response PLUS include the links that you used to research the following topics: - DUE IN CLASS, August 26th, 2013 - (50 points) a. The American Musical b. Critique / Reviews of Plays c. Japanese Theatre d. Contemporary Greek Theatre e. Playwriting

And here is my response:

The American Musical is a classic form of theatre well-known to most Americans, especially with its presence on Broadway. Musicals involve singing and dancing that are incorporated into the dialogue that would constitute a play. The American Musical originated in the 19th century with its base in opera, which spread to comedy in the early twentieth century. These early productions mainly featured simple plots, whereas contemporary musicals now have more varied subject matter. Although most people associate Broadway with the American musical, it also features musicals from other countries, such as Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

            To really understand and think critically about theatre, it's necessary to have knowledge and the ability to write critiques and reviews of plays. To write a good review, it's important to remember not to summarize the plot itself, rather one must critique the methods used in the production.  Although the word "critique" closely resembles "criticize," not everything about a play review needs to be negative; acknowledge both the positive and negative aspects of the [production. Also, a play review should be focused, which means it can't cover every single aspect of the performance; rather, it is important to focus on a few parts of the performance so as to create a more assertive review.

            Japanese theatre has three major types: Kabuki, Noh, and Bunraku. Kabuki is a very elaborate form of theatre, with ostentatious costumes and make-up, as well as exaggerated movements/actions by the actors because the old Japanese is more difficult to understand. Kabuki is made unique by the platform that goes from the stage through the audience and the fact that the play usually encompasses only the more integral part of a whole story. Noh theatre is geared toward song and dance with slow movements, and poetic language. All Noh performers are male, so they heavily utilize masks to portray different characters. Bunraku is Japanese puppet theatre. While this may not seem to pertain to our theatre class, Bunraku is important to Japanese theatre culture. Three performers operate the puppets and are dressed in black to symbolize their invisibility. There is also a single narrator who must change his voice to portray different characters.

            One country who is really suffering in today's economy is Greece, the country which gave us the theatre we appreciate to this day. I'm interested to see how their economic crisis affects theatre and the arts. I read one interesting article about The European program, World Crisis Theatre, which organizes performances that depict the impact of the European economic crisis. This is especially interesting because there is less money at the moment to give to the development of theatre. The aim of this cooperation is promoting tools for forming a European identity through art. 

Playwriting is a very difficult, yet rewarding form of writing. I have had one experience with playwriting, but I think it's important to have more knowledge about it before writing another. When writing a play, it is first necessary to work out details in your head, such as the general plot, length, performance space, and inclusion of musical or dance numbers. When writing the play it is important to assure you have a cohesive story that makes sense. Although it may sound silly, it's also important to format your play correctly. We worked with that when writing Hansel and Gretel in the Big City. The character's name who is speaking is centered above their dialogue, which is left-justified. Stage directions are right-justified. Playwriting is a comprehensive process, so it's important to follow all of the necessary procedures.

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0767430077/student_view0/chapter9/

http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/PlayReview.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2013/08/23/world-crisis-theatre-at-little-epidaurus/

http://www.playwriting101.com/

Summer Assignment #5

The fifth summer assignment was a little different because it wasn't all about material we'd covered in the past year. This was our prompt:
International Baccalaureate Theatre ASSESSMENTS - The Research Investigation (RI), The Practical Performance Proposal (PPP), The Theatre Performance and Production Presentation (TPPP), and the The Independent Project and Portfolio (IPP). I will give you several examples to look at, examine, and review. You will then be expected to write a 350 – 500 word post PLUS at least five (5) references to the example projects. I would also like to see at least three questions at the end of your post. Read and respond to each of these project examples – DUE by MIDNIGHT, Friday, August 16th (30 points)

And this was my post:
I've already done two of the IB assessments, the RI and PPP, so I hope to impart some of my wisdom to you first-years. For the RI, I researched epic theatre, and focused on the play Mother Courage and her Children. My question was: How could actors playing Mother Courage and Swiss Cheese interact to convey Brecht's idea that theatre should appeal to reason, not feelings? It was pretty interesting to research, but I definitely struggles with finding sources. Also, make sure you're careful not to summarize too much. I really struggled with that because I felt like I needed to explain myself, where I could've used that space for a more in-depth analysis of the actors strategies. I've also done two practice PPPs, the example of the Hagia Sophia, as well as one about the Seven grandfathers. With both of them combined, I definitely learned about how to improve for my real one. For my first PPP, I had a really strong pitch but lacked in supporting materials, whereas for my second one I became so focused on having an array of supporting materials that my pitch lost its "pop." Mrs. Burke said to think of the pitch as a commercial, which helped me try to use more exciting vocabulary and action words. For example, my first sentence of the Hagia Sophia really seems to "sell" my idea. I hope for my next PPP I'll be able to combine a strong pitch and supporting materials. As far as the IPP and TPPP, that will be totally new for me this year. Looking at Example 1 of the TPPP, I noticed that, as the examiner stated, the images were mostly focused on acting. It's really important to remember that we are covering ALL aspects of theatre, not just acting. I know that can be a challenge for me sometimes because I don't have a lot of experience with things like lighting and sound, but trying out ideas with unfamiliar aspects is all part of the learning process. However, I thought the student did a good job with tackling her task with innovative ideas. I especially had never thought about drawing a make-up diagram before. Finally, I think the IPP will prove to be the most challenging, yet most rewarding project. I know it will be challenging for me because I'm so busy, but I have to remind myself to make it easy to put theatre in my life! I looked at Example #2 of the IPP and found it interesting that the student pursued theatre of cruelty, because we found in class that it was a more difficult and obscure topic. Yet, this student clearly did their research and seemed to work well. I liked how they included diagrams, charts, and pictures to help us better understand their process. It ended up being a really impressive project. Questions: How can we make sure the PPP includes a strongly worded pitch, as well as helpful supporting materials? Will we be able to use notes for the TPPP? Can we use an in-class production for the IPP?

This post was interesting because it combined my experience from last year with my lack of knowledge about the other two projects we will do this year.

Summer Assignments #3 and 4

The next two assignments were created by Gwen and Katherine, and I helped by commenting on other student's posts to help steer them in the right direction.
Here are the prompts:

For assignment #3, please complete BOTH options (A and B). Thank you!
A. First research Absurdism (NOT Absurdist theatre) and give a brief synopsis of elements of the origin (who, what, when, where, why). Second research Absurdist theatre and find what elements of it make it “Absurdist” or at least what sets it apart from other types of theatre. Explain two of these elements. Thirdly, apply the two elements you chose to the French play Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco and determine whether Rhinoceros is, in fact, an Absurdist play.
B. Research the practice “Theatre of Cruelty." (Tip: don’t get frustrated if you don’t find much; it’s a difficult research topic for this very reason) Read enough to get an idea of what you believe the practice is. In YOUR OWN WORDS (no cheats) explain what you believe the practice is and what its motive might be. Lastly, explain why you do or do not feel this is a usable practice (ie. do you agree with the methods of the practice?)
Notes: Remember 350-500 words. Post the link(s) with your research, and happy reading. DUE: on or before WEDNESDAY, July 10th at 11:59:59

For assignment #4, please complete ALL THREE SECTIONS (Editing, Directing, Technical). Thank you!
From an editor's standpoint (concerning the Hansel and Gretel script): What scene(s) did you change and why did you change them? How do your changes enhance / clarify the piece as a whole? If there was one aspect (character, lines, blocking) you could eliminate from this script what would it be and why?
From a directorial standpoint (concerning either the Hansel and Gretel or Blood Wedding scripts): How does blocking and tone (of the characters) develop the characters' personalities / motives? Why did you chose to have certain characters perform certain movements? Pick two of your favorite blocking decisions, one from each piece, explain why those movements add to the scene or script as a whole.
From a technical standpoint (concerning either the Hansel and Gretel or Blood Wedding scripts): Which technical aspect did you chose, why did you chose it, and how does it add to the production? How does your element (ie. lighting ,sound ,costume) make the production a more cohesive / fully realized production? How does your chosen element (ie. lighting, sound, costumes, props, set) make the production a more cohesive / fully realized production?

Notes: Remember 350-500 words. Due on or before - WEDNESDAY, July 24th at 11:59:59 PM. Post the link(s) with your research, and happy creating!

Summer Assignment #2

The next assignment was created by yours truly! Here was the prompt I gave students:

For assignment #2, please choose ONE Greek question and ONE Shakespearean question to research / answer. Thank you!
Greek Theatre (3 options - Please choose ONE of the following questions to answer / research): - How important was theatre to the ancient Greek people? How does Greek theatre in its time reflect the culture / people of the time? - Research the significance of the chorus to Greek theatre and apply it to a contemporary theatrical practice today. - How did Greek theatre incorporate masks and costumes and how does that relate to contemporary theatre? (Think of prom's theme this year too :))
Shakespearean Theatre (3 options - Please choose ONE of the following questions to answer / research): - How did Shakespeare's life influence his works? (Don't just regurgitate facts about Shakespeare's life, really focus on analyzing the facts' impact on his work) - How did Shakespeare's work, and other works of his time reflect the history and historical events of his time? - How does Shakespeare's work still maintain significance today? (Modern productions, adaptations, etc)
Notes: Remember 350 - 500 words TOTAL. DUE BY 11:59:59, June 26th (30 points) Post the link(s) with your research, and happy reading / researching!

This was an interesting assignment because I don't usually do assignments where I create the prompt for the rest of the class. I really liked this assignment though because I like teaching and have thought of becoming a teacher, so it was interesting to assume the role of the teacher for the assignment. Also, since I've taken a year of this class, I could direct the prompt to help students get to know what the really need to to do well in the subject area/entire class. I'm looking forward to doing some more student-created assignments this year.

Summer Assignment #1

Over the summer, we were given several assignments to complete for our theatre class. The first was a "Get to Know You" post:
Hi, I'm Hali McKinley Lester and I'm a senior (wow that's weird I was about to type junior). I was in the IB Theatre class this past year and it was a blast! I chose to take the class because I have always enjoyed acting, but I could never fit any theatre related activities in my schedule before. When I decided to take the IB Programme, this class was definitely an enticing factor, and I'm really glad I chose to take it! I first became interested in theatre when I was in second grade and got to say a line in my cousin's play at Harvard. For the next seven years, I decided I was going to become a famous actress. Although that's not my dream anymore, I still enjoy being involved in theatre. I'm an energetic, hard-working, crazy and adventurous person. Outside of school, I run cross-country and track, and in my spare time, (HA! that doesn't actually exist in IB ;)) I enjoy reading, swimming, and travelling. I don't really know what I want to do with my life or where I want to go to college. I know I'm almost in my senior year now and should know these things, but I'm only 16 (for 11 more days) and I'm still trying to figure out what I want to pursue. I am most looking forward to having new people in our class. This past year, we only had 6 people, which was wonderful, but I also think it will be a new and exciting experience to have more people that can contribute their perspectives because that is often the way to learn even more. My theatrical experience entails making my debut on the Harvard stage, taking this class, participating in the middle school musicals, and overall enjoying attending theatrical performances. I know this is way over 100 words, but you'll find that I always have a lot to say :)

Wilkes University Day 2

I was visiting my mom during her residency for two days, so on the second day, June 26 2013, I got even more theatre experiences. After lunch, there were several panels going on, and one of them was about play writing, so my Mom and I attended that one. The speakers were all professors at Wilkes who had published plays. They talked about their process for writing, which was incredibly fascinating, and will definitely help me during our play writing unit. They also talked about making sure you block out the time for writing every day so you make yourself get it done, although some admitted that they can be binge writers. After the panel, my mom introduced me to several of the speakers, and I told them about my theatre class. They were really interested to hear about it, and told me we could contact them at any time and they'd love to talk to us--maybe we could Skype in class. One man even lives and works in New York City (can you say FIELD TRIP?! ;) ). Then, that night was another reading session like the previous night, although this time it was all plays, instead of short stories. This was really cool because while these weren't fully actualized productions, you could get the feel for the play more than just reading it on paper. Also, the fact that it was only read by the author was interesting because their voice intonation and expressions were what they envisioned when they wrote the play, whereas an actual production differs from the author's original intentions. Overall, it was a fun visit and a great opportunity for me to learn more about the theatre world and make some great connections

Breakfast Club

So I remember last year in theatre that we always seemed to talk about Breakfast Club and everyone kept telling me that I needed to watch it. After Katherine's monologue, I was definitely more interested but with summer starting I sort of forgot about it. Then, on Saturday August 17th, I was watching Pitch Perfect with my friend and one of the characters was talking to this girl about how she needed to watch the Breakfast Club. She refused, saying she didn't like movies, but eventually she watched it and cried and loved it. The next day, I saw that Netflix now has the Breakfast Club!! I'm hoping I'll get the time to watch it before school starts. :)

Colorado Summer

In April, we found out that my dad had gotten a job he applied for in Colorado as the Colorado State Forester. His job started July 1st, but I wanted to finish my senior year here, so my mom and I will stay here. However, my dad and oldest sister left for Colorado in mid-June. Then, my mom and I went out to join them for a month starting in mid-July. Because I didn't know anybody there, I had more time to go do things with my family. It also meant that I wanted to get some more theatre experiences out in Colorado. I thought it would be really cool to see if being across the country would change the theatre experience. There's a few theaters around here, but I've been to a lot of them, so I was excited to be able to try something new. We were in the city of Fort Collins, and one thing I thought was really cool was that they would often have performances in Old Town, which was essentially the major center of the city with all these cool shops and things to do. For example, on Wednesday nights they would have jazz nights, and often on the weekends there would be people playing their instruments as we walked along. It was really cool to see all these different performances going on in a casual setting, yet it felt like a professional performance.
Here is a link for information about the different upcoming performances
http://www.beetstreet.org/streetmosphere

University of Colorado Boulder

Since my family is in the process of moving to Colorado, I am looking at more schools out there. On Tuesday July 23, 2013 I visited University of Colorado Boulder. We took a tour of the campus, and I was really excited we got to see the theatre building. It was absolutely beautiful, just like most of the campus. Who knows, if I go to school there, i may be frequenting this building a bit more :)

Wilkes University Visit-1st Night

On June 25 and 26, I went to visit my mom at Wilkes University, where she was for her week-long residency. She is a creative writing professor for the Wilkes MA/MFA program. On Tuesday, she had a reading that the students and fellow professors attend. There were seven other presenters in addition that were all presenting original work. I didn't even think about it until afterward, but this was a great theatre experience. I was a little disappointed in some of the presentations because they dragged. In fact, I thought this night gave me a really interesting perspective on the need for an effective presentation because some people had interesting story lines that were well-written, but their presentation was bland so I didn't enjoy the piece. I found that the pieces I enjoyed more were the ones that presented in an entertaining manner. My mom was second-to-last and even without my bias she was clearly the best one. Her story was about the time there were snakes in our pool before my birthday party. She read loudly and clearly, with voice intonations. She made it so that everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats and had the audience roaring with laughter. Afterward, everyone kept coming up to congratulate her. They told her that hers was the best reading of the night and they absolutely loved her story. I was so proud of her! Now I know where I get my theatre inclinations :) Here is me with my mom after she presented--proud daughter!! By the way, she wore that blue shirt to resemble water (my pool)...so even though this wasn't a theatrical production with costumes, my mom still thought about small implications of her outfit!

Summertime

Woah. Sometimes I forget how busy summer gets...as well as my startlingly sporadic access to internet. Therefore, most of my summer theatre experiences are being documented in a hard copy journal, which I transfer over to this when I get the chance. Please excuse my sporadic postings :) in fact, the chaos kind of reminds me of theatre because I remember when we were trying to memorize our lines this past year, Mrs. Burke would tell us to just practice them whenever you get the chance. It might not be at regular or long lengths of time, but you take what you can get. So, that's what I'm going for her. I'm hoping to get everything up within the next few weeks :)
Here's some pictures of my trust summer journal

Anne of Green Gables

So ever since the summer started, I have started reading books for fun again--AND IT'S THE BEST THING EVER!!! I don't really have time for pleasure reading during the school year, so I take advantage of my free time in the summer. One of my favorite books as a kid was Anne of Green Gables. I always wanted to be like her and I read that entire series. So, when I saw I could read it for free on my phone, I got it and started reading it. Anne is an outgoing girl, and she gets into doing recitations, one of which she performs in front a lot of people in town. Her experiences reminded me a lot of what we do in theatre, especially our monologues. We have much of the same process: memorizing the excerpt, interpreting it, and performing it, which is just what Anne did. It made me happy that Anne and I have something in common after all. :)

Rhinos Everywhere

Today my dad was listening to NPR, and when I came downstairs they were talking about rhinos and the exploitation of rhino horns. Of course, it reminded me of when we studied and produced Rhinoceros!

Pride and Prejudice Monologue

My favorite movie/book of all time is Pride and Prejudice. I was watching it for the millionth time this past weekend, and I decided that I wanted to do Elizabeth's monologue when she refuses Mr. Darcy. I did that today, June 4, 2013 during class. For my setting, I projected a picture of Mr. Darcy in the rain onto the screen and had the class sit with facing me with their backs to him, so it was like I was talking to him but they could still see my face. I thought it went really well because I love the character of Elizabeth and I'm able to channel her personality. Yet, the one thing I noticed with this, that Mrs. Burke pointed out as well, is that I often portray strong characters. Next year, I'm going to work on trying act outside my comfort zone, by being someone wish-washy or not as confident. I think that'll be a good experience for me to experiment with other types of characters. In fact, we talked in class about possibly doing some monologues or some initiation into theatre on the first day of school. Mrs. Burke was telling us how up at Penn State, the first day of Theatre 100, 2 grad students always stage a fight, so we were thinking something like that might be really fun! We're going to try to plan it out of the summer.

This is the picture of Mr. Darcy I used:

booksteame.com

Rhinoceros Reflection

On  April 1, 2013 (April Fool's Day) our IB Theatre class produced Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco. It was really fun! We got all ready in our costumes and everything before first period, and then we blocked off the stairwell, so people wouldn't interrupt our show. The second show went a lot better than our first show. In our first show, I think we were still really nervous and working out the kinks. We hadn't had a full technical rehearsal, so we also didn't really know how it was going to work. We had a few minor problems, and a bit of line skipping, but we didn't let that ruin the show. I was really impressed with how we were able to recover and keep the show going to make it really good. After the first show, we looked over the lines where we had problems, and the second show went really smoothly. I also think it helped that the audience was more responsive second period and seemed to understand the gist of the play better. They asked a lot of questions about design choices, especially the use of red. It was also funny because they asked us some questions that we hadn't really thought of before, such as the symbolism of the cat. Not only did we teach them through our play, but they also opened our eyes to new possibilities. That was a really cool experience. I also liked how we did part memorized and part staged reading because I thought that showed the audience that there are many types of theatrical productions and not everything has to be the standard memorized and on a stage. I think our setting was also interesting for both the audience and actors to experience. It gave the audience a new understanding of how to watch theatre, as well as it gave us a new experience of acting in different settings where it can still be theatre. And it was great to later get compliments from people on how they liked the show! :)

Grease

On Saturday April 13, 2013 I attended CV High school's production of the musical Grease. It was amazing!!! Everyone was so talented, the dances and singing were great! I really noticed how the actors had worked so hard to coordinate with each other. My favorite part of the musical, of course, was "Hand Jive" because it involved so many different people. I had brought my theatre glasses (binoculars) so I used them to look at specific people. It was really cool to see how each cast member put so much effort into their work. They were all focused, but they also made sure to keep acting. Even in a big crowd, it was important for each, single person to be doing everything correctly. The costumes were also really well done. There was so much color to convey the vibrancy of the musical, and some of the costume changes for the main characters were pretty impressive (they could change costumes in basically 60 seconds flat), Also, the set was incredibly elaborate! We had gone down in theatre class that week to see the set. We walked around it a little bit (even though I was scared to go up on it because I'm afraid of heights and I thought it was going to collapse and kill me). Mr. McGuire pointed out the different aspects. WOW!! It must have taken SO much work to construct it. Also, there were kids dancing on top of the structure thingy so they had to make sure it was incredibly safe. I was so impressed. Of course, they have a big budget for their shows (budget is incredibly important in theatre), but I was still really impressed. I was really impressed by the car they had for Greased Lightning because it just exemplified the fact that they had thought of everything. He also showed us some lighting techniques and sequences. For example, they had a white sheet behind the set, so other light colors could show and convey the mood of different scenes. We had a professional lighting designer who has worked on Broadway shows show us a few of the many lighting sequences. He also showed us how they could light up the jukebox with all different colors which was really cool. It was amazing to go see the show and watch as everything could be put together into a spectacular production.

Blood Wedding Monoluge

So during second marking period, I had taken notes in my Blood Wedding book for extra credit, but I didn't need, so I asked Mrs. Burke if I could so something in relation to it for extra credit. She said yes, and I chose one of the bride's monologues from the end of the play when the bridegroom's mother discovers her. I thought it was interesting because the bride was so clearly trying to deceive the woman, yet she was almost convincing. I wore a white dress with sneakers because she was a "runaway" bride. I took the class outside to a wig willow tree. I stood next to the tree, and the class either sat or stood nearby. I wanted to do this to give it the woodsy feel because this scene took place after the bride is discovered in the woods. I think it went really well. I felt more comfortable with everyone being immediately in front of me in a fairly casual setting. Also, I really felt like I could actually get into the character of the bride because I understood this scene, and I really liked it. Overall, it was a fun experience with theatre in a different setting, which often adds to the quality of the work.

Romeo and Juliet

On May 29, 2013, we got to see Gamut Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare in the PAC.

• they had AWESOME flight choreography--I remember when Mrs. Burke's husband came in freshman and id a presentation about flight choreography, and it was really cool to see it reflected on stage. Maybe we can have a workshop on it next year :)
• they used rock music--in fact, mostly modern music--HOW COOL! It reminds me a little of what we did with Rhinoceros.
• I got a little confused about who is what character, as well as who some of the characters are, their familial ties, etc.--I probably need a refresher on the play since I haven't read it since freshman year.
• the interactions between the nurse and mother were HILARIOUS!!
• I thought the dancing was cute :) and it didn't look too difficult--maybe something to do with people who aren't great dancers that is fun and looks cool to have within the production
• they added narration to parts to make it more understandable
• they had a minimal set and no changes with it  except moving around the boxes to signal a different location
• when they started Romeo and Juliet's monologues, I actually remembered a lot of it from doing it freshman year! WOW!!
• I wrote down "freshmen..." because they were really immature and would freak out and laugh or wolf-whistle during any of the kissing scenes--typical
• in the scene where Juliette doesn't want to marry Paris, her father "slapped" her--I did not remember that or even her father being abusive at all, and I did not like it!! I know each rendition is different and takes different approaches, but that was one change which I did not like because I don't like the perpetuation of the idea/image of violence
• in the wedding night scene, there was a lot of white, which I noticed--possibly to symbolize the innocence and purity of their love.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good play!! It's been a while since I've studied Romeo and Juliet so it was fun to see, and another experience of theatre. I'm learning more about what to look for in productions, instead of just deciding whether I like it or not. I also try to take into account acting choices, lighting, set design, and all aspects of theatrical productions.

Summer Work

As a class, we formulate the ideas for the summer assignment for next year. Katherine, Gwen, and I will be facilitating a lot of it to catch the other students up to speed with what we did this past year. I will specifically be in charge of the Greek/Shakespeare element of the assignment. The meeting was May 31, 2013 at 7:30 in the morning.
Here is what we came up with:

IB Theatre – Summer Assignment

for the 2013 – 2013 School Year

 

Greetings, returning and incoming IB Theatre students!  As we embark on the second year of the existence of this course, we look forward to challenges, successes, frustrations, and aha! moments.  Before you delve into this summer assignment, I want you to know that I am available any and all the time via email:  aburke@cvschools.org to answer your questions, to encourage your research and thought, and to guide you to be successful.  What a great year we are going to have together!  Again, welcome!

Mrs. Amy Burke

 

Get pumped!  Seeing as we are the last survivors of Generation One, that makes you guys “The Next Generation.”  Don’t wear red shirts.  J  Seriously dudes, you will experience a new type of classroom.  This course will include ALL aspects of theatre – research, history, production, technical / design, etc.  Yes, writing and research doesn’t sound so great, but you will become innovative, and you will learn to think on your feet.  This class will entail a significant workload, but we always make sure to have fun, so don’t worry.  It’s going to be a ball!  Woo!

 

Katherine Campbell        Frida Centerskog              Sam Marino        Hali McKinley Lester       Aishwarya Singh               Gwen Strom

Your summer work includes two online components:

[Facebook link / site] – This site is your first line of defense to contact fellow class members, ask questions, keep up with the classwork for the summer and beyond, etc.  This site is for YOUR BENEFIT.  Posts on this site are NOT GRADED.

Mrs. Burke’s site – [enter link here] – The major aspect of your summer work will be online posts to the previously stated link.  The topics vary from the curriculum of the previous year.  The purpose of these posts is to get you caught up with our returning students’ areas of study.  These assignments will be GRADED.

*Your posts should be original and creative at ALL TIMES

**If you have any issues with due dates / times (vacations, camps, going out of the country, not having access to online facilities), you will need to contact Mrs. Burke at least five (5) days prior to your conflict.  Emergencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  Remember – COMMUNICATE with me J

Your Message Board Assignments / Posts (185 points total):

1.       “Get to know you” post – AT LEAST a 100 word post – Why you picked this course / who you are – DUE by MIDNIGHT, June 12^th  (15 points)

 

2.       Greek and Shakespeare post – 350 – 500 word post PLUS link(s) to research – Background research on Greek theatre and Shakespearean theatre plus a post that explains and synthesizes your research and ties what you learned to a recent / contemporary aspect of our world – DUE by MIDNIGHT, June 26^th  (30 points) 

3.       Rhinoceros / Absurdist Theatre / Theatre of Cruelty – 350 – 500 word post PLUS link(s) to research – Research Absurdism / Theatre of Cruelty (as theatre practices) as well as the play, Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco.  Post a blog response that explains and synthesizes your research and argues in favor of or against the use of Theatre of Cruelty as a practice – DUE by MIDNIGHT, July 10^th (30 points)

 

4.       Hansel and Gretel adaptation and Blood Wedding by Frederico Garcia Lorca – 350 – 500 word post PLUS link(s) to research AND design links / scanned photos / drawings / sketches.  Take a scene from Hansel and Gretel and edit it.  Take a scene from EACH script and mark it as a director might mark it.  Take a scene from EACH script and design some sort of technical aspect (lighting, set, costumes, props, etc.) – DUE by MIDNIGHT, July 24^th (30 points)

5.       Research Investigation, PPProposal, TPPP Examples – 350 – 500 word post PLUS at least five (5) references to the example projects.  Read and respond to each of these project examples – DUE by MIDNIGHT, August 7^th (30 points)

6.       Looking Forward to our 2013 – 2014 IB Theatre Curriculum – 500 – 750 word post PLUS link(s) to research on the following topics:  - DUE by MIDNIGHT, August 21^st (50 points)

 

a.       The American Musical

b.      Critique / Reviews of Plays

c.       Japanese Theatre

d.      Contemporary Greek Theatre

e.      Playwriting

 

Hansel and Gretel Reflection

On May 17th, 2013, we had our final production of Hansel and Gretel in the Big City in the PAC during periods 1 and 2. I actually thought it went really well. We didn't have a big group for the first period, but we got a lot more audience members second period, and it was great to have the talk-back with all of them because it was really interesting to hear other people's perspectives. Personally, I thought it went well. Of course, we had a very minor bit of line-flubbing, but I really don't think it negatively affected our show because we were able to recover quickly and keep the show going. Also, I think since we had written the show ourselves, we basically knew what we needed to say. I tried to focus on keeping up my volume because we didn't have mikes and we were in the big PAC, as well as really getting into character. I thought I did a fairly good job. I remember when I did my Henry V monologue on that stage and I froze up so much because I was so nervous. I think this show really demonstrated how far I've come because I didn't get so much stage fright. It's all about getting used to it and not letting it bother you. We did have a few problems of course, and I think a lot of that stemmed from not having a lot of full rehearsals prior. The show came right in the middle of AP/IB testing, so people were missing classes and it was tough to practice without everyone here. We were also unable to have a full tech rehearsal because Katherine was sick that day. I think this taught us to really plan ahead for what time we make the show because we probably should've realized it was going to be really hectic at the time and planned ahead more. Also, I think next year we should plan to have more than one full tech rehearsal beforehand, just in case we encounter problems with sickness or other last minute conflicts. Better to be safe than sorry! Yet, I was really please with how everything went, and I was really proud of us that our "last hurrah" of the year was something we'd invested so much effort into and I felt like it really paid off!

H & G Flyer and Ticket

Here are our adorable flyer and ticket :)

Major props to Frida! I think these are adorable and hopefully they'll make people want to come to our show :)

Production Meeting 3/1

We had another production meeting today. We all wore black to take our lovely cast picture that will be in the program. We wrapped up mostly everything with the costume situation. I also need to send Frida the program template I used for Rhinoceros. We also talked about having spotlights at certain moments.

Production Meeting 4/23

On April 23, 2013, we had a production meeting about what each person could bring for Hansel and Gretel. We had decided what acting and technical roles we would play. I am the step-mother and evil homeless woman, Courtney. For design, I am in charge of costumes and sound in conjunction with Aishwarya. We made a list of costumes we will need:

Costume Ideas:

Father: Jeans and Plaid Shirt- Gwen can bring in a plaid shirt / Sam has jeans and will look into suspenders, black boots

Stepmother: power suit and pumps--looks expensive- Gwen can bring in pumps and jacket; fur coat in the costume room; Hali has a black jacket / jewelry / hair up

Hansel and Gretel: Overalls / plaid shirt / Hali has boots possibly overalls; Aishwarya has NYU sweatshirt; Gwen has a NY Yankees hat and red plaid shirt -

Clara: ratty white sweatshirt and jeans- Gwen has jeans and a white sweatshirt / white shirt - says “Etown” on it, tattered Converse; Sam has a white sweatshirt ; Gwen to find white undershirt / camisole;

Courtney: brown tattered clothing and big coat - Hali has the coat, black sweatpants; Mrs. Burke to bring in ratty shoes; Gwen to bring in ratty shoes ; Mrs. Burke to bring in ratty black / brown / something pink?

Narrator: Jeans and black t-shirt - Frida to bring Jeans and a black T-shirt; black shoes

 

For sounds, we also plan to use city noises and the Skype ringtone.

 

I agreed I could bring in monopoly money and a NYC map for props, as well as the costume items above.

We also agreed to take a class picture for the program on May 1, 2013.

Writing the Hansel and Gretel Script

On April 17, 2013 we planned out the script for Hansel and Gretel.
Part 1: Frida--the discussion between the father and step-mother to Hansel and Gretel's departure to the city
Part 2: Gwen--Arrival in the city to meeting the innocent
Part 3: Aishwarya--the interactions with the homeless woman
Part 4: Sam--Hansel and Gretel's discussion about what to do to the innocent coming back
Part 5: Katherine--Innocent has change of heart and helps them to being back in the dorm room
Part 6: Me--video chat with Father to him agreeing to help them pay for college.
Each person is supposed to write about 2 pages for their section, and Mrs. Burke gave us this website for help with script-writing: http://www.playwriting101.com/chapter12. Using this, we could all have the same format for script so it would be easier when we put it all together to edit it.
I actually really enjoyed writing my portion! It was pretty easy since it was modern day, and I kind of just let it flow like how I would imagine a normal conversation going. Then, it was great to see everyone's put together. It ended up actually turning out pretty well for having the whole thing to flow together. The next class, we all sat down and edited the script together to make sure that everything made sense. Obviously, changes had to be made, but there really weren't any major problems. I also created a Google doc that everyone could access so we could all make edits to the same document so that everyone could see the changes as soon as they were made. That was helpful for us so we all had a uniform script and knew what changes other people were making. In fact, when we finished the whole script, my mom was reading it over and was really impressed. She is a writer and a college professor, so to have her tell me that something that high school students wrote was really good was an honor! I think it was also easy and fun because we each only wrote a small portion, so put together it worked really well without someone being swamped with having to write an entire script.

H&G Decision

On April 15, 2013, we discussed in class about finalizing our decision for District Arts Festival. The general consensus was that Hansel and Gretel would be the story we would adapt. Then, we read through it as a class. I jotted down my notes about my observations of the story:

• 4 characters: mom, dad, Hansel and Gretel
• poor family-starving
• background story is important: narrator in our play?
• flint vs. pebbles for leaving trail
• can't share food of parents with children
• setting: woods, house of bread, cake, sugar
• white bird-5th character?
• wicked witch-6th character?
• white duck-7th character?--could combine with duck
• witch and mother characters are similar--could use same actor?

Then, we discussed how we would adapt it to be modern-day. It could be a poor family where the twins were accepted to NYU or Columbia and get lost in NYC or Central Park. The witch could be a possibility of people--scam artist, a business/institution, a worker or leader at a business, a mob member, a homeless person, or a college student trying to divert Hansel and Gretel from their studies. We decided that the witch would be a homeless person, so we came up with the following character list:

• Hansel
• Gretel
• Father
• Stepmother
• Homless Person
• Naarator
• White Bird/White Duck-could be water taxi/swan paddle boat, subway, young child/innocent--we decided on innocent

We also decided we needed the script to be written by the end of the week.

District Arts Festival Discussion

On April 11, 2013 we discussed the possibility of a performance in conjunction with our high school's District Arts Festival.

• performance would be first and second period--possibly May 14th and May 16th
• Ideas for possibilities:
• could do scenes and/or monologues
• songs from musicals that CV performed over last 4 years-tribute to seniors
• adaptaitions of inspirational works (PPP?)
• Disney-Grimm Fairy Tales (don't need permission for rights to those)

We decided on an adaptation of a Grimm Fairy tale because they are public domain so we have a lot of freedom with that. Our homework is to research the Grimm Fairy Tales and pick our top three, so we can talk about it next class and everyone can vote on which one to do.

Production Meeting 3/7

On March 7, 2013 We had another production meeting for Rhinoceros.
SET (Gwen):

• corkboard material worked out with Mr. Bomboy
• going to cover it with canvas from art and use acrylics to decorate it

SOUND (Katherine):

• want music that the audience knows
• doesn't actually musically match the show--maybe DISNEY?!?!
• adds to absurd with contrast but helps audience understand it better because they know the connotations of Disney music
• 3 songs and rhinoceros sounds (orchestral)
• Ideas?! "Kiss the Girl" from Little Mermaid or "Beauty and the Beast"

PR (Me):

• contact IB, Humanities, administration--CC Mrs. Burke--students will need passes to attend
• need a proof of the program for 3/13
• bring in red dress, shoes, plastic wine glass, stuffed animal cat

Annoyed

I am currently quite annoyed with Blogger because apparently if you try to update a post from earlier, it changes the date. Ugh. I just wanted to add some stuff to previous entries and now it's not in the correct month and this is really going to bug me...

Poetry Out Loud

On Feburary 5, 2013 I participated in the Poetry Out Loud competition at our school. For POL, I had to pick two poems: one that was fewer than 25 lines and the other that is pre 20th century. We had to memorize these poems and then perform them for judges in the PAC. There were nine other competitors. I chose the poems "September 1918" by Amy Lowell and "Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. I chose my poems because they offered a really insightful look at the reality of war. The first one more focused on the home-life during war, whereas the second described the heat of the battle. On my first poem, I was really nervous, so it didn't go as well. At one point, I had to pause for a little because I lost my concentration. Luckily, I was able to get it back fairly quickly, and did a decent job on my performance. After the first round, we took a little break, which was good for me to calm myself down and regain my poise for my second poem. The second poem was actually the one I was most excited for because it was so powerful, especially when it is recited aloud. I got up there and just went for. My nerves just floated away as soon as I started, and I just got really into it. It was a fairly long poem, but I barely even noticed. I had a blast. After we finished, we all waited around for the results. It was really fun talking to the other participants because it wasn't like a cutthroat atmosphere or anything, it was just people supporting each other. It was also really great that we watched everyone else do their poems because everyone had something different and a different approach to it. I really enjoyed everyone's presentations! When they announced, the results, I was nervous, but I also realized that no matter what happened, I was proud of myself for getting up there and doing it. I actually placed second! I was so excited, and people kept telling me what a good job I'd done, especially with "Charge of the Light Brigade." I was honored and proud of myself. It made me realize that I really enjoy presenting in front of people and just having fun with it. It was a little dab in theatre, especially since it was something that counted for memorization, as well as acting throughout my memorization. For a good performance, you need both of those key aspects.

Senior Goodbyes and Fun Games

Yesterday, May 31, 2013, was our last IB Theatre class with our seniors, Frida and Sam. It was actually sadder than I thought it would be. They've been with us all year, and even though I didn't know them at the beginning of this year, I've gotten to know them a lot better. They are an integral part of our class, and it will be so weird without them. Especially since our class only has 6 people in it, every person impacts the class in a different way and brings something new to the table. For example, Sam was always so upbeat and open to do anything. Frida offered a fascinating international perspective since she is from Sweden. I'm going to miss them a lot! After we said some parting words to our seniors, we went outside to play some games that were related to theatre. We played a game where we stood in a circle and one person went in the middle and either sang or talked, and then whenever someone else got inspiration from something the person in the middle said, they would go in the middle instead and pick up talking or singing. It was really fun and taught us how to make connections between different things. Then, we played Freeze, where 2 people start acting out a scene, and then another person can say "freeze" and jump into one of the positions already established, but they have to start a whole new scene that is completely unrelated. It was really fun and also taught us to really get into it and make connections to unrelated scenes. It also emphasized a need to think on your feet. Then we played big booty, where you get a number and say someone else's number and then they have to say their own number and then another person's number and it goes around until you mess up. It was really funny because we were all terrible at it and kept messing up. It taught us to respond really quickly and listen well, which apparently we weren't too good at :) Then we played the alphabet/number game where you try to get as far through the alphabet as you can without two people saying a letter at the same time because then you have to start over. It taught us to anticipate other people, as well as to just go for it and hope it works. Finally, we played my favorite activity of the day. We stood in a circle, and a person would go in the middle and everyone would just say nice things about them all at once. It was not only a great feeling to be the person in the middle getting complimented, but it was also good to be on the outside. It was fun to compliment other people and realize how many great qualities everyone has. It's just kind of a reminder that sometimes we need to refocus our lives and realize that more often we need to recognize people's positive attributes, rather than constantly criticize and find people's faults.

Theatre in my IO

On May 13, 2013 I had to do my Interactive Oral for IB English for my class. We have to teach the class about a cultural context of a world lit novel. I chose to focus on the Dutch Underground Resistance in The Assault by Harry Mulisch. This presentation reminded me of theatre because I essentially had to think on my feet, similar to improve. When teaching the class, you can't exactly prepare for how students will respond, so I had to be careful to listen to what each student said and respond according. This reminded me of theatre because it was a sort of production. Also, Mrs. Burke was always emphasizing to us that we work on listening to the other actors lines so it looked like we were actually have a real conversation instead of just spitting out lines. In this situation, I couldn't just spit out responses, I actually had to listen to what other people were saying. It was actually a blast! I felt like I was up there for only 2 minutes, but it ended up being 15 minutes! I really think my preparation in theatre helped, and maybe I could become a teacher :) When you think about it, teaching is kind of like acting because you're up in front of a group of people and you have to prepare, but you also to have to be ready to roll with anything that happens. Thinking about it, I think a lot of jobs incorporate theatre, especially in terms of presentations and interactions with other people.

R&G in SATs

So today I took the SAT Subject Tests. One of them was the Literature test, and one of the passages was an excerpt from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. I immediately thought of Theatre because our school produced R&G this spring. I was really disappointed I didn't get to go, but I did see it last year at Gamut Theatre. I remember being really confused, but this year when we talked about absurdism and theatre of the absurd I realized why it was so confusing. I actually think my knowledge of these practices and the play itself helped me understand and analyze the passage better. Who knew theatre class was also SAT prep class?! :)

Rhinoceros Readthrough

Today we did our first read through of Act 1 of Rhinoceros. This way we could see how it would work out to have the parts changed. We also contributed ideas about blocking. In the read through, we tried to have more acting in our voices and get into character. I am Jean

Rhinoceros Final Production

Our final production of Rhinoceros took place on April 1, 2013 at around 8 in the morning. We had  one roduction first period and the other was second period. We had several audience members for the fiurst showand even more for the seoncd  one, and the seoncd went a lot smoother. On  the first one, we got ourb lines a little messed up, but we were able to recover. Then, second period we realized our mistakes, and second period went a lot better. Second period also had a  more interactive audience which helped because it made it seemlike theyunderstood our show better and kind of gaveussome more confidence. after each show, we did a talk-back with the audience. the first group didn't have toob many questions, although they did pick up on the color scheme with the red, as well as understanding a  little bit of the absurdism.

Catching Up...

So if you soon notice a flood of blog posts, that will due to my incredible intelligence in forgetting my password and keeping everything in my hard copy journal, until I found it. Then, the wondrousness of blogger did not inform me that my posts were all being save that only I could see them because I wasn't publishing them. Oops. Well, the "show" must go on ;)

Production Meeting 3/21

LAST PRODUCTION MEETING

• Monday is last day to call line
• Monday we are adding costumes and sound
• Wednesday-final rehearsal-add everything else
• Show is Monday April 1
• ask Frida about what to do with Katherine's hair

Sam on lighting:

• another meeting with Mr. McGuire early next week on the backlighting
• use black tablecloth material to cover the lights to make it darker
• hasn't gotten word from Mrs. Burke about aprons--going to use Mrs. Burke's

Gwen on set:

• red material for tablecloths
• has 6 or 7 black chairs

Production Meeting 3/13

We had a production meeting Wednesday on March 13.
Gwen is in charge of set design--she shared her progress

• no response from Mr. Landis about key to box in stairwell and Mr. Wonzer about chairs and tables from cafeteria
• emailed art teachers about seats-about 25 we can use
• working on canvas for corkboard-working on brownish color-so we can we put stuff on it
• she checked with Frida (costumes) and Aishwarya (props) about colors to use on corkboard

Catherine is in charge of sound

• played her songs that she plans to use for the show
• orchestral piece for when rhinoceros comes through-from live action production of Peter Pan in 2003
• "He's a Tramp" from Lady and the Tramp for the end of the scene leading us out into the curtain call
• "Kiss the Girl" for when Daisy enters--THIS IS MY FAVORITE I LOVE IT SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• "A Little Town" from the beginning of Beauty and the Beast for the beginning of the play when Jean and Berenger are sitting in the cafe.
• ask Elaine to record the voice of Daisy

I am in charge of PR

• I brought a rough draft of the program
• Must email teachers/administration to save the date for the production
• Everyone else is emailing me head shots&short bio for the program
• work on ticket for the next production meeting-3/21

Frida is in charge of costumes

• I showed everyone my red dress and red high heels
• Aishwarya will bring in a scarf that could go with my dress
• I'm going to practice wearing my heels to see if it's possible
• Katherine has a wrinkled, pinstriped shirt and the pinstripes are red which goes with our theme
• I need to take a picture of my dad's bowler hat
• Look for broom skirts for Sam
• Sam needs to ask about an apron and bring in his cardigan
• Bring in maid cap

Sam-lighting

• meeting with Mr. McGuire tomorrow
• wants black construction paper over the lights to make the scene darker
• yellow paper over window
  · keep stairwells darker so the audience is more focused on the stages
  · stages more lit up so they're the focus of the production
  · hopefully some lighting instruments in the stairwell
  Aishwarya-Props
  · Take pictures of my stuffed animals to see any of them would work for the cat
  · Check about trays
  · Necklace chains in the glasses for the spillage
  · Bring in gold/silver chains
  · Towel hooked into Frida's apron for when she cleans up the glasses-check for red towel
  · Giant paper bags
  · Brandy bottle
  · Aishwarya and Katherine need to bring in stuffed rhinos