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.