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!