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Year 10/11 Theatre Studies
Unit 2#/ Outcome 1 (This task will be finished by both 10/11 students)
In this unit stagecraft includes acting, costume, direction, dramaturgy, lighting, make-up, multimedia, properties, promotion (including publicity), set, sound and stage management. Students apply stagecraft to interpret a playscript and consider the impact of stagecraft on audiences.
While you are working on our modern playscript, you will also be completing research into three different styles of theatre from the modern era.
Your first assignment will be to complete a folio on a style of theatre. This folio is one of three major tasks that will decide your grade this semester, so make sure to keep on top of it!
• Your project may be submitted digitally or on Powerpoint.
• Your project may be submitted as a footnoted report.
• Your project may be completed in the form of a website that you create! You can create your own website at www.wix.com.
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Here is an example of a website constructed last year by a Year 10 student (try to use better spelling in yours!) Here's the link to a website created by a student!
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Here's another website created for naturalism by one of the theatre students from the same class! Click Here!
You may complete your folio on any of the following styles of theatre.
• Forum Theatre or Theatre of the Oppressed
• Epic theatre.
• Theatre of the Absurd.
• Theatre of Cruelty.
• Expressionism.
Your folio must be of sufficient length (2000 words minimum). Year 10 students have a word length of 1200 words. You may report on such things as the following:
• Bios of great authors and directors who worked within or created theatre style. (Brecht and the evolution of Epic Theatre).
• Timeline of major developments.
• Key works and major practitioners.
• Examples of theatre style (DVD, illustrations). Samples of performance linked to a website.
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Reviews of shows that match the style you are analyzing.
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Use of stagecraft elements (set, costume, lighting act.) in this theatre style.
You must identify the conventions of your Theatre Styles and how they are used in performance.
Folios are due TBA
You will have time during class to research but you WILL have to make time for this at home !!! Also, make sure to attend all lecture days and check references and downloads that I put on Moodle and this site!
You can start your research by checking the links I've provided on the site.
You can download a hard copy of this assignment here!
All work must include a biblography and must be in your own words!
You will also have a Theatre History SAC for this outcome.
Unit 2#/ Outcome 2
On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply stagecraft to interpret playscripts from the modern era.
You will be required at Year 11 to choose two stagecraft elements from the following list. Year 10 students will choose one stagecraft element from the list. You will be expected to put together a folio showing your work in the field and providing evidence in the form of diary entries, illustrations, drawings, audio, video. Here's the list:
Acting
Stage 1: Production planning
• actor’s research notes as influenced by the playscript and the initial concepts;
• actor’s annotated rehearsal schedule and/or initial script annotations.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsals
• records of meetings and discussions with the director/s;
• annotated records of workshop and rehearsal activities including appropriate script annotations.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated notes/journal entries from technical and/or dress rehearsal/s and performance/s to an
audience;
• annotated notes from discussions with the director/s and/or members of the production team
specialising in other stagecraft.
Costume
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which costume design could be influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the costume design/s selected from initial concepts through to final design/s;
• costume break-down list and record/s of the stages of costume construction and/or acquisition.
Stage 3: Production season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of costume;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Direction
Stage 1: Production planning
• director’s brief as influenced by the playscript, initial concepts and discussions with other members of the production team;
• preliminary notes for rehearsals.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• examples of notes given in rehearsals, production meetings and or workshops;
• playscript annotations and/or workbook/journal entries.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated notes/journal entries from technical and/or dress rehearsals and performance/s to an
audience;
• annotated notes from production team meeting/s and/or meeting/s with actors.
Dramaturgy
Stage 1: Production planning
• response to the initial concepts and notes on how the playscript and initial research informed approach;
• examples of preliminary research on the contexts of the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• notes on the ways in which work undertaken in this area has influenced interpretations of the playscript;
• examples of material made available to the director/s, actors and/or members of the production team specialising in other stagecraft.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated notes/journal entries from technical and/or dress rehearsals and performance/s to an audience;
• annotated notes from discussion/s with the director/s and/or members of the production team specialising in other stagecraft.
Lighting
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which lighting design could be influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the lighting plan selected from initial ideas through to final design;
• annotated notes from meetings with the director/s and/or members of the production team
specialising in other stagecraft including notes about the development of cue synopsis.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated lighting schedule/s and samples of cue synopsis;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Make-up
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which make-up design could be influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the make-up design ideas selected from initial concepts through to final
design;
• record/s of the acquisition of make-up supplies, make-up trials/experiments and/or the application
of make-up.
Stage 3: Production Season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of make-up;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Multimedia
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which the multimedia product/s could be influenced by the
playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the multimedia product/s design ideas selected from initial concepts through to final design/s;
• records of the stages of compilation of the multimedia product/s.
Stage 3: Production season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of multimedia;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Properties
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which properties/props have been influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the design ideas of the properties selected from initial concepts to final design;
• properties/props list and records of the stages of properties construction and/or acquisition.
Stage 3: Production season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of properties/props;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Promotion (including publicity)
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• notes on how the themes, ideas and concepts in the playscript informed research.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the stages of development of a promotional management strategy plan
selected from initial concepts through to final plan;
• annotated copies of initial concepts/ideas for publicity/promotion items selected from initial
concepts/ideas to final items.
Stage 3: Production season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of publicity/ promotion;
• annotated notes from meeting/s and discussion/s with director/s and/or members of the production team specialising in other stagecraft.
Set
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the initial concepts;
• annotated notes of the ways in which set design could be influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production Rehearsal
• annotated examples of the set design selected from initial ideas/concepts through to final design;
• records of the stages of set construction and/or set acquisition.
Stage 3: Production season
• records of work conducted with regard to maintenance and/or refinement of set;
• annotated records of meeting/s with director and/or members of the production team specialising
in other stagecraft.
Stage 4: Production evaluation
• records of debrief meeting/s and/or discussions with other members of the production team;
• evaluative commentary on application of set to the production.
Sound
Stage 1: Production planning
• preliminary research based on the playscript and the production brief;
• annotated notes of ways in which sound design could be influenced by the playscript.
Stage 2: Production development
• annotated examples of the sound design selected from initial design ideas through to final
design;
• records of meetings with director/s and/or members of the production team specialising in other
stagecraft.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated sound schedule/s and samples of sound cue sheets;
• annotated notes from meetings and discussions with director/s and/or members of the production
team specialising in other stagecraft.
Stage 4: Production evaluation
• records of debrief meeting/s and/or discussions with other members of the production team;
• evaluative commentary on application of sound to the production.
Stage management
Stage 1: Production planning
• risk-management assessment including identification of appropriate occupational health and safety issues and annotated copy of the rehearsal schedule and technical/production timelines;
• record of initial meeting/s with director/s and/or members of the production team specialising in other stagecraft.
Stage 2: Production development
• annotated record/s of tasks undertaken;
• excerpts from prompt copy of the playscript.
Stage 3: Production season
• annotated notes from technical and/or dress rehearsal/s and performance/s to an audience;
• annotated records of meeting/s with director/s and/or members of the production team specialising
in other stagecraft.
Stage 4: Production evaluation
• records of debrief meeting/s and/or discussions with other members of the production team;
• evaluative commentary on application of stage management to the production.
Unit 2#/ Outcome 3
For this outcome you must be able to analyze the live performance of a play from the VCAA list. You must have an extensive knowledge of:
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The nature of theatrical analysis, concentrating on the use of stagecraft elements to form conventions of a theatrical style.
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How the use of stagecraft enables the audience to construct meaning from a theatrical performance.
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The ways in which stagecraft is applied in performance.
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The ways in which theatrical styles are informed by the use of stagecraft.
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How contexts (historical and dramatic) informed the use of stagecraft in production.
We will have lectures and notes available on this before we go to the VCE production. YOU MUST ATTEND THIS PRODUCTION as you will have two SAC exams on this and will form your assessment for this outcome.
What should I study for the exam (Years 10/11)????
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(11)You should totally familiar with the glossary of terms: Key Concepts section of "Acting Smart". You should be able to use these terms in context as well understand their meaning.
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(10/11)You should be able to understand and define the different stagecraft elements of theatre, and be able to illustrate how they are manipulated to fit the historical, cultural and social context of a written playscript.
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(10/11)You should be familiar with the ways stagecraft elements are manipulated in within the styles of theatre we studied: Naturalism, Realism, Absurd and Epic (example: what sort of sets are constructed in an Epic Theatre Piece?)
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(10/11)You should be familiar with the ways we manipulated stagecraft elements in our production "Hating Alison Ashley". Example: Though the style of the play was Natuaralistic, the sets were partial and fit more readily in the style of Epic theatre.
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(10/11)You should understand the four stages of production (Planning, Development, Season and Evaluation) and what activities are carried out by those working within those stagecraft areas during the specific period of production.
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(10/11)You should be able to develop a plan to stage a theatre work within a certain style of theatre working within a stagecraft area.
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(10/11)You should be able to recall specific moments from "Other Desert Cities" both in acting and technical areas and site them as examples of style or context.
You should be able to name both performance conventions and production conventions from Epic, Naturalistic, Absurd and Realistic styles of theatre. (Example: A convention of performance in Epic theatre is breaking of the 4th wall and addressing the audience directly).
Semester 2: Year 11
Outcome 1
On completion of this unit the student should be able to identify and describe the distinguishing features of playscripts from the pre-modern era
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
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three or more theatre periods from the pre-modern era;
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theatre context/s from the pre-modern era;
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theatrical styles including skills used by actors, the use of stagecraft, and the ways in which a
playscript shapes performance;
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actor–audiencerelationships;
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text interpretation through the use of stagecraft other than acting.
Key skills
These skills include the ability to
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describe characteristics of theatre from the pre-modern era;
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research texts and contexts of playscripts;
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demonstrate knowledge of theatrical styles;
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describe the interrelationship between the actor and audience;
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research and apply stagecraft other than acting to interpret playscripts.
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Outcome 2
On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply acting and other stagecraft to interpret playscripts from the pre-modern era.
To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of study 2.
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
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the interpreting of playscripts from three or more theatre periods of the pre-modern era;
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contexts of playscripts from the pre-modern era;
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theatrical styles from the pre-modern era;
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the role of the audience in the pre-modern era;
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acting techniques and stagecraft from a range of theatre from the pre-modern era, including ways
of creating character, use of expressive skills, and use of compositional skills.
Outcome 3
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse a performance of a playscript from the pre-modern era in performance.
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
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the nature of theatrical and performance analysis;
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the ways in which an audience constructs meaning from a theatrical performance;
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the ways in which theatrical styles shape a performance;
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acting techniques applied to a play in performance;
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the use of stagecraft to construct meaning;
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how contexts inform playscript interpretation.
Key skills
These skills include the ability to
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analyse a theatrical performance;
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describe the ways in which meaning is constructed by an audience;
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explain the use of acting and other stagecraft in a performance;
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analyse the application of theatrical styles in a performance;
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describe the ways in which contexts help shape a performance.
Due Dates:
Selecting a pre-modern Monologue for Unit 1:
In the coming semester you will be completing a pre-modern monologue that you must select from this site. Actorpoint.com
You may select from either "Classical" or "Shakespeare". Since this is preperation for your work next year, I want you to read the play from which your monologue is taken. Finish the learning activity worksheet in Acting Smart pages 94/95. This will be due with your lines when you return from break. This material along with your "Character Description" (Page 96/ Acting Smart) will help you work effectively in performing your monologue. Here is a fine glossary of Shakespreare words for you to access on the net.
Divide your monologue into beats (or thoughts). Draw a black line between each thought.
To be/
Or not to be/
That is the question/
Then take another colour marker and mark out the iambic beat. Five syllables are in each phrase.
TaDum/TaDum/TaDum/TaDum/TaDum
Then take each phrase and write YOUR translation IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Know the meaning of each line. Each thought. Remember you need carry each thought on each breath. A change in thought can be indicated by:
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A change of breath
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A change of tone
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A silence
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A physical gesture
To effectively deliver a monologue you must not only know the lines, but the thoughts of the character.
Divide each thought with a black line.
Ex.
To be/
Or not to be/
That is the question/
Then take another colour marker and mark out the iambic beat. Five syllables are in each phrase.
TaDum/TaDum/TaDum/TaDum/TaDum
Then take each phrase and write YOUR translation IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Know the meaning of each line. Each thought. Remember you need carry each thought on each breath. A change in thought can be indicated by:
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A change of breath
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A change of tone
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A silence
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A physical gesture
To effectively deliver a monologue you must not only know the lines, but the thoughts of the character.
Video That Might Help You!
I've scouted the internet for the following Shakespeare Plays that you might want to watch. Lets start with "Hamlet" by the Royal Shakespeare Company (two parts).