Be prepared!

You must be prepared to perform on the day!  Tomorrow, Grade 10's will do their satires.  Play characters -- don't be happy with playing yourself!  Grade 9's, you will perform the heritage stories from the cards.  Try to be respectful of the stories you've been assigned.  Think about how things were done before cellphones and modern schools and automobiles.  Grade 9's -- hand in your heritage story!  You will need to share it with your group.  Grade 8's, you will be performing your dress rehearsal of the fairy tale mime.  Be sure you have an idea on how to play your character!  Grade 8's -- you should also be thinking of a topic for your upcoming show and tell speech.  It should be something about which you can tell a good (2 minute) story.

Blow Winds and Crack Your Cheeks!

I guess it's going to be a stormy weekend, so batten down the hatches with a good book or movie!

Grade 10's:  You will perform your satires on Monday.  After having seen your "dress rehearsals", I'm still not convinced you have a clear understanding of how satire works.  It is an integral part of "commedia del'arte" which we are going to be looking at in depth.  Look on Youtube for sketches from "That's So Weird".  That's a satirical show meant for kids and I find the sketches (the scenes they do) really funny.  Their series, "Logan and Wilf", is very funny and I think the two women who play the boys have really created a couple of charming and funny characters that poke fun at the way kids see the world.  Other sources of satire are "This Hour Has Twenty Two Minutes" (which satires Canada's political scene), "The Rick Mercer Report" (which also takes aim at Canadian issues) and of course, American shows like "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report".

You will be reciting "Think when we talk of horses" on Monday.  Make sure you practice!

Grade 9's:  I have read a couple of your heritage stories and I've found them to be excellent.  If you haven't handed in your story yet, please take some time this weekend to talk to your family members about events in your family history that might make a good story.  It doesn't have to be a huge achievement.  My mother told all sorts of funny stories about growing up on the prairies.  Here's one:  my grandparents had a general store in a little town called Lang, in Saskatchewan.  They lived there through the Great Depression when most of Saskatchewan was called a dustbowl, because there was no rain, and the crops were dying and there was no work.  My uncle, Dudley, was sixteen and wasn't a very good student and thought he would like to get a job but of course, there were no jobs in Lang.  One morning, my grandmother woke up to find a note from Dudley.  It said, "I have decided to hitch a ride on a freight train and go out to Alberta to find work.  Don't worry.  I have five dollars."  She cried and cried, until my grandfather decided to follow Dudley on the train.  He got as far as Moose Jaw (that's a real place).  Dudley had run out of money (or been robbed, I'm not sure which) and was so glad to see his father.  That isn't an earthshattering story, but I think it fits the bill.

Some of my husband's ancestors were African slaves who were freed after the Civil War in the United States.  His great great great grandfather moved to Texas with his family to start a new life.  One day he came home from a day in town and he was very frightened.  He told his wife and children they had to get away and so they packed up everyone and all the worldly goods they could get on the wagon and headed north.  They crossed into Canada (they had to pay a head tax because of their race) and settled near Edmonton in Alberta where they started farming again.  He never told anyone what had happened in town, but you can imagine, I think.

Grade 8's:  You should be thinking about your fairy tale mime.  If you have some music that would be good as an accompaniment, you may bring it to class on a CD or on your smart phone and I can play it for you from the booth.  Be sure you know the story and that you know who you are playing and where the tableaus are.  Think about how you can play a real character on stage.  If you are the witch in "Hansel and Gretel", you need to think about how she could convince the children to come into her house and then what would she look like as she fattened them up before she turned them into soup!

Drama Club:  We've started off with some very productive rehearsals.  Some of you have mentioned that you might know someone who has a donkey head.  Try and get a hold of the person and see if we can borrow it.  Make sure you give Rachel Wong your schedule, so she can figure out a rehearsal setup for next week.  I scheduled rehearsals of Act 4 for Monday.  At lunch we will meet in Mr. Allan's room (thanks to him) as there is a presentation by VCC in the theatre at lunch. 

On your feet!

Sitting and talking about what you want to do will not provide the same results as doing it.  Don't be lazy.  You get out of things what you put into them (that might not be grammatical, but it's true).

Don't forget we're having "Meet the Teacher" night on Thursday.  Encourage your parents to attend.  You're welcome to come as well and introduce me to your parents.

Friday is a professional day, so sleep in (all you sleep deprived teenagers!) and then go outside and have a nice walk somewhere.  Clear out the cobwebs!  Monday will be upon us before you know it!

. . . here are your parts!

Drama Club:  Please make note of the rehearsal schedule on the bulletin board outside the theatre.  Do not miss rehearsals!  Somebody else will be happy to play your part and we have lots of very talented people to act as your "understudy"  (see the great Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in "All About Eve").

Drama classes:  Journals are due tomorrow. 

If you would like to try your Shakespeare reciting again, make sure you practice, because it should show improvement from your first attempt.

I, admiring of YOUR qualities!

Thanks to everyone who auditioned for the play.  You have made it so difficult for me to cast it, but that's a good thing for me, of course, because I have what is called an "embarrassment of riches" (too much of a good thing).  My selection process includes a consideration of your grade level -- if a student has been in the Drama Club for five years and had been tried and true, always prepared, consistently at rehearsals, improving as we work, that person will very likely get a big part.  If you are in the younger grades, you have to expect that you will get a smaller part, but remember that a good actor can make a small part really shine.  And of course, this year, we have so many wonderful actors from grade 11 and 12, they've made it hard for me to choose among them!

Years ago, I went to Stratford, Ontario, to see "Midsummer Night's Dream".  It was terrific.  If you ever get a chance to go there, take it.   The theatre is so lovely and you're guaranteed to see something interesting and challenging and thought-provoking.  Anyway, the actor playing "Snout" has very few lines.  You would think it was a part to throw away, not to "tear a cat in", but the actor who played Snout was so focused and so in character and so charming that you really loved him and watched him when he was onstage.  You wanted to know how he felt about everything.  He wasn't DOING anything, not upstaging anyone; he was just living in his role.  And I have remembered his performance above everything else in that wonderful production.  Isn't that what all of us want as actors?

Rest assured, I will do my very best to give you all a chance to be on stage, but then you must reciprocate by being committed to the play. It is going to be a huge challenge for all of us, but if we pull together, we'll end up with something magical, I know.  The experienced kids know that there are always chances to be promoted.  If somebody doesn't show up, I'll look around the theatre and say, "Hey, you in the green, want to play Hamlet?"  Then you stammer, "we. . .we. . . well, okay!" and then the next thing you know, you're on Broadway!  Thanking me for your Tony award!

I will post the cast list on the Drama Bulletin board on Monday morning.  Then at lunch, we'll get together in the theatre to talk about schedules.  Please have a written schedule of your own ready for Rachel (who is going to stage manage the play).  You should write out when you CANNOT come to rehearsal.  Bring a PENCIL to rehearsals to write down blocking and ideas you have about your character or how to say your lines.

And now, "take pains, be perfect, adieu"!  (I can't help quoting the play.)

Ideas for Satire

Drama 10:  If you're looking for ideas for your satire, try the CBC's  "Just for Laughs -- Hindsight 30/30".  Popular comedians look at historical events through a comic lens -- this might give you some ideas about events that would be suitable and also the style that you might use.

Two Heads Are Better Than One?

Journals: 
Grade 10:  Write a one-page scene which reveals the group interactions you experienced when developing your "I know what you did" mime.
In one sentence, what is your satire based on?
Grade 8:  Are you good at working with a group?  Explain.  Would you say you're a good leader?  Explain.  What qualities and skills do you have that make you a leader?  How can you improve your group work?  (think of at least three ways)
Grade 9:  Write your heritage story.  (This is due next Thursday.)
What would be challenging about living without your smartphone?  What would be good about it?  Think of the same two questions with regard to other things we use all the time (for example, the automobile, the refrigerator, running water in the house)

Tomorrow is Nerd Day.  Unveil your inner nerd!

Practice Makes Perfect

A bit disappointing in the mime department today, Grade 10's.  You had a week to prepare and your scenes were pretty chaotic.  You can't hope to come up with a good performance if you don't work on it at all.  Just sitting and hoping for the best won't cut it.

Listen to everyone's ideas.  Sometimes the quiet people have great ideas and if you shut them down right away, you'll never hear about them, until you read their "coming of age" novel when you're in your thirties!  On the other hand, don't let one naysayer shut you down.  You need to express your ideas and try them out in the rehearsal process.  You won't make much progress in Drama if you just sit and stare at each other.  Even the silliest idea can turn into something great if you try it out.  (Look at Bob and Doug Mackenzie -- if you don't know who they are, ask your parents or look them up on Youtube.)

Keep in mind how your rehearsals went because I'll be asking about them in this week's journal.  You should be prepared to write a little playlet that explores what happened as you put the mime together.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words!

Good work on the mimes today, everyone!  For the grade 9's and 10's, I am especially pleased at how well you took direction.  It is a great skill to be able to take constructive criticism and use it to improve your work and that is something I am looking for when I assess your progress in Drama.

Grade 8 and 9:  We will perform our Shakespeare recitations on Monday, September 23.  Grade 10's:  Yours will be on Monday, September 30.  Practice saying your speech out loud.  That is the only way to memorize a speech.  Say it for your family -- ask them to tell you honestly if you are speaking clearly and loudly enough.

Drama Club:  Auditions are on-going this week.  If there is no time available on the sign up sheet, just show up and audition -- there are always a few spare minutes.  As is often the case, we need any talented boys to come forward, especially.  Don't be intimidated by Shakespeare -- it isn't as difficult as you think.  If you are interested in performing, you can ask for a small part and see what it's like.

Crew -- listen for the announcements -- we'll have a brief meeting on Monday at lunch in the theatre to see what everyone's schedule is.

Tomorrow is Photo Day.  Your image will be imprinted in the yearbook for posterity, so "dress your best" for Spirit Week AND to make your best impression on everyone who looks in the yearbook in years to come.

Spirit Week!

Be sure you participate in Spirit Week!  It's fun and Drama students usually show leadership in areas that require creative risks!

Monday -- Pajama Day
Tuesday -- Your "future career" day (use your imagination -- no one will check, in years to come, to see if you fulfill your future career plans)
Wednesday -- Dress Your Best Day (also photo day, so you want to look nice)
Thursday -- Excessive Makeup Day
Friday -- Nerd Day

Remember, in your mimes, match your facial expression to your mood!

Journals are due tomorrow.

Golden lads and girls all must/As chimney sweepers, come to dust.

Many of you know I attended a funeral this week.  We lost one of my husband's oldest friends and although the ceremony was comforting and it was good for all of us to get together and remember him, I think we will all be very sad for a while.  My husband and Colin had been friends since they were about 11 years old (more than forty years!) and they went to school together, played sports together, travelled together, worked together (Colin got my husband his first job!), acted as best man for each other at their weddings, and were there for each other in sickness and in health.  It isn't easy to keep a friendship going over such a long period of time.  I only have one friend from my childhood and I treasure our relationship because she is one of the only people who remembers my parents and what I was like as a little girl and our home town and all of our shared experiences.  As with any relationship, "it takes two to tango".  You both have to make an effort.  I hope all of you get to experience a friendship like the two I've mentioned here.  It is a great consolation to have someone who really knows you and accepts you "warts and all".  Even though it is sad to have to say goodbye, it is "better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all".

Have a great weekend.  It is supposed to be summery weather until late Sunday -- perhaps that will be the official beginning of fall.

We are such stuff as dreams are made on,
And our little life is rounded with a sleep.

Time Waits for NO MAN (or woman)

Some of you have not handed in last week's journals and now, THIS WEEK's is upon us.  Don't let time get away from you.  Make sure you hand in your journal each week, or you will have a big disappointment on your report card.

Grade 8's, you won't have a journal this week, because you are away at camp.  I hope you're having a great time and learning a lot about how to get along in high school.  You should be practicing the Shakespeare passage, because we'll be working on that when you get back.

Grade 9's:  Practice "speak the speech" so you'll be able to recite it without help from me.

Journal #2:  In one sentence, tell the story of your mime.  Have you embellished the original idea to make it more dramatic?  What is the conflict in your story?  (You need conflict in a drama.)  What have you done to improve the original mime?

Make sure you answer all the questions.

Grade 10's:  Practice the speech from Henry V.  You'll be reciting it soon.

Journal #2:  In your mimes, what happened last summer?  What conflict are you exploring?  What was good about your mime performance?  What needed improvement? 

Remember, in mime, you need to be very clear in your actions and take your time.  Otherwise, the audience won't understand your story.

Ever have . . . one of those days?

That's a line from a great show I saw this weekend at the Fringe Festival (running until next Sunday, mostly on Granville Island).  The play was called "Radio: 30" and is about an actor recording a 30 second commercial spot.  He's a very skilled and confident actor who shows what it's like to work in that environment, but of course, that's not all there is to the show.  The actor/writer of the show is the very talented Chris Earle, whose performance was absolutely rivetting.  The other show I saw was a huge contrast -- "Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle Pub".  It was performed by Ryan Gladstone and John Paterson and was about a bunch of people in a pub watching the final gold medal hockey game at the 2014 Olympics (here's a hot prediction -- it's Russia and Canada!)  Both actors play all the characters -- old men, "cougars", two actors planning a hockey play, and a couple on a date all the way to Jim Hewson and Kelly Hrudy doing the play-by-play of the game.   It was lots of fun.  Gladstone and Paterson are pretty great improvisers and invested a lot of energy into the performance and even though they struggled a bit with the material (which requires a deft hand, I think) they certainly were entertaining.

If you're interested in taking part in the Drama Club, we had our first meeting today (I had planned to meet tomorrow, but I won't be able to do it).  We're going to do Midsummer Night's Dream and the audition sheets are on the theatre bulletin board, along with a signup sheet for audition times.  Make sure you memorize the piece.  If you want to work backstage, listen for the announcements or let Alyssa, Paige or Mark (or me) know.

Your journals are due tomorrow.  Grade 8's, make every effort to hand yours in, since most of you will be away at camp for three days.  Have a great time!  This is an experience you'll remember for your whole high school career!

Grade 9's and 10's -- you're going to be working on mime for the next couple of days.  Remember, it's so important to concentrate when you're miming and really think about communicating to the audience. In groups, it's important to listen to everyone's ideas before you charge ahead with your own.  Sometimes an idea that seems too complicated at first or is hard to understand is just the thing to make your play special.  The theatre is predicated on the principal that two (or three or more) heads are better than one and that many hands make light work.  (Sometimes cliches are true.)

See you all on Wednesday.

Noli timere - Don't be afraid

I mentioned a couple of days ago that the great Irish poet, Seamus Heaney, had died.  His last words were "Noli timere" which is Latin for "Don't be afraid".  When he won the Nobel prize, he said, "walk on air, against your better judgement".  I think both quotes urge us to do the same thing.  Don't be crippled by fear.  Try new things.  Live life fully.

Michael Enright, who is a commentator on the CBC, wrote about Seamus Heaney's life and philosophy  this week and he says "our poets don't change the world, but instead change the way we look at it".  That's the role of all artists, including those of us who are involved in the theatre.  He says we live in a culture of fear -- fear of the future, of unseen dangers, of failure -- but Seamus Heaney advised us to turn our backs on fear and choose hope instead.

Here's a brief passage from Heaney's "The Cure at Troy":

History says, don't hope
On this side of the grave.
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme.

Live your life this weekend.  Get off the computer and get outside.  Listen to the birds.  Think about how lucky you are.  Noli timere!

Journal Day

Don't forget to bring a pen, duotang (Oxford Esselte, if you prefer) and paper to class tomorrow.  Remember, I do have a few old duotangs that you may use.  Grade 8's, your assembly is in B Block, so report to Drama class and you will be called down to the gym.

  Grades 9 and 10 :  Our first journal will be about your favourite movie.  What is the name of the movie?  (If you don't see a lot of movies, try to think of one you like, even if it's a kids' movie or one you saw long ago.)  Who directed it?  (The director is the person who is responsible for every aspect of the film, so they are really important - try to start noticing who directs the movies you like, if you don't already.)  Who acted in it?  (If it's an animated movie, it still uses actors for the voices of the characters.)  What did you like about it?  (Be specific -- describe scenes that were memorable or focus on one actor's performance, or how the scenes were shot.)  Is there anything you DIDN'T like about the movie?  What would you change about it?  Would you suggest I see it?  Why or why not?  Would you recommend it to your friends?  Why or why not?

Grade 8 :  What should I know about you?  I'm your Drama teacher, so it is probably worth telling me if you've been involved with Drama before.  Have you ever acted in a play?  Taken Drama classes?  Do you suffer from stage fright?  (You aren't the only one -- lots of people are afraid to perform in front of others.  Even professional actors can have stage fright.)  Are you good (or not so good) at working in groups?  What kinds of things do you like to do?  Have you any special skills (playing the piano, doing calligraphy, building things, etc.)?  Do you have any life threatening allergies?  Just give me an idea of who you are and tell me anything you think will help me work with you in Drama class. 

I don't take away marks for spelling or grammar, but try to write complete answers that clearly communicate your ideas.  Your journals are due on Tuesday (September 10) of next week.  If you have any questions, ask me in class or you can email me or include a comment on my blog.

Drama Club:  We will have a brief meeting on Tuesday at lunch.  Our first show is going to be Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".  There is a handout about it in a blue folder on the bulletin board outside the theatre door.  The sign up sheet for auditions is yellow and is also on the bulletin board.

Welcome to Drama!

It was great to see all your smiling faces in class today.  Remember, enthusiastic participation is how you make progress in Drama.

Please share the course outline you received today with your parents and guardians and point out how they can communicate with me if they need to.  Remember to get a duotang (or an Oxford Esselte, if you prefer) with paper and a pen for Friday's journal day.

If you see someone from the drama class in the halls, make an effort to smile and say hi and use their name.  That's a great way to build a good working group and you might make a new friend who shares an interest in theatre with you!

See you all tomorrow.

All the world's a stage

All the world's a stage
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.

That's the Grade 8 memorization passage!  Only four lines!  Easy-peasy!  It is from Shakespeare's play, "As You Like It" and goes on to describe all the different stages of a person's life.  It's funny and true and sad, like lots of Shakespeare.

If you're already a fan of the Immortal Bard (that's Shakespeare, if you didn't know), you probably know that the Bard on the Beach is continuing to perform over the next two weeks and it is always great to take a trip to Vanier Park and see a show.  The plays on now include Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure and a non-Shakespearean play called "Elizabeth Rex" about Shakespeare's queen, Elizabeth I.  Tickets are a lot more expensive than the Fringe Festival, but then you know what you're getting with Shakespeare, whereas "Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle" is an unknown quantity.

Back to school

Welcome back everyone!  (And welcome for the first time to all the Grade 8's)

These first days of "back to school" can be a real challenge.  We're used to staying up late and sleeping in and now suddenly, we're back to the alarm clock and homework and school and probably, for lots of  you (and me also), extra curricular activities and schedules and not enough time in the day to get everything done.

Make sure you read the drama handout and share it with your parents.  It gives you a taste of what we will be doing this year and outlines my assessment practices and how to reach me and gives the Shakespeare selection you'll be expected to memorize and various other things that might be of interest to you.

Next week we'll be starting up the Drama club.  If you're looking for a good way to have fun, be creative and get to know like-minded kids, look no further than the theatre.  We always need actors (girls and guys) and backstage crew.  Our first show is Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" and we'll be auditioning next week.  See me in the theatre for more info.

Out in the world of theatre:  for the next two weeks in Vancouver, the Fringe Festival is taking place (mostly on Granville Island).  For the very cheap $12 a ticket, you can see all sorts of theatre.  I'm going to two shows this weekend.  "Hockey Night at the Puck and Pickle" is a show that predicts the outcome of the 2014 Olympic hockey tournament (it's supposed to be hilarious -- the actors are well known Canadian improv actors) and "Radio: 30" is about a silver voiced actor who loses it while doing a 30 second radio spot.  Check out the offerings on line at Vancouver Fringe Festival.

See you on stage!

Seamus Heaney - Digging

The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I'll dig with it.

Seamus Heaney died yesterday.  He was only in his 70's.  Some of you might remember this poem (which is filled with such evocative imagery) from English 11.

Tomorrow we're back to school.  I like school (as evidenced by nearly half a century spent there) but I will miss these lazy summer days with no schedule.  On our walk this morning, Daisy and I noticed how September-y the air feels.  It's warm but those days of "mist and mellow fruitfulness" (that's Keats) are here.