Creation of the World

Grade 10's:  You are working on the comedia del'arte scenes.  I want to see you creating clear distinct characters.  You need to think about physical and vocal ways to express your character's identity.  Don't play yourself!  Costumes, make-up and hair can really help your character here.  Think of what sort of clothing your character would wear.  That helps the audience see you as someone else immediately.

Grade 8's:  You are working on "The Creation of the World".  A myth can be seen as a metaphorical way of describing a natural event.  Think of how you can use costumes, music, mime, tableau, dance and choral speaking to give your audience a memorable experience.

Grade 9's:  While working on your heritage drama presentations, be sure to plan an organized series of transitions from story to story and from story to framework.  When professional theatres present their plays, they practice the scene changes as well as the scenes themselves.  I am in a play right now ("Dearly Departed" running at the Evergreen Theatre in Coquitlam) and the director has spent a lot of time and effort in making the scene changes almost as entertaining as the scenes!

Staying in character and concentrating is so important on stage.  You are trying to create a sense that what happens on stage is actually happening.  The audience "suspends its disbelief" (the people in the audience know that your play isn't actually happening, but they set that knowledge aside in order to fully participate in the performance) while you perform, but if you are giggling at your own jokes and smiling when you are angry or frightened, the audience sees you and not your character.