How am I doing?

Grade 9/10/Theatre Production 11/12:  You need to constantly evaluate your work if you want to improve.  Really think about what you are doing well and what you need to improve.  The following journal is an important part of your mark for your heritage play.

Firstly, comment on your heritage play (the whole performance).  What went well?  What needed improvement?  Whose performance was most effective?  Explain why.  What was good about your own performance?  How could you have improved?

What was the best scene?  Explain why.  What was the least effective scene?  Why?

Who was the person who did the most work?  What did they do?  What did you do?

This is the mark scale:  A+ (excellent -- seamless transitions and well organized set changes, believable performances that are moving, relatable and funny for the audience, consistency, clear and believable story line with clear references to historical and geographical situations,  appropriate costumes and props, evocative music and lighting); A (very good -- efficient and well organized transitions and set changes, believable performances which are relatable, settings that refer to historical or geographical context, consistency, clear and believable story line,  costumes and props, effective music and lighting), B (good - efficient transitions and set changes,  mostly believable performances, some historical and geographical references,  consistency, clear story, some costumes and props, music and lighting); C+ (satisfactory -- transitions that take less than 20 seconds each, some performances that are effective, changing settings which the audience can understand, voices that we can hear, a story that the audience can follow, attempt at costumes and props, music and lighting); C (below satisfactory - clumsy set changes and noise and talking during transitions, actors who stay in character but perhaps cannot be heard consistently, lack of attention to theatre basics, like cheating to the audience, a lack of props and costumes that makes the stories unbelievable, a storyline that is challenging for the audience to follow or understand, a lack of empathy for the characters or the situation -- for example, if you laugh in a tragic scene).  I usually pass you if you get up on stage and try to execute something, so that would earn you a C-.

Assign the whole group a mark.  If you were marking it individually, what marks would the other group members get?  Explain your marks, using the scale above.

Drama 8:

Write a short (one or two paragraphs) myth which explains one of the following natural phenomena:

(1)  what are the stars?
(2)  why do people have ten fingers and toes?
(3)  why do birds fly?
(4)  why don't snakes have legs?

If you like, you can write it as a play instead of a story.

“We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love,” Bishop Curry said, quoting Dr. King. “And when we do that, we will make of this old world, a new world.”

Welcome to a lovely long weekend!  We've been so busy in the Drama department these days that it is really nice to have a few days to unwind.  Congratulations to everyone who took part in the presentations for the students from Wakayama and also to the cast and crew of "Care and Respect: the Musical" which was performed for the Grade 7's on Fun Day.  I wonder what the students and staff from Wakayama thought of the heritage plays they saw!  We did hear from the Grade 7's, many of whom said "Care and Respect" was their favourite part of the day!

Grade 8's, don't forget you need music for your extended mime/tableau presentations on Tuesday.  You want to bring the music you think will work so you can practice with it before you perform on Wednesday.

Did any of you watch the Royal Wedding on Saturday morning?  I watched a bit, until my son came in and shamed me -- "why are you wasting your time watching two rich people get married?"  (He is clearly not a monarchist!)  I am not a big booster of the monarchy myself, but I do like Prince Harry, especially since he spoke so openly about his struggles with depression which started after he lost his mother.  There is still such a stigma attached to issues of mental and emotional health and it was probably quite hard for him to open that conversation but so worthwhile when so many people are struggling with it.

The title quote I used was spoken at the wedding by the Episcopal bishop who gave the sermon at the ceremony.  He had a very warm and engaging manner and I think his paean to love speaks to a broader need in the world than just the love that Harry and Meghan Markle feel for each other.  If we all tried to love each other and the living things with which we share the planet, I think we could see our way more clearly.  It is so easy to be closed off to the world and to ridicule and disrespect others and treat the water and air and earth as if they are receptacles for our garbage but that's a really dangerous approach that has gotten us into the pickle we're in now.  I hope we hear Bishop Curry and dedicate ourselves to care and respect for others and for our home (the earth, of course, not just our nice little houses) -- we'll be happier and healthier if we do!

With that said, let's have a pleasant weekend and especially enjoy that extra day of freedom (which is Victoria Day, thanks to the old, old queen!)

Happy Mother's Day

I hope you all do something nice for your moms today.  They do a lot for you!  My mom died about 15 years ago but she still sustains me to this day.  Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself, I can hear her cheerful voice telling me to count my blessings.  People suggest that one route out of depression is to keep a gratitude journal, and think about all the people who help you along the way and remember even the little things that you value in your life.  And there was my little mother encouraging me to do something like that long before the scientists and doctors had realized how helpful it was.

It is a lovely day and I woke up to a beautiful bouquet of orange and yellow and red flowers and some gifts as well which I won't open until my sons wake up.  (They're teenagers, so that will be in a while.)  I am going to go out in the backyard with my coffee and my book (American Gods by Neil Gaiman -- kind of a film noire magical realism, if you can imagine that) and then this afternoon, I'm going to the Circus at the PNE!

"R.E.D." closed on Friday night to a big and enthusiastic audience with lots of friends and family and "old kids" (great to see so many alumni stars of our little theatre in the crowd).  It was a great run and thanks to all of you who worked so hard and helped make it such a success.  If you are interested, we have one more project from the Drama Club that we must prepare and the timeline is really short -- Grade 7 Fun Day is on Thursday at about 1 in the afternoon.  If you are interested in helping out, come to the theatre at lunch on Monday.  A bunch of us brainstormed a short script we're calling "Care and Respect - the Musical" starring the children's tv host, Mr. Rogers, but there are lots of parts and lots of jobs to be done in a very short time . . . so we'll need all hands on deck for that.

Oh, I just heard a very sweet and gentle tweeting on my bird feeder and looked up and what did I see?  Two lovely grosbeaks feasting on sunflower seeds.  They are one of my favourite birds.  They are very pretty - orange breast with black and white wings and a black head, and a thick chunky beak (hence, the name).  They are the most polite birds on the feeder, not like the chickadees and the towhees who make a terrible mess.  They take one seed at a time and eat it and then select another one and do the same.  What a great sight for Mother's Day!

Welcome to Friday! Congratulations to the cast and crew of "R.E.D."!

The other day someone asked what our favourite day is.  Lots of people said "Friday" and there is even a restaurant called T.G.I.Friday's because so many people are happy that it is the end of the work week.  I love my job, but I look forward to Friday, too, because it is always nice to have a break.  This has been a particularly busy week because of the run of the show.  There is so much to think about and worry about (and I am only supporting things, so you can imagine what the people who are doing all the work are going through)!  I will say this, everyone has come through gloriously and I am so proud and happy for everyone involved.  Mandy and Emily have worked so hard and really invested all the "blood, sweat and tears" that could be invested, but when it turns out this well, I don't think you think too much about how hard it was to get here.  The cast has done extraordinary work, and the crew is so solid and hard-working that you almost wish you could go on and on with it!  But there will always be another show so we will set our sights on that.

Now for the journal topic:

Drama 8:  Write about "R.E.D."  Give your composition a catchy title -- "RED Shows Its True Colours" (as Mandy and Emily say at the beginning of the show) or something like that.  Then start with a broad comment on the whole production (1st paragraph).  Then focus on something specific -- one performance, one scene, the music, the story, something like that.  Describe it in detail.  End the review with a suggestion about whether the reader should see the show.

If you missed the show, write about a play you've seen.  If you've never seen a play, you will have to write about something you've seen in Drama class.  I would like you to write about a live performance, not a movie or a tv show.

Drama 9/10, Theatre Production 11/12:

Two options:  Write about R.E.D.  If you were involved in the production, write about your role and what you found challenging and what you enjoyed the most.  Tell about the things you did to help with the production, and confess to any things you did that weren't productive.  Give some summative commentary -- how did it all go?  Would you do it again?  What did you learn?

If you saw the show, look above at the Drama 8 journal and write a review as described there.

If you were not involved or didn't see it, too bad for you.  You missed a great production that is very relevant and an opportunity to see really accomplished actors and technicians from your own school take on a huge challenge and be successful.  Anyhow, your task is to talk to one of the people involved in the show and find out what it was like.  Say to whom you spoke and interview them.  First, ask them what they did in the show and what it's about.  Ask what they like about performing or working backstage and also what is challenging to them.  Ask for their take on how the show went.  Tell me why you were unable to attend yourself.

Leader or follower!

Grade 8's:  How are you at working in groups?  What qualities do you have that make you good at working in groups?  How could you improve?  (We can all improve.)  Are you a good leader?  Explain your answer.  Write about an experience you had working in a group and say what you learned from it?

Grade 9/10; Theatre Production 11/12:

Write a scene that explores the work of your group.  Make sure you include everyone in the group and write the dialogue as if it was a play.  Give me an idea how everyone is contributing to the project through your play.

Grade 8's, remember to bring in $5 for the admission to the play.  The proceeds from the play go to produce our next play and also for scholarships for deserving grade twelves, so it is greatly appreciated if you can contribute.