Journal #3

 

Have you noticed the eagle's nest that is right at the exit road from Steveston-London?  I have seen the eagles on the nest and how they bring twigs to fix it and for the last few cold mornings, they have both been sitting on the light standard on the playing field.  This morning, I decided to take some photographs of them.  They are so beautiful and majestic and they inspire me, even in these dark cold scary times.

Drama 8:

What do you need to remember when you are making a tableau?  (Say at least four things.) Choose one of the tableaus you were in or one that you saw and draw a picture of it -- it doesn't have to be great art so don't be afraid.  You may use stick figures if you want, but make sure that you include lots of detail.  Label your drawing with how it fulfilled what a tableau should do.  (If you can't remember any of the tableaus, make one up.)

Which fairy tale did your group choose?  Which role will you play?  Describe how you will create that character.  (Think of your movements, gestures, facial expressions, costumes, etc.)

Make sure to look for good instrumental music to play while you perform your fairy tale.

Some of you were asking about the group "Rallycar" which we heard yesterday while we worked on the tableaus.  I found a website that has some of their songs -- here is the link:  https://www.reverbnation.com/rallycar/songs

There isn't much information about them after 2010, so they might not be performing any more.  Too bad.  They are good, I think.

Drama 9/10:

Write your heritage story.  If you haven't talked to your family about it, then think of something that has happened to you to share with your group. 

Remember to include the name of one person with whom you would like to work on the big heritage project, if you have a preference.  If you don't care, let me know.  That helps arrange the groups.

Journal #2

 Drama 8

Are you good at working in groups?  On a scale of 1 - 5, with 5 being excellent and 1 being not very good at all, where do you rate yourself on working with a group?  Why do you rate yourself that way?  Are you a good leader?  Explain why.  Write about a time you worked in a group and what you learned from the process.  It can be a positive or a negative experience.

Drama 9/10

Where does your family come from?  (If your family is indigenous, you could say from this territory, but if not, you can say where each of your parents or grandparents (or great grandparents) come from.  In my case, my father's family came from Ukraine, although my father was born here.  My mother's family came from western Europe -- Scotland, England, Germany, Holland).  Tell me two things you know about your family's country of origin.  (I know that Ukraine is very much like Saskatchewan and that is why my dad's family wanted to go to Saskatchewan.  I know that Ukraine was taken over by many other countries, including Poland and Russia.)  How did they arrive in Canada?  (Mine came on ships and then, in the case of my father's family, they had to take a train to Saskatchewan).  Why did they come to Canada?  (I don't know why my mother's family came, but I imagine they wanted to get land, which was unavailable to poor people in Europe;  my father's family came because they were very poor and disadvantaged in Ukraine and thought they would have a better life in Canada).  Did they face any challenges when they came to Canada?  (In Saskatchewan, many people were very prejudiced against Ukrainians.  They made fun of the way they spoke, their food, their customs, their religious beliefs -- it was very difficult for my father and his brothers and sisters at school because they did not speak English at home.)

Ask your family these questions if you aren't sure.  If they can't help you, you can do some research!

Welcome to the Theatre! Journal #1

 Everyone:  What should Ms. Kosar know about you?  Include your pronouns, whether you have stage fright or not, whether you have ever done Drama before (and tell me what you've done, if you have), what you expect to get out of the class, and anything else you think I need to know!

What elementary school did you come from?  Did you do any Drama there?  What was it?

What is the last movie you saw?  Did you like it?  Say why or why not.

Report Cards!

 I have posted marks and comments for all of you (I hope it worked -- every time it is a bit different and this time we had to blank out your old marks and comments and replace them!)

Before you lose your minds, make sure you read the comments because some of you have not handed in all your assignments, journals and projects and some of you have not presented either your scenes or your monologues.  If you haven't done something, get it to me by the end of Wednesday (so I can mark it and put in your revised mark).

Remember!  The Drama Club is meeting by Zoom on Tuesday at lunch (the coordinates are on the bulletin board, the announcement on the website and on the Drama Club instagram page).

Enjoy the second semester, everyone!

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

 I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your work in my classes in the first semester.  We certainly ended things on a very positive note and I really enjoyed seeing your final scenes and monologues and I wish you all the very best next semester.  If you still have things you need to do, remember that you have Wednesday or Thursday to finish off.  Check the posted report cards on Monday after 3!

I saw the new Joel Coen version of "Macbeth" last night (and was up long after my normal bedtime!)

I liked a lot of it and disagreed with some of it, but I am respectful of his attempt and pleased that Macbeth still puts "bums in the seats".  It is such a terrific play with such great characters and such a terrific jewel of a plot.  We've done it twice here at SLSS and the two productions were very different, so I'm sure that Joel Coen would do that, too, if he was going to direct it again.

It is in black and white and it looks fantastic.  The use of mist and crows and locations (like the castles of Dunsinane and Fife and the battlefields) and the old man's shack are really evocative and also Coen's use of camera angles, like looking down from the heights and through doorways and windows is really effective.  The witches (performed by one actor -- Kathryn Hunter) were really scary and creepy and weird and I loved how they resembled crows and then, perhaps, were crows.  The scenes from the battlefield and the fight scenes were staged really well and the attack on Fife, the murder of Banquo and Duncan and the fight between MacDuff and Macbeth were terrific.

Denzel Washington (Macbeth) and Frances McDormand (Lady Macbeth) were good, but I think they took a wrong tack here (obviously, Joel Coen and the actors would disagree with me) by weakening Macbeth and making him seem too crazy too soon.  Frances McDormand was good when Lady Macbeth was strong, but in the sleepwalking scene, I think you should pity her and I couldn't.  It seemed rather mechanical.  I did think of something I would do now, if I were doing it again -- I think when she ends the scene with "what's done cannot be undone; to bed, to bed, to bed", she should lie down right there as if she thinks the floor is her bed.  She should curl up in the foetal position and then the doctor and nurse could help her stand up and lead her off stage.  In the movie, they staged some of this on a long flight of stairs and it could have really worked for her to try to curl up on a step when she longs for sleep.

You guys from English 11 -- I would urge you to see the film, if you can.  It is fun to see scenes that you've performed and know the story and see how other people have decided to do it.  Of course, I would urge everyone to see it!

Okay, I am going to get to work now.

Update: End of Semester!

 English 11 

Learn your lines for your Macbeth scene (the only way to do this?  say them OUT LOUD!!)

Get your folder ready to hand in.  It should contain all the diary entries, be decorated and have the other items assigned.

Answer the questions from the "take home test":

Drama classes:

Scenes should be ready!  Monologues!  Sound and light shows!  Journals!!

Journal - January 21 (Last journal for Drama class)

 Senior Drama and Drama 9/10

What do you know about your extended role play character?  What do you need to do to play the character realistically?  Make sure you try to internalize the things you know.

Drama 8

Which Aesop lesson should you learn?  Explain your answer.

English 11

Questions for Act 5 of Macbeth:

1.  "Some say he's mad; others . . . call it valiant fury"

"Like a giant robe/Upon a dwarfish thief"

What are the above quotes examples of?  What do they mean?

2.  What happens in scene 4?  Why is it important?

3.  In scene 5, Macbeth finds out two pieces of bad news.  What are they?

4.  How was Macduff born?

5.  How does old Siward react to his son's death?

6.  Is Macbeth admirable in Act 5 or not?  Explain.