Journal for April 12

 Senior Drama:  Write an "elevator pitch" (30 seconds to say, so NO MORE THAN 1/2 PAGE) about a concept you have for a commedia scene.  You can describe the plot, characters, social or political commentary, jokes or anything that will inspire Lynette to include your idea in her scenario.  THIS JOURNAL WILL BE HANDED IN TO LYNETTE!

Drama 9:  Create an outline of what you have so far in your heritage performance.  (Include framework, a sentence describing each story, and then a sentence about the stories you haven't presented yet.) You can do this in a group, but please include the names of everyone in the group at the top.

Drama 8:  Which Aesop story moral applies to you?  Explain why.

Journal for April 5

 This journal is for everyone.  It's about subtext (what's going on underneath what you're saying) and emotional memory (a technique actors use to bring real emotion on stage, not just pretense).

For each circumstance, explain how you would feel, what you might want to do and what you actually would do.

1. You invite a friend to your house to play cards.  You have fun and play for several hours.  It is getting late.  The game is over.  You can't help yawing, because you're so sleepy.  Your friend says, "what should we do now?"

2.  You walk into a room you've never been in before (like a classroom, or a meeting room).  You are starting a new class or activity and are supposed to be there. There are a lot of people there and many of them seem to know each other and are laughing and talking.

3.  You are waiting at a bus stop.  A rather menacing person comes and waits as well.  They glance at you a couple of times and then say, "I should have worn a jacket.  It's colder than I thought."  They seem to look pointedly at your jacket.

4.  Alex is your friend.  You have a lot of fun when you hang out.  Maja tells you that Alex has mentioned that you have changed and you aren't as fun as you used to be. 

Commedia del'arte characters

 

Journals for March 8

 A Block (Grade 9) -- which initial heritage story performance is your favourite?  Explain why.  (Have at least 2 reasons.) Tell the story that you have chosen.

B Block (Senior Drama) It is International Women's Day.  Who is a woman you admire?  Explain why.  Would they make a good protagonist in a play?  Explain why.  Make a list -- what do you need to do to prepare for our performance on Tuesday!!!

D Block (Creation of the World):  How do you think the world was created?  Could you make a play about it?  What character are you playing in the Creation of the World?  What is the character like?  What will you wear to give the audience the impression that you are that character?

Journal Day -- March 1

 A Block (Drama 9):  Make sure you hand in your heritage story!  At the end,  make sure you include a person you would like in your group for the big project.

B Block (Senior Drama):  Choose the speech you are going to recite.  Write the speech in your own words (this is called a paraphrase).

D Block  (Drama 8):  Which fairy tale mime was your favourite?  Provide details about why you liked it (you can comment on performances, music, costumes, tableaus, mimes).   Write about your own performance -- what went well?  What could have been improved?

Journal Day -- February 23

 Drama 8

Which fairy tale did your group choose to perform?  Describe your climax tableau and say what the focal point of the tableau is.  Who are you playing in the production?  What will you do to make us believe you are the person?  What do you need to communicate to the audience?

Drama 9

Speak to your family about a story you could share about your family history, something like the stories we saw from past grade 9 classes.  Write the story, keeping in mind the plot line we have discussed -- where does it take place?  when did it happen?  who are the people involved?  why is it important?

Senior Drama

Why do people like romance as a genre?  (Maybe you do or you don't, but it is a popular genre.) Why is it so difficult to pull off a romantic story?  What is a "meet cute"?  (you can look it up but try to write your definition in your own words.)  Describe a "meet cute" that you could incorporate if you were asked to write a "rom/com".

Valentine's Day journals

 Drama 8:  How are you at working with a group?  On a scale of 1 - 5, with 5 being excellent and 1 being not very good, give yourself a rating and explain why you give yourself that rating.  Are you a good leader?  Explain why or why not.  Tell about a time when you worked in a group (it doesn't have to be in Drama) and explain what you learned about group work from the experience.

Drama 9:  Connie has never received a Valentine from anyone.  She wonders what it would feel like.  Write a short (fewer than ten sentences) monologue from Connie's point of view.

Senior Drama:

Director:  Choose actors to play the different roles in "The Short and Pretty Tragic Story of Romeo and Juliet".  Jenny is not available because she'll be working in the booth.  One person will have to play two roles -- obviously Romeo and Juliet cannot do this.

Theatre Production:  How do you envision the costumes for the play?  (Sketches are helpful -- you don't need to draw everyone, but a couple would be nice to give an idea.) Colour really helps.

Actors:  Who would you like to play in "The Short and Pretty Tragic Story of Romeo and Juliet"?  Explain why.