Thursday 28 May 2015

I will shine hotly and burn everything under me!

Journals for Friday, May 29, 2015

Grade 8's:

How do you think the world was created?  Could you create a play about your theory?  If you have performed your "Creation of the World" play, write about what went well and what you would like to improve.  If you haven't, wait until you have performed and write about how it went.

Grade 9's and 10's:

What is the subtext of the scene(s) you are performing?  Describe in detail what's going on.


Theatre Production:

What play have you chosen to make your prop for?  What prop are you making?  Why is it important in the play?  What ideas do you have for the original item?  How will you transform it?  Describe your plans in detail.



Friday 22 May 2015

Great news!

The play is posted on Youtube!  So even if you didn't get to see it in person, you can still write about it!  Check it out!

Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyviEjAS39U

Thursday 21 May 2015

Back in time!

Remember, your journal this week is to write about the play.

Give your journal a title that is a line from the play (you can look them up on Google if you don't remember one.)  Explain briefly what the line means.

Choose one aspect of the play to write about.  A performance (name the actor and the character), the set design, the music, the director's (me) choices -- like having a mirror for Orsino to look into.

If you were in the play, it won't be hard to write about some aspect of it other than yourself.  You've seen it more than anyone else and have an interesting perspective.

If you didn't see the play, too bad for you.  What a missed opportunity!  You will have to think of a performance that you've seen and write about it in the same way.

Saturday 16 May 2015

O, had I but followed the arts!

"Twelfth Night" closed last night.  It was lovely and I am so proud and grateful for everyone who performed in it, who worked backstage or in the booth (or both), for the people on staff who helped us, for Mr. Price and Ms. Levin for their hard work and devotion, to my family who has to hold the fort when I'm away for long nights, and preoccupied with thoughts of the show and to all the fine folks who came and saw it.

Watching it last night made me think how remarkable it is that 21st century teenagers are willing to spend countless hours learning their lines and thinking about their characters and practicing after school and at lunch and even taking it on the chin (or the knees) for the glory of Shakespeare and theatre and art in general.  Congratulations to all of you for bringing this charming and lovely show to life.  It truly was an extraordinary romp!  My own kids loved it and wished they had a drama program like ours at their schools.  I do, too.  I know I have a bias, but I think drama is so important in so many ways -- it helps with things like confidence and teamwork and concentration and creativity and risk-taking (in a positive way) and with social skills and learning and empathy and . . . well, I could go on forever, but I won't.

It was so great to see so many "old kids" there, too, and thanks to all of you for the memories and for coming back to see us!  You all look so sophisticated and cool, and I am proud of you and gratified that you take time out of your busy lives to remember Steveston-London, our little band of players and our efforts to further the cause of theatre in the world.

And now, I feel a little blue because it's over and a little relieved because it's over!  I am thinking about shows we could do next year and I have a few ideas, but I haven't made any decisions.  If you want to suggest something (not a movie or a tv show, though -- a PLAY), let me know.

Friday 15 May 2015

If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction (3.4.127-128)

I like that line (and many others) from "Twelfth Night".  Shakespeare is having a little joke with us, drawing our attention to the fact that all this silly stuff is being played on a stage and we might think it's improbable, but he's hoping we're laughing, too.

This is our last night of "Twelfth Night" and I always arrive at this moment with regret.  Even though it is an unbelievable amount of work and very stressful when you're trying to run rehearsals and everyone is so busy, and you're trying to find costumes and can't find yellow stockings for a six foot tall (plus) Malvolio, once the play is up on its feet, it is so gratifying.  I could watch it fifty times and still enjoy it.

I know some of you had trouble understanding it (and some of you did not exhibit exemplary audience behavior, as I had asked) so here is a little summary after the fact.  I think I have learned that when we do Shakespeare, I'll include a little plot summary for folks who don't know the play.  It might help them appreciate it more.  Especially the comedies which are often very complicated and full of wordplay.

Viola and Sebastian are twins.  They are separated at sea in a great storm.  Sebastian is saved by Antonio, a shady but kindly fellow and Viola is saved by the Captain of the ship.  They both find themselves in Illyria, a strange land ruled by Count Orsino, a man who is clearly in love with himself, although he professes a passion for a woman named Olivia, who has recently lost both her father and her brother and is in deep mourning.

Viola attaches herself to Orsino's court, dressing herself as a boy in order to be able to walk about freely.  Orsino treats her as his confidante and asks her to go to Olivia's home with messages of love from him.  She does so and finds that Olivia seems to be more interested in her, the messenger, than her lord, the creator of the messages.

Meanwhile, Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's relative, is living a very dissolute life, drinking and carousing excessively with a silly knight named Sir Andrew Aguecheek, much to Olivia's displeasure.  Toby has convinced Andrew that he is a potential suitor for Olivia and Andrew spends his money entertaining Toby and trying to curry favour with Olivia and Olivia's maid, the wily Maria.  Olivia has a strict and prim steward named Malvolio (his name means "ill will") and Toby and Maria decide to "take him down a peg or two" by tricking him into believing that Olivia is passionately in love with him.  They leave a letter for him that appears to be from Olivia (but is actually written by Maria) that asks him to smile (which goes against Olivia's sadness at the loss of her brother), wear yellow stockings (a colour she hates), and cross garters (a fashion she dislikes).  Malvolio finds the letter and follows its instructions with hilarious and torturous consequences.

Olivia has a jester attached to her house by the name of Feste, who comments on the action, provides a lot of witty repartee and several lovely songs throughout the play.

It is a comedy so it all ends happily with several marriages and promises to make things right for Malvolio who has been mistreated cruelly by Toby and his followers.  And Feste declares the play over in song.

Your journal topic for next week is to write about the play.  Choose a line from the play that you like (as I did above) as your title.  (There are lots of quotable lines -- one of the most famous "if music be the food of love, play on" opens the play.)  Write a bit about what the line is saying.

Then choose one aspect of the play.  It could be the set (a beautiful design by Mr. Price).  It could be the music (an attempt at sunny beach/Caribbean themes).  It could be one performance (you could get a program to check the actor's name if you don't know it.)  You could also choose to write about one of the directorial choices I made, like having a mime as Feste's companion, or why I chose to have Orsino accompanied by a mirror.  Then write about what you thought of that particular thing.  It isn't productive to just say "it was good" or "it was bad".  You need to be able to express why.  I won't mind if you say you didn't like it, but you need to have "exquisite reason" for it (that's a line from the play).

Sunday 10 May 2015

What you will . . .

Two more sleeps until "Twelfth Night" opens.  If you are attending the play with me for the matinee (A Block on Wednesday, D Block on Thursday), please be at the theatre in your seat ready to go at 1 p.m.  The play is two hours long and we don't want to keep you after the bell, but if you are late, then we will start late!  I am expecting to see exemplary audience behavior - no phones or hand held devices -- no getting up and going to the washroom during the performance!  The ticket price is $5.00 and the money goes to a good cause -- the Drama Club receives no funding from the school and we give out scholarships to deserving grade 12's every year.  If you are attending both shows, you need only pay once.

The beauty of Shakespeare is that it is not just "of [Shakespeare's] time but of all time".  If you've seen Shakespeare plays before, you might have seen "Troilus and Cressida" set in the American Civil War, or "The Taming of the Shrew" set in the old West, or "Hamlet" in Nazi German, or "Romeo and Juliet" set in medieval Japan.  It all works!  Our version of "Twelfth Night" is set on the mythical Caribbean island of Illyria and is in a commedia del'arte style.  Mr. Price's beautiful set suggests a huge precious pearl washed up on the beach.

The play is meant to be funny (and amazingly, the jokes work today, just as they did in the 17th century!) so feel free to laugh!  Ms. Levin and I (we co-directed) will be laughing heartily throughout!

I have added the instructions for the "show and tell" speech here -- we will not be doing it immediately (not till June) but I want you to have lots of time to think about what you want to bring.

Show and tell!

In June, the grade eights will be presenting their show and tell speeches.  Your speech should be two minutes long (one minute is too short, and three minutes is too long!)  You should bring something from home about which you can speak in an interesting way for two minutes.  (It could be a souvenir you acquired on holiday, or something you won, or a piece of art you created, or a special gift you received, or a toy you like when you were little or anything!  Whatever would make an interesting story.)  Prepare your speech - it might help to write it down and then practice saying it.  I expect that when you deliver it, you will speak clearly and project your voice.  You will stand comfortably at center stage and not fidget or pace.

Your speech should take this form.

1.  Tell us what the item is.  You could describe it briefly.  (For example, these are the Mickey Mouse ears I got at Disneyland.  When my parents told me we were going to California, I dreamed that I would be able to come home with this hat!)

2.  Tell how you acquired the item.  (For example, you could describe the experience of training and preparing to play a certain sport, and then give us a description of the "big game" and how you played and the circumstances that resulted in you receiving the medal or the item you are showing.)

3.  You can conclude with what you learned from the experience or what the rest of us could take away from your speech (perhaps that you should listen to your parents and then you won't get lost at Disneyland or that if you keep trying, you will succeed).

Thursday 7 May 2015

Journal topics for May 8, 2015

Drama 9/10:

Hand in your scenario for your commedia del'arte scenes.  Make sure you include the costumes each character will wear.

What character are you playing in your scene?  What stock character is it derived from?  How will you create the character (describe your physical characteristics, your voice, your facial expressions, whatever else will help you "be" the character)?

How is your rehearsal going?  Write a script that shows your interaction as a group.  (You can make it a comedy if you like!)


Theatre Production:  Design a workable set for your commedia del'arte scene.  Sketch your idea.  Imagine the "pearl" platform isn't there!

Drama 8:

What fairy tale has your group chosen?  Why did you choose that story?  What role are you going to play?  How will you create your character (include facial expressions, body language, clothing, actions that will help you convince us you are your character)?