Friday, 16 June 2023

Journal for June 16, 2023

 Drama 8:  Analyze how your Aesop play went.  What went well?  What could have been improved and how could you have done it differently?  Which other group do you think did the best?  Explain why.

Drama 9:  Think about a time when you felt really happy.  Describe it in detail.

Theatre Production:  I need a detailed script from you for your sound and light show.  How many actors will you need?

Senior Drama:  Think about a time you felt nervous or anxious.  Describe it in detail.

Friday, 9 June 2023

Journal for June 9, 2023

 Grade 8 -- No journal.  Learn your lines for "Aesop's Fables"!

Grade 9 -- How will you approach the character you've been assigned to play in the extended role play.  What will you wear?  Will you bring anything to class to help you play the character?  What is your relationship with Mr. Albertson?  How will you dress?  In addition, please include how the role play went for you.  What happened to your character?  Did you interact with any of the other characters?  Describe your interactions and your thoughts about how other people were able to play their characters.  Did you learn anything from the exercise?

Senior Drama --  Write about your experience in the role play.  Describe how you feel you captured the character you played and also any interactions you had with other people.  If possible, add comments on how other people were able to play their characters.

Thursday, 1 June 2023

Journals for June 2, 2023

 Drama 8:  After reading the Aesop's Fables script, which lesson do you think you need to learn?  Explain.  Be sure to write if you would like Ms. Kosar and Sophina to partner you up with someone in the class for the final project.  Choose one person only!

Drama 9:  After reading your school scene script, which part would you like to play?  Describe the character in detail and explain why you are interested in that character.

Senior Drama:  Who is the most interesting person you have ever attended school with?  What did you find interesting about them?  If you were going to use yourself as a character in the role play, how would you describe yourself (five sentences or less)?

Actors:  Read the following description:

If you were going to play that character, how would you dress.  How would you enter the classroom?  Would you bring any props to help you create the character?  If the question of the day was "what's your most embarrassing moment?", how would you answer the question?

Director/Scriptwriter:  Write a character for Ms. Kosar to play in the role play.

Theatre Production:  Write a brief script for your sound and light show.  If you need actors, say which actors you would like (I can't promise you'll get them).  Draw a sketch of your set (even if it's an empty stage).

Thursday, 25 May 2023

Journals for May 26, 2023

 Drama 8

How do you think the world was created?  Could you make a play about it?  Explain.

What role are you playing in the Creation of the World story?  How do you learn lines? What will you wear?  What does the story explain?

Drama 9

What is the most dramatic thing that ever happened to you at school?  Describe it in as much detail as possible.

Senior Drama

Actors:  Who did you play in "The Good Doctor" scenes?  How did you approach the character?  Are there any similarities between yourself and the character?  (Look beyond the surface features.) How do you feel about your final performance?

Director:  In class, whose "Good Doctor" scene was the best?  Explain why you think so.

Theatre Production:  Pitch your idea for your sound and light show.  Make it sound exciting and make me want to see it! 

Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Theatre Production and High School Drama

 Come up with a sound and light show concept -- this is a chance for you to demonstrate you can use the sound and light equipment in the booth.   You could start with a song or a poem.  I have given you several examples of past shows.  Pitch your project to me on Tuesday.

Directing and Scriptwriting:  You are VERY familiar with the world of high school.  You have read the scenes from "Mr. Young" (in a science class, the CPR scene, the audition for the school play and then, Mr. Young at home) -- write four short scenes based on your experience of high school.  You can use real people, but make up names for them.   Try to make the scenes ring true (they sound like actual high school), they should have some comedy (even though lots of high school is hard and challenging and super serious and sad).  Choose four different venues and write recurring characters in the scenes (like Mr. Young, Ivy, Echo, Derby, etc.)

Thursday, 11 May 2023

Journal for May 12, 2023

Many of you had the chance to see the play, "The Good Doctor".  Seeing a live play at your school, performed by your classmates, is a real privilege.  This is a celebrated play, by a great comic playwright named Neil Simon.  He based the script on short stories of Anton Chekhov.

If you saw the play, which story did you like the best?  Explain why.

Comment on how the script was constructed, with the Chekhov character narrating some of the stories.  Was that an interesting framework?  Explain.

Which performance was the best?  Explain why you think so.  (You should use both the actor's name and the character's name, although some of the characters are just called "man" or "woman".  If you aren't sure who played what, you can look in a program.)

Did any of the other aspects of the production stand out for you?  Explain.  (This could be music, costumes, setting, lighting, staging, etc.)

Make a guess.   Why did Ms. Kosar think this play was a good choice?  Do you think it was?

If you did not see the play, you still can.  There is one last performance tonight at 7 p.m.  If, for some reason, you absolutely cannot go to see it,  talk to someone who was in it.  Find out answers to the above questions.

Thursday, 4 May 2023

Journals for May 5 -- Keep up with your journals!

 It's Mental Health Week!

Everyone:  What is something that stresses you?  How do you deal with it?  (Writing about things in your journal can help you deal with stress.)

Take the survey:

1.  How much exercise do you get every week?  What do you do?

2.  How much time do you spend outside every week?  Would you say you spend time in nature every week?

3.  How much sleep do you get every night?

4.  Do you feel angry a lot?  How do you deal with your anger?

The theatre can help people empathize with other people and can provide audiences with a cathartic experience.  (Catharsis is the relief or release from strong or repressed emotions.) What is the last dramatic presentation that provided you with a catharsis?  (It can be something that helped you release anger, sadness, fear, or any other strong emotion.)