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! 

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.)

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.

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.)

The Good Doctor - notes from run

 Everyone:  Learn your lines.  Men (if you are playing a man) -- white shirts, necktie, dark pants (not jeans), dress shoes (black and not runners).

DICTION:  Don't try to talk too fast and really think about communicating to the audience (cheat to them!  do not turn your back on them), especially if you are wearing a mask.

PROJECT:  Even if you're telling a secret.

Carolyn:  when you say you might be "mad", that could be scary; that's why you say you're harmless (it means "don't worry")

Props: We need a ticket for Jenny to give Claire.

The Sneeze:  Keep it moving -- tighten it up.  The long silences kill the comedy.

Alicia:  overact and strike a dramatic pose.

Good variety in pitch, Jenny, but more whiny on "I just wanted to apologize"

Rudy:  Your last speech sounded like you were reading out loud.  It didn't sound like you were actually mad.

Governess:

Like the sidle, Angela.  Don't drop your voices.  Practice the centre-stage "hug".  It looks a bit messy.

Surgery:

"open your mouth so I can examine you" -- get closer to him

Get closer when you blow on the tooth.  Check your lines.  Both hands on face, Ethan, for masking.  We need a profile!

Too Late:

Keep projecting (timepiece, Mia)

Pause between verse and regular conversation.

Seduction:

"women" -- pronounced "wimmen"

Franc:  this week -- emphasize (this is a joke)

Spouse is pronounced SPOWSS.

Cheat to us, Franc, and don't drop your voice

We need a pocket watch for Francesco.  Anyone?

Samantha -- LOATHSOME (emphasize this)

Peter:  WITH PASSION -- Good night, my love.

Samantha:  When husband says Peter's mind is on "some woman", perk up.  Is it you?  or someone else?and panic as you realize you're falling in love with Peter.

SWEET POISON

I/we -- don't look at husband at all.  It's too risky.  He might figure out your secret.

What time?  she's plotting.

Samantha -- enter on "gentleman"

End of scene should be centre-stage.

Drowned Man:

Yuan: SALT WATER/TOWELS

face us as much as possible -- don't look at Tourist

Never drop your voice.  Dyownne -- call the cabbie at stage right stairs.

Audition:

Alicia:  Turn to us as much as possible.  You need to find a real laugh on the stuff about the story that made you laugh.  Remember, you are desperate that Director like you.  DESPERATE!!

Big speech: Alicia, find the light.  Lift up your face. Inspire the audience.  This is one of Chekhov's great plays.

Defenseless:

Ella: sister (diction)

Lavon - slow down, crisp diction.  We need to understand the words. BANK

Let's not mime the door, because we're not doing it anywhere else.

hold your heart, Lavon -- "I'm getting excited"

Don't disappear behind the desk, Ella.

women is pronounced "wimmen".

Arrangement:

Mad -- really threaten punishment.

Jet -- buckle before she says "his knees are buckling"

Find your light.  DON'T MAKE WENDY FACE UPSTAGE.  Wendy, don't let them make you face upstage -- pretend you're watching the people walk by on the street, if they go upstage of you.

Use the door when you exit.

COME TO REHEARSALS.  WE HAVE ONE WEEK LEFT.

 

 

Journals for April 28, 2023

 Drama 8:  On a scale of 1 - 5, with 5 being terrific and 1 being terrible, where would you rate yourself at working in a group?  Explain your rating.  What are you good at in group work and how can you improve?  Are you a good leader?  Explain your answer.  Write about a time you worked as part of a group and what you learned from the experience.

Drama 9:  In the three Shakespeare scenes, what is happening?  What stage business have you thought of (for each scene)?  Who are you playing?  What does your character want?  What obstacles does the character face?

Senior Drama:  Describe (in detail) a scene from your favourite movie -- write it like I have done here.  One of my favourites is "On the Waterfront" directed by Elia Kazan -- the scene is in the back of a taxi.  Lights flash over the faces as the taxi drives through the city.  Two brothers -- Terry and Charlie -- are talking about Terry's boxing career and how Terry was used by Charlie to get money by betting against him -- Charlie made Terry "throw the fight" even though the fight was a great opportunity for Terry.  Charlie's nickname is Charlie the Dude because he wears nice suits -- he's dressed in an overcoat with a scarf and he's wearing a hat.  Terry works on the docks and is wearing a working man's plaid jacket.  They don't really look at each other much.  Terry is still resentful of this event and is very upset and tells Charlie he could have won the fight.  He is trying not to cry.  Charlie knows he was wrong but he is a gangster and is expected to do what the gang wants.  The scene ends with the great line -- "I could have been a somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it."  At the end of the scene, Terry finds out something that makes him see Charlie in a different light.  The actors are the great Rod Steiger and Marlon Brando and you can see it on Youtube.  It is a classic scene of cinema. 

Journals for April 21, 2023

 Drama 8:  What should Ms. Kosar know about you?  Tell me anything you think might help me work with you in Drama 8.  You might want to mention whether you have done any drama before (at elementary school, or in lessons outside school), whether you have stage fright or not (and how bad it is), whether you have performed for an audience before (in dance, music, sports, etc.) Then include anything else you would like to share.

Drama 9:  Make 2 resolutions for the second term (these should relate to drama and could be things like not using your phone, or not talking in the audience, or speaking more clearly, or staying with your group, or any of the things I nag you about in class!) Describe what you will do to be successful in keeping your resolutions.

Senior Drama:

Look carefully at the above photograph.   Describe it in detail.  If you were going to recreate this photo on stage, how would you do it?  What would the story be about?  Which people in the photo would you want your play to focus on?  What is one detail in the photo that you find intriguing?