A Secondary Theatre Education A year in review Jessica Van Elk

KEY VALUES � Community Building & Safety � Collaborative Learning � Technique & Creativity � Storytelling & Social Justice

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Secondary Theatre: Vision Statement

A place of learning, community and storytelling.

Summary of Vision Statement

The vision statement for a secondary theatre education provides three key words that are present within a successful program: community, learning and storytelling. A safe community within a drama class allows students to take creative risks within collaborative storytelling while participating in the learning opportunities that drama provides.

COURSE CONTENT/ THE PROGRESSION OF THEATRE EDUCATION (Grade 8 -12)

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in

which a human being can share with another the sense of

what it is to be a human being” –

Oscar Wilde

Drama 8

Basic Drama Skills

Collaboration & Fun!

Drama 9

Ensemble building

Scene & Character Development

Intro to styles

Drama 10 Improvisation

Collaborative scene development

Acting & performance styles

Theatre 11 Performance/

production of scenes as an ensemble

Acting theory and elements of production

Theatre 12 Advanced acting

techniques

Theatre history & production

Theatre and Culture

Students will build on basic drama and collaborative skills that will prepare them for ensemble based scene work.

Students will have developed tools to prepare and practice skills within theatre performance styles and ensemble based scene development. The experiences

within different facets of drama prepares the students for advanced play building and acting techniques.

Students will have enough theatre knowledge to study the role of theatre in culture and continue developing skills within acting theory and theatre production.

Drama 8

Rational Drama 8 is designed for students to experience a fun introduction to drama and develop collaborative skills. Each unit teaches a basic drama skill that will prepare them for the next activity. All activities and lessons are intended to promote a space of a safe community and a student’s self confidence within the drama class. They will be able to collaboratively learn the elements of tableau, characterization and scene structure to create and present a short scene at the end of the term.

Course Content 1.  Trust & Community Building 2.  Theatre terminology 3.  Basic Improvisation 4.  Mime & Tableau 5.  Emotion

6.  The 5 W’s / Basic Neutral scenes 7.  Character & Status 8.  Scene presentations around a

theme (Fairy Tale or Commercials)

PLO’s – DRAMA 8/10 & Theatre Performance 12 Drama 8 1. Demonstrate trust through collaborative drama 2. Demonstrate how various emotions affect vocal and physical expression 3. Demonstrate an awareness that drama has symbolic meaning

Drama 10 1.Demonstrate trust in self and others through class activities and individual and ensemble performance 2. Choose appropriate physical and vocal expressions to enhance Drama 3. Make reasoned choices within the boundaries of the dramatic situation

Theatre Performance 12 •  Demonstrate the ability to

convey a character’s objectives and motivations

•  Demonstrate understanding of standard script conventions and structures

•  Apply understanding of a central image to create a unified performance

Theatre Production 11 •  Demonstrate

understanding of the process of design for theatre production

DRAMA 10

TERM 1 (Sept – Dec) 1.  Community Building & Improvisation 2.  Voice & Movement Techniques 3.  Neutral Scenes (Characterization/

body/voice) TERM 2 (Jan – March) 1.  Lip Dubbing Assignment 2.  Stage Combat 3.  Theatre History Unit – Commedia

Dell’ Arte TERM 3 (April – June) 1.  Comedic scene study– Working with

the script 2.  Monologue work

RATIONAL Drama 10 provides a variety of skills and experiences that will build their knowledge about drama. Students will develop trust and learn improvisation skills to prepare them for ensemble based scene work. The voice and movement unit provides skills for character development and theatre performance. Voice and movement will also prepare them for stylized techniques within theatre history (Commedia Dell’ Arte) and stage combat. Throughout the year they will be collaborating to develop and perform scenes in different styles as they practice different elements of theatre performance. Through all of this, they will gain the skills and confidence to present comedic scripts and monologue work.

Theatre Performance 12 TERM 1 (Sept – Dec) �  Acting Theory – introduction to the Michael

Shurtleff’s 12 Guide posts

�  Scene Study / Book work & script analysis �  Developing community & trust Term 2 &3 (Jan – April) �  Auditioning Unit– Auditions for the

Shakespeare Play �  Theatre History: Elements of Acting

Shakespeare, voice work and projection (Starting Mid Feb- April) �  A class production of a Shakespeare Play

(in collaboration with Theatre Production Class)

Term 3 (May – June) �  Explore the role of theatre in our culture. �  Study of types of theatre (e.g. Theatre of

the Oppressed/Realism/Epic Theatre) or a contemporary play that deals with contemporary social issues.

Rational Theatre performance 12 is an in depth course where students will gain a deeper understanding of theatre and acting. They will study acting techniques that will teach them the skills to perform an authentic character. Students will study Shakespeare acting and perform a Shakespeare play. The class will discuss aspects of theatre history and the impact that Shakespeare’s plays had on culture and society. They will also be working as a community within the program by working together with the theatre production students. Through these performance experiences, students will gain a foundation of knowledge to explore the theatre’s role in our culture today and how theatre can be used for learning about and presenting issues of social justice.

Theatre Production 11 TERM 1 (Sept – Dec) �  Who does what? / elements of the

theatre space �  The beginnings of design – the

preliminary steps of developing your design.

�  Intro to lighting and set design

Term 2 (Feb – March/April) �  Intro to costume design �  Begin collaborating with Theatre

performance 12 for Shakespeare performance (within design teams)

�  Sound Operation & Design �  Elements of Stage management Term 3 (April – June) �  Attend some community theatre and

discuss design elements. �  Guide them through independent

design project for a chosen play and two aspects of design (final assignment)

Rational

In Theatre Production 11, students will be exposed to a wide variety of production skills and design elements. The first term will prepare students with enough knowledge to work with the theatre performance class to design their production within chosen design teams. Within this time, students will learn about stage management and engage in practical production skills. The experience working on a mounted show will prepare them for their final project, where they will focus on two elements of design. This will be a guided independent study and design project where they will make two detailed designs (e.g., floor plan/costume renderings) for a show they choose. They will present and pitch their design ideas at the end of the year. The students will also attend some theatre for them to be exposed seeing different designs and how they work together.

Directing & Script Development 11 TERM 1 – Script Development (Sept – Dec) 1.  Elements of the play script 2.  Genre’s and themes 3.  Elements of playwriting & structure 4.  Character development 5.  In pairs, students will begin the script

writing process by writing a 2 hander, 10-15 minute play around a chosen theme (option: we may focus on themes of social justice)

TERM 2 – DIRECITNG (Jan – March) 1.  Role of the director / the rehearsal process 2.  Introduction to play analysis (mini project) 3.  The Collaborative Project (Direction/

rehearsal of scripts) TERM 3 – EDITING, REHEARSAL & BLOCKING The Scripts (Mid March – June) 1.  Intro to table work / objective work 2.  Blocking / Technical Elements 3.  Rehearsal Process and the performances

of plays to the school community

Rational Directing & Script Development 11 is designed to give students a basic foundation of skills within playwriting and directing. This will be done through the process of writing, directing and performing their own scripts. In pairs students will be writing their own play to be performed. They will have the opportunity to co-direct their script, while also acting in another. This allows for every student to experience directing and what it is like to be directed. The first term is dedicated to the skills of script development to start their script writing process. The second term focuses on the directing process to prepare them for their rehearsal processes and performances of the scripts in the final term.