Acting For The Stage (Elective)

“In a small way human creative hands imitate this profusion of God, going beyond the minimum requirements of getting the job done. Creative hands are not content to spread on the frosting; they must make a tasteful arrangement of swirls and colour. They don’t just apply a coat of varnish; they polish the surface until it glows like satin.  Creative hands do more than plant seeds; they place them in a tasteful and eye-pleasing garden arrangement.” LeRoy Koopman

Overview

Students involved in this course will be required to perform devised and scripted drama in different forms, styles and performance spaces. This will involve developing neutral scripts, determining the story, characters, settings, style and genre for each performance. Students will develop and sustain different roles and characters for given circumstances and intentions. They will collaborate in groups to plan, direct, rehearse and refine performances.

Aims

At the end of this course students will enhance their:

• Communication skills & Social co-operation
• Confidence and self esteem
• Commitment and co-operation
• Understanding of styles, forms and conventions of dramatic presentations
• Ability to use their experiences and concentration to effectively create different characters

Topics Include

• Blocking – A crash course in stage movement
• The Senses – Using experiences and sense memory to recreate expressions in performance
• The Magic If – Using hypothesis to create a visual reality
• Improvisation – Thinking on one’s feet in order to improve instinctual responses
• Neutral Scripts – Determining the who, what, when where, how and why

Time Allocation

• 5 periods per cycle for Semester 1

Prerequisites

• None

Requirements

• Booklist Items
• Levy Cost

Assessment

• Individual participation in class activities
• Group participation on set class tasks
• Performance - Monologue (solo) Dialogue (small group) Ensemble (large group)
• Written One Note Workbook Entries – including class summaries and theatre reviews
• Performance analysis

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1