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Acting:  Week 9
(October 14-18, 2024)

Important topics/terms/instructions are in RED.

Google Classroom assignments are in BLUE.

Ms. Price provides ALL learning for absent students in a self-directed format.

If absent, read & understand/complete each of the day's activities below.  You are EXPECTED to do so BEFORE returning to class.

Day 1:  Interpreting a Character

1.) Finished reading the script, Lost in Yonkers. (If you were absent today, see LAST week's lesson to access the scrip

2.) Discussed:  How do actors/directors make choices about HOW to portray characters on stage? 

Answer:  They read and INTERPRET the script, which includes analyzing...

  • what the playwright says about your character (in the script)

  • what other characters say about your character (in the script)

  • what your character says about him/herself (in the script)

3.) Discussed:  Once you've mined the script for clues on how to portray your character, you can begin to work on the PHYSICAL choices for the portrayal of your character.  (The audience can't see what a actor/character is thinking/feeling, so in acting we work with ACTION, and action is physical.)

4.) Discussed the IB Rubric for the monologue project:  DEVELOPING SKILLS (the actor's use of incorporating the acting skills taught in this unit is what your monologue grade will be based on...NOT whether or not you performed a "perfect" monologue)

5.) Ms. Price passed out monologues based on student's chosen character (from your Google Classroom Monolgue "Pre-test")

  • If absent , be sure to choose which character/monologue you'd like to work with from the list below:

    • Bella (2 options)

    • Grandma (2 options)

    • Jay (1 option)

    • Louie (2 options)

    • Eddie (3 options)

    • Note: You must choose your OWN gender/gender identity for this assignment, although girls are allowed to choose Jay if desired.

6.) Participated in teacher-led movement activities in order to explore and "try on" various types of movement.  (This helps in character development.)  The movement activities we explored are listed below.  If absent, find a place to be alone, and TRY altering your physical movement (while walking) as described below...

  • "Leading Center" (the part of the body a character may "lead" with)

    • Lead with your chin...​ (What does this "feel" like?)

    • Lead with your hips...  (What does this "feel" like?)

    • Lead with the top of your head...  (What does this "feel" like?)

    • Lead with your nose...  (What does this "feel" like?)

    • Lead with your chest...  (What does this "feel" like?)

    • Lead with your hands...  (What does this "feel" like?)

7.) Students wrote their leading Center choice at the top of their monologue.  (If absent, be sure to do this on your own - see above.)

 

Day 2:  Mining a script for Character Clues (SUB today)

1.) Participated in a small group activity (Label Activity)

  • students (in groups) were given every line/description from the script, Lost in Yonkers, in which a character was described by the playwright, by themselves, or by others

  • Students analyzed each, and put each line (label) in the correct column (playwright/self/others) and for the correct character (who the line/description was ABOUT)

  • When done, actors will now have a complete list of every description from the script about the character they will be playing.  (If absent, this is an assignment you do NOT need to do/make up.)

 

Day 3:  Characters in Context

 

1.) Completed a journal entry in Google Classroom PROCESS Journal (Title: Character Clue Words) in which students listed all the character "clue" words (from the label activity) that got to the heart of WHO their character is.  (Example:  Louie = danger, never careless, etc.)

2.) Ms. Price led students through various choices and skills for their monologue character, including:

  • WHERE is your character in this moment? (i.e. the moment that starts your monologue)

    • Establish your scene's setting:  What is physically in your environment?  Imagine what is in your space (other characters, furniture, etc.) and commit to that reality.​

    • Perform a daily task (setting the table, sweeping the floor, making a bed, etc.) IN your environment in order to ground your character in the space.

  • WHAT is your character's primary FEELING in this moment?  ​

    • Share your word.​

    • Put your character IN YOUR SCENE.

    • SHOW that feeling (in your character's body).  Remember:  People show emotions/feelings in different ways based on WHO they are...consider this for your character.  For example, when angry, some people get very quiet/withdrawn, or seething, while others express outwardly.  What might YOUR character do physically with that dominate emotion?)

  • WHO is your character talking to?​

    • In monologues, we SHOW the other character(s) through the use of focus point(s).  You, as the actor, must SHOW THE OTHER CHARACTER(S) through your focus.  ​

    • Ms. Price led students in focus point instruction/strategies.

4.)  Watched a video of playwright Neil Simon's description of characters in Lost in Yonkers.  (watch to 1:45 if absent)  Discussed the playwright's interpretation of his characters.

3.) Ms. Price helped students begin to make choices (and memorize) their character monologues.  (If absent, read and do the following on your own.)

  • FIRST LINE

    • Review:  Where? What? (feeling) Who? (are you talking to)​

    • Determine:  What does my character want to do TO the other character I speaking to?  Specifically: What does my character want to do TO the other charcter with these words?

    • Express that want as a VERB (to intimidate, to silence, to belittle, to befriend, etc.)

    • Write your chosen want next to the first line (in pencil)

    • Now try to say that first line TO the other character WITH your character intention/motivation/want (BE sure to give PHYSICAL ACTION to your VERB.

      • Note:  ​Your chosen character verb should be one that isn't in the head (to wonder) or words (to question), but rather one that is an "actable verb"

  • NEXT CHUNK

    • Choose the next line or section to work on (keep it "bite-sized!)​

    • Work on only the first line + new chunk...over and over (making choices as you do).  Follow same steps above (even if your character's verb/intention is the same).

    • Physicalize your character's focus point/want and remember to think about your character's leading center as well.

    • Once you're able to do this part "off-book", set aside your script and try!

  • REPEAT the above process, which helps you to memorize (by way of repetition) AND make believable choices for your character along the way.​

 

Day 4:  Characters in Context

 

1.) Reviewed "Leading Center" and made choices about what part of the body YOUR monologue character might "lead" with.  (Wrote down Leading Center choice for YOUR character at the top of your monologue.  If absent, be sure to do this on your own - see #4 under Day 2 if needed.)

2.) Reviewed:  The physical choices an actor makes for a character are the most important for building a believable character.  (An audience can't see what you're thinking/feeling...only what you're DOING with what you're thinking/feeling.)

3.) Reviewed our current acting project:  Perform a Character Monologue (IB Rubric:  Developing Skills)

  • Below are the monologue options from the play we read in class (Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon)

4.) Participated in Laban Movement Activities, led by Ms Price:

  • Laban Movement (the theory of human movement that analyzes the ​weight, direction, and speed of movement)  For visual handout click HERE.

    • Direct, Quick, Heavy movement ​ (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a PUNCH.

    • Indirect, Quick, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a SLASH.

    • Direct, Quick, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a DAB.

    • Indirect, Quick, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a FLICK.

    • Direct, Sustained, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a PRESS.

    • Indirect, Sustained, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a WRING.

    • Direct, Sustained, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a GLIDE.

    • Indirect, Sustained, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a FLOAT.

 

 

 

MONOLOGUE RUBRIC (if ABSENT, be sure to read!):

Remember, you are graded on your DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS.  So put your time and energy into the SKILLS and the character choice-making PROCESS that is taught, guided, and modeled in class

 

Click HERE for the Summative IB Rubric. This is how you will be graded.

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