Drama Week 10

Since Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, I'll make this short and sweet.

Next week, we'll continue practicing our scenes and working out the kinks. All students who don't have period costumes (present day setting) should bring or wear the clothes they plan to wear for the performance. Students who have not yet got their period costumes will meet with Marta on Monday.

Also, students who have agreed to bring props can start bringing them in so we can practice with them. The sooner the better. We need to know by next week if someone is NOT able to bring something they've committed to.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Drama Week 8

Intro: This week we began with character improvisation and a storytelling game before digging in to working on our scenes.

Intermediate/Adv: This week we continued performing scenes for each other and practiced giving constructive feedback. A few students were able to visit the costume closet with Marta and that will continue next week (and probably the next).

Reminders: 

• Intermediate and Advanced students have Stage Craft Day this Saturday from 1-4pm. See you all there!
• Starting Monday, Nov 12th we will be off-book. This means no scripts on stage, so make sure lines and cues are memorized! (Students are still required to bring scripts to class for reference and note-taking.)

Drama Week 7

Intro - Today we worked on projection and learned to push out our breath with the diaphragm. While one group worked on blocking their sword fight scene, the group of trolls experimented with different troll walks.

Interm/Adv. - Today students performed their scenes for the rest of the class. We practiced giving and receiving constructive feedback. We got through half of the scenes and will finish next week. Also next week: adventure in the costume closet!

Keep working on memorizing those lines! Five minutes a day and you'll be there in no time. Nov. 12th we are off-book.

Happy Halloween!

Drama Week 6

Intro to Theatre – This week we continued to work on blocking and reviewed stage directions and parts of the stage. Next week we will be talking about costumes, so students should come with an idea of what their character should look like. Drawings, internet searches, photocopies from books…any research is welcome. We have a hero, a leprechaun, and three trolls. Oh my!

Interm/Adv Drama – This week students finished blocking all of their scenes. Next week, each group will perform for the rest of the class. Their peers will offer feedback. In addition, small groups will visit the costume closet with Marta to look for costumes, so everyone should come with costume ideas—drawings, internet printouts, copies from books.

Don’t forget: November 12^th we go off-book! That means all lines, cues, and stage directions must be memorized and scripts are no longer allowed on stage. (Students must still bring scripts to every class for reference and notetaking.)

Drama Week 4

I posted the cast list for all drama classes. Hopefully, everyone is pleased with his/her role. I am thrilled with the casting and the variety of roles to showcase our many talented actors!

The Intro to Theater class got their scripts and spent some time going over the anatomy of a script (spoken lines, stage directions, etc).

The Intermediate/Advanced Drama class also got their scripts, did read-throughs, then worked on character-based improvisation.

Students in both classes are expected the have all their lines highlighted by next class. Also, they are to make note of any props or set pieces needed for their scene and note any questions they have about the script (word pronunciation, meaning, character motivation, etc). Students must bring their scripts to every class, even after they memorize their lines.

Next week we'll focus on blocking.

Drama Week 3

Today was the last day of auditions. Students in both classes did cold readings from various scripts including Anne of Green Gables, Steel Magnolias, The Importance of Being Ernest, and The Kind of Ireland's Son. Now comes the big task of casting. I try really hard to give each student the part they deserve, but there are inevitably disappointments.

I will post the cast list before Wednesday's Advanced Drama class, and students will get their scripts at their next class. Exciting!

Drama Update

This is our second week of classes here at the Academy and already we're deep into the audition process. This term is a little different in that we're not doing a big mainstage production but more of a recital/variety show at the end of the term. Students will be cast in scenes for 2-6 actors. Everyone will get a chance to shine.

Today in Intro to Theater:
We played a variety of team-building and improvisation games then moved on to individual auditions. Next week we will be continuing auditions with script readings.

Today in Intermediate/Advanced Drama:
After a quick warm-up and trying to untangle a knot that had Kjersti doing a flip (ask your child), we moved on to individual auditions. Students were asked to memorize a 1-2 minute audition piece. We didn't get through all of them, but I was very impressed with the quality and imagination of the performances today. Next week we'll finish the last 6 individual auditions and move on to cold readings from the scripts.

Cold reading:  a reading aloud from a script or other text without any rehearsal, practice, or study in advance. 

Note: Performance dates are December 14, 15, 16. Make sure you have these dates free!