CHARACTERS are in all CAPS. Stage directions/actions are in italics and can be (in parentheses).
Everything is centered. Example:
AT RISE: HARVEY, SPENCER, and CHARLES are sitting together on the sofa in a “lived in” living room.Bowls of chips and bottles of soda abound.They are watching the television intently, and occasionally will “whoop” or shout at the TV for touchdowns and tackles.It is 2010 – the New Orleans Saints are making their first Super Bowl appearance.
CHARLES
Go, go, go, go… he’s in!
(CHARLES stands up from the sofa, putting his hands in the air triumphantly.He motions to his son, SPENCER, with an outstretched hand.)
CHARLES
Slap me some skin, son.
SPENCER
Dad, no one says “slap me some skin” anymore.
CHARLES
I don’t care what they’re saying, Spence.We’ve got a touchdown!Hit me!
SPENCER (to HARVEY)
I’m sorry about this.
(SPENCER gives CHARLES a low-five.)
HARVEY
What are you sorry about?This is awesome.My dad never watched the game with me.
You have learned that theatre is one of the Humanities because it attempts to answer the eternal questions:“Who am I?”“Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?”You have also learned that some of the first theatre took place thousands of years ago around campfires, where people of primitive cultures gathered, telling stories, trying to make sense of the mysterious universe in which they lived.People of primitive cultures did so in much the same way as you are constantly trying to make sense of the changes in your world.
You are now part of a cultural group way back in a time when nature seems dangerous and wonderful, but is not explainable in modern scientific terms.As part of this group, you must imagine that you have to find new ways of explaining and acting out the strange mysteries of your world.
The goal of this unit is to show that, essentially, drama is rooted in our souls—creating stories is how we make sense of our world and the human experience.
The Primitive Theater Project: Step By Step
Naming and Symbolizing
Complete the following tasks by the end of class on _________9/16__________.
1.Choose a name for your “clan.”
2.Each member of the group will choose a name for themselves, based on their JOB in the clan.
3.Design TEN (10) symbols that represent your clan.Decorate your folder with them.
Clan Story Assignment
Complete the following task by the end of class on ________9/21____________.
Write a clan history – a STORY – that explains:
1.Where your clan lives and how they got there (5 points)
2.What you believe in or worship, and WHY (5 points)
3.What type of leadership your clan has – Kingdom? Matriarch? Chief? Elders? (5 points)
Make sure that each member of the clan KNOWS the story!
Clan Myth Assignment
Complete the following tasks by the end of class on _______9/29_______________.
Your clan will be given a “mystery question.”Each clan is responsible for developing an answer to their question based on what their clan believes.
Your clan will be expected to write a script – 3 short scenes – that can explain your answer to the question for the other clans in the class.(Think of it as sharing your knowledge of the world with the other clans!)
Your script requirements:
1.Each member of the clan must speak.
2.Each member of the clan must have ACTION.
3.The dialogue of the script should be PRIMITIVE.(Modern life doesn’t exist; think “caveman.”) AND NO MODERN OBJECTS!
4.Once completed, your script must be APPROVED BY ME.The script should be typed and a copy printed for each group member before you can rehearse.
Rehearsal and Performance
Our clan’s performance will be on_________TBA___________.
Rehearsing your scene is very important to make sure everyone knows what they are doing and to make sure your story flows together properly.You will also need to get used to working with any props or costume items you choose to use, so it will feel natural when you actually perform.Only 2 days will be given for rehearsal. Use them wisely and have high expectations for your group.
Your rehearsal and performance requirements:
1.Create and use simple props and costumes based on your clan symbols.
2.Audience should be able to SEE and HEAR each performer.
3.Double check to make sure that your performance has 3 short scenes.
4.Time your performance.It should be between 2-3 minutes.
This week we're working in small groups to create a warm-up to teach the class. Remember, warm-ups should address at least one of the warm-up areas: body, mind, and/or voice.
In case you missed it, here's the assignment sheet:
Warm-Up Creation Activity
-With a small group, create a warm-up that will:
a) Accomplish one or more of the warm-up goals. (BODY, MIND, VOICE)
b) Be simple and easy to teach to the group (i.e. let’s assume not ALL of us can do back-flips, somersaults, or splits).Please take into account the amount of SPACE we have in this room!
c) Last no more than five minutes.Warm-ups are warm-ups.They are NOT the show!
-You and your group will teach the warm-up activity you have created to the rest of the class on an assigned day.Make sure to split up the activity so that each of you will teach a part!
Our warm-up activity is called: _____________________________________________________________________
The goal of this warm-up is: ________________________________________________________________________
The following lists the points possible/rubric for the assignment.Use your journal to plan the steps necessary to teach your activity.(Make a list!)
1 - Needs Much
Improvement
2 - Needs Improvement
3 - Average
4 - Above Average
5 - Outstanding
Instructions clear & easy to follow?
No instructions, or instructions were not broken into steps.
Instructions were often confusing and were not broken into clear steps.
Instructions were broken into steps that some could follow.
Instructions were broken into simple, easy steps that most could follow.
Instructions were broken into simple, easy steps that all could follow.
Speech clear and loud enough to hear?
Your instructions were not spoken.
Your words could be heard & understood by the majority of the group.
Your words could be heard & understood by everyone.
Effective in achieving your goal?
You did not state/achieve your goal.
You stated your goal, but did not achieve it.
You stated/achieved your goal.
Your goal was clear, and the process of achieving it was interesting to the group.
Your goal was clear, and the process of achievement was interesting, fun, and original.
Did you title your activity?
No title.
Titled.
Did your activity use no more than five minutes of class time?
No activity.
Activity was much longer or much shorter than time limit.
Activity was only slightly longer/shorter than time limit.
Activity made effective use of time, just under/over 5 minutes.
Activity made effective use of time, and was exactly 5 minutes.
Today (9/1/11) in class we covered the three main focus areas of theater warm-ups: BODY, MIND, VOICE.
What are theater warm-ups? What SPECIFIC things do they help actors/technicians learn?
(Powerpoint slides from today to follow this weekend.)
