Theater I: Journal Entries #5, #6, #7 (4/15-4/16)

Journal #5: WORKING INDEPENDENTLY

In what classes are you expected to work independently? What are the rules you are expected to follow?

Journal #6: NOTES

Rehearsals: A How-To Guide

What to Bring With You:

script, pencil, other work to work on!

Rehearsal Procedures

1.Actors & crew members sign in.
(Think: taking roll.)

2.Warm-ups – director’s choice.
Sometimes improv games, sometimes stretches, vocal warm-ups

3.Crew and/or cast set-up.
They get stage set up with furniture, props, etc. Sometimes they’ll just “tape it.”

4. Director gives the start.

Usually, a page number or a line.

5. Actors take places.
They know where they should be on stage!

6. Director gives blocking.

7. ACTORS WRITE THEIR BLOCKING IN THEIR SCRIPT. IN PENCIL ONLY.

Journal #7: PHOTO ANALYSIS

Find a photo of one or two people expressing emotion. (Tip: Look in your textbooks!)

Who are these people? What are they discussing? What emotions do you see?

Theater I: Journal Entries #3 & #4 (4/14)

Journal #3: FIRST DAY

Think back to the first day of school. . .

What did your teachers go over?

What did you DO in class that day?

Journal #4: NOTES

Casting

Choosing the Right People to do the Job

On Casting…

After reading the quotes, why do you think directors believe casting is so important?

“Casting is everything. If you get the right people they make you look good.”

“Casting is 65 percent of directing. “

“Casting is sort of like looking at paintings. You don't know what you'll like, but you recognize it when you see it.

The First Rehearsal

Getting our Act Together

What to Expect:

• The director will distribute scripts.

• The stage manager will go over rehearsal etiquette & expectations.

•Contracts (if any) will be signed/returned.

• Cast and crew introductions will be made.

• Rehearsal schedules will be distributed.

• A contact list will be distributed.

• The cast will do a “read-through,” the initial reading of the script.

Why do you think it’s important to do cast & crew introductions at the first rehearsal?

Why do you think a “contact list” is important to a cast & crew?

Production Meetings

(What do all those techies DO, anyway?)

Production Meeting FACTS…

• Production meetings involve ALL TECHNICAL positions.
• They are held 3-4 times during rehearsal period.

Topics of discussion include:

• Design concepts

• Scheduling

• Overall tech (lights, sound, costumes, etc.)

• Budget

• Publicity

• House management

Name the areas of technical theater that would be included in production meetings.

Theater I: Journal Entries #1 & #2 (4/13)

Journal #1 (4/13/2010): AUDITIONS

Have you ever tried out or auditioned for anything? If so, what was it? How were the auditions/tryouts organized? Did you enjoy it?

Journal #2 (4/13/2010): NOTES

1. Choosing a Play

Directors and producers choose the play. Often, just the director.

They choose plays that they enjoy, that speak to them and their audience.

In high school productions, directors take into consideration WHO THEY HAVE and SPECIFIC CHALLENGES.

What does “who they have” mean?

What types of challenges would a high school director have that would affect play selection?

2. Reading the Play

Directors read to know:

genre

characters

plot

setting

theme

3. AUDITIONS!

AUDITIONS may be held in two ways:

Cold Readings

In a “cold” reading, the actor reads from a piece of the script (a “side”) with another actor or actors.

Monologues

In this type of audition, actors come prepared with one or more memorized monologues to perform.

Which type of audition would YOU prefer? WHY?

Who ELSE is at this AUDITION???

1.Director

2.Assistant Director (if there is one!)

3.Stage Manager

4.Producer (sometimes)

Directors look for actors who:

• physically “fit” the parts

• can be heard

• can take direction