ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES

ONLINE LEARNING

RESOURCES

Contents

PRIMARY

Stage 1-3 Lessons ... 3

Stage 3 Drama: Online Lesson 1 ... 3

Stage 3 Drama: Online Lesson 2 ... 4

Stage 2 Drama: Online Lesson ... 5

Stage 1 Drama: Online Lesson ... 7

7-10 LESSONS

Warmups ... 9

Full lessons ... 12

Online Research Lesson ... 15

Elements of Drama Lesson ... 16

Year 10 Monologue Activity ... 18

PRELIMINARY LESSONS

Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept ... 27

HSC LESSONS

Essay Revision Teaching and Learning Approaches ... 35

Stage 1-3 Lessons

ALISHA VIGNA

Stage 3 Drama: Online Lesson 1

1. Watch this video of an excerpt of “The Play that goes wrong”

2. “The Play that goes wrong” is a play in the style of Pantomime. Find the definition of Pantomime and write it in your own words.

3. What do you think makes “The Play that goes wrong” a Pantomime? Give 2 examples from the video

4. Complete the following table:

“The Play that goes wrong”

Describe the acting style seen in this play.

Describe the set (include colour, textures, levels, stage furniture) Describe the costumes of TWO characters (include colour, textures, personal props).

Take a screenshot of the character and add it to the table

Character ONE:

Description of costume:

Screenshot:

Character TWO:

Description of costume:

Screenshot:

5. Describe your favourite moment from the video of “The Play that goes wrong”.

(MAXIMUM 5 sentences)

6. Did you enjoy the excerpt from “The Play that goes wrong”? Write 5 sentences (MAXIMUM) explaining why or why not.

7. Imagine you are advertising the play “The Play that goes wrong”. What are TWO things you would tell an audience to make them want to see the play?

PRIMARY

Stage 3 Drama: Online Lesson 2

• Look at the image from the book # (You could use an image from any book you are currently teaching or have taught this year.)

• Write down 5 emotions that you think of when you see this image. Give a short explanation of each word. (ONE sentence per word explaining why you chose that word).

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

• Write down 3 things you think you might hear in this image.

1.

2.

3.

• Think about (Name a character) in this part of the book, the emotions and sounds you listed about. Write a short monologue (speech by one actor in a play) from the characters perspective. Your monologue should be 5-10 lines of dialogue.

• Design a costume for the character. This could be drawn by you or simply images you find online.

• Find sound for your monologue.

You may wish to simply find an appropriate piece of music (this should be instrumental – no song lyrics), an existing soundscape or sound effects.

• Film yourself reading the monologue that you wrote with your sound, you may wish to use this video to explain your costume design too.

PRIMARY | Stage 1-3 Lessons

Stage 2 Drama: Online Lesson

Watch the following video about Melodrama – “The Rise of Melodrama: Crash Course Theatre”.

Answer the following questions:

1. Where did Melodrama begin?

2. How would you describe the characters in Melodrama?

3. What type of acting style did Melodrama use?

4. Use the Melodrama acting style to create the following emotions. Happy, Sad, Angry. Take a photo of you creating each emotion.

5. Read the following monologues from She Wrote, Died, and Then Wrote Some More.

MONOLOGUE 1

Vivian, jealous sister, standing over her now “dead” sister.

Dear sister, this is going to be a very difficult conversation, so in some ways it’s better that you’re dead. If others were present . . . I wouldn’t be having it. I might even kick you in the teeth. But since we’re alone . . . I want to say I’m sorry. Sorry that I wasn’t the sister you deserved. There were times, though few, that I was glad you were my sister.

Which I suppose, in some ways, is why I treated you poorly. You always hurt the ones you love. (Is shocked.) Oh my god, I’ve never used that word before. But I suppose it’s true. I did love you. In my own twisted way. I’m sorry I never showed it in a more caring, love-like manner. Though I suppose if you were alive, I still wouldn’t show you. So, as mentioned earlier, perhaps it’s better that you are dead. (Coughs.) I need something to drink. (She moves around and finds the bottle of nectar.) Oh. Your favourite. The nectar from the rare mamey sapote fruit. What a tasteless drink to be your favourite, but in your honour and my thirst’s honour . . . I shall have a drink of it. (Alina’s eyes shoot open as she considers what to do. Vivian pours drink and puts it to her lips.) To you, dear sister.

(She drinks it and sits down. She makes a face.) Oh . . . this is worse then I remembered it. Alina, I think that . . . (Coughs.) Oh dear.

PRIMARY | Stage 1-3 Lessons

MONOLOGUE 2

Barnabas, male, enters looking for Vivian, his girlfriend.

Vivian? Vivian? Vivian, where are . . . (Notices her on the couch.) Are you asleep? No. You’re not. Oh no. Speak to me, my love! Speak to me! You can’t, because you’re dead. My dear dead Vivian. (Hugs her.) What happened to you? (Gasps) The murderer murdered you!

I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to protect you. (Stands up.) Oh, vile murderer. Mark my words .  .  . her death shall be avenged! (Sits beside her and takes her face.) Listen, dearest Vivian, I know you’re dead and can’t hear me, but maybe it’s better because if you were alive . . . you would ridicule me for what I’m about to say. But Vivian, though you never trusted me nor supported my work, and you often had harsh words for me . . . I never doubted your love . . . well . . . like for me. Because you were that rare person, maybe the only one, who showed their feelings in a way that could be misconstrued as pure hatred.

But I knew . . . I always knew. I think. (Hugs her.) I need something to drink. (Sees the nectar.) Oh, Alyssa’s favourite nectar. The nectar from a rare mamey sapote fruit. (Pours himself a drink. Alina opens her eyes.) To you, my dear dead Vivian.

6. Film Yourself performing one of the two monologues.

PRIMARY | Stage 1-3 Lessons

Stage 1 Drama: Online Lesson

With some help from an adult, fill in the ‘I am poem’. Once you have filled in your ‘I am poem’. Practice reading your poem. Try to add some actions that go with the words of your poem. Make a video of yourself reading the poem.

I am poem

PRIMARY | Stage 1-3 Lessons

I am ...

I like to ...

I wonder ...

I feel happy when ...

I hope ...

Drama learning via Zoom

DR PAUL GARDINER

Below are a series of drama activities that I have modified and extended to work over Zoom or other real time video conferencing.

They are starters for activities and many of them develop into full lessons. As always, best practice for drama lessons in the virtual/remote learning space will reflect many of the same principles applied in our face to face lessons.

The main idea is that we still need to move from games, through to skill and to performance/demonstration. All activities need to be intrinsically linked to the skill we want them to develop through the lesson. Adopt a 20/20/20 model for an hour lesson. Twenty minutes of content or teacher instruction – then 20 minutes of students learning that skill, either individually or in pairs/groups, then 20 minutes of sharing and feedback. Depending on the group, this might be more like 10- 15 – 20 (i.e. a 45-minute lesson) – but the general principle still applies.

There are a few features of zoom that these games utilise. The first is the two different viewing functions – either gallery or speaker. Second is chat – you can send instructions to certain students that only they will receive – secret suggestions etc. Thirdly, the breakout rooms, which allow you to send kids to their groups and then enter to check they are on task.

Some of these games have beginner/intermediate/advanced suggestions – where others allow students to perform to the level of their ability – like most drama activities.

7-10 LESSONS

Warmups

1. Happy Clappy – a version of Simon says

Camera – gallery mode. Microphone muted.

The game starts with all students watching the teacher. The teacher explains it is a clapping game where each student needs to clap twice when told. The teacher then calls out instructions for the students to follow. First, call out directions like “Clap up, clap stage left, clap stage right, clap down etc”. Students follow you and can see each other – so anyone who doesn’t follow will break the visual pattern.

Then the teacher will indicate the direction by a physical gesture – by pointing left – which means students clap stage right etc. Note – zoom has a mirror function for your image which you can turn off. This should make it easier for everyone to follow – especially you.

Then the teacher will do both – with the directions matching the gesture – point right and say clap left.

Then the physical gestures won’t match the verbal – tell the students they need to follow the verbal no matter what they see etc. Then switch.

You can also play Simon says – and add actions which they have to follow – or the verbal instruction. Play with all the possibilities.

Link this to the geography of the stage in an elements of production class. It also develops the skills of concentration, active listening and decision making.

2. Grandmother’s footsteps – but with a hat.

Camera – gallery mode. Microphone muted.

So, the idea is that students have to put a hat on their heads without getting caught.

Teacher covers eyes with a book. Then students need to somehow get a hat on their head without getting caught. They begin with the hat and their hands out of sight. Model a rather exaggerated process – i.e. they can’t just sneak it on – it has to go all the way up above their heads – their arms full extended – before they can put it down – something like that. If they get caught the have to put their hat on the floor. Then they can start again. Once their hat is on, they still play because everyone has to get their hat on before they win. They are therefore allowed to distract you, so you miss those students trying to put their hat on.

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

You can also add extra levels to make it interesting – once on, students could try to turn their hat around – or turn it upside down – without getting caught.

You could also allow students to choose a student – unknown to you (you leave the room or take your headphones off) who will not turn their hat around or something else swap hats maybe – and you have to guess who that is before they do it – three guesses like murder wink.

This develops their skills in precise movements and concentration.

3. Mouse, Moose, Monarch.

Like the clapping game, this is a concentration and speed of reaction game.

Students follow your directions in silence.

Mouse = Small and hands to their whiskers.

Moose = big and their arms in the air like antlers.

Monarch = everyone points to the centre square and bows their head – the centre square holds a regal position and an imaginary staff.

Zoom might not place the same student in the centre square and it may be unclear who the centre is – so assign a student to be Monarch for each round – so the other students need to know who to look for – or call out a different students name each time –

“Monarch, Kelly” and the students have to find Kelly.

Then add two more directions:

Loose = do nothing

House = Everyone makes a triangle roof above their heads.

The other thing is that you can reorganise the order of the students by asking them to leave the meeting and then return…seniors only maybe.

4. Word play – Alphabet

[Gallery mode – unmuted.]

Student chosen at random to complete these sentences: My name is ____, and my pet’s name is_____. I live in ______ and I make _______.

For the first student, each answer must begin with A, B for the second etc.

Beginner – go around the ‘square’ – student go one after another.

Intermediate – use the alphabet but randomly assign students – so they know the letter, but they don’t know who is next.

Advanced – Randomly assign students and jumble the alphabet!

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

5. Monologues – impro

[Camera on speaker mode – all muted]

Choose a theme. Students have a minute to think of common ideas etc on that theme – get them to write that in their journals – dot points etc.

Students need to be ready to talk about the topic for as long as they can when called upon.

Get them to all start clicking or tapping lightly. Now unmute one student – their clicking will give them the camera (in speaker mode) and they will be full screen – meaning they have to start. Let them go for a while and then mute them and unmute another student who will then be full screen and have to take over. Mute and unmute students at random to keep the talking going and keep everyone on their toes.

6. Here comes Sam!

This is a warmup activity to get them moving – it is a standing game! So, make sure they can position their camera to get most of them in shot. Gallery mode – unmuted. Before the lesson get students to gather a prop that they can use in the activity – no pets!

Teacher starts – ‘Here comes Sam walking down the street” – All students repeat. Then Teacher says to Student 1 (use the position in gallery mode – across the top and down etc) What is Sam doing? And Student one says – Here comes Sam walking the street swinging a saucepan lid” (or whatever their prop is – note there needs to be a verb so that students do something – but ban ‘holding’ and its synonyms!). All students repeat, with them miming the saucepan lid. Then Student 1 asks Student 2 “What is Sam doing?” and Student 2 says ‘Here comes Sam walking down the street, swinging a saucepan lid and juggling oranges’ or whatever. The students all repeat adding the new action – miming the props. Eventually every student gets to add a phrase and a prop – each student has to mime other students but actually use their own prop each time.

Once they are confident with the game you can remove real props and use imaginary items, then add genre or stylistic elements – so the props and actions have to fit a fantasy theme or a horror movine theme or one connected to the form and style you are studying – The Greek theatre version would be interesting. Then add elements such as rewind or fast forward to generate energy. (Thanks to Gen de Souza for these added extras!)

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

Full lessons

7. Zoom party = Full lesson

Camera – speaker mode. Microphone unmuted for the four players This is a reworking of the ‘Whose Line is it anyway’ party game.

Choose 4 students to enter the party – send them a private chat with their occupation and characteristics – is plumber with balloons for hands, doctor who can’t stop sneezing, actor with no short-term memory.

Choose another student to host the party and their aim is to guess the occupation and characteristic – and students will also try to guess too – but must keep quiet until the party host guesses. Each student enters one at a time. When they speak, they will take up the whole screen – when the other guests speak the camera will switch to them – giving it a TV feel.

This can be played in a number of situations. Same idea, but at a board meeting, at a school reunion etc.

Students won’t know who is part of the game, and who isn’t, until they enter – just make sure you give students a number – which you call out when you want them to enter.

Replay the game allowing all to play. Then you could send the students to a breakout room with their group to develop the idea further for a written or planned improvised scene.

More variations (courtesy of Gen again!) these ones for younger students. Add some easy

‘bad acting’ traits – via private chat – such as staying out of shot, speaking too loudly/

softly or in a monotone, looking at the ground/at the camera etc. Students have to guess and explain what the students were doing and how to improve their performance.

8. Informercial

Break out rooms; Speaker mode. Microphone muted for all but those playing Choose groups of 3/4 students – two act as ‘anchors’ – one who is selling the product and one who feeds them the easy questions – and 1 or two testimonials – people who love the product.

Outline the conventions of an informercial – Maybe show one from YouTube – then get the students to add their ideas to the chat – you read out everything – then ask them to describe the kinds of characteristics if each of the 3 roles – again student add their ideas

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

to the chat and you read them out and add your own ideas. (You can keep the record of the chat and send it to them later as notes for their journal.)

Choose a group to demonstrate – scaffolding the process – explaining how to balance the time between the roles and how to end with a big sales pitch – all the clichés. Then send the groups to their breakout rooms to begin their preparation – visit each giving them their special product – a ridiculous as possible – just like the real ones!)

Give them 15 minutes and then bring them back – now they perform their informercial – using speaker view – so it has that TV feel and ask students to comment – just like a normal workshop.

9. Characters for monologues (double)

Camera – gallery mode. Microphone muted.

Outcome: Students will create characters – together – and then write short monologues – which will lead to a group written scene.

Choose a series of black and white photo/portraits of interesting people.

Try this Google Images link

Choose about 6-8 and make a PowerPoint. Look for interesting but real ones – not too arty or model like.

Then share your screen. Students are to choose one that resonates with them – circle back through them a couple of times.

In gallery mode – ask students to answer the following questions in their drama journals:

What is their name?

Where do they live?

Who else lives there?

What did they have for breakfast?

What do they do for a living?

What do they have on them right now? In their pocket or in their bag.

Where are they going? Where did they come from?

What are they most afraid of?

What makes them happy?

Student answer this in as much detail as you decide – this can be a quick-fire fact finding – or the beginnings of their writing.

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

Exchanging details:

Now, unmute students and nominate a student to begin. They will choose someone else in the class and ask them to give them one of their answers to the question e.g. Student 1 asks student 2 to tell me what their character had for breakfast. Student 2 tells them, and Student 1 adds that detail to their own character. Student 2 then asks Student 3 for an answer from their character – and so on – until each student has given a character detail to another student.

Students then write a monologue for 5-8 minutes – you can choose the situation – first date, job interview etc – keep the level of intimacy low (i.e. not their mum) so that they can legitimately include exposition. (All muted but with cameras on)

Students then ‘return’ and share their monologues. This can be in two ways – they can read it – or they can talk about what they did. Class input here is valuable – but only positive input. Ask them what ideas seemed interesting or unusual? What ideas did you want to know more about? Allow a couple of students to give feedback to each.

Lesson 2

(If this is a new lesson – use word at a time as a warmup – either verbally or in the chat!) Students then either choose pairs – or you can do it randomly – to begin a duologue – put their two characters (and the students ) in a breakout room and get them to impro a scene/write a short scene where they both think they have booked the same room etc – low level conflict. Students then upload their monologues and duologues to google docs.

Perform them to the class. Getting feedback again to increase their experience of appreciating drama.

Extension – Join pairs to form a group of 4 who devise a scene that they are all in. Then structure the student work to form a small play [i.e. Mono – mono – duo – scene – duo – mono – mono etc.] Which they could perform!

Upload the whole to google docs – student read each other’s and answer written feedback focus question on three in their journal.

(Depending on the writing ability of your class – this could be up to three or four lessons.)

7-10 LESSONS | Drama learning via Zoom

Online Research Lesson

DR CAROL CARTER

Dr Carol Carter says “I did this with my students but they had to decide on saving the life of a seminal thinker such as Vygotsky, Heathcote, Montessori but it could be done with dramatists, practitioners, directors etc. You can post various people on line in preparation and get the students to select before they go into Zoom.”

The lesson starts with everyone on Zoom or another online platform.

In this activity it is good to have a background e.g. Ship

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking. Sorry that you have all been confined to your cabins but we had to keep you inside while we were trying to rescue our ship. Please stay calm ladies and gentleman but our ship is going to sink and we only have one life-boat available. (etc…….). As you know we have (names of people) on board as well as their family and staff. The only fair way of deciding on who gets he life-boat is by allowing everyone to speak and then deciding who gets the lifeboat”

Get students to decide who is who and then allocate breakout rooms for groups to work out why they deserve the life boat. Get them to create visual material e.g. poster that they can share on screen or whiteboard and allocate one person to speak on their behalf Come back into the main Zoom area and present their arguments.

Once this is done voting can take place or, I suddenly found a way that we were no longer in danger as convinced that lives all too important to leave anyone behind.

7-10 LESSONS

Elements of Drama Lesson

STEPHANIE VANDEN HENGEL

Class logs on to their online classroom. Teacher informs class that they will be watching 25 minutes of the State Drama Festival – Perplexed, The Exam and The Whole Gamut of Emotions. For each clip they will need to answer one question about it and post their answer on Padlet. Teacher will need to set up the Padlet with the following questions:

Perplexed (7 minutes)

What is this Group Performance about? Outline the DRAMATIC STRUCTURE of this performance.

The Exam (7 minutes)

How did this group use RHYTHM to create TENSION?

The Whole Gamut of Emotions (7 minutes)

How does this group use SPACE and MOVEMENT to engage their audience?

Summary

Which of the 3 performances you watched today was the most engaging for the audience? How did that group use elements of drama to keep the audience engaged? – please write at least half a page.

7-10 LESSONS

Teacher can watch as the answers are added / delete answers posted anonymously etc.

You can run this lesson multiple times as there are more group performances. Just watch each clip and decide which elements you’d like the students to notice and comment on.

I would do them in groups of three to give the students time to watch and comment on them.

Awkwards Anonymous The Chosen One

The Great Australian Adventure Love Letter To Parents

Beyond Glory Suits Me

The Free Upgrade No-one Leaves Home Hakuna Matata

7-10 LESSONS | Elements of Drama Lesson

Year 10 Monologue Activity

CHRISTINA COX

Below are two monologues – Diary of a Cat, and Diary of a Dog. I would like you to develop a performance for each script, considering character, movement, voice, etc.

Once you have read through each script, take the time to complete a character profile for each character (You will need to make two copies of this document).

Then, begin to develop the delivery of the text. This is much easier to do once you have an understanding of the character, so it is really important to do that work in advance.

While you are filming these (most likely) at home, please be mindful that you can still control quite a lot about the performance space. Click here for some useful tips.

You may choose to focus on one whole performance at a time, and submit two separate and distinct performances. Or, you may like to get creative with the presentation of these two monologues – a split screen perhaps? It’s up to you! Have fun with this.

Diary of a Cat

Day 983 of My Captivity

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made

condescending comments about what a ‘good little hunter’ I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of

‘allergies.’ I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by

7-10 LESSONS

weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now ...

Diary of a Dog

8:00 am – Dog food! My favourite thing!

9:30 am – A car ride! My favourite thing!

9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favourite thing!

10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!

12:00 pm – Milk bones! My favourite thing!

1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favourite thing!

3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!

5:00 pm – Dinner! My favourite thing!

7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favourite thing!

8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!

11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!

7-10 LESSONS | Year 10 Monologue Activity

Character Profile

Fill in the following questionnaire as best you can. Remember, this is your character!

If you don’t know the answer, make it up!

Character’s full name:

Reason or meaning of name:

Character’s nickname:

Reason for nickname:

Birth date:

Physical Appearance

• Age:

• How old do you appear:

• Weight:

• Shape:

• Distinguishing marks:

• Predominant features:

• Hair/fur colour:

• Type of hair/fur:

• Overall attractiveness:

• Physical disabilities:

• Any jewellery or accessories:

Personality

• Good personality traits:

• Bad personality traits:

• Mood you are most often in:

• Sense of humour:

• Greatest joy in life:

• Greatest fear:

• Why?

• What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil?

• You are most at ease when?

• Most ill at ease when?

• Enraged when:

• Depressed or sad when:

Priorities

• Life philosophy:

• If granted one wish, it would be:

• Why?

• Soft spot:

• Is this obvious to others?

• Greatest strength:

• Greatest vulnerability or weakness:

• Biggest regret:

• Minor regret:

• Biggest accomplishment:

• Minor accomplishment:

• Past failures you would be embarrassed to have people know about:

• Why?

• Darkest secret?

• Does anyone else know?

Goals

• Drives and motivations:

• Immediate goals:

• Long term goals:

• How do you plan to accomplish these goals?

• How will others be affected:

• Past

• Hometown:

• Type of childhood:

• First memory:

• Most important childhood memory:

• Why?

7-10 LESSONS | Year 10 Monologue Activity

Family

• Mother:

• Relationship with her:

• Father:

• Relationship with him:

• Siblings:

• Relationship with them:

• Children:

• Relationship with them:

• Other important family members:

Favourites

• Music:

• Food:

• Form of entertainment:

• Mode of transportation:

• Most prized possession:

Habits

• How would you spend a rainy day?

• What do you do too much of?

• What do you do too little of?

• Extremely skilled at:

• Extremely unskilled at:

• Nervous tics:

• Mannerisms:

• Peculiarities:

7-10 LESSONS | Year 10 Monologue Activity

Traits

• Optimist or pessimist?

• Introvert or extrovert?

• Daredevil or cautious?

• Logical or emotional?

• Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat?

• Prefers working or relaxing?

• Confident or unsure of yourself?

• Self-perception

• How do you feel about yourself?

• One word you would use to describe yourself?

• What do you consider your best personality trait?

• What do you consider your worst personality trait?

• What do you consider your best physical characteristic?

• What do you consider your worst physical characteristic?

• How do you think others perceive you?

• What would you most like to change about yourself?

Relationship with others

• Opinion of people in general:

• Do you hide your true opinions and emotions from others?

• Person you hate the most:

• Best friend(s):

• Love interest(s):

• Who do you go to for advice:

• Who do you feel responsible for or take care of?

• Who do you feel shy or awkward around?

Practitioners, Acting and Monologues

SONIA BYRNES

Program focus This program focuses on giving students the challenge of

developing a monologue through the theory and practice of a given practitioner. Each student will receive a monologue and guidance on researching their practitioner. Class online meetings will occur every 2-3 lessons to check in with progress, give feedback and watch progress performances from students.

Program Length 12 lessons although this can be extended Stage and Year Stage 6, Year 11

Curriculum area Acting and Theatrical Traditions and Performance Styles

Additional notes The unit can be extended by a week or two and would just need to be a longer monologue (rather than 2 minutes of monologue it would become a 6-minute monologue)

Resources • Vocal Work warm up for actors – www.stagemilk.com/vocal-warm-ups

• Practitioner information research sheet (Please note: Depending on the class and work ethic some teachers may want to collate specific websites for students to go to on each practitioner rather than trust the students to know how to research the work of that practitioner)

• Chosen monologue (same for everyone in the class)

• Crash course theatre and Drama – https://www.youtube.com/

playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtONXALkeh5uisZqrAcPKCee

• https://www.bl.uk/20th-century-literature/themes/theatre- practitioners-and-genres

List of

practitioners (Not exhaustive)

• Brecht

• Meyerhold

• Stanislavski

• Grotowski

• Laban

• Lecoq

• Suzuki

• Artaud

• Boal

• Adler

• Dymphna Callery

• Anne Bogart

• Peter Brook

PRELIMINARY LESSONS

LESSON

& DATE

INSTRUCTIONS AND LESSON CONTENT

1 Introduction

• Give students the monologue they are working off

• As a class use your preferred online forum to talk through the monologue and do a read though. If there is no online forum this is not needed.

• Give students the practitioner information research sheet and the name of a practitioner. Explain to students that they are going to develop their monologue based off the work and practice of that practitioner (so for example Stanislavski method, Meyerhold Biomechanics, theatre of cruelty piece for Artaud etc.)

2 Research on Practitioner

• Students to work individually on the worksheet given out last lesson researching their practitioner. The teacher is available to answer questions or help with pointing them towards certain resources for their practitioner via whatever chosen online platform or email.

3 Research on Practitioner

• Students to work individually on the worksheet given out last lesson researching their practitioner. The teacher is available to answer questions or help with pointing them towards certain resources for their practitioner via whatever chosen online platform or email.

4 How the research impacts you

• The class meet on the preferred online platform to discuss progress. Each student should have a clear idea of their practitioner by now and an idea of what they might do with the monologue. NOTE: Some schools and students might need a lesson or two more to complete this depending on resources and time.

• The teacher talks through the crafting of the monologue with students and talks to them about what is due in two lessons time. This is the time for questions regarding their practitioner and the development of the monologue.

• The teacher directs students to the vocal warm ups for actors website for them to have a ritual to do each day before working on the monologue. Some teachers may like to do this together on an online platform to start each day and get students focused.

• Students are left to start working on the monologue.

5 Practitioner Summary and plan forward

• The class meet on the chosen online platform and each student explains their practitioner to others and how that is impact the way in which they develop the monologue OR students email in a summary of their practitioner and description of how this will impact the development and choices made with

PRELIMINARY | Practitioners, Acting and Monologues

LESSON

& DATE

INSTRUCTIONS AND LESSON CONTENT

6 Monologue Development

• Students work alone on developing the monologue. The teacher is available via the chosen online platform or email to answer questions.

7 Monologue Development & Submission

• Students work alone on developing the monologue. The teacher is available via the chosen online platform or email to answer questions.

• Students are to submit a 30 sec video of a part of their monologue for feedback.

8 Monologue Development

• Students work alone on developing the monologue. The teacher is available via the chosen online platform or email to answer questions.

9 One-minute performance and feedback

• The class meet together on the chosen online platform to perform a minute of their monologues each and receive feedback from the class OR students submit a minute of their monologue to the teacher for feedback. (This will depend on the class, their respect for one another and their access to good internet).

• After receiving feedback, the teacher discusses progress with students. In particular there is discussion of how successfully they have considered the work of the practitioner they have researched.

10 Monologue Development

• Students work alone rehearsing the monologue. The teacher is available via Eve the chosen online platform or email to answer questions.

11 Monologue Development

• Students work alone rehearsing the monologue. The teacher is available via Eve the chosen online platform or email to answer questions.

12 Monologue Performance

• The class meet together on the chosen online platform to perform their monologues each and receive feedback and praise from the class OR students submit their monologue to the teacher for feedback. (This will depend on the class, their respect for one another and their access to good internet).

• The class discuss the monologues and how different they were (either online or through email).

PRELIMINARY | Practitioners, Acting and Monologues

Practitioner Research Sheet

Practitioner Name:

Nationality:

Age (or DOB)

Summarise in two sentences what they were known for:

What was their focus with theatre and how did they develop this?

(E.g. Stanislavski was

focused on realist theatre and actor training that enabled them to access real emotions, objectives and goals helped him develop this)

Did a type of theatre emerge from their work and if so what was the theatre and what was it in style or form?

(For example Brecht

developed Epic Theatre from his work)

What did they think actors needed to do in preparing for a monologue?

PRELIMINARY | Practitioners, Acting and Monologues

How does the work of this practitioner influence the way you will develop and perform this monologue?

Famous quotes from that practitioner:

Any other interesting facts:

Where did your research come from?

(List all of the references you used)

PRELIMINARY | Practitioners, Acting and Monologues

Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept

JESS CHILTON

The following activities have been adapted from a series of lessons that helped students to prepare for a Year 11 assessment task in which they had to develop a director’s concept. These activities are designed to be done after students have already spent time analysing their chosen play, when they already have a sense of the following:

• cast size

• space

• design

• thematic concerns

• structural patterns

• characters

• key moments

• use of symbols and recurring images

• possible directorial approaches

• style and mood of the play

The following activities are designed to help them start to develop their director’s concept/vision.

What is in a director’s concept/vision?

To create a director’s concept, the director usually explains his initial thoughts about:

(1) the themes of the play

(2) mood and atmosphere (that will best communicate the themes of the play) (3) overall look or feel (that will best communicate the themes of the play)

(4) general observations about character (that will best communicate the themes of the play)

(5) general observations about the virtual space (the setting) of the play (6) general observations about the language and symbols found in the play

PRELIMINARY LESSONS

Examples of Director’s Concepts

Director’s Concept for A Thousand Cranes

“The text of Kathryn Schultz-Miller’s short play is a kind of structured memory: through Sadako’s brief life, we encounter the Hiroshima bombing as an incomprehensible human act. The issues of race, culture, nuclear war and patriotism are complex for young audiences.

Producing ‘A Thousand Cranes’ demands restraint, imagination, the willingness to face horror, the willingness to forgive. In our production we try to stir a young audience’s theatrical imagination by presenting another world that seems familiar, a child’s flights of fancy as a journey to understanding, a story that is simple yet compelling. In the end, we hope to ask questions rather than teach. If a child can know loss as a necessary outcome of war, and see another culture as human rather than exotic, we have succeeded.”

– Andrew Tsao, Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Director’s Concept for King Lear

“‘King Lear’ is a reminder of how quickly a country can be destroyed from within by political back-biting, greed and complacency. Lear takes for granted both his responsibility as king and his land’s stability, assuming he can leave the daily running of the country to others while he retires to “the good life”. Because Shakespeare’s message is appropriate for any point in history, we have chosen to set this production without specific period or culture. We also wanted to create a raw, elemental world where violence becomes commonplace. Fire, wind and water are placed within a steel structure set upon the earth, giving the set a non-realistic, presentational feel, where one does not expect each location to be fully realized visually. This helps to accommodate Shakespeare’s quick and constant scene changes. In the background you can see a vague image of the empire that everyone is trying to capture. It is polluted and corrupt, not beautiful. On this land, no one is immune from the desire for power. In our ‘King Lear’ there are no heroes and there is ultimately no innocence; everyone gets their hands dirty. As the battles both political and personal ensue, the story reveals itself to be actually a quest for love and understanding, and what is truly important in life.”

–Karen TenEyk, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Director’s Concept for The Illusion

“At age 18, Peirre Corneille (1606-1684) began his career as a lawyer, only to abandon it for the theatre five years later. In 1636, during a period when the theatre in France was enjoying a slight gain in prestige, Corneille wrote ‘L’Illusion Comique’. He referred to this play as a “strange monster” because of its unconventional blend of theatrical styles and its violation of Aristotle’s three unities of place, time and action-the theatrical dogma

PRELIMINARY | Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept

of the period. “Corneille’s use of a cave as Alcandre’s place of enchantment draws on a European tradition in which caves were regarded as mystical entities-metaphors for the cosmos-places where magic and a sense of the divine dwelled. During the Baroque period, in which Corneille was writing, caves had become a popular theatrical setting where the triumph of art over nature was demonstrated (for instance, mechanical devices were built to fashion fountains out of natural pools of water). This Baroque ideal is reflected in Alcandre’s ability to create illusion as splendor and refinement within the rough and primitive environment of the cave.”

– David Esbjornson, The Classic Stage Company (New York).

Online Task 1: Finding Director’s Concepts

Having read the examples above. Find some examples of director’s concepts from theatre companies and answer the following questions about them in your logbook:

• What makes this a good director’s concept? Give examples to justify your response.

• What is the emphasis that the director is putting on the production and why?

Researching the play

Other areas, apart from the script, need to be researched when preparing a director’s concept. These include:

• the author’s life and other works

• the period or cultural environment of the setting

• reviewers’ comments on previous productions and critics comments on the text

• other sources which increase understanding of the text

• theatrical conventions or styles used

• unfamiliar language or terminology

Online Task 2: Know your Playwright

Research your playwright and the socio-political context of your play

Find at least THREE different sources, apart from the play, that critique, analyse or discuss your play and utilise them in conjunction with the play and your understanding to write 300-500 words on the following question:

How does the playwright deal with/comment on social, political or cultural issues in your chosen play?

PRELIMINARY | Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept

Online Task 3: Preliminary Concept Mapping

Compile a collage of images, song lyrics, newspaper clippings etc that are related to your overall concept in your logbook or a word document you can screen share with your class. Your images/ clippings should give the class a sense of:

• What the play is about

• The mood/style you plan to emphasis in your production

Online Task 3: Preparing for your Production Pitch

Prepare yourself for your Zoom Production Pitch (5 mins) by having answers to the following questions prepared. You will not be asked all of these questions, but you should have answers to all prepared:

1. What are the key aspects of the play to be emphasised?

2. What is the main mood or atmosphere in the production?

3. Are you going to treat the text in a traditional, innovative, stylised or realistic way?

4. How are the characters portrayed and developed?

5. What is the relationship between the design and the action?

6. What is the dominant theme, metaphor or convention that shapes the production?

7. How could the play be summed up in one or two sentences?

8. What other features will make this production unique?

9. What is the type of performance space envisaged for the production?

10. What is to be the actor-audience relationship?

The class will be giving you feedback based on the following criteria:

1. What do you think the play is about- its overriding message & intent?

2. Does this sound like something that would interest you and would it engage a contemporary audience? Why do you think this is the case?

3. What do you think the director’s vision of producing this show is? Is it clear? Do you think it would work?

4. If you were planning a theatre season for 2012, would this play make your list of plays you would want to stage, including using this person as director for the show?

Explain your reasons.

PRELIMINARY | Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept

Zoom Production Pitch Feedback Sheet

Questions to ask each presenter in your group:

• What are the key aspects of the play to be emphasised?

• What is the main mood or atmosphere in the production?

• Are you going to treat the text in a traditional, innovative, stylised or realistic way?

• How are the characters portrayed and developed?

• What is the relationship between the design and the action?

• What is the dominant theme, metaphor or convention that shapes the production?

• How could the play be summed up in one or two sentences?

• What other features will make this production unique?

• What is the type of performance space envisaged for the production?

• What is to be the actor-audience relationship?

Feedback

Use the questions below to help you give feedback to each presenter on clarity of their Director’s Concept:

• What do you think the play is about – it’s overriding message & intent?

• Does this sound like something that would interest you and would it engage a contemporary audience? Why do you think this is the case?

• What do you think the director’s vision of producing this show is? Is it clear? Do you think it would work?

• If you were planning a theatre season for 2012, would this play make your list of plays you would want to stage, including using this person as director for the show? Explain your reasons.

Recommendations

Give some suggestions about how they might make their concept clearer:

PRELIMINARY | Preparing and Pitching a Director’s Concept

Independent Project Development

GRETCHEN PROWSE

Take photos of the physical work you have done so far (things like script analysis, lighting ideas, blocking [movement ideas], feedback you’ve received so far, etc.). Include them in your online logbook. Here is a sample script analysis resource you could use:

Approaching the text: A guide for Script analysis

If you were working in the industry this would be done before your first rehearsal.

Things to keep in mind:

Often these questions do not have an obvious ‘right’ answer. You will use your imagination as well as clues in the script to come up with your answers.

It’s a good idea to bounce some of your ideas off another person, get them to ask you questions and be ready and willing to change your ideas if something new presents itself.

Everything we do is a choice – at the beginning you will improvise and experiment with impulse, but our job as actors is to find what is interesting then repeat and refine it, linking it to our dramatic meaning and script analysis.

Remember – as long as your choices make sense to you, it will be clear for your audience.

Workshop ONE

1. Create an ATYP On Demand login 2. Click on ‘Crysalis’ workshops (under

resources tab – the video will help) 3. Watch and participate in the

workshops (under resources tab – the video will help)

4. Upload a reflection to your online logbook

HSC LESSONS

Workshop TWO

Watch & participate in the series of videos from State Drama Camp.

a. There are some sections that require a partner – do your best to do them on your own, or ask someone else at home to help you!

Focused – Sound & Movement

1. Film yourself performing monologue (call this rehearsal 1) 2. Watch it back with the volume off

a. What are the most interesting moments

b. Where are your opportunities to develop your physicality c. What do you need to refine?

3. Don’t watch, just listen

a. What are the most interesting moments?

b. Where are your opportunities to develop your voice i. Variation, pace & tempo, dynamics (volume) 4. Refilm with adaptations (call this rehearsal 2) 5. Upload to your online logbook

Workshop THREE

Watch this clip and apply the rehearsal techniques/workshop to your character.

The Elements of Drama

Using the rehearsal 2 film answer the following question:

How have you manipulated the elements of drama to enhance your performance?

Reflection & Rehearsal

Reflect on your answer from the last activity.

How might you further manipulate/use each element?

Refilm and upload to your online logbook (call this rehearsal 3)

HSC | Independent Project Development

Peer Feedback

Send a link to your video to a partner and ask for feedback, based on the NESA marking criteria.

Insert a screenshot or recorded video of your partner giving you your feedback (you may choose to share your online logbook, just message/email them your video and have them message back your feedback or facetime them, etc. Any way you choose needs to be included in your logbook.)

Apply their feedback and film – call this rehearsal Rehearsal 4.

HSC | Independent Project Development

Essay Revision

Teaching and Learning Approaches

TAMARA SWEETMAN

Below are some teaching and learning approaches I have used with my Year 11 and 12 Drama classes towards the end of units to revise their understanding and enrich their essays. Online, I am currently working in Microsoft Teams and use channels for group work, and often engage my students in discussion live, or with the comments section.

We also use Google Documents for class work or peer work. All of the approaches below could be adapted in varied ways for other online methods, including Virtual Classrooms or Zoom. The examples provided are students’ own work from my classes.

Rubric Performance/Video

Students work in groups/channels and are assigned the task of summarising/

performing the rubric for their topic area. They could create this online and perform it

‘live’ as a small group. Alternatively, they could also create an online video, PowerPoint, or any other form of an online presentation. The focus is that they summarise the rubric, and actually describe what the rubric is referring to in their own words, with reference to the plays they are studying. This can often be a really fun and entertaining way to revisit the rubric, which is a practical task and has them working in collaborative groups.

Students Creation of Essay Questions

Towards the end of a unit, as a class we revisit the rubric and key terms for that particular topic area, then, in pairs, students create for the class their own set of essay questions.

Students need to consider the marking criteria and the rubric, then they can share these with the class, or answer themselves.

Year 12 Drama Student/Pair Example (using quote from Melinda Gates), for The Voice of Women in Theatre Topic:

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice

HSC LESSONS

Discuss with reference to the dramatic forms, performance styles and techniques in two of the plays set for study.

Peer Feedback

Another approach is to engage the class in a discussion through Microsoft Teams or other conferencing software using the comments section. Students brainstorm the elements needed in an essay (guide them to revisit structure, theatrical techniques etc.). They then swap a body paragraph of an essay with a peer who annotates all the elements decided by the class. Students must then re-work their body paragraph, incorporating notes/feedback provided by their peers.

Analysis of Written Marking Criteria

I often distribute a task and we read through the marking criteria as a class. If I don’t feel students have a thorough understanding of how they are being marked, and tangibly what they need to demonstrate, this is an activity I employ. This could be adapted online through using video discussion, or through a class Google Document. We examine the full marking criteria, and then as a class, either through discussion, or after working in pre-allocated groups and reporting back to class, present a section of the marking criteria for analysis. Below is an example of a marking scheme, which was re-created by a Year 12 Drama class in their ‘own words’ and used to promote their own reference of understanding.

Year 12 Drama Class Example for Contemporary Australian Theatre Unit:

“How does Australian theatre convey the dramatic tension between characters and their plight? Discuss both plays you have studied in this topic.”

In your answer, refer to the dramatic forms, performance styles, techniques and the conventions of Australian Drama and Theatre and in particular to your study and experience of two texts set for study.

HSC | Essay Revision Teaching and Learning Approaches

Written Essay 9 – 12 13 – 16 17 – 20

Answers the question about dramatic tension

Little reference to question or

‘superficial’

Refers to question but does not develop a point of view or argument, top and tail – refers to question in intro and conclusion only

Mostly ignores the HOW part of the question

Refers to the questions and

‘unpacks’ some major aspects of it

Introduction conveys a clear understanding of the question There is analysis of the scenes and the moments are mostly well chosen

Interprets and addresses question key words: dramatic tension, characters, plight Introduction offers a clear point of view / argument about HOW Australian drama conveys dramatic tension

Integrates analysis of the dramatic tensions in the texts – selects best moments to analyse and develop argument Understands form,

style, techniques, conventions of Australian contemporary drama

Not specifically engaging or

‘unpacking’ the form, style, techniques, conventions

Describing or listing some aspects of form, conventions, techniques, quite brief, not able to use this to show how dramatic tension is developed

There is evidence of understanding of form, style, techniques and conventions Moments selected are well chosen to show evidence Refers to how form, style, techniques, conventions show tension

Seamlessly integrates reference to form, style, techniques and conventions throughout essay, use of

‘drama’ terminology Selects the most appropriate aspects to analyse in relation to selected moments in the plays Shows how form, style, techniques, conventions convey dramatic tension Writing skills:

cohesion, control of language and essay structure

No structure or cohesion – disjointed descriptive paragraphs

Inconsistent use of dramatic terms

Clear paragraphs but do not link to each other or to the point of view offered in introduction

Attempts but Struggles to evoke workshops visually May be repetitious

There is ‘drama’ terms throughout the essay Paragraphs are clear throughout

The paragraphs have good structure and relate to the question

Uses verbs and describing words to relate workshops

Consistently appropriate use of drama terms; precision in vocabulary choices Paragraph level - complete paragraphs

Whole text level – links paragraphs together – leads marker through development of argument from paragraph to paragraph

Evocative language – able to evoke the workshop precisely and visually for the marker Evidence to support

answer – using workshops

Little reference to workshops or practical examples

The workshops are clear but might not fully delve into all aspects of discussing the evidence.

The dramatic techniques are either not the most effective, or are not covered in-depth.

The description of the evidence is evocative and includes mostly of the information needed, but might be missing some sections (e.g. quote or element of drama).

The dramatic techniques chosen are appropriate.

The description of the evidence, ‘paints an image’

in the reader’s mind, the workshops include specific moment in the play, element of drama, scene, integrated quote seamlessly, refers to staging, effect on audience which relates to playwrights intent.

It also uses the example to relate back to the entire ‘world of the play’.

Within the evidence, the

HSC | Essay Revision Teaching and Learning Approaches