junior classical theatre
Shakespeare
Resources
David and Ben Crystal - Original PRONUNCIATION of Shakespeare |
Ben Crystal performs "To Be or not to Be" soliloquy from Hamlet |
Ben Crystal at Otago University |
From the English Speaking Union |
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the merchant of venice - beacon theatre workshop January 2018
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SHAKESPEARE
assignments and assessments
Assignment - Play analysis
Theatre - Play Review
Teacher - Jason Robert LeClair M.A.
jleclair@beaconart.org
Portfolio-Worthy Project Criteria (use this area to summarize the essence of this project to include tools used, duration, & scope):
Objective: To engage in a meaningful critique of Moby Dick at American Repertory Theatre
Standards (use this area to list those standards assessed for this project using its key words and phrases):
TH:Re9.1.HSI
a. Examine a drama/ theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.
c. Formulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of a drama/ theatre work by considering its specific purpose or intended audience.
Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
Theatre Department
Theatre Critiques/Reviews: A critique is an evaluation of a performance of a play or musical. The critiques should not only state your opinion of the production, but also back up your opinions with specific examples directly from the play. Use the format provided as a guideline in writing your review. Think of your review as a document that someone would want to read in a newspaper or magazine. Entice the read to go and see the performance or entice them to not see the performance. Regardless of your opinion back your thoughts up with specifics from the play.
***Note: Please keep your playbill after the performance. You will need this to complete the critique.***
***Title: Create a title that will capture the reader’s attention. You can state the title of your review by revealing your reaction to the play in a sentence or phrase.
Ie. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Yada Yada Yada
Please type your reviews in proper MLA format.
Paragraph 1: What to include?
a. Create a hook for the first sentence of your review. Draw the reader in and make the thesis of the play known. This is where the reader can identify whether you enjoyed the play or not.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. In addition to the hook introduce the name of the play, author, place of performance, and director.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. Discuss the theme of the play in a few sentences. The theme may or may not connect to the title of your play.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: The Plot
a. Briefly summarize the play in one paragraph. Please use specific character names in your summary.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 3: The Acting
a. Write about your reactions to the actors playing the characters in the play. Were they believable? Why or Why not? How was their volume, articulation, and physicality? Did anyone in particular stand out? If so, why? (These questions are suggestions; please feel free to add to these questions.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Please critique two actors. Use their name as well as their character names. (see playbill for reference.) Ie. Scrooge, played by Kyle Pelletier, was able to capture the attention of the audience with his dynamic and powerful voice.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. What scene did you notice when the acting was exceptional or not exceptional. Ie. Scrooge, played by Kyle Pelletier, was able to capture the attention of the audience with his dynamic and powerful voice; especially in the scene between Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. Throughout the scene his voice begins to crack with emotion as he embraces the two characters; however in previous scenes his voice validates the emotions of greed, anger, and selfishness.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 4: Design
a. You will be critiquing two design elements of your choice. For instance in one paragraph you will describe the lighting and how it was executed in the production, and in paragraph two you can describe the costumes. Remember that there are many design elements in a production that you can evaluate. (costumes, lighting, set, props, sound, makeup, music, choreography, etc.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. In addition to the acting all design elements and opinions must be specific and backed up with an example. Ie. During the entrance of The Ghost of Christmas Past a soft spotlight was used to create an environment that represented the calming character that the ghost portrays in the play.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 6: The Reaction
a. What was your overall opinion of the play? Did the play capture the interest of the audience? What was the play’s effect on the audience or you?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Include where to see the play and the date of performance so others can see the show as well.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RUBRIC BELOW
Teacher - Jason Robert LeClair M.A.
jleclair@beaconart.org
Portfolio-Worthy Project Criteria (use this area to summarize the essence of this project to include tools used, duration, & scope):
Objective: To engage in a meaningful critique of Moby Dick at American Repertory Theatre
Standards (use this area to list those standards assessed for this project using its key words and phrases):
TH:Re9.1.HSI
a. Examine a drama/ theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
b. Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theatre work.
c. Formulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of a drama/ theatre work by considering its specific purpose or intended audience.
Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
Theatre Department
Theatre Critiques/Reviews: A critique is an evaluation of a performance of a play or musical. The critiques should not only state your opinion of the production, but also back up your opinions with specific examples directly from the play. Use the format provided as a guideline in writing your review. Think of your review as a document that someone would want to read in a newspaper or magazine. Entice the read to go and see the performance or entice them to not see the performance. Regardless of your opinion back your thoughts up with specifics from the play.
***Note: Please keep your playbill after the performance. You will need this to complete the critique.***
***Title: Create a title that will capture the reader’s attention. You can state the title of your review by revealing your reaction to the play in a sentence or phrase.
Ie. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Yada Yada Yada
Please type your reviews in proper MLA format.
Paragraph 1: What to include?
a. Create a hook for the first sentence of your review. Draw the reader in and make the thesis of the play known. This is where the reader can identify whether you enjoyed the play or not.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. In addition to the hook introduce the name of the play, author, place of performance, and director.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. Discuss the theme of the play in a few sentences. The theme may or may not connect to the title of your play.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: The Plot
a. Briefly summarize the play in one paragraph. Please use specific character names in your summary.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 3: The Acting
a. Write about your reactions to the actors playing the characters in the play. Were they believable? Why or Why not? How was their volume, articulation, and physicality? Did anyone in particular stand out? If so, why? (These questions are suggestions; please feel free to add to these questions.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Please critique two actors. Use their name as well as their character names. (see playbill for reference.) Ie. Scrooge, played by Kyle Pelletier, was able to capture the attention of the audience with his dynamic and powerful voice.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. What scene did you notice when the acting was exceptional or not exceptional. Ie. Scrooge, played by Kyle Pelletier, was able to capture the attention of the audience with his dynamic and powerful voice; especially in the scene between Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. Throughout the scene his voice begins to crack with emotion as he embraces the two characters; however in previous scenes his voice validates the emotions of greed, anger, and selfishness.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 4: Design
a. You will be critiquing two design elements of your choice. For instance in one paragraph you will describe the lighting and how it was executed in the production, and in paragraph two you can describe the costumes. Remember that there are many design elements in a production that you can evaluate. (costumes, lighting, set, props, sound, makeup, music, choreography, etc.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. In addition to the acting all design elements and opinions must be specific and backed up with an example. Ie. During the entrance of The Ghost of Christmas Past a soft spotlight was used to create an environment that represented the calming character that the ghost portrays in the play.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 6: The Reaction
a. What was your overall opinion of the play? Did the play capture the interest of the audience? What was the play’s effect on the audience or you?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Include where to see the play and the date of performance so others can see the show as well.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RUBRIC BELOW
Acting Assignment - The Soliloquy
Essential Questions: In the development of a character, where do you feel the soliloquy lies? How is your delivery of a soliloquy different than the rest of the character’s lines and scenes? How would you define the moments and objectives inside of the character’s soliloquy?
Enduring Understanding: : so·lil·o·quy /səˈliləkwē/
Learn to pronounce
noun
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
“To be or not to be…” The soliloquy in a work of classical theatre separates the character from their circumstances physically in order for the audience to hear their innermost thoughts. It differs from a monologue which is delivered onstage to another character. Some of the most famous lines of Shakespeare come from these thoughts delivered to the aether. Knowing and delving into the intricate psychology of the character at the moment of the soliloquy is essential to the actor’s genuine portrayal of said character.
Students will know:
Students will be able to:
Activity 1. Read a play by William Shakespeare identifying potential soliloquies. note: Student Artist MUST read the entire play in order to properly identify the context of the chosen soliloquy.
Activity 2. After identifying the character, ask the following broad questions: 1. What is the character’s past/history in this world?
2. What is happening in the present moment of this character (plot points from scene prior and scene after the soliloquy)?
3. What is the objective this character has for his/her future as defined within the confines of the text?
Activity 3. Begin the rehearsal process by reading aloud the soliloquy. For reference, if available, record yourself in a voice memo. Repeat the reading aloud changing nuances of words and points of emphasis. Record again the 50th version of this reading. Compare the two recordings. Identify the differences in emotion and whether you have genuinely embodied the questions in Activity 2.
Activity 4. Add blocking to your performance. Inside the blocking decide on what gross motor actions and fine motor actions this character needs to have in order to be portrayed within your vision. Execute at least five different gross motor blockings and fine motor blockings in different manners and/or positions.
Activity 5. Present your piece in workshop. Get feedback on your work from your peers and record it in writing. Reflect upon the process using your notes, the commentary and any new information that you wish to add in order to show your understanding of the collaborative process.
Use the attached rubrics and graphic organizer to help you guide your performance and reflection.
Content Standards:
Content Standards: Using the National Art Common Core Standards -
TH:Cr3.1.HSIII
a. Refine, transform, and re-imagine a devised or scripted drama/theatre work using the rehearsal process to invent or re-imagine style, genre, form, and conventions.
b. Synthesize ideas from research, script analysis, and context to create a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Pr5.1.HSIII
a. Use and justify a collection of acting exercises from reliable resources to prepare a believable and sustainable performance.
TH:Pr6.1.HSIII
a. Present a drama/theatre production for a specific audience that employs research and analysis grounded in the creative perspectives of the playwright, director, designer, and dramaturg.
TH:Re8.1.HSI
a. Analyze and compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theatre works.
b. Identify and compare cultural perspectives and contexts that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theatre work.
TH:Re8.1.HSIII
a. Use detailed supporting evidence and appropriate criteria to revise personal work and interpret the work of others when participating in or observing a drama/ theatre work.
b. Use new understandings of cultures and contexts to shape personal responses to drama/theatre work.
c. Support and explain aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs to create a context for critical research that informs artistic decisions in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Re9.1.HSI
a. Examine a drama/ theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
TH:Re9.1.HSIII
a. Research and synthesize cultural and historical information related to a drama/theatre work to support or evaluate artistic choices.
b. Analyze and evaluate varied aesthetic interpretations of production elements for the same drama/theatre work.
TH:Cn11.2.HSIII
a. Justify the creative choices made in a devised or scripted drama/theatre work, based on a critical interpretation of specific data from theatre research.
b. Present and support an opinion about the social, cultural, and historical understandings of a drama/theatre work, based on critical research.
Free apps available at :Visit http://www.playshakespeare.com
Essential Questions: In the development of a character, where do you feel the soliloquy lies? How is your delivery of a soliloquy different than the rest of the character’s lines and scenes? How would you define the moments and objectives inside of the character’s soliloquy?
Enduring Understanding: : so·lil·o·quy /səˈliləkwē/
Learn to pronounce
noun
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
“To be or not to be…” The soliloquy in a work of classical theatre separates the character from their circumstances physically in order for the audience to hear their innermost thoughts. It differs from a monologue which is delivered onstage to another character. Some of the most famous lines of Shakespeare come from these thoughts delivered to the aether. Knowing and delving into the intricate psychology of the character at the moment of the soliloquy is essential to the actor’s genuine portrayal of said character.
Students will know:
- Research methods to gather proper era/area details for the context of the soliloquy
- How to identify psychological influences that affect the portrayal of a character
Students will be able to:
- Research historical information about a play
- Research psychological theory about a character in a play
- Read and comprehend a soliloquy from classical theatre in proper context of the play
- Memorize and deliver with blocking and emotional purpose a soliloquy from a classical play
Activity 1. Read a play by William Shakespeare identifying potential soliloquies. note: Student Artist MUST read the entire play in order to properly identify the context of the chosen soliloquy.
Activity 2. After identifying the character, ask the following broad questions: 1. What is the character’s past/history in this world?
2. What is happening in the present moment of this character (plot points from scene prior and scene after the soliloquy)?
3. What is the objective this character has for his/her future as defined within the confines of the text?
Activity 3. Begin the rehearsal process by reading aloud the soliloquy. For reference, if available, record yourself in a voice memo. Repeat the reading aloud changing nuances of words and points of emphasis. Record again the 50th version of this reading. Compare the two recordings. Identify the differences in emotion and whether you have genuinely embodied the questions in Activity 2.
Activity 4. Add blocking to your performance. Inside the blocking decide on what gross motor actions and fine motor actions this character needs to have in order to be portrayed within your vision. Execute at least five different gross motor blockings and fine motor blockings in different manners and/or positions.
Activity 5. Present your piece in workshop. Get feedback on your work from your peers and record it in writing. Reflect upon the process using your notes, the commentary and any new information that you wish to add in order to show your understanding of the collaborative process.
Use the attached rubrics and graphic organizer to help you guide your performance and reflection.
Content Standards:
Content Standards: Using the National Art Common Core Standards -
TH:Cr3.1.HSIII
a. Refine, transform, and re-imagine a devised or scripted drama/theatre work using the rehearsal process to invent or re-imagine style, genre, form, and conventions.
b. Synthesize ideas from research, script analysis, and context to create a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Pr5.1.HSIII
a. Use and justify a collection of acting exercises from reliable resources to prepare a believable and sustainable performance.
TH:Pr6.1.HSIII
a. Present a drama/theatre production for a specific audience that employs research and analysis grounded in the creative perspectives of the playwright, director, designer, and dramaturg.
TH:Re8.1.HSI
a. Analyze and compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theatre works.
b. Identify and compare cultural perspectives and contexts that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theatre work.
TH:Re8.1.HSIII
a. Use detailed supporting evidence and appropriate criteria to revise personal work and interpret the work of others when participating in or observing a drama/ theatre work.
b. Use new understandings of cultures and contexts to shape personal responses to drama/theatre work.
c. Support and explain aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs to create a context for critical research that informs artistic decisions in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Re9.1.HSI
a. Examine a drama/ theatre work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
TH:Re9.1.HSIII
a. Research and synthesize cultural and historical information related to a drama/theatre work to support or evaluate artistic choices.
b. Analyze and evaluate varied aesthetic interpretations of production elements for the same drama/theatre work.
TH:Cn11.2.HSIII
a. Justify the creative choices made in a devised or scripted drama/theatre work, based on a critical interpretation of specific data from theatre research.
b. Present and support an opinion about the social, cultural, and historical understandings of a drama/theatre work, based on critical research.
Free apps available at :Visit http://www.playshakespeare.com
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