Learning Outcomes- Directing
1. Students will have a working understanding of the major principles of acting and acting as an art and will increase their ability to express themselves artistically and communicate effectively.
2. Students will have an understanding of the components that create dramatic tension: objectives, obstacles, tactics, and stakes and will be able to utilize the components of dramatic tension when directing.
3. Students will understand and utilize silent pauses.
4. Students will understand and utilize body positions and stage areas to affect audience perception.
5. Students will demonstrate the ability to run an effective rehearsal and to translate their vision to their actors.
6. Students will understand the importance of and strive to achieve sensory and emotional awareness and recall. They will understand the technique and will encourage their casts to explore such recall.
7. Students will be skilled in the use of relaxation exercises and bodily expression. They will understand the technique and value of leading their casts through such exercises.
8. Students will explore and understand the need for intense focus and concentration when performing. They will understand the technique and value of leading their casts through such exercises.
9. Students will be able to analyze and dissect scripts. They will understand the technique and value of leading their casts through such exercises.
10. Students will have a working knowledge of stage directions and blocking and how to use beats and tactics in the process of blocking.
11. Students will be able to create a character based on observation, physical exploration and script analysis. They will understand the technique and value of leading their casts through such exercises.
12. Students will appreciate the importance of set and costume design.
13. Students will be able to effectively criticize their own work and that of others.
14. Students will participate in ensemble and trust building activities. They will understand the technique and value of leading their casts through such exercises.
15. Students will read and analyze the full text of any play that they are directing scenes from.
16. Student will see and comment on a large variety of theatrical productions.
17. Students will read and discuss several writings on acting and theatre and will be able to discuss them in detail.
18. Students will choose, dissect, analyze, cast, rehearse, and produce a one-act play as part of Staples Players One Act play festival.
1. Students will do readings and exercises from Directing for the Stage by Terry John Converse.
2. Activities encouraging ensemble, trust building, sensory and emotional awareness and recall, relaxation, physical awareness, and trust will be adapted primarily from the teachings of Viola Spolin (Improvisation for the Theatre) and Robert Cohen (Acting One).
3. The components that create dramatic tension: objectives, obstacles, tactics, and stakes, will be learned from the teachings of Constantin Stanislavski and Michael Chekov.
4. Character work will stem from the work of Uta Hagen as outlined in Respect for Acting.
5. All of the above will be demonstrated through performance and direction of improvisation, scene study, and monologue preparation.
6. Selected videotapes will be used for information and/or exemplars.
7. All students will be required to keep day book in order to record observations, class notes, character work, script analysis, etc.
On a daily basis students must
1. Give dependable and consistent individual contribution.
2. Have promptness and regularity in attending class.
3. Students will read and discuss several writings on acting and theatre and will be able to discuss them in detail.
4. Stay focused on the task at hand.
5. Concentrate on their own work and not be distracted by the presence of classmates.
6. Explore their emotional and sense memory.
7. Attempt to accomplish the task at hand with positive energy and persistence.
8. Refrain from excessive giggling/ laughing as this is counter productive to achieving the focus.
All students will keep a Day Book that should be written in every day that the class meets. It will be collected and evaluated periodically by the instructor. It should include:
1. All class notes on lectures and discussions.
2. Personal reflections on exercises and discussion stating how the exercise made the student feel.
3. A detailed analysis and plan for every exercise or scene directed by the student
4. Reactions to class readings.
5. All notes given to the students by the instructor and peers on the student’s work..
1. Students will be able to communicate their vision to their actors and guide actors to demonstrate that vision.
2. Students will understand and utilize silent pauses in their directing work.
3. Students understand and utilize body positions and stage areas to affect audience perception in their directing work.
4. The entire play that the assigned scene is from must be read and dissected for character features, beats and objectives.
5. A well written analysis and plan must be completed based on the above.
6. The text of the actual scene must be dissected for beats and objectives.
7. Students should be able to direct actors to use a variety of tactics to achieve their objective. These tactics should be reflected in beat changes.
8. Beats and objectives should be demonstrated in the staging and performance of the scene.
9. The scene must be rehearsed efficiently using time given as well as rehearsals outside of class time. Wasted rehearsal time will reflect negatively.
10. Character analysis and concentration should be demonstrated in the performance.
11. Students will record criticism from the instructor and the class and will demonstrate improvement based on that criticism in future showings.
PLAY REPORTS
1. For the first semester, every student must read a minimum of two ten-minute plays a week.
2. Students will turned in a typed report on the two ten-minute plays each week including:
Name of Play:
Author:
Drama, Comedy or Serio-Comedy
# of Characters and Gender
Summary of Play (min. of 5 sentences)
Review of Play (min. of 5 sentences)
3. Second Semester all Students are required to see THREE theatrical productions each quarter. At least one of these three must be a LIVE performance. The remaining 2 can be films or videotapes based on plays. The Westport Public Library has many such productions available. A list of appropriate titles is available on this website.
4. Students are required to complete a THEATRICAL PRODUCTION OBSERVATION SHEET for every production viewed.