Friday, February 22, 2013

Assignment #1: Student & Structure of Drama

FIRST: Read pages 1 through 45 in the classroom textbook “The Stage and the School” by Ommanney and Schanker.   Chapter One (2-28) deals with “The Student of Drama” and includes an overview of the theater student’s relationship to the course.  Chapter Two (29-45) deals with “The Structure of Drama” and includes the way in which the production is laid out in a script format. 

Take notes on your reading as you may use them for your blog comment and for the unit test.

NEXT: Based upon your reading make a one paragraph comment for each chapter question below (two paragraphs minimum total):

  • Based upon Chapter One: If a student really wants to take this course seriously, what are the necessary requirements for a theatre student to be successful and learn?  Be specific and use references from the chapter, not from personal knowledge or experience.
  • Based upon Chapter Two:  Compare and contrast a “play” and a “novel?”   be specific to the structures of each as explained in this chapter.  Finally, what do you prefer in a play: an emphasis on plot, character, or situation?  Why?  Be specific and give examples when possible.
FINALLY:  In order to receive full credit for the blog assignment, respond with at least two sentences to another student’s blog comment.

This assignment is due by no later than 9 AM on Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

20 comments:

  1. In chapter one they talk about how to be sucessfull and learn. There are two main ways, using a notebook and making a scrapbook. The necessary steps when using the notebook are as followed: Part1- classroom notes, Part2- reports of plays and scenes studied in class, Part3- reports of plays read outside of class, Part4- reports of plays seen inside and out of class, Part5- reviews of articles and books read that deal with theater activity, Part6- lists of regional and repertory theaters across the country, colleges, and universities, Part7- vocabulary, Part8- exercise on vocal and body movement. If you choose to use a scrapbook, the following would be usefull: Part1- personalities of stage, screen, and T.V., Part2- stage setting, Part3- costuming, Part4- facial expressions and makeup, Part5- color combinations, Part6- personality development, Part7- miscellaneous section, Part8- snap shots. These following examples were found on pages 26, 27, and 28 in the book "The Stage and the School".

    There are major differences between a play and a novel. A play has four narrative essentials, the exposition, plot, character, and theme. The exposition consists of 1)Time, 2)Place, 3)mood and atmosphere, 4)preliminary situation. The plot has 1) and initial incident, 2)rising action, 3)climax, 4)falling action, 5)conclusion. Characters are also big. This consists of 1)a protagonist, 2)antagonist, 3)secondary, 4)minor. Lastly you have a theme. Novels are mainly read and not acted out. They don't take as much responsibility to accomplish. This information was found on page 43 in the book "The Stage and the School".

    In a play i prefer the most emphasis on the characters. I say this because they do the most work. The plot is there, and the situation, but it is the characters responsibility to make it noticable. If the characters don't react a certain way or say the right thing it could blow the whole play up and make it terrible.

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    1. i agree with you're post about the first question. it say that exactly in the book word for word and i agree with the book. i think it does take all that too be good at theatere or to be apply youreelf too it.

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    2. I think your response is spot on. Among the plot of a story, it is also the interactions of actors on stage that cause the rising or climax action in a story to be entertaining. Good job Sarah

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    3. I think comment is definitely correct. Because for the play or story to be a play or story it should have the following, the causing of the play, the rising or climax, action for it to be well understood.

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  2. There are many great and useful tips to be extracted from the fascinating and informative book “The Stage and The School” by Ommanney and Schanker. In the first chapter, “Student of Drama” the authors recognize every one as potential actors and purposeful people. Everywhere you go and in everything you do there is something to be acknowledged and taught. The book talks about observation as a skill and talent. Where great actors carry around a notebook to jot down notes about what they observe for future references. How everyone can be an actor regardless of attractiveness or beliefs; now more than ever someone can be a great actor without having a pretty face.

    Even more than educational, the second chapter “Structure of Drama” is enlightening. Determining individuality among other individuals and becoming aware of your environment. How to interact and make imaginative objects come to life with your surroundings. The book talks about the ability of using creativity to picture a stage becoming a castle, or space ship. Deciding personality traits in a character that resemble your own can make interactions on stage more natural and realistic. This book is very awesome.

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    1. Your first paragraph was very well structured and true. You took examples from the book to justify your answer.

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    2. You are right on when it comes to explaining the answers to things. You used excellent word choice that pulls a reader in and it let's your reader's really get into what you're trying to say. In you're second paragraph, you didn't exactly answer the question, because it asked you to differentiate between a play and a novel and you didn't, but overall, you writing is well done and you did pull examples from the text to back up what you were saying. So excellent job on that.

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  3. the things to apply you're self to theatere are simple. train or practice by yourself. its allways good to practice by yourself or read the whole script by yourself. the reason why you should read the whole script to yourself is so you can memorize everything in the play. also it is good to have people comment or critizize you're acting cause it can help out in more ways then one.

    the diffrence between the two is for a play its simple evrything is spelled out in a form of writting which makes it easier to read and act without searching for the words in a novel. a novel is more in a narrative and charectar state you can act a novel out but a play script is way easier. a novel too me is ment to be read and not acted out although you can.

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  4. For a student to meet the necessary requirments for theatre they must open their eyes and start realizing there strengths and weaknesses. They must know how to use theire emotions with their physical movement.Students need to learn the differences between regular day life and theatre itself. they need to excersize there emotions.
    A play and novel are both about people putting on a show in front of a croud the difference between the two is that a play is with actual people acting out a script. A novel is told by a narrator. I'd prefer the play to be a situation be cause you could squeese so much dramma out of juts one little situation.

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  5. In chapter one it tells you how to perfrom a scene or to portray a character without rehearsing or using a script. The two basic approaches to improvised storytelling are the character-centered approach. in the situation-centered approach, the focus is on the situation itself. A beginning actor can improvise succesfully by learning some basic techniques like characterization. Characterization involves visualizing a character in detail in order to bring that character to life for the audience. Individual improvisation gives the actor room for greater personal imagination and more time to create deep characterization.

    In chapter two it explains how pantomime work with theater and what it means. You have to use physical action and also use ideas witch is mime. Characterization in pantomime invovles placing a character in a situation and showing that characters thoughts through nonverbal expression.

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    1. You are totally right, i like your way of wording everything. And it is very important that we as the actors portray the character not only in words, but in physical postures and action. And that the play should have its situation or reason for its bieng.

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  6. What these two chapters basically teach you is how to be good in theater, how you present yourself and that it definitely wont be hard to learn how to be a good actress or presenter on stage. And how the stage runs in the back in the front what the structure of it is, and of the drama behind the scene. The first chapter involves your ways of acting, how you should and how to attempt to talk in front of people and on stage, your postures and expressions.
    The second chapter teaches more of how to organize yourself, how the mood of the character should be then that's how you should be acting to. Its explaining how the plays you would present or in the book they present would be how the different steps into a play would be. For example the exposition of the setting, mood and atmosphere, the preliminary situation etc.

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  7. Based upon chapter one, a student needs to have certain requirements to be able to be successful and to be able to learn all they can in Theater. Some of these requirements include being empathetic. A student must be able to indentify themselves with an object, situation, or an individual outside of himself or herself. A student will gain sympathy and sensitivity for the attitudes and emotions of others, which carries over into the student’s life. A student should also take advantage of the three phases of this course: A study of the theater as one of the chief divisions of Art and Literature, the development of your personality, and the actual acting and producing of plays. A student needs to have the ability to accept criticism, the ability to get along with others, the ability to be prompt, the ability to be dependable, and the ability to be responsible.

    Based on chapter two, a play and a novel are two completely different things. A play is a story or plotline written in mostly dialogue with little narration and stage directions to help it run smoothly. A novel is a story or a plotline written mainly with narration and little bits and pieces of dialogue to help it move along and run smoothly. I believe emphasis should be put on two different things. First, it should be put on the situation, because the situation s the main part of the story. It’s the scene where everything begins, takes place, and ends. Without that, there is no play or novel. Emphasis should also be put on the plot, because the plot is the story. It’s the essence of a play or novel. Without a good plot, you have nothing.

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    1. The points you made in your chapter 1 summary I agree with fully and was very close to what I had down also. Your chapter 2 summary was a bit off from mine though because I felt that plays and novels were all too different; they just have thier few differences.

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  8. Chapter 1 ~ If a student wants to take this course seriously, and wants to know the necessary requirements for a theatre student are just a couple of easy steps said in chapter. One procedure you can do is read the script you are going to perform and recite over and over not only in your head but out loud. Hearing yourself not only will help you learn your lines but also will help you get a feel for the character and role you are about to play. But if you really want to be a great theater student and maybe even as a career one day then readying plays and scripts for fun during your free time is another way of perfecting your theater skills. This will give you the chance to see others way of writing, different characters personalities and much more that can help you.

    Chapter 2 ~ Some differences between a play and a novel are that plays have four narrative points. The exposition, plot, character, and theme are these four. The exposition consists of time, place and two more. The plot has the initial incident, rising action, and the rising action coming to a conclusion. Characters consists of a protagonist and antagonist with others in it like minor characters. Novels are not acted out in most cases. They can certainly be made into a play though if they have the requirements from before.

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    1. I completely agree with you, Laura. It takes a lot of practice and dedication to success in anything, especially in something difficult, such as acting. Also, it’s a great idea to experiment with your talents. You may never know what sort of talent you have until you attempt new things and practice.

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  9. Some things that you can do to pass this course and be successful are, trying, and constantly practicing. You can work on these things by working on your posture, expressions, ideas, and attempting new things; basically how you present yourself. You want to use your observational skills. This way, you can also learn how to portray other characters other than yourself. In chapter one, you learn basic techniques.
    A play tells a story with actors acting on the stage. A novel also tells a story, but through narration. I prefer an emphasis on the character. I chose emphasis on the character because if you know more about the character, you’d know more about their story.

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    1. I agree with you. I really like how you explained each chapter and the structure of them.

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  10. Chapter 1: In chapter one it talks about many different requirements that are needed to be successful in theater and how you can learn from your experience and others around you. Some of things that the book talks about were you practicing a lot most likely. Read the script out loud to memories and know what come before and after what you say. That we should know the difference from what’s real and what’s not. Oppose to what we do or act in theatre life. These are same basic needs to be successful and that what chapter one talks about.
    Chapter 2: In chapter to talks about the difference of a play and a Novel. In a play you can express your emotions and show expressions. But a novel are reading it and we have to understand what other say. I prefer emphasis on the situation because it shoes us what might happen next that the chapter doesn’t know.

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  11. All reports above have been graded. No new comments (reports) or responses may be added for credit. To turn-in a late assignment, see Mr. Dawursk.

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