Searching for Sylvia: Intro To Performing Arts

Syllabus For 2009-2010

Needed:
1 inch three ring binder
Loose leaf lined paper
Highlighters
Black or Blue Pen
#2 Pencil
Binder Organizers

The Goal
This class will be designed to heighten your awareness of the language of Theatre and other performing arts and to make the connections between Performing Arts and the world at large. Such connections include theatre’s influence on History, Science, Mathematics, Literature, historical political events, and technology. In this class the aim is to help you understand the amount of work which goes into creating a performance, to allow the student to appreciate that work, and for the student to start creating opinions about how this work affects the world at large; with the understanding not all students are inclined to act but asked to take chances and risks.

Assignments
There will be four big projects requiring teams during the year. The first Understanding a Play: the student team will be assigned a play for the year with this play the individual student will do a five foldbook briefly covering what the play is about, who the author is and the historical impact of this play. The second will be a scale model of the PHS auditorium and set of your play. The third Costume Design Portfolio will be a binder of clothing designed for the characters of your play. The fourth, a project called Soundscapes, will require the student teams to make a scene involving only sounds. This scene will be preformed in class.
First Final will be a scene (picked by instructor) to be performed in class. Second Final will be a monologue done in class. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS to in class performances this is a Performing Arts class.
Students should also expect text work, quizzes and tests through out the year as well as some homework. Most work will be done in class except the three big projects and the Soundscapes project which are team oriented projects. All work, including group work, must be turned in on time, THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.

Rules of Conduct

I expect each of my students to be to class on time. If you are not their one day it is your responsibility to check on what we have done or any work you need to make up. If there is a group project due in class, do not let your group members down. Please remember…

1. Respect your instructor and peers.

2. Absolutely No cell phone, I-pod or any other electronic device which hinders the learning process under any circumstance!!!

3. Wear appropriate clothing.

4. No chewing gum or eating during class.

5. Come prepared; Three Ringed Binder, and pen/pencil/highlighter.

6. There will be homework.

7. Be prepared for the sake of the instructor, yourself and your peers.

My child and I understand we are expected to follow the rules of Miss Scoles’ Performing arts class:
Parent/Guardian (print):________________________________
Students (Print): __________________________________
Preferred mailing address: _____________________________
__________________________________
Preferred telephone number: ______________________
E-mail address: __________________________________
Parent/Guardian (signature): _____________________________
Student (Signature): _________________________________

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Intro To Performing Arts

Required Texts

Theatre Art in Action
Assorted scripts used for three major team projects

Official Course Description:

Theatre (P) Grades 9-12

Prerequisites: Currently enrolled in a college prep class.

This course will introduce theatre to the students. Students will be given a background of theatre history and instructions on set design, sound, lighting, makeup, direction, costumes, and acting techniques. The student will be required to develop oral and non-oral communication skills through group, individual’s activities and classroom performances. Homework will be required. Students will be required to attend at least one student production per semester. This course meets the UC “F” requirement as a college prep elective and the CSU requirement of visual and performing art.

Unofficial Course Description:

This year we are going to do a lot of reading, thinking, talking and writing about Theatre and Performing Arts impact on other subjects such as English, math, science, physical education, and History. I know many, if not all of you, have probably given this little, if any, thought, and that's okay. But if you stick with the class, you'll be giving it quite a bit. I can tell you not all of you will love getting up on stage and performing but you will start your first step into finding your comfort zone with public speaking. You will also be able to become a more critical thinker broadening your views on the world and finding your own voice as a person.
You will also be able to enjoy and appreciate the amount of time, energy and work people who work in the entertainment business put in. You will learn the technical language of Performing Arts. You will also lean the need for Arts in any great civilization as Shakespeare said “To hold a mirror up to life.”
Portfolio Dates
1. Winter Final: Partner Scene
2. Spring Final: Monologue

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Soundscapes Group Project

Sound Scapes Prompt

Assignment: Work with a small group to create a performance combining movement with sound.

Product: A performance combining sound and movement.

Purpose: To explore different kinds of sound and understand their effects in a performance.

Specs: To accomplish this project, you will
Work creatively with a small group
Listen attentively and critically
Choose sounds that a dramatic or appropriate to an environment
Experiment to create a variety of sounds using you body, sound effects, and instruments
Perform a movement with sound

Choose an Environment: Combine your sounds to create a soundscape. You will need to compile these sounds from Sound FX’s CD’s or on-line Free sites dealing with Sound FX’s. Compile a burnt CD to practice with in class and perform for your grade in class. Sounds must make sense within the Environment of your choice. So if your group chooses the beach there cannot be any monkey or jungle sounds used. If you choose flying in a dogfight in outer space there cannot be the sounds of birds or children laughing in there.

Websites: The following are free websites you can download sounds from.
http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/
http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/
http://www.grsites.com/sounds/
http://www.stonewashed.net/explosions.html
http://www.deusx.com/studio.html
http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/pir/PIRsfx.shtml
http://www.sounddogs.com/default.asp
http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/ts/sow.html
http://stonewashed.net/sfx.html
http://www.meanrabbit.com/wavhtml/wavepage3.htm
http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/
http://simplythebest.net/sounds/WAV/sound_effects_WAV/index.html
http://amazingsounds.iespana.es/en/

Producation Model Projects

Performing Arts- Intro
Material Poster Board/ Foam Core/ Cardboard
Sissors/Exacto Knife
Ruler
Graph Paper
Glue/Rubber Cement/ Hot Glue Gun

½ inch equals one foot

Students will build a model of the Patterson High School Auditorium using the stage and fore stage dimensions. Each student will be using a different script for the Production design for the hypothetical “show” they will be producing.
· The First part of the procedure will be a “to scale” floor plan of the set and stage
· The Second part will be a 5 paragraph summary of the play they are “producing.”
· The Third part will be the model.
· Model and summary will be turned in at the same time .

Points: 50 points Floor Plan
50 points Summary
100 points Model
Total: 200 points

Costume Design Prompt

Costume Design Prompt
Needed:
Scraps of clothing/material
Colored pencils
Paper three ring folder
Medium Weight Sheet protectors
Old Magazines

Goal

Students will take the role of the costume design team for their “play” which is theoretically in production. They will present their costuming concept for that play and the characters in it to Miss Scoles. Miss Scoles will take on the role of Producer/Director of the play and judge accordingly. Students will be required to create FIVE costume designs; these designs can all be for one character or may cover five different characters in the play but MUST make sense and relate to the play. (Ex: play takes place in the 1800’s and student makes all clothing contemporary or character who only has one costume through the entire play gets five costume designs created for them. Please remember I have read, seen, or been in these plays; I will not accept inconsistencies in the script!)
Students are required to present the finish project neatly in a paper folder (either the full paper folders or ones with a clear cover). Students will be required to have the first page be a title page and write a brief description of the Character/Costume/Scene which the costume will be used in the play with an imaginary focus on their “actor” who will be wearing the costume in the play (what color they prefer, the era the play is set, etc.). The Character/costume/Scene summery will be double spaced, typed, and in MLA format and will cover all five costumes. The next pages will be dedicated to the drawings, pictures, and material used to make these costumes as well as the measurements of the “actors.” The finished Costume Portfolio will be turned in and presented to the class ON TIME! There will be no exceptions!

Costume Design Porfolio example by Miss Scoles

Costume Design Portfolio: Taming of the Shrew

Tori Lee Scoles

Period ?

Taming of the Shrew

Petruchio: Petruchio is a young gentleman of Verona; he is coming into Padua, an affluent town in Italy to find a wife with a good dowry. Since he is a very well to do young man, just coming into money, he should be dressed as gentlemen of the time and be ready to go out on the town. The Actor playing Petruchio loves the colors dark red, dark blue and dark green so we will try to coordinate the colors so the actor will be happy with the costuming. As people only had a couple good pairs of clothing this is the outfit the actor will wear for most of the play except the wedding scene between he and Katherine.
Baptista Minola: Baptista Minola is a gentleman of Padua. He is very anxious to marry his older headstrong daughter, Katherine, off before the younger gentler daughter Bianca gets married. He is an older, wiser man so should be dressed as a merchant of the 1700’s would dress in rich fabrics, the actor playing Baptista likes the colors green and purple. Since many of the actors like the color green we may use this color as our main theme to link all the characters.
Hortensio: Hortensio is an old friend of Petruchio whom he meets on the street. Hortensio clues Petruchio into the large dowry Baptista is offering for someone to marry Katherine and take her away. Hortensio is in love with Bianca so there is an underlying motivation to what he wants. At one point during the play Hortensio disguises himself as a teacher in order to get closer to Bianca and win her love. We don’t want the audience to confuse the actor playing Hortensio, thinking he is double cast or something so we will design a simple Cloke and hat for him to wear during this scene. This will keep with the Shakespearian idea of letting the audience in on a great secret. The actor playing Hortensio likes earth tone colors so we are going off the shirt fabric we will use for Petruchio to tie in color themes.
Bianca Minola: Bianca is the younger daughter of Baptista Minola she is supposed to be childlike and good, in contrast to her older sister. The director would like her to be hiding behind her goody-two-shoes image to show and underlying rebel that she never lets her father see. This actress like the colors pink and silver so we will try to put silver sleeves. Since she is the very Romantic young woman we think of using a Juliet kind of style to her gown, long A line sleeves and a strait bodice.
Katherine Minola: Katherine is older and way past when she should be married (at least in Shakespeare’s days) maybe 18 or 19 and she is a strong dark character. The actress for this character also likes deep reds, greens and blues so we are matching a lot of the fabric that she and Petruchio will have in their cloths. She is a little more reserved then Bianca so we chose an older but still upper class costume for her character to wear.