Volume 2 Number 5


Hi Folks,

Kim's Drama Blog  

Good Morning everyone!  Well, its morning for me, and I've committed to finish this newsletter before I have breakfast.   Week one of the year is now under my belt.  I must ay it still feels a bit like being on holidays as I'm only taking 10 periods a week at school and its another couple of weeks before I start teaching at university.  I treated myself to a movie on Thursday (LOTR3) as I only do half a day!  I could get to like this! (That is until the financial reality sets in!)  Asking for half time also means a $25,000 pay cut.  But I really am convinced it is a good choice for me and the school - I'll get to refresh myself and pursue other professional interests and school still has my readiness to jump into the breach... although not being there as often hopefully means I'll be less exposed to non-teaching demands.

I'm a little disappointed that my new drama colleagues are not so keen to supervise pre-service teachers this year...  I'm used to a constant stream of young and enthusiastic teachers keeping me on my toes...  and I feel a strong commitment to pre-service training.  

Discussion List Issues

The discussion list has had a few flurries this week.  Rob has shared his new school website.  Jane gave us a bullying unit.  We've heard from people in Thailand.  And off the list I still get a regular mailbag of questions and requests.   One that I was able to offer much help on was this:

> I am a theatre teacher in El Paso, TX. I am currently taking a course
> at the local university that is focusing on national teacher
> certification. Currently, teachers of theatre cannot go through the
> national certification process as there are no standards in place. I am
> in search of some teaching standards - not course standards. Are you
> are aware of any?

Perhaps there is someone in the US who might be able to help.  I've asked the person concerned to join the list and ask their question here.  I could only find this page at Brigham-Young  State by State Requirements to Receive Certification for Theatre Teaching 

Another little nicety was talking to a list member whose website I've been assisting with.  She has contributed a few times and recently she got a response from the list and she was telling me how that made her feel such a part of the community we have here.  And that probably best sums up what I hope this egroup can achieve.  We are a community, no matter how diverse, no matter how disparate, we are all able to influence the lives of the others in the list.  Let's see if 2004 can really highlight that!

The lesson activity this week comes from a list regular - Gill Chesney-Green - thanks!!

Drama Associations.

I have a list of Drama Education associations on the Drama Education website.  If you get a chance can you please check to see if your association is listed and the link is correct.  If not, please drop me a line and I'll add the necessary details.  DramaWest - where are you???

LESSON/ACTIVITY IDEA


Sometimes students find it really difficult to grasp the electrifying effects of including the subtext in their performances - or in their devised work, and it adds so much to their work.

Here is an exercise that might help older students to grasp the idea and how it can add a new dimension to their work.

Give a basic explanation of what it is and how it can enhance their work. Then set up this simple exercise. Choose three students to demonstrate the effect to the class - so that they can see how it works before you set up exercises for each group.

The group of three students will be asked to re-create a breakfast situation with the following characters: parent, child (about 14 years old) the same sex sibling of the parent.  The parent will be leaving later in the day to go on a three day course 150 miles away - something connected with their work. The aunt/uncle has been staying with the family because of depression (other parent isn't at breakfast having already left for work).

Ask the students to improvise this scene for the class and ask for feedback about roles, interest for the audience etc. However, they can only talk about breakfast itself.

Each student will separately now be told some additional information:
Parent will be told nothing in particular except that s/he sometimes doesn't know why their son/daughter behaves the way they do - but they put it down to being a teenager.

Son/daughter will be told that s/he knows that their aunt/uncle had an affair with the other parent and is probably just waiting for the parent (in the scene) to leave on the course and they will continue their affair. He/she is really angry and feels helpless about the situation.

Aunt/uncle is having an affair with their sibling's spouse and can't wait for their brother/sister to leave for their course. S/he doesn't know that their niece/nephew knows of the affair.

They must now re-run the scene with the same rule as before - they can only talk about breakfast itself!

Ask the class what differences they can perceive in the 'temperature' of the improvisation, what improvements have the 'added ingredients' made to the drama. What effect does this version of the scene have on the audience perception of the family, as opposed to the previous version?

Can they devise their own short scenes with the added sub-text to add dynamism? They'll need some help with this, perhaps, but it's a good exercise to help them get to grips with the notion.

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

This is an extensive 7 part series of articles on the key aspects of performance for the stage.  I'm planning on making it essential reading for my senior class. 

I am going to be test driving this new venue on Monday afternoon.  As Drama teachers we really need to ensure that our vision of "what is drama" is extensive.  I'd hate to think that my limited vision somehow limits my students.  I keep saying "who would teach must never cease to learn".

This is a very focussed and thoughtful online journal.   It is quite academic but we as teachers should not be shying away from the challenge of rigorous thought, and conscientious self examination.  Reflexive praxis is what we are about.

This feature of the Drama Education site is a little under-used.  There are always events occurring around the world in Drama, Theatre and/or Education and I know I get to different parts of the world a couple of times each year.  The potential for collegiality, meeting and sharing and participating in events, even local events as an international visitor is astounding and seldom utilised.  People - please feel free to use this calendar to list your events - even school performances can be listed.  I'd love to know what my colleagues in Perth are doing.  We are not called the most isolated capital in the world simply because we are a long way from everything!

PROFESSIONAL NEWS

PLEASE ADVISE OF ANY UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AND I WILL LIST THEM HERE

13th - 17th April 2004
University of Canterbury

This innovative, international Conference sets out to provide an important forum for drama educators, researchers and practitioners to come together and consider drama practice in relation to recent brain research and thinking for learning. This Conference will be of interest to not only drama educators but to all educators with an interest in actively developing a pedagogical and aesthetic understanding of drama.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Mask Improvisation for Actor Training & Performance : The Compelling Image  
by Sears A Eldridge 


An excellent text covering numerous aspects of mask; including historical aspects,
neutral mask, character mask and the manufacture, construction and design of masks.
This is one of the best books I've seen on mask work.
I believe it is an absolute must for any teacher wanting to teach with masks.
Read my review at Amazon.com

This book is my main ally for my Year 10 class this semester.  We are doing an intensive unit I've called "Masked Performance, Commedia and Improvisation" - and the Eldridge book is a god send.

 

 

 

Improvisation for the Theater : A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques
by Viola Spolin

Republished in 1999 this classic text has 30 new games and over 200 updated descriptions.  For the first time it contains "The Lone Actor", an essay on solo theatre games.

Theater Games for Rehearsal : A Director's Handbook

Theater Game File (Index Cards and Handbook)

Theater Games for the Classroom : A Teacher's Handbookby Viola Spolin
One of the recent classics in approaching drama through game play.

This text is a remarkable teaching tool.  In the hands of a good teacher these games can be modified and extended to introduce and explore a wide range of Drama principles.

A Practical Handbook for the Actor
by Melissa Bruder 

6 working actors describe their methods and philosophies of the theater. All have worked with playwright David Mamet at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. 

 

 

Playing Commedia

by Barry Grantham
"Grantham offers a thorough and very practical approach and while the focus is on commedia the principles and techniques he addresses serve as an ideal introduction to mask work generally.  I'd say that this book more than many others is essential reading. It has manual status. Check it out."

 

Improve With Improv! : A Guide to Improvisation and Character Development
by Brie Jones 

Improvisation
by John Reed Hodgson, Ernest Richards

Improvisation : Use What You Know, Make Up What You Don't 
by Brad Newton, Bradley R. Newton

 Improvising Real Life: Personal Story in Playback Theatre
by Jo Salas

 

 

Theatre Games and Beyond : A Creative Approach for Performers
by Amiel Schotz, Janice Melvin (Illustrator), Theodore O. Zapel (Editor)

A teacher's handbook of over 140 theatre games designed to stimulate creativity in students of all ages. More than just games, the book is bursting with lively ideas to make a class or workshop a memorable experience. The games progress from Orientation ("Face to Face", "You and Me") and Trust ("Catch Me Falling", "Lead the Blind") to more advanced games that develop the senses, coordination, and spontaneity. A section on characters and stories builds improvisational acting skills. 

 

Playing Along : 37 Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisational Theater 
by Izzy Gesell

Set the stage for learning and growth with these innovative, playful activities borrowed from a classic art form: improvisational theater. Developed for group leaders who have no improvisational theater experience, these easy, step-by-step proven techniques-originally designed to help actors solve problems on stage-build an optimal learning environment by fostering understanding, reducing resistance, creating cohesiveness, and promoting active participation  in the learning process. 

 

Kim Flintoff

Copyright © September, 2004