Drama Unit 1: INNER RESOURCES

Drama Unit 1: INNER RESOURCES Drama Terms

Amateur: Beginner. A student.

Communicate: Sending a meaningful message.

Control: This comes from experiences on stage.

Dialogue: Speech between two (or more) people.

Dilettante: A person who loves the arts.

Illusion of Reality: What the audience sees on stage is not real. It is a representation of what is real. The actor's job is to make this representation convincing.

Legitimate Theatre: Any drama spoken and acted on stage.

Medium of Expression: The method of communicating. A painter uses oils, a musician uses instruments, the actor uses the self.

Pantomime: Movement and gesture without words.

Professional: A master. The Elements of Drama

While theatre often incorporates many embellishments (set design, technology, etc.) and elaborate stage designs, the basic elements of drama are simple. They are:

1) Actors who create believable characters. 2) An audience who observes and responds. 3) A space in which the actor performs. 4) A story with conflict, meaning a struggle of opposing forces. It is this struggle – between characters, or within self, or between people and outside forces – that creates a dramatic clash and rivets audience attention on either serious or comic matters. 5) A belief that bridges player and audience and allows each to enter a theatrical reality in which the “happening” seems real.

Emphasizing Believable Action

The basis of acting is literally a matter of “make-believe”. The belief that a child brings to playtime is similar to the belief that an actor must bring to the part. Actors know that they are not really the characters they are playing, but like children in make-believe, they act as if they were the characters. Therefore, they must develop a technique or a means that will enable them: 1) To constantly keep action believable to a situation; 2) To repeat that belief each time they perform; and 3) To communicate to an audience that belief.

Is it any wonder that actors, to appear real and alive, must really think on stage? In order to make an audience believe, the actor must believe! The Assignment Students will prepare a pantomime of an involved activity. For example, let’s say you chose bowling for your pantomime. You must “see” the alley, see where the shoes are rented, where the balls are stored, where you obtain your score sheet. You must visualize the action of bowling: wiping your hands on the towel; picking up the ball; feeling the weight; inserting your fingers into the correct holes; and holding the ball as you walk up the starting line. Begin your approach on the proper foot. Feel the weight of the imaginary ball as you swing it back and the forward. Feel the release and see the ball as it travels down the alley or gutter. Follow through with your reaction. Make everything you do believable. Remember, in this assignment you are not assuming a character; instead you are doing the action in your own person.

How to Prepare 1) Think of an action you want to pantomime. Something familiar that interests you. Here are some suggestions: a) Playing a computer game b) Building a campfire c) Shining shoes d) Rowing a canoe e) Fishing f) Milking a cow g) Changing a flat tire h) Setting up an exercise machine i) Baking something j) Building something k) Golfing l) Your choice Make your selection quickly. Spend your time in preparing the action rather than choosing it. Remember, your purpose is well-planned action that is believable. Visualize your surroundings. Then think about the action and see it.

2) Outline each step in the action.

3) Now that you have visualized it, you are ready to do the action. Go slowly and give attention to details. For example, if you are brushing your teeth, you must first remove the cap from the tube before squeezing out the paste. Do one thing at a time.

How to Present When your name is called, hand your written, detailed outline to the instructor and walk quietly to the playing area with an attitude of alertness and politeness.

Quickly set up necessary chairs, etc. Give a short, well-worded introduction to awaken audience curiosity. Do your scene. Be sure to take your time and perfect each detail. At the conclusion of your scene, pause and quietly leave the playing area. ELA Drama Developing Observation

One of the purposes of this course is to help you become a more creative, imaginative person, both on stage and in your everyday life. Not everyone uses his or her creative imagination. Some people live their life in a dull vacuum where they do only what they are told and sense only that which is obvious. Such people have never bothered to use their creative powers; consequently they lack the joy of life that comes from being resourceful. On the other hand, if you are a creative person, you are vividly aware of your environment. Strengthening your abilities of observation, concentration, and sense recall can do this. Today we are going to focus on observation. Easy you say!! How observant are you? Can you immediately recall the colour of your best friend’s eyes? What were the people at breakfast wearing this morning? Without looking to see, can you visualize what is on the bulletin board in this room? Can you list quickly the various sounds within your hearing distance?

The assignment!!

This assignment will help you develop your powers of observation. You are to choose an action involving an object. Practice and analyze the action at home and then in class re-enact the movement by using pantomime. To be successful you must observe and analyze your actions carefully while rehearsing.

How To Prepare

1) Choose a simple action that you can readily practice at home. Be sure that an object is involved. Here are some suggestions: a. Crack an egg into a bowl and beat the egg b. Scrub a bath tub c. Video tape an activiy d. Wash your hands e. Play a musical instrument f. Cut and serve several pieces of cake g. Put on a pair of tight leather gloves h. Put on sunscreen lotion i. Saw a board j. Practice roller blading k. Make a bed 2) Actually perform the activity and pay close attention to your movements. 3) When you have completed the action, analyze your movements. Break down each activity into its parts. 4) Re-enact the activity, but this time without the object involved. 5) When you have rehearsed at least ten times, making sure you have captured the actual and necessary movements, you are ready to perform this assignment. Developing Concentration

How important is concentration to an actor? What is concentration? Can you think of any activities that could develop concentration?

The Assignment!!

With a classmate you are to improvise a scene. To improvise means that you are given a situation in which you must make up dialogue and action as you play out the scene. There are no lines, and no specific movement. You create your own dialogue and movement as you act.

1) For this assignment choose a situation where you play yourself, but where you and your partner have contrasting or opposing purposes. Here are a few suggestions:

a. Two of you are in the family room. One wants to clean the clutter, the other tries to prolong the job. b. When hanging a picture - one wants it over the fireplace while the other wants it on the wall. c. Two cheerleaders working out a yell routine – one wants to jump in the air after each yell, the other wants to bow. d. Camp cooking – one thinks a roast should cooked over an open fire on a spit, the other thinks it should be wrapped in leaves and placed in a cooking pit. e. Two girls staying all night with each other – one is on a diet and won’t snack, the other tries to get her to snack with her. f. One of your own.

2) Decide what part you will take, the purpose each of you will try to achieve, and the skeleton action you will do. Also decide which one will announce the scene you will do. 3) Before you present you must check in with your teacher. 4) You may practice, but do not try to memorize lines or actions. These two lists are merely to get you thinking within the situation. You may or may not use what in on the list. After all, as you play the scene better ideas may come to mind. HINTS FOR IMPROVISATION

1) Get into the scene immediately – trying to achieve your specific goal. 2) Keep the scene going. Play from moment to moment. If something doesn’t work, try another action. 3) Listen and react to your scene partner don’t negate your partners lines. Accept the statement and be creative in responding to it. 4) Believe in what you are doing and saying. 5) Be spontaneous. Limit pre-planning. 6) Keep the scene from being a question answer routine. Talk about the situation and your feelings. Better yet, show how you feel both facially and physically. Developing Sense Recall

What are the five senses? Have you ever relived an experienced by smelling something? Touching something? Hearing something? Saying something?

Have you ever encountered a scent that gave you a flashback of a previous experience? What about a sound? This is sense recall or sense memory – experiencing past feelings when you come in contact with certain fake events such as a picture. In theatre, this can be a valuable tool if you can develop sense recall to the point where you can summon it at will. Some of us can already do this. Have you ever made yourself cry?

Imagine drinking a glass of cold water on a hot day after completing hours of yard-work. Think of the desire for that water. Think of the sensation of first putting it to your lips and taking the first sip. Imagine the feeling of the cold water running down your tongue and throat giving moisture to what was once dry. Recall the muscular movement of your tongue, jaws, and throat as you sip and swallow the water. Can you feel the cool water running down your esophagus and entering your stomach? What expression would you have on your face? The Assignment! The 5 Basic Senses

Read about the senses and answer the questions. Point form is acceptable on this assignment.

1) Taste – Think of the taste of several items: mustard, dill pickles, fried chicken, and raisins. You should be able to recall each. Of what does each taste remind you?

2) Hear – now concentrate on hearing. Make yourself silent. Listen carefully. What you thought was a quiet room was actually a room filled with sounds.

What noises do you detect in the room? As you listen intently, what noises do you hear?

Can you detect sounds that generally go unnoticed?

What kinds of reactions can you experience from different types of sounds? 3) Touch – Recall touching an old ice cube tray. How did it feel to you? Attempt to recall the feel of a cocker spaniel’s ears, a velvet handbag, a worm as you bait your fish hook, a hot water bottle on your back.

Of what does each touch remind you?

4) Smell – Try to recall from memory various smells, such as fresh paint, moth balls, your favorite perfume, cooked fish, wet fur, burning rubber, gasoline, or candles.

Of what does each smell remind you?

5) See – Bring your mind’s eye to the following: a brilliant red and orange sunset, varied neon lights downtown, a snake slithering through underbrush, a single candle burning in the dark, a dilapidated easy chair.

Of what does each vision remind you? Drama #1 – Inner Resources (Believable Action – Concentration)

NAME: ______Date: ______

Follow all instructions. Read thoroughly first. This quiz is based on class notes and class discussion. Good luck!!!!! 1) Write brief definitions for eight (8) of the following (1 pt. Each): a) Communicate

b) Dialogue

c) Illusion of Reality

d) Medium of Expression

e) Pantomime

f) Believable Action

g) Technique

h) Empathize

i) Vicarious Experience

j) Concentration

k) Improvise

l) Illusion of the First Time

2) List four (4) of the Elements of Drama. (4pts) 3) List four (4) hints for improvisation. (4pts)

4) a) How do believable action, concentration, and observation interact to create the illusion of reality? (3 pts.) b) How can we develop each of these? (1pt.) Place your answer on the back of this page. Strengthening Imagination

What is imagination? How does imagination help the actor? What does imagination do for us?

There is one most important aspect in all theatre. Without it an actor is nothing. This one thing is imagination. Its greatest service is to bring to your mind detailed pictures from which you can create characters. The audience knows that the hero is not really dying on stage, that tomorrow night and as long as a play runs he will “die” each performance, yet through its imagination the audience is able to believe in the characters and situations.

The Assignment!!!!

Here is your chance to let your imagination flow freely. You and two other classmates, working as a group, are to improvise a five-minute scene around three unrelated words. As soon as you select a group of words, set your imagination to work and include the words as part of a fantastic scene that your group can play. Your combined imaginations should enable you to visualize the scene structure and the details. As you improvise, your imagination will help supply the dialogue and action.

The scene must be as far-fetched as you can possibly imagine, and the words must be uniquely incorporated. Remember, you must also exercise concentration in developing the scene and maintaining your character.

1) Here are some suggestions for words you can use: a. toothbrush – horse – earring b. paper clip – telephone – baked potato c. pizza – Duke - -typewriter d. lamp - rifle – zipper e. rug – zebra – rosebush f. paint brush – parsnips – dishwater g. trumpet – sea shell – tractor h. aspirin – diamonds – cactus i. cookie jar – snow shovel – swimming suit j. door knob – newspaper – monkey k. spoon – dice – bath towel l. patio – haystack – elevator m. your choice

2) You have 40 minutes to plan and rehearse your scene. Plan the basic sequence of action (no big write-ups). Make sure you have lots of movement. The scene must last 1 - 3 minutes.

4) Quietly rehearse your scene, using your imaginations to add sparkle to the action and dialogue. Do not memorize specific movements and words. The rehearsal is only to adjust you to playing together.