<p> SPRING 2014</p><p>COURSE: THA 133B Acting the Classics INSTRUCTOR: Janet Morrison TIME: TTh 2:00PM-3:20PM TELEPHONE: 781-736-3344 LOCATION: Crawford Studio E-MAIL: [email protected] OFFICE: Spingold 7 OFFICE HOURS: TTh 3:30PM-5:00PM</p><p>COURSE DESCRIPTION (from Brandeis University Bulletin): A continuation of THA 133A with work on more complex classical texts.</p><p>COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Build upon acting techniques introduced in previous acting courses  Advance the research and imaginative skills necessary for work in classical plays  Develop the actor’s abilities to analyze a classical text  Enhance the actor’s effective use of language  Promote the actor’s willingness to work beyond daily contemporary behaviors and “safety zones” to make fuller use of the vocal/physical instrument  Strengthen methods for making and taking ownership of acting choices through a rehearsal process  Engage with the values, skills, and methods that enable actors to direct their own creative process</p><p>GRADING CRITERIA AND CLASS PROCEDURES: Definition as prescribed by the Brandeis University Bulletin: A High Distinction B Distinction C Satisfactory D Passing, but Unsatisfactory F Failure with the use of plus or minus where appropriate.</p><p>Feedback on your work will be consistently provided in class. I am available by appointment for further discussion. I may also initiate such meetings. Brief student –teacher conferences will be scheduled twice during the semester. All classroom activities including warm ups, exercises, written and oral assignments, weekly scene showings, participation in classroom discussions etc. will be considered in the grading process. Final scene showings function as the mid-term and final examinations for the course. Students will receive a letter grade at the end of the semester. Approximately 15% of that grade will be based on thorough and insightful work on oral and written assignments; 30% on curious and wholehearted participation in classroom warm ups, exercises, discussions and positive ensemble behavior; 55% on conscientious and creative preparation/performance of scenes. Grading criteria will encompass three main areas:  Quality of work  Demonstrated understanding and individual growth  Participation and commitment </p><p>Learning in this course is primarily accomplished through a) individual preparation and reflection, b) active classroom participation and observation, and c) individual and partnered rehearsal. It will be necessary for you to spend a significant amount of time outside of class in partnered rehearsals. I recommend two 1.5-hour rehearsals weekly. Plan to attend all THA 133B Acting IV – Spring 2013 2 classes. You are expected not only to be literally in the classroom, but also to creatively engage in the work process. Students are encouraged to arrive in the classroom to warm up before class begins at 11AM. Please notify me if you have a class immediately prior to this one so that reasonable adjustments can be negotiated. Two late arrivals to or early departures from the classroom will be computed as one absence. More than two absences during the term will be viewed as a serious problem and will lower the grade. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of impending absence whenever possible, to find out about and fulfill all assignments made during the absence, and to find a substitute if unable to work in class as scheduled. Students who miss a scheduled work session are not guaranteed a make-up slot unless they have arranged such a substitution. Punctual attendance, thorough preparation, timely completion of all assignments, full participation in all aspects of the class, effective collaboration both in the classroom and in rehearsal are all elements of commitment to your own artistic development and to that of your colleagues. You are vital to the successful functioning of this class. If things drag it is to our mutual benefit to collaborate in solving our difficulties.</p><p>If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately to discuss what provisions are possible.</p><p>CLOTHING: Due to the nature of our work, clothing which allows freedom of movement will be necessary, as will flexible, non-slip footwear. I suggest you dress in layers so you can comfortably adjust to varying classroom activities; however avoid hiding the body under very baggy clothes. Remove dangling or dangerous jewelry for class. Actors should obtain rehearsal skirts, appropriate shoes and other necessary special apparel for scene work. </p><p>WORK OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS HOURS: Students will be expected to rehearse in preparation for their classroom work sessions. I suggest two 1.5-hour rehearsals each week. These rehearsals are a very important component for learning in this the course. As students assess their own work progress, solve problems, and experiment with methods of approach, they develop their own value system and work process. Actors should establish a weekly rehearsal schedule together and sign out appropriate rehearsal space on the calendar outside the Tech Office. It is necessary in partnered work that actors build a strong level of artistic collaboration. Neither partner should dominate nor remain passive in the work process; leadership should be shared. If difficulty arises which the partners are unable to resolve, they should request faculty guidance. Actors should never attempt to direct each other!</p><p>SCENE REHEARSAL GUIDELINES: Week one: Read the entire play in one sitting. This is your first encounter with the play and your first impressions are very valuable. Jot down your images and impressions as you read or upon finishing the play. These images are important to your future work. Take them seriously. Read the play again carefully several times making more specific notes about given circumstances, relationships, events. Make a detailed list of all given circumstances and other information given in the text relevant to your character – what we called a “fact list” in THA 133A. Begin necessary research at this point. </p><p>Meet with your partner to discuss the play and the given circumstances of your scene in depth. Discuss the verse and consider the guidance the scansion offers. Read the scene aloud together. Focus on using the text to communicate. Talk and listen. Don’t censor reactions. Work from your character’s point of view. Again, never attempt to direct your partner! Make an initial decision about your character’s objective based on your rehearsal experiments. While the actors should be familiar with the material, the first showing in class will be done THA 133B Acting IV – Spring 2013 3 seated in chairs reading from the script. Be prepared to relate the story simply and clearly in class. Week two: Investigate the atmosphere/environment of your scene. Improvise the scene in the space you have created. Try working between the written text and improvised text in that environment. Use the language. Keep looking for better ways to accomplish your objectives. Focus for the week should be on exploration and discovery. Refine your scansion and score your scene. You should be partially off book when you show the scene in class. Week three: Put emphasis on owning and communicating through the language. You may find exercises such as singing the text, improvising or paraphrasing your scene helpful. Later in the week, try rehearsal techniques to enrich your understanding of the relationship. Such exercises may include: reading or improvising other scenes from the play between the two characters; improvising important events mentioned in the text; creating a prior moment; verbalizing, vocalizing or physicalizing your subtext. Call on your own creativity to advance your involvement in the work. You should know the text solidly at this point and be completely off book. Subsequent work: Take charge of the scene from your own creative point of view. Work on the dynamics of the scene. Commit to and extend choices. Play! Be sure you are telling the story clearly - playing a beginning, middle and end -and that a change takes place in the course of your scene. Pay some attention to defining character more clearly. Toward the end of the rehearsal process, employ selectivity in choices surfaced though your rehearsal process.</p><p>SUMMARY OF DUE DATES:  Scansion due F 1/18  Book Report due T 1/26  Movement Pieces due T 2/16  Character Analysis due TH 3/1  Progress Report due TH 3/8  Oral Research Report due TH 3/15  Working Text Analysis due week T 3/27 & TH 3/29  Progress Report due TH 4/28</p><p>TENTATIVE CLASS PLAN: We will likely undertake two units of scene study: a) Scenes from the works of Shakespeare b) Scenes from Greek tragedy or from another classical period</p><p>T 1/14 Semester Introduction. Scansion workshop. Scansion due F 1/18</p><p>T 1/22 & View and discuss Playing Shakespeare videos. (two class periods) F 1/24 Brief Oral Book Report assigned. Due T 1/29</p><p>T 1/29 Oral Book Reports presented. Begin first readings of assigned Shakespeare scenes. Be prepared to relate portion of the story relevant to your scene. Focus on simple communication through the complex language – talking and listening; awareness of given circumstances; working towards an objective. THA 133B Acting IV – Spring 2013 4</p><p>T 1/31 & Complete first readings and discussion of scenes. Begin F 2/1 second scene work session. Focus on advancing the communication between you and your partner through specific vocal and physical choices.</p><p>T 2/5 Benedetti’s Rhythm Polarization exercise. Finish second scene showing. Instructions for Movement Project distributed. </p><p>F 2/8 & Third work sessions. Focus on pushing the limits of the work, making T 2/12 bold choices that grow organically from the characters’ needs and relationship and are guided by the text. Character Analysis due F 3/1.</p><p>F 2/15 Movement pieces Performed in class.</p><p>MIDTERM BREAK</p><p>T 2/26 & Private work sessions for each scene. Focus on taking ownership of the F 3/1 material. Character Analysis due.</p><p>T 3/5 Final Shakespeare Scene Showing. Brief conferences. Progress Report due F 3/8.</p><p>F 3/8 GREEK TRAGEDY. Introductory lecture/discussion. Progress Report due. Mythological research assigned. </p><p>T 3/12 Film showing: IPHEGENIA directed by Michael Cocoyannis</p><p>F 3/15 Mythological Oral Research Reports in class.</p><p>T 3/19 & First readings of Greek scenes. F 3/22</p><p>SPRING BREAK </p><p>T 4/2 & Second scene work sessions will be private sessions so that we can focus on F 4/5 translation/text work. Text analysis due the following T/F. Bring analyzed text to your session.</p><p>T 4/9 & Compose and perform a Greek prayer for your character. F 4/12 Third scene work sessions.</p><p>T 4/16 & Private scene work sessions. F 4/19</p><p>T 4/23 & Final Scene Showings F 4/26 Progress Report due M 4/30</p><p>T 5/1 Individual Conferences </p>