Chicago Waldorf School

17 March 2008

Drama 12: February 26-May 24, 2008
Performances: 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, May 22-24
Course Description: After reading and discussing several scripts, a 12th grade play is chosen with significant input from the class. The students are then required to audition and, again, give input on the casting of the play. In addition to a speaking role, students may volunteer to be an assistant director, stage manager or a set/costume designer. The students are also required to sign-up for a costume/prop crew or a set/lighting crew. The students then rehearse extensively- blocking the play, memorizing their lines and developing their character(s). They have the assistance of scene coaches, musicians/choreographers(if needed), professional set, lighting and costume designers, and hair and make-up stylists who assist them in a production that culminates in three public performances. The students are evaluated on their participation in class and on crews, their mastery of their lines and blocking, and, above all, their willingness to work as part of an ensemble. The Twelfth Grade Play is seen as a parting gift from the seniors to the Waldorf community.

Drama 10: January 8-February 15, 2008
The Tenth Grade will be performing Aristophanes’ Greek comedy Lysistrata. Aristophanes’ satire on social and political life in ancient Greece is viewed through the battle of the sexes. The tenth grade is setting their production in the 1940’s with Rosie the Riveter taking on GI Joe!

Production Schedule:
Crews meet either on Mondays 3:30-5:30 or Saturdays 2-4
Tech Rehearsal: Sunday, February 10 12-6 (bring snacks)
Final Crew: Monday, February 11 3:30-5:30
Run-through: Tuesday, February 12 3:30-7:00 (bring snacks)
Dress Rehearsal:Wednesday, February 13 Call 3:30(bring snacks) Dress 5:00
Performances: Thursday-Friday, February 14-15 6:00 Call 7:30 Curtain
Strike: Saturday, February 16- time to be announced

Course Description: The Tenth Grade rehearses and performs a play that was either written by a Greek playwright or inspired by ancient Greece. In addition to one or more speaking roles in the play, each student is also required to participate on either the set/lighting crew or the costume/prop crew. Each crew meets outside of school once a week, designing and then executing the design plots for the production. Daily classes focus on blocking and acting rehearsals. The six-week class culminates in two evening performances for a public audience. The students are evaluated on their participation in class and on crews, their mastery of their lines and blocking, timeliness of meeting deadlines and their final performances.

Drama 9: October 2-November 8 2007
Scene Presentation: 2:00 pm Thursday, November 8
Course Description: The Ninth Grade Drama block is an introductory class in the art of acting. The ninth graders are introduced to basic speech exercises, physical warm-ups and theatre games that are inspired by the work of Viola Spolin. In addition, the students are assigned scenes from full-length plays, and are required to write a character description, memorize their lines and block the scene with their scene partners. The class culminates in a presentation of the scenes to an invited audience. The students are evaluated on their participation in class, mastery of the exercises, the timeliness and quality of the assigned work and their final presentation.

2007 9th Grade Drama Course Schedule:
Tuesday, October 9 Read through scenes
Wednesday-Friday, October 10-12 Block scenes with “beats” marked
Friday, October 12 Character Description Due
Tuesday-Wednesday, October 16-17 Work scenes w/ lines memorized
Thursday- Friday, October 18-19 Run scenes (You will have a substitute)
Tuesday-Friday, October 23-26 Work scenes w/ props
Tuesday, October 30 Bring in costume pieces
Tuesday- Friday, October 30- November 2 Work scenes with props and costume pieces
Tuesday-Wednesday, November 6-7 Run scenes with lights
Thursday, November 9 Lunch 12:15 -1:00 pm Set-up 1:00-1:55 pm Presentation of scenes 2:00-2:55 pm Clean-up 2:55-3:15 pm

9th Grade Drama/Character Description Assignment
Due Friday, October 12, 2007
Assignment:
Write a character description of your assigned character. It should be at least 250 words in length, using complete sentences and good paragraph formation. It should include the following:
•the name of the play and your character
•as many details about your character as you can find in the script, either from what your character says or what others say about your character such as approximate age,profession/status, where they live, time period they live in, family life
•what kind of a person your character is: personality traits, habits, mannerisms, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses
•what happens to your character during the course of the play, how your character drives the action forward
You should use quotes from the play to substantiate your description (please indicate the page number of the quote).

Drama 11: October 30-December 20 2007
Monologue Presentation: 11:00 am Tuesday, December 18 Course Description: The Eleventh Grade studies the dramatic form of the monologue- beginning with Shakespearean monologues, moving into excerpts from modern plays and ending with their own compositions. The students examine how language can reveal character through the use of literary and theatrical devices. They also explore the acting techniques of the Russian director, Constantin Stanislavski and his student, Michael Chekhov, as a way of further revealing character onstage. The class culminates in a performance of their monologues for an invited audience. The students are evaluated on their participation in class, their mastery of the exercises and monologues, the timeliness and quality of their assigned work and their final performance.

11 December 2007

11th Grade Drama: The Monologue
October 30 – December 21, 2006
Instructor: C. Everhart

Syllabus: In 11th Grade Drama we study the dramatic form of the monologue- beginning with Shakespearean monologues, moving into excerpts from modern plays and ending with original compositions. We will examine how language and movement can reveal character through the use of literary and theatrical devices. We will also explore the acting techniques of the Russian director, Constantin Stanislavski and his student, Michael Chekhov, as a way of further revealing character onstage. The class culminates in a performance of selected monologues for an invited audience. Students are evaluated on participation in class, mastery of the exercises and monologues, timeliness and quality of assigned work and the final performance.

Unit #1: The Shakespearean Monologue Tuesday, Oct 30 – Friday, Nov 9

Unit #2: The Modern Monologue Tuesday, Nov 13- Tues, Nov 20

Unit #3: The Original Monologue Tues, Nov 27 – Fri, Dec 7

Unit #4: Rehearsals: Tues, Dec 11-14 Performance: Tues, Dec 18

19 September 2007

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