UNIT TITLE
Acting Methods and Styles
LESSON TITLE
Review/Work Day
CLASS
Drama 4
DURATION
75 Minutes
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of a several different acting methods and styles by reviewing concepts and techniques learned throughout the unit.
NATIONAL CORE ARTS STANDARDS
CREATING
• TH:Cr1.1.HSIII.a
o Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/theatre work
• TH:Cr3.1.HSIII.b
o Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.
PERFORMANCE
• TH:Pr4.1.HSII.b
o Apply a variety of researched acting techniques as an approach to character choices in a drama/theatre work.
• TH:Pr5.1.HSIII.a
o Use and justify a collection of acting exercises from reliable resources to prepare a believable and sustainable performance.
MATERIALS
• White Board and Markers.
• A buzzer (if you have one! It’s not necessary)
TEACHING PRESENTATION:
Hook:
Inform the students that today is a historic day, as it marks the day of a great battle is about to take place in this classroom!
NOTE: This lesson is a friendly competition. There are points rewarded but they mean nothing! You can decide to make them worth something or offer other rewards, however this lesson is designed to assign points for nothing. It’s just a spirited review session. That being said, on with the lesson plan!
Step 1: First Round Split the class into two teams. Have each decide on a name for themselves. Keep score throughout on the whiteboard or on your own paper.
Explain that in this first round, each team will send one representative up to the front. They will stand on either side of a desk, table, or stool, and await their question. The must listen to the full question before they can answer, otherwise they will be disqualified for that question. Explain that when they hear the question they must “buzz” in to answer it. That involves a movement and a sound. The movement is slapping the desk/table/chair, and they must make a sound (e.g. “beep! Buzz! SKITTLE, or whatever they want). Until the movement and sound have been completed, the must not answer the question. If you have a buzzer, it will take the place of the verbal sound. Should a student buzz in and take longer than 8 seconds to answer OR they answer incorrectly, the other team gets a shot at answering the question for half points. Ask for clarifying questions, and then proceed to the game.
Use the following questions to quiz each pair of students (each is worth 2 points):
• Who was Uta Hagen?
o German-American Actress/Teacher who believed in bringing more of yourself into the role.
• What are the four main elements of hip hop theatre?
o Breaking, MC’ing (rapping), DJ’ing (turn table), and Graffiti
• What is the “magic if?”
o The lever that lifts you from reality into imagination?
• What is “method acting?”
o Created by Lee Strasberg, it involves creating the feeling and thoughts of characters in yourself.
• Who invented Theatre of the Oppressed?
o Augusto Boal
• Who invented group theatre?
o Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasberg
• What is the main tenet of Meisner’s technique?
o Living truthfully in imagined circumstances.
• Where was Stanislavski from?
o Russia
You can add or invent as many questions as you like. Award points as you move through the questions. Then move on when you feel it is right.
Step 2: Second Round Explain to the students the rules: This is a group-timed event. Each group will have 3 minutes to write as many aspects of the Stanislavski System as they can, complete with descriptions of each part of the system. Explain that their answers must be legible; otherwise they will not be counted.
VARIATION:
Should you only have white board for the whole classroom, you can have each team go separately. Send the opposing team into the hall to wait patiently while one team competes, then switch.
Allow each team 3 minutes each to write as much down as they can. After they have, you can award points for correct answers. Each correct part of the Stanislavski system is worth 1 point, and a correct explanation is worth 1 point.
After this team round, move onto the third round.
Step 3: Third Round Explain that each team will be given a question that they must work together to answer. They will have 5 minutes to create together their answers, which they will read. You, as the judge, will decide how many points each is worth based on thoughtfulness, specificity, and creativity. You can award a maximum of 10 points for each answer. Both teams will be able to earn up to 10 points for each question this round. Ask for questions. If there are no more, then pose the following questions:
• Why is it important to know the Stanislavski System and its background?
• As a theatre artist, what can I use from this unit in my work?
• Why isn’t hip-hop theatre more popular and more common in the theatre scene?
• Is there a right way to create theatre? A wrong way? What does it look like?
These questions are obviously very ambiguous. As I mentioned previously, the points are worth nothing. The idea is to get students thinking critically about the methods and styles. This will better prepare them for the essay questions on the exam.
Listen to each groups answers, and award points as you see fit.
Step 4: Group Practice After the completion of the game and the declaration of a winning team, explain that the students have the rest of the time to work on their ad-rap-tations. Explain that they should continue to study, using our review today as a guide. If they want to take a few minutes to write down what was reviewed today, they are welcome to, but then they should use the rest of the class period to rehearse their ad-rap-tations.
Check in with each group to see where they are at, and to find out what resources they may need for their performance. They might need a speaker, a CD player, a stage, a place to store thing, or whatever else. You should confirm all of this today, and have it ready for next class.
Assessment
Students who participate in the review by volunteering to represent their team will receive 20 points for their participation grade for the day.