OBJECTIVE:
Students will demonstrate their ability to add personality to their character by completing a character exercise assignment.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Character Show-n-Tell PowerPoint Shakes Show and Tell PP.Lesson 7
Character Show-n-Tell Narration Example Shakes Show and Tell Narration example.Alice from YCTIWY.Lesson 7
Character Show-n-Tell Worksheet Shakespeare Character Show and Tell Worksheet.Lesson 7Shakes Show and Tell Narration example.Alice from YCTIWY.Lesson 7
Bookmarked Blogs for modeling
HOOK:
Get with partner/self and run through piece for 4 minutes.
Pair up scenes/monologues and have them exchange scripts and check for each other’s memorization. Scores should be given out of 20 points:
1-3 mistakes 20/20
4-8 mistakes 18/20
9-14 mistakes 16/20
15-20 mistakes 14/20
21-25 mistakes 12/20
26+ mistakes 10/20….
Talk through the importance of memorization…why is it so vital?
Talk with the students about how important it is to create a specific, detailed personality for their character. Some answers might include: it's more interesting to watch, it defines an objective and tactics, it helps make it more clear to the actor, it gives a natural quality to the characterization, it allows for vocal and physical choices, etc. Brainstorm with the students specific personality traits that they could include in their characters.
Do one of the following characterization activities:
Simple: Have each student write a blog entry about their experience discussed/portrayed in their scene/monologue. It should be from the character’s point of view and in the character’s voice.
Ask them also to create an “About Me” box ala a blog or Facebook. Find some blogs that you can project and use as models.
Challenging: Go through the Character Show-n-Tell PowerPoint. Then go through the example from Alice in You Can’t Take It With You to model how to take the ideas presented in the PowerPoint and apply them to a character in a play.
Pass out the Show-n-Tell worksheets and have students work on their own characterization. You can choose whether or not to have the thirty-second performance or simply have students write out their narrative and submit it.
Give the students time to rehearse their performance pieces.
Students will be performing their Shakespeare piece next class period as a preview. They will be graded on memorization, blocking, and interpretation of the piece.
ASSESSMENT:
Students can be assessed on their characterization assignment.