around a glass, hand snapping into place as touching a wall)
How can we develop a pantomime?
1. Decide where you will begin onstage or enter from
the wings
2. Know how much space you will use
3. Know where the furniture is and the detail of your
props
4. Imagine the appearance and emotions of your
character in great detail
5. Use motivated sequence-things happen in natural
order
6. Have a “key action” early in your pantomime
7. Make all the audience sees every movements and
expressions
8. Every movement/gesture must have a reason
9. Practice and analyze every movement /gesture
10. Make only one gesture at a time
11. Practice until your action begins definitely,
remains clear throughout and comes to a conclusion.
12. Your introduction must make the audience
interested in your character and your situation
13. Your conclusion must be logical, and you must
leave the stage in character
The motivated sequence and vocabulary
A good character copies
people’s natural responses to stimuli. The motivated sequence helps make an
actor’s reaction to a stimulus believable.
1. experience the
stimulus
2. primary response
3. idea connection
4. secondary response
5. main response
In individual
pantomimes, what qualities of objects and characters should we show?
We should show size,
weight, texture, placement and resistance of object, and we should show
character’s action and mood.
What are some differences between pantomime and
mime?
PANTOMIME
MIME
The action shows
ONLY action (flying a kite)
The action conveys a
THEME (the kite gets snagged on a tree after the mime has struggled to get it
into the sky)
No props-only
imaginary objects
The artist uses
imaginary objects but may also use part of the body to become an object
No sound are used
Non-verbal sounds are
used (Air escaping out of a balloon, a telephone busy signal
All pantomime are
based on reality
Mimes are not limited
to the real world
Main goal is the
exact pantomime of a specific action
An idea or theme
(themes can often be expressed in simple terms: loneliness, forgiveness)
Mime actions
Mime walks Rope pull
Ladder climb Climbing up and
down stairs
How do mimes use makeup to enhance their
performance? Why is it important for mimes to use makeup?


Chapter 1 – Improvisation
[Selected definitions]
Improvisation: is becoming a character or making up a scene
without rehearsal or preparation.
Spontaneity: is the art of
creating sth without thinking or planning.
Illusion of the first time: making the audience believe the every performance
is the first time the group has performed.
Scene-stealing: to call attention to your present on stage in a way that takes attention
away from the main character.
Character-centered approach: an
approach to telling a story that focuses on a character or group of characters
who experience different situations.
Situation-centered approach: an
approach to telling a story that takes a single situation and places a number
of characters in the situation to show how different personalities respond to
the sane situation.
Character-centered vs. situation-centered approach
to story telling
Character-centered
approach: an approach to telling a story that focuses on a character or group
of characters who experience different situations.
Situation-centered
approach: an approach to telling a story that takes a single situation and
places a number of characters in the situation to show how different
personalities respond to the sane situation.
What is the “illusion of the first time” and why is
it hard to create？
It is making the audience
believe the every performance is the first time the group has performed.
What is the connection between “doing nothing”
effectively and “scene-stealing”?
What are some reminders for improvising?
1. Speak loudly enough to be heard throughout the theater
2. Do not hide behind pieces
of furniture or other people.
3. Move about freely. Try not to
stand beside other character all the time
4. Take lots
of time to speak and to move so that you create a real impression
5. Stay in character ALL the time. Listen
and speak as your character would in every situation and use actions that are appropriate
for your character
Questions to ask when developing a character
Who am I?
What kind of person am I?
What are the fewest
things I can do to show the most information about my character?
How am I different from
the other character?
What does my character
want?
What are some good things to do when improvising
with a group? What are some things to avoid doing when improvising with a
group?
Good things are: Quickly
establish your character.
Keep focused on meeting your goal
Listen and observe what others


are doing
Take your cues from your scene
partners
Play your scene “movement to
movement”
Say or do things that need an
exact response
Things to avoid: Deny
anything your scene partners say about you or the situation
Ask questions, especially
questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” answer.
Make simple statements (can be
exchanged into “use simple words”)
Explain situations and feelings.
Characteristics of a tragic hero
Makes goals based on a
strong belief.
Knows that almost
everything worth having demands some sacrifice.
Is willing to make the
sacrifice himself, never asking another person to make sacrifice for him.
Chapter 6 - Varieties of
Drama
[Selected definitions]
Tragedy: a sad, thoughtful play in which the protagonist fails to
achieve desired goals or is overcome by opposing forces. A tragedy is based on profound
human emotions and conflicts that do not change with time or place.
Pathos: an
element in drama that makes the audience feel pity and compassion for the
protagonist.
Hamartia: a
character weakness, or an error in judgment made by the tragic protagonist.
Catharsis: the
emotional release an audience feels after the downfall of a tragic character
Comedy: a play that treats characters and situations in a
humorous way and has a happy ending.
Low Comedy: a
type of comedy that is very physical, sometimes rude and very exaggerated in
style and performance.
High Comedy: a type
of comedy that uses clever lines word plays and allusions.
Screen Scene: a scene
in which some of the actors hide from other actors onstage but they are still
able to hear and comment on the onstage dialogue
Aside: a line that is spoken directly to the audience.
Parody: a type
of Low Comedy that makes fun of a certain work by imitating the author’s style
for comic effect.
Caricature: an
exaggeration of a certain feature of a character or literary work.
Satire: a type
of High Comedy that makes fun of accepted ways of life in society, and people’s
bad habits and mistakes.
What is a tragedy? What are some characteristics of a
tragedy?
A tragedy is a sad, thoughtful play in which the protagonist fails to
achieve desired goals or is overcome by opposing forces.
There are some characteristics of a tragedy: The focus of every tragedy is
the protagonist.
The protagonist is in conflict with someone or some force, but in the
end he fails.
The sad overcome of the play seems unavoidable-there is nothing the
character can do to avoid a sad ending.


What is comedy? What are some characteristics of a comedy?
A comedy is a play that treats characters and situations in a humorous way
and has a happy ending.
There are some characteristics of a comedy: Comedies are about groups of
people, in the end all characters come together, even the villains.
The protagonist achieves his goals.
The protagonist is usually a less that average person.
Tragedy vs. Comedy
Inevitable- there is no way to change or stop the outcome.
Predictably unpredictably- you can expect unlikely.
Universal theme and appeal
Often time and place oriented
Emotional
Intellectual mental
Protagonist falls to achieve goals
Protagonist achieves goals
Protagonist alienated from society
Protagonist often becomes leader of new society, even the
villains are accepted
Protagonist is average or better person.
Protagonist is less that average person.
Protagonist falls from leadership, losing respect, dreams,
position.
Protagonist achieves success, often as a result of own
mistakes or short comings.
Techniques
used to make people laugh
Exaggeration: Physical characteristics (large nose…)
Personality (happy,
love-sick)
Incongruity: When something is out of place or out of time, it is funny. (Mr.
Bean makes weird noises for a grown man.)
Anticipation: You know what will happen next so you laughing before the
event happens. (Road Runner and Coyoto)
Protection: Watching cruel or violent arts is funny because the audience
knows that no one gets hurt.
Recognition: Discovering a hidden meaning
A character may hear or
see something, and later realize what it means.
Difference between low comedy and high comedy
Low Comedy: a type of
comedy that is very physical, sometimes rude and very exaggerated in style and
performance.
High Comedy: a type of
comedy that uses clever lines word plays and allusions.
Scene structure:
Stage business: is the
part of acting that involves the use of hand props, costumes, stage props,
actors and parts of the set (windows, doors)
Blocking: is directions
and movements on the stage including stage right( R ), left(L ), downstage(D ),
upstage(U ), center(C ) and combinations of these.
Stage directions: are
notes in the script mentioning the stage business and blocking.


How to write a good scene (CROW)
C: character: who are the
people involved in the scene?
R: relationship: what is
the relationship between the characters?
O: objective: what does
the character want in the scene
W: where: where is the
location of the scene(keep this simple: too many location changes in a scene will
cause confusion)
The 9 acting areas
Reader’s theatre
Chapter4- Acting
Select definitions: leading roles, supporting
roles, typecast, straight parts, character parts, master gesture, inflection,
subtext, substitution, improvisation, paraphrasing.
Leading roles: the main character in
the play.
Supporting roles: those characters who
act as contrasts to others; characters with whom other
Characters, usually the
protagonist, are compared.
Typecast: casting an actor repeatedly
in the same role.
Straight parts: The actors usually
resemble the personality and appearance, The playwright had
in mind.
Character parts: roles which rarely
resemble the actors personality/appearance.
Master gesture: an action that tells
the audience about the character's personality.
Inflection: modulation, variety in
pitch.
Subtext: the subtext is what your
character thinks but doesn't say.
Substitution: a tech used when an actor
must play a role he has no experience with.
Improvisation: an impromptu portrayal
of a character without preparation or rehearsal.
Paraphrasing: restating lines in one's
own words.
Acting terms: drama textbook P99-P101
What is the difference between a
straight part and a character part?
Straight parts: The actors usually
resemble the personality and appearance, The playwright had
in mind.
Character parts: roles which rarely
resemble the actors personality/appearance.
What type of information should be included in a
character sketch?
You can summarize information using
several traits, behaviors and motivations, See textbook 107
What is a master gesture and why is it important?
Master gesture: an action that tells
the audience about the character's personality,So it is important.
What is a leading center and how is it
determined?
Leading center: the part of the body
that leads all actions, it is determined by the character's personality.
Cross and countercross movements/ the actor's 5
positions?
For each onstage cross there is usually
a countercross. Do not cross when you or others are speaking a line.


5 positions: Full front, Three-quarter
front, Profile, Three-quarter back, Full back.
Stage positions?
Cheat out, Giving, taking, taking out
of scene.
Inflection?
1.Rising inflection: used for questions or surprise.
2.Following inflection: represents the end of a sentence or firmness.
3.Sustained: represents calmness or decisiveness.
4.Circumflex: changes or reverses the meaning of an emphasized word.
Acting Techniques:
1. Substitution: a tech used when an
actor must play a role he has no experience with.
2. Improvisation: an impromptu
portrayal of a character without preparation or rehearsal. This technique helps
the actor better understand his/ her character
Difference between cut-off line and fade-off
line?
Cut-off: lines that are interrupted by
another character. These lines are indicated by a dash
Fade-off: the speaker's voice trails
off rather than finishing the line because the speaker expects an interruption
or the meaning is already clear.
Playing comedy--topping, feeding lines, laugh
curve/ cut-in line
Topping: each character tries to top
the other with increase: Pitch/volume/tempo/emphasis.
Feeding lines: one character will
"set up" a comic line to another character.
Laugh curve/ cut-in line: the audience
will have a natural laugh curve to a comic sequence, actors deliver a
"cut-in" line to silence the laughter
Review questions: P156 #6,7,9
Chapter 3 - voice and
diction
All definitions
Quality: it is the
individual sound of your voice
Resonance: it is the
vibrant tone produced when sound waves hit the chambers of the throat, head,
nose and mouth.
Nasality: the quality of
sound produced through nasal passages.
Pitch: it is the relative
highness or lowness of the voice at any given time
Inflection: modulation,
variety in pitch
Monotone: speak in only
one tone it is called monotone
Volume: it is the
strength or intensity with which sound is made- volume depends on the pressure
with which the air from the lungs strikes the vocal cords.
Rate: it is the speed at
which words are spoken.
Diction: it is the
selection and pronunciation of words and their combination in speech.
Schwa: it is the vowel
sound in an unstressed syllable sounds like the soft “uh” and it can be spelled
using any vowel letter or combination of letters.
Voiceless: a consonant is
voiceless if there is no vibration of the vocal cords
Voiced: a consonant is voiced
if there is vibration of the vocal cords
Pronunciation: the manner
of saying words using the correct sounds and placing the accents on the stressed


syllables
What is breath control, and why is it important for
speech?
Breath control determines
the loudness and carrying power in your voice.
How is breathing for speech different from regular
breathing?
In regular breathing, the
inhalation and exhalation periods are the same length.
Breathing for speech
requires a very short inhalation period, and a strong controlled exhalation
period
Characteristics of an effective speaker
1.
Voice quality
2.
Pitch
3.
Volume
4.
Rate
What is diction and why is it important for drama?
It is the selection and
pronunciation of words and their combination in speech
Difference between voiced and voiceless consonants
Chapter 8 - Producing the
play
Selected definitions: producer, director, prompter,
scenic designer, technical director, stage manager, properties chief, business
manager, publicity manager, house manager, reading rehearsal, blocking
rehearsal, working rehearsal, polishing rehearsal, technical rehearsal, dress
rehearsal
Producer: the person who
find money for the show and play bills. Hire the director and production staff
Director: the person who
give direction to actor’s onstage and look for ways to improve the play. Be in
charge during rehearsals.
Prompter: the person who
attends all rehearsals and records the director’s notes in a prompt book. Feed
lines to the actor in an emergency during the performance.
Scenic designer: the
person who responsible for designing the sets, costumes, make up and lighting
Technical director: the
person who responsible for building the sets, creating costumes, and hanging
lights.
Stage manager: the person
who in charge of backstage during rehearsals. Make sure actors are ready for
entrances and manages set changes.
Properties chief: the
person who responsible for getting all props and furniture.
Business manager: the
person who list all names correctly in the program. Pay bills and keeps the
production on budget.
Publicity manager: the
person who promotes the show in the school and community.
House manager:
responsible for smooth admission and the comfort of the audience.
Reading rehearsal: the
cast reads the lines assigned to their character. The director gives comments
on phrasing, timing and inflection.
Blocking rehearsal: the
director works out stage movement and stage business for characters. Actors
must make notes in their scripts about stage directions given by the director.
Working rehearsal:


actions and words are put together lines and blocking are memorized and actions
work on interpretation of their characters. Mock costumes and props will be
added.
Polishing rehearsal: at
the stage, the play is practiced with props and sets. The focus is on achieving
the proper rhythm and tempo.
Technical rehearsal:
actors work with the stage crew to run through the play using lights, sounds
and set changes
Dress rehearsal: a dress
rehearsal is an interrupted rehearsal with real costumes and props. It’s the
final type of rehearsal.
Members of production staff and their
responsibilities
Producer: find money for
the show and play bills. Hire the director and production staff
Director: give direction
to actor’s onstage and look for ways to improve the play. Be in charge during
rehearsals.
Prompter: attends all
rehearsals and records the director’s notes in a prompt book. Feed lines to the
actor in an emergency during the performance.
Scenic designer:
responsible for designing the sets, costumes, make up and lighting
Technical director:
responsible for building the sets, creating costumes, and hanging lights.
Stage manager: in charge
of backstage during rehearsals. Make sure actors are ready for entrances and
manages set changes.
Properties chief:
responsible for getting all props and furniture.
Business manager: list
all names correctly in the program. Pay bills and keeps the production on
budget.
Publicity manager:
promotes the show in the school and community.
House manager: responsible
for smooth admission and the comfort of the audience.
Different types of rehearsals
1.
Reading
rehearsal
2.
Blocking
rehearsal
3.
Working
rehearsal
4.
Polishing
rehearsal
5.
Technical
rehearsal
6.
Dress
rehearsal
What is a curtain call, and why is it important to
rehearse your curtain call?
Curtain call : the appearance
of a play’s cast in response to an audience’s applause.
Chapter 10 - Stage setting
Selected definitions: unity, emphasis, proportion,
balance, hue, value, tints, shades, intensity
Unity: the set should
match the theme of the play
Emphasis: the focus of
the audience’s attention on some part of the stage.
Proportion: sets should
be realistic size to humans( scale scenic elements to a 6 ft person)
Balance: equal
distribution of emphasis, avoid symmetry
Hue: the purity of the
color
Value: the lightness of a
color
Tints contain more white
and represent youth or comedy
Shades contain more black


and represent seriousness
Intensity: the brightness
or dimness of color or light
Purpose of scenery
Scenery helps define the
time and setting of the play, it van also be used to focus audience’s attention
on an actor.
Scenery should create
mood and atmosphere.
Artistic Considerations
1.
Unity: the
set should match the theme of the play
2.
Proportion: sets
should be realistic size to humans( scale scenic elements to a 6 ft person)
3.
Balance:
equal distribution of emphasis, avoid symmetry
How is color coding used when designing scenery?
What is the difference between the hue, value, and
intensity of a color?
Audience responses to the following colors: red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white
Red→Angry passion orange→cheerful lively
Yellow→cheerful youthful
happy green→youthful jealous
Blue→calm cold purple→mystic sad
regal
Black→sad death-like white→innocent truthful
pure
Chapter 12 - Costuming
Select definitions: color coding, costumes parade,
costume silhouette
Color coding: matching
characters by color or pattern.
Costumes parade: a
procession during which actors wear their costumes under the lights to ensure
the compatibility of the colors
Costume silhouette: each
historic period’s own distinctive line and form in dress
Design considerations
1.
The character’s
costume should reflect his/her personality
2.
You must
consider the action that place. Will the actor be able to do actions while
wearing the costume?
3.
Consider the
comfort of the actor: you don’t want to wear a costume that is unfortable/
painful
4.
If costume
changes are necessary in your play , you will need to consider how easy it will
be to put on/ remove the costume.
5.
Consider the
costume silhouette, the color, line and material.
Why is it important to consider a costume’s
silhouette
You want to make the play
real so you have to make the costume look like what people wore in that period
What costume features slenderize? What features add
weight?
Costumes features that
slenderize are the following:
- long vertical lines
- black/ dark colors
- non- shiny material
Costumes features that
add weight are the following:
-
Horizontal


xt=urn:btih:E5BFDBF15ED083A2ECBDAC32E427CF377F1BE0E2

around a glass, hand snapping into place as touching a wall)
How can we develop a pantomime?
1. Decide where you will begin onstage or enter from
the wings
2. Know how much space you will use
3. Know where the furniture is and the detail of your
props
4. Imagine the appearance and emotions of your
character in great detail
5. Use motivated sequence-things happen in natural
order
6. Have a “key action” early in your pantomime
7. Make all the audience sees every movements and
expressions
8. Every movement/gesture must have a reason
9. Practice and analyze every movement /gesture
10. Make only one gesture at a time
11. Practice until your action begins definitely,
remains clear throughout and comes to a conclusion.
12. Your introduction must make the audience
interested in your character and your situation
13. Your conclusion must be logical, and you must
leave the stage in character
The motivated sequence and vocabulary
A good character copies
people’s natural responses to stimuli. The motivated sequence helps make an
actor’s reaction to a stimulus believable.
1. experience the
stimulus
2. primary response
3. idea connection
4. secondary response
5. main response
In individual
pantomimes, what qualities of objects and characters should we show?
We should show size,
weight, texture, placement and resistance of object, and we should show
character’s action and mood.
What are some differences between pantomime and
mime?
PANTOMIME
MIME
The action shows
ONLY action (flying a kite)
The action conveys a
THEME (the kite gets snagged on a tree after the mime has struggled to get it
into the sky)
No props-only
imaginary objects
The artist uses
imaginary objects but may also use part of the body to become an object
No sound are used
Non-verbal sounds are
used (Air escaping out of a balloon, a telephone busy signal
All pantomime are
based on reality
Mimes are not limited
to the real world