Roosevelt HS Theatre Arts Dept.
6941 N. Central St.
Portland, OR 97203
ph: 503.916.5260 x82424
oatc
Th 141: Fundamentals of Acting Techniques
Portland Community College
TA 141: Fundamentals of Acting Techniques I
(4 credits / 20 lecture / 40 lecture/lab hours)
Advanced Acting/Senior Theatre
Offered through the PCC Dual Credit Program
2018-2019
Class Offered: Yearlong, both Semester 1 & 2
Roosevelt High School
6941 N. Central St.
Portland OR 97203
“A” days, 2nd period, Black Box Theatre, Room 009
Instructor: Jo Strom Lane, jolane@pps.net, 503-916-5260 x82424
Office Location: Storage Room 009C
Office Hours: Flex Days from 2:15-3:15 P.M.
Course website: www.roosevelttheatre.org
For the most updated syllabi, click on PCC SYLLABI
COURSE MATERIALS
Text:
- Poetics by Aristotle
- Oedipus the King by Sophocles
- Everyman by Anonymous
- One of the following: The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, or Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare
- Tartuffe and/or Les Precieuses Ridicule and/or The Love of Three Oranges by Moliere
- The Love Suicides at Sonezaki by Chikamatsu
- The Man Who Turned Into a Dog by Osvaldo Dragun
- Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl
- The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
- Clues to Acting Shakespeare by Wesley Van Tassel
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
- Lazzi by Mel Gordon
- The Viewpoints Book by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau
- Lessons for the Professional Actor (Michael Chekhov), edited by Deirdre Hurst Du Prey, Performance Art Journal Publications, 1985
- A Practical Handbook for the Actor, Bruder, Cohn, Olnek, Pollact, Previto and Zigler
- From Word to Play by Cicely Berry
- The Stanislavski System by Sonia Moore
- Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen
- A History of Theatre by Oscar Brockett
- Acting One (Most recent edition) by Robert Cohen
- Backwards and Forwards by David Ball
- Audition by Michael Shurtleff
- Viewpoints – Anne Bogart, Tina Landau
Other Required Materials:
- Notebook with lined paper
- Pencils with erasers
- Comfortable clothing in which to move
- (optional) smart device
COURSE INFORMATION
Course Description: Introduces basic theatrical techniques. Develops text analysis and performance skills. Develops the beginning level awareness of the physical and vocal skills required of a stage performer. Includes reading and analyzing plays to develop acting skills.
Addendum Course Description: Each instructor has a spectrum of foundations for this course, and the CCOG tends to lean toward a text analysis foundation.
*Required Events:
All students enrolled are required to participate in the events listed below outside of the class in order to complete the course and the hours necessary to receive full credit for that semester.
• Fall production: Additional after school rehearsal are required in the weeks prior to evening performances. See separate rehearsal schedule for details.
• Acting Showcase before Regionals: Family and friends are invited to the Acting Showcase to see the students perform their audition/competition pieces prior to the Regional competition. This is the only opportunity for family and friends to see the audition/competition performances.
• Oregon Thespians NW Regional Acting Competition: A per event entry fee is charged for Regionals. Details provided for entry, deadlines, and fees. Scholarships available. Sorry, only competitors and their Theatre Directors are able to attend Regionals.
• Spring production: Senior Shorts senior-directed one-act play festival: Additional after school rehearsal are required prior to evening performances. See separate rehearsal schedule for details.
Non-participation in required performances of the fall one-act and Senior Shorts will result in a full letter grade drop per event missed. No exceptions. (i.e. If you earned an A, but miss one performance of the fall one-act, you will receive a B. If you then miss another performance, you’ll have a C and so on.)
Additional Theatrical Opportunities (examples):
• Evening Performances (optional performance opportunities will be announced)
• Field trips (optional trips to community and/or school theatre productions)
• Participation in Drama Club/Thespians (optional club/earned membership)
• Attendance and competition at Oregon Thespian State Conference
Please note: You must attend school at least one half day in order to participate in any after school opportunities. No pass, no play policy applies, too.
Course Outcomes: The course outcomes can be found at the link below.
http://www.pcc.edu/ccog/default.cfm?fa=ccog&subject=TA&course=141
Course Prerequisites: A ‘C’ or better in Intermediate Theatre Arts (Theatre 3-4), Advanced Theatre Arts (Theatre 5-6), and/or permission of the instructor. PCC Prerequisites: WR 115, RD 115 and MTH 20 or equivalent placement test scores. Audit available.
Attendance Policy/Late Work: Students are expected to attend each class meeting. If a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what was covered in class and get the work completed in a timely manner (same number of class days absent plus one additional day). Since the class does not meet daily, it is imperative and expected that students attend every class, every week. If students are absent, whether excused or unexcused, during any pre-planned performances or tests, students may not be able to retake or makeup the performances or tests. No late work can or will be accepted. Any late work credit, if any, is at the teacher’s discretion. Teacher discretion will be used to determine any credit awarded and makeup options. See RHS attendance policy.
Course Grading/Assessment:
Prior to each unit, students will have a pre-assessment of their skills to determine their initial level. Throughout each unit, the student is given the remainder of the classes to work on and develop the skills necessary to offer and demonstrate skill and knowledge of the particular subject. In this performance-based class of such high expectations of learning and demonstration, it is unrealistic and unfair to assume that a student will be able to have “mastered” any one technique. At the end of each unit for the summative assessment, students will need to demonstrate at a “Proficient” level to earn PCC credit. Grading will also be based on the student’s preparedness for class, willingness to participate, cooperation with partners and in ensemble, completed reading and written assignments, quizzes, and of course performance/demonstration of acquired learning.
Grading results in proficiency scale grading of 1-4, with 1 as Immerging, 2 as Sufficient/Working Toward Proficiency, 3 as Proficient, 4 as Highly Proficient/Mastery. The letter grades earned are A – F. All grades will be averaged for a final semester grade of A, B, C, D or F. It is implied that A = 90-100, B= 80-90, C= 70-80, D= 60-70 and F= 0-60.
Unit grades will be averaged to provide midterm, quarter and semester grades. Final exams will follow the Roosevelt HS final examination schedule. Note: For PCC Dual Credit grade calculations, students will not be allowed to retake examinations.
Additional course information is available on the “Classes” tab under “Advanced Acting” on the RHS Theatre website. Units listed may be taught in a different order than listed if required.
Unit 1: Ensemble Building with Improvisation, Voice, and Body Work
Viewpoints – Anne Bogart, Tina Landau
Long-Form Improvisation – Del Close, Keith Johnstone, Instructor Led – vocal and physical warm ups
Read excerpts of Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, Del Close, Keith Johnstone, and/or Charna Halpern
Create Long Form Improv show based on a scenario
Unit 2: Classic Theatre
Read one of the selections from Classic Theatre offered. Click here for lessons.
Lesson 1: Plot Structure
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of plot by participating in a group presentation of plot structure.
Lesson 2: Theme
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of theme by identifying a theme from popular films of their generation.
Lesson 3: Diction
The students will demonstrate their understanding of diction by performing a short scene from “Oedipus” with masks.
Lesson 4: Character
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of characters by completing a “Facebook” profile for a character in a play read in class.
Lesson 5: Music
Students will demonstrate their understanding of music by performing a thirty-second melodrama.
Lesson 6: Spectacle
Students will demonstrate their understanding of spectacle by designing scenery for “Oedipus”.
Lesson 7: Final Analysis
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the Six Elements of Drama by analyzing a Greek tragedy in an essay, answering the question “How does the selected play follow Aristotle’s Poetics and would he consider it to be a perfect play?” Also, they will demonstrate their knowledge by writing a mini-Greek tragedy based on a current event and performing it.
Unit 3: Morality Plays and Commedia Dell’Arte
A History of Theatre by Oscar Brockett
Everyman by Anonymous
Scene Work with Lazzi
Lazzi by Mel Gordon
Write an essay comparing one commedia dell’arte character with a modern day example in a situation comedy. Use the physical appearance, mannerisms, and lazzi.
Unit 4: French Neo-Classical Theatre
Read Tartuffe and/or Les Precieuses Ridicule and/or The Love of Three Oranges by Moliere
Discussion of political and social connections to Moliere and his work
Script Scoring as evidence of understanding Moliere scene/monologue and director’s French Scene breakdown
Scene or Monologue Work
Unit 5: Shakespeare Click here for lessons.
Read The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and/or Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare
Clues to Acting Shakespeare by Wesley Van Tassel
(optional) Participation in the English-Speaking Union’s Shakespeare Competition
Lesson 1: Introduction to Shakespeare Performance
Students will be introduced to Shakespeare's works by viewing a parody of his plays.
Lesson 2: Finding the Perfect Shakespeare Piece
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the Acting Shakespeare assignment by selecting a Shakespearean scene or monologue to perform.
Lesson 3: Analyzing Shakespeare's Language
Students will demonstrate their understanding of Shakespearean script analysis by scoring, translating, and analyzing their Shakespeare performance pieces.
Lesson 4: Making Shakespeare Sound Natural
Students will demonstrate their understanding of scansion and phrasing by scoring their Shakespeare performance pieces.
Lesson 5: Creating the Shakespeare Character
Students will demonstrate their understanding of characterization by creating a character with personality and traits for their Shakespearean monologue or scene.
Lesson 6: Blocking Shakespeare
Students will demonstrate their understanding of movement in a performance piece by blocking and providing business for their Shakespearean monologue or scene.
Lesson 7: Shakespeare Previews
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of characterization, blocking, and interpretation by performing a preview of their Shakespeare monologue or scene.
Lesson 8: Shakespeare Polish & Refine
Students will demonstrate their understanding of rehearsing by making and working on one specific acting goal for the Shakespearean monologue or scene.
Lesson 10: Shakespeare Final Performances
Students will demonstrate their understanding of acting Shakespeare by performing their Shakespearean monologue or scene.
Unit 6: Japanese Noh, Kyogen, Kabuki, and Bunraku Theatre
The Love Suicides at Sonezaki by Chikamatsu
Read articles supporting conventions of the five types of Noh Plays, structure and traditions
Perform Bunraku Play.
Students identify the conventions of the Noh form: the five types of Noh plays, the structure of the plays, the order of performance, and the traditional characters; describe and analyze the realization the main character, or shite, achieves at the end of the studied plays; and articulate and discuss at least one element of Japanese culture that the Noh form reveals.
Assessment: Write a one-page analysis of the play using the vocabulary terms for genre, characters, and structure and analyzing the shite's dominant emotion, transformation, and realization.
Unit 7: Modern Realism
Introduction to Stanislavski, Hagen, and Chekhov and/or other acting technique “greats”
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
Lessons for the Professional Actor (Michael Chekhov), edited by Deirdre Hurst Du Prey, Performance Art Journal Publications, 1985
A Practical Handbook for the Actor, Bruder, Cohn, Olnek, Pollact, Previto and Zigler
From Word to Play by Cicely Berry
The Stanislavski System by Sonia Moore
Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen
Acting One (Most recent edition) by Robert Cohen
Backwards and Forwards by David Ball
Audition by Michael Shurtleff
Unit 8: Absurdism
The Man Who Turned Into a Dog by Osvaldo Dragun
Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Create an ensemble piece with purpose demonstrating absurdism.
Unit 9: Social Justice Theatre and Devised Work
Jerzy Grotowski’s “Towards a Poor Theatre” excerpts
Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed
Apply Grotowski and Boal’s theories to Social Awareness Festival (SAFe) and the Social Justice Theatre Project
Write original work. Perform for the public.
Unit 10: Independent Activities
Practice and Critique of all Final Scene and Monologue Work.
All paperwork, research papers, and term papers due by the PCC deadline.
Final Performance and written final.
Due at Final: All research and CRLS work as relates to Senior Portfolio
PCC DUAL CREDIT
This course is offered for Dual Credit through Portland Community College. In addition to earning high school credit for this class, you may register for TA 141: Fundamentals of Acting Techniques through PCC and earn 4 college credits for the course. The PCC credit for this class is offered to you free of charge, for a cost savings of approximately $416 in tuition, $49.80 in fees and $50-$150 in book charges.
If you opt to earn PCC credit for this course, you will become a Portland Community College student. The grade and credits you earn for this course will be posted to your PCC transcript. You are able to access PCC facilities and services as PCC student. You will be assigned a PCC email and ID #, and may obtain a PCC ID card upon request.
Student Rights & Responsibilities:
Students are required to view and comply with the regulations set forth in the PCC Dual Credit Student Handbook. Please request a handbook from your instructor, the Dual Credit office, or download online at:
http://www.pcc.edu/prepare/head-start/dual-credit/documents/student-handbook.pdf
PCC Grading Guidelines can be found at the link below: http://catalog.pcc.edu/handbook/g301-gradingguidelines
Add/Drop/Withdraw deadlines:
http://www.pcc.edu/prepare/head-start/dual-credit/calendar.html
PCC’s Code of Student Conduct:
http://www.pcc.edu/about/policy/student-rights/
Roosevelt High School’s Code of Conduct Policy (via PPS Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook):
PCC’s Academic Integrity Policy:
http://catalog.pcc.edu/policies/academicintegritypolicy/
Title IX Non-Discrimination Statement:
The high school is responsible for providing access, accommodations, flexibility, and additional/ supplemental services for special populations and protected classes of students.
Portland Community College is committed to creating and fostering a learning and working environment based upon open communication and mutual respect. If you believe you have encountered sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual assault, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, national origin, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability on a PCC campus, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at (971) 722-5840 or equity.inclusion@pcc.edu.
The instructor reserves the right to modify course content and/or substitute assignments and learning activities in response to institutional, weather or class situations.
PCC RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
Student Resources & Services Index:
Remember, as a PCC Student you have access to many resources! For more information, check out our Student Resource Listing at: http://www.pcc.edu/resources
Student Computing Center (SCC): http://www.pcc.edu/resources/computer-labs/Cascade TEB 125 (971) 722-5440 | Rock Creek Bldg. 2 Room 259 (971) 722-7510
Southeast Library 120 (971) 722-6474 | Sylvania Library 1st Floor (971) 722-4325
The Computing Centers provide internet access and applications such as mathematics computer programs, word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, databases, web page authoring, presentations and programming languages.
Among other services, you have been allocated 100 double-sided pages of free printing for the term, and may use your laptop to print to an available wireless printer. Visit the following address for more information on printing services: http://www.pcc.edu/resources/printing/
Multicultural Center: http://www.pcc.edu/resources/culture/
Cascade Student Union 302 (971) 722-5795 | Rock Creek Bldg. 7 Room 118 (971) 722-7435 | Southeast Mt. Tabor Hall Room 150 (971) 722-6054 | Sylvania CC 267B (971) 722-4112)
Student Learning Centers–Tutoring (SLC): http://www.pcc.edu/resources/tutoring/
Cascade TH 123 (971) 722-5263 | Newberg Center (971) 722-8611 | Rock Creek Bldg. 7 Room 218A (971) 722-7414 | Southeast 1st Floor (971) 722-6470 | Sylvania Southeast Library Room 120 (971) 722-4540
Tutoring availability is campus and term specific. For more information on tutoring schedules, please visit: http://www.pcc.edu/resources/tutoring/.
Free Online Tutoring: go to http://www.pcc.edu/resources/tutoring/etutor/. You will need your MyPCC username and your PCC ID # to log in.
Writing Centers: http://www.pcc.edu/resources/writing/ for a list of campus locations.
PCC Library: http://www.pcc.edu/library/
Cascade Terrell Hall Room 116 (971) 722-5322 | Rock Creek Building 9 2nd Floor (971) 722-7413 | Southeast (971) 722-6187 | Sylvania (971) 722-4935
Access to research databases and borrowing privileges, including books calculators, digital cameras, DVDs, videos, Laptops, music CDs, reserves and Summit materials. PCC participates in the Interlibrary Loan program.
Equal Opportunity Statement: http://www.pcc.edu/about/equity-inclusion/eeo-statement.html
Academic Integrity Statement: http://www.pcc.edu/resources/academic/standards-practices/academic-integrity.html
Instructional ADA Statement:
Dual Credit Students
Federal law requires that high schools provide disability services for students with a documented disability (through either an IEP for 504 accommodation plan), including those students who are taking Dual Credit classes at their high school location.
On-campus students
Students who experience disability related barriers in courses taught on PCC campuses should contact PCC Disability Services at http://www.pcc.edu/resources/disability/. If students elect to use approved academic adjustments, they must provide in advance formal notification from Disability Services to the instructor.
Roosevelt HS Theatre Arts Dept.
6941 N. Central St.
Portland, OR 97203
ph: 503.916.5260 x82424
oatc