Acting Syllabus 2014-15 Wikipage:

RATIONALE: this introductory course will focus on basic acting techniques and familiarize you with the fundamentals of living truthfully within imaginary circumstances.

OBJECTIVES:by the end of the course, you will have learned what it means to

  • work effectively in ensemble;
  • be more aware of the world, of others, and yourself;
  • be fully present in-the-moment;
  • identify and develop the imaginary circumstances in a scene;
  • live truthfully within those imaginary circumstances;
  • identify and play actions;
  • make personal connections to your work on stage.

UNITS:

  1. ENSEMBLE

Ensemble

Ancient Games

Trust Games

II.ACTING TRUTHFULLY

Playing Off Each Other

Being Present In-the-Moment

The Notion of Action: Acting is Doing

Conflict = Goals and Obstacles

Criminal Scenes

One Line Scenes

III.PLAYING OFF THE PARTNER

Being Present in the Moment

Word Repetition Game

Silent Scenes

One-Line Scenes

Contentless Scenes

IV.WHAT DO I WANT? Playing Actions

Developing the Circumstances

The Literal

The Want

The Actionand its Cap

The As Ifs

Making Choices

How to Rehearse

Staging a Scene: Positions, Blocking

Action Scenes

V.ENDOWMENT, STAGING, SPACE

Truth and the Senses

Endowment and Fourth Wall

Creating the Environment/Space

Stage Terminology

Staging

Physical Action Scores

Spike Heels Scene

IV.TACTICS, BUILDS, PACING

Expanding Tactical Range

Obstacles

Opposites

Escalations

One-line Scenes

Full Scenes

Final Self-Assessment

ATTENDANCE:

  1. Class starts promptly. Warming up is essential to your work in acting. If you miss it, your work will suffer. You will need a late note if you arrive after class has started.
  2. Your presentations will be presented according to the sign-up sheet. You don’t want to miss your scheduled day because you will put the entire class behind schedule.
  3. Because acting takes place on a stage in front of others, any time you miss class, whether excused or not, your work and others will be affected. You can’t learn to act by reading a book. You must be present in class.

ASSIGNMENTS: You may view your assignments for this course by going to the Veracross website for this course or The course page will be updated every week or so.

REHEARSAL ENTRIES:Before each presentation you will complete a two-page REHEARSAL ENTRY in your google doc journal covering the “6 Steps” handout. You will not be allowed to present your work if you have not completed this entry. You will be receiving feedback on your rehearsal entries, and you need to KEEP ALL YOUR REHEARSAL ENTRIES clearly labeled in your google doc.

JOURNAL ENTRIES: You will be asked to create a google doc in which you take notes, jot down your brilliant ideas, and chronicle your work in this course everyday we have class. Like an artist’s sketchbook, it will include lots of rough ideas you want to try in your rehearsals. I will check in and respond to your entries periodically, and they will be considered in your quarterly assessments.

WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS: You will be asked to do a written assessment at the quarter break and the end of the semester. IF I DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR SELF-ASSESSMENT BY THE DUE DATES, YOUR GRADE WILL GO DOWN A + OR – PER DAY LATE.

PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE: All first semester acting students will attend the fall musical and all second semester acting students will attend the spring productions. Sign-up to usher and you’ll share the backstage excitement, as well as get in free!

SCENE NIGHT: Your final exam for this course is presenting your final scene for an invited audience of family and friends. Tuesday, Jan. 12 for 1st Semester and Thursday, June.27th, 7 – 8:30 p.m. for 2nd Semester. This is a fun, informal time to share your work. Don’t get uptight about this. OK?

MATERIALS:

  • Blank paper, a paper journal, or an electronic device for Journal Entries. Please bring your “journal” to every class.
  • Props. When presenting exercises and scenes you must bring all necessary props.

ATTIRE: Wear clothing you are comfortable moving around in. We will be doing a lot of physical work in this class. When presenting scenes or exercises wear clothing suitable to the character and situation.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:Please turnoff and DO NOT use cell phones. You may use laptops, tablets, and smart phones, but only for class related work. You may not realize it, but these devices interrupt you and everyone else in the room, jarring all of us out of “the depth of the moment” and forcing us to leave the imaginary circumstances of the play or scene we have worked so hard to create.

Assessment:

  1. Participation 40%
  2. Timeliness
  3. Focus
  4. Commitment
  5. Engagement
  6. Ensemble – Trust and Respect of others
  7. Risk-taking
  8. Presentations 40%
  9. Preparation – props, costumes, sets, lines, staging
  10. Application of technique – truth, action, playing off the partner
  11. Written Assessments 20%
  12. 6-steps
  13. Self-assessments