DRAMA

  COURSE DESCRIPTION

Drama activities are experiences in expression that are helpful to students in their relationships with other people. This class is designed to offer the student an opportunity to collaborate with fellow classmates in the following: role playing to reflect life situations, pantomime, acting in scenes from plays, readers theatre, monologues, lip syncing, acting techniques, and the procedures used in play production. In addition students acquire knowledge and understanding about the historical background of drama.

Alaska Content Standards

A student should be able to create and perform in the arts.

A student should be able to understand the historical and contemporary role of the arts in Alaska, the nation, and the world.

A student should be able to critique the student’s art and the art of others.

A student should be able to recognize beauty and meaning through the arts in the student’s life.

Course Content

Historical and Cultural Perspectives

· Develop an awareness of the history of drama and theatre

· Investigate the history of a variety of theatrical periods

· Illustrate an understanding of central themes and issues under study through discussion and workshop

· Understand the significance of oral tradition in medieval times

· Demonstrate in practical and written forms an understanding of drama heritage and role of drama in society

· Select presentation styles appropriate to the historical period

· Demonstrate an understanding of cultural mores and how they affect theatrical productions

· Identify the elements of theatre found in Alaskan Native presentations

Create, Present, and Perform

· Select, read, and create drama from a wide variety of literature

· Adapt works of prose and poetry for dramatic presentations

· Improvise stories and formalize improvisations by writing or recording the dialogue

· Demonstrate the ability to employ vocal techniques effectively

· Develop drama skills and techniques through the use of warm-ups and theatre games

· Participate in drills, exercises, and activities for developing and improving:

· Relaxation and breathing techniques

· An actor’s quality, pitch and flexibility

· An actor’s articulation and pronunciation

· An actor’s volume and rate

· An actor’s projection

· Demonstrate use of movement and muscle control to effectively portray character

· Demonstrate characterization through proper employment of vocal modulation and pitch

· Demonstrate an understanding of group activities to prepare for rehearsal and performance

· Practice and develop organizational skills

· Perform with feeling, thought, imagination and creativity

· Perform a monologue using vocal and physical characterization and appropriate staging techniques

· Demonstrate responsibility in assisting in the development of other performers

· Demonstrate understanding of character by adjusting or adapting presentation to fit the vision of the play

· Adapt and adjust the portrayal of emotions to fit the needs of the character

· Experiment with available theatrical technology to develop and select from various alternatives in enhancing the dramatic effect

Special Topics in Theatre

· Recognize and respond to live theatre

· Identify and explain theatre conventions

· Reflect and form opinions of dramatic experiences

· Compare live theatre, television, and film

· Recognize and respond to live theatre and other media

· Mime, Pantomime, and Clowning

· Interpreting Literature

· Storytelling

· Readers Theatre and Radio Theatre

· Puppetry, Shadow Play, and Masks

Aesthetic and Evaluation

· Define and develop aesthetic appreciation

· Describe the aspects of visual art, music, and dance that exist in theatre

· Formulate a personal aesthetic philosophy

· Reflect on and form opinions of dramatic experiences

· Define evaluation and critique

· Contribute constructive criticism toward classroom presentation of scenes and performances, incorporating a vocabulary of positive descriptors to discuss performances

· Describe and comment on aspects such as plot, theme, character, purposes and motivation, and effectiveness of characters’ realization within the overall structure of work

· Critically and objectively self-evaluate their own work verbally and in writing