thtr 110-1

introduction to acting                                 

spring 2003

t - th 11:30-12:45

3 credits

 

instructor  -  jim robinson

office - v 129

office hours - by appointment

e-mail -  jrobinson@hcc-nd.edu

OFFICE PHONE - 574.239.8301

HOME  PHONE - 574.271.1118

 

TEXTBOOK:

THE ACTOR IN YOU

16 SIMPLE STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING THE ART OF ACTING, 2ND EDITION

BY ROBERT BENEDETTI

 

OTHER COURSE MATERIALS:

JOURNAL - MEAD /100 SHEETS/200 PAGES/9.75 X 7.5 in/24.7 X 19.0 cm

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

A play – TBA 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will focus on the fundamentals of acting. The student will develop the basic skills of an actor: the ability to play a role, the ability to fulfill the sense of drama that exists in a scene, analyze the dramatic structure  of a scene, and the capacity to express the realistic emotion appropriate in a scene.

The student will also develop the ability to offer and receive criticism.

 

HOMEWORK AND ASSIGNMENTS:                            transferable skills:

1. Textbook reading.                                               Demonstrate proficiency in reading.

2. Journal entries.                                                 Write effectively and appropriately.

3. Line memorization.                                             Retention of information.

4. Scene preparation and rehearsal.                   Work and interact cooperatively.

5. Reading Death of a Salesman.                            Analyze and interpret works.

6. Textbook quizzes. (4)                                        Prepare and deliver a presentation.

7. Death of a Salesman quiz.

8. Scene presentations.

9. Mid-term performance.

10. Final scene performance.

 

GRADING CRITERIA:

 

ATTENDANCE:

Class attendance is essential and is required for a quality education. Every class attended earns 10 points toward the final grade and every class missed deducts 10 points toward the final grade.

 

PARTICIPATION:

Acting class is participatory in structure and the student’s presence is needed at all times. The student will participate in a variety of exercises, games and improvisations. A willingness to explore, to play and have fun, is essential. Participating in class will earn 10 points toward the final grade and if a student is unprepared or chooses not to participate then 10 points will be deducted toward the final grade. Come to every class ready to act!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOURNALS:

A journal is required. The student will record 16 entries to correspond with the “16 steps” of the text. The journals will be turned in 4 times during the semester. The journal is not optional. Failure to complete the journal assignments will result in a failing grade for the semester. The student should record thoughts, ideas, concerns and reactions to

each day’s activities. The textbook, Death of a Salesman, and your  reaction to the classroom exercises should be the focus of the journal entries, so it is to the benefit of the student to attend all classes and to know the material very well. Additionally, as indicated on the assignment schedule, the journal exercises that are assigned on a specific date need to be done at that time. The journal entries are writing assignments and must be legibly written and should be no less than 400 words per entry.

 

QUIZZES:

There will be 4 quizzes and they will each cover one of the 4 parts of the textbook and each quiz will include the corresponding glossary of terms for each part of the text.

 

DEATH OF SALESMAN QUIZ:

There will be one quiz over the reading and general understanding of the play.

 

MID-TERM:

The student will prepare a “character” and perform in an “hour-long” improvisation.

 

FINAL:

The presentation of a two person, ten-minute scene is required. The scene must be rehearsed outside of class for at least 25 hours. The students will prepare, type and hand in, a detailed rehearsal schedule indicating exactly “what” , “where” and “when” they plan on rehearsing. The students and the instructor will select the scenes and the actors. (All scenes will be selected from the realistic, contemporary genre.)

 

GRADING:

Students will be evaluated on their attendance, participation, journals, quizzes, the Death of a Salesman quiz, mid-term and final. More emphasis will be placed on the final scene, as it is the culmination of the course, in determining the student’s grade for the semester. Therefore, by failing to rehearse the requisite number of hours or not attending the final will result in a failing grade for the semester.

There will not be any other alternative assignment possible for the final.  No substitutions of any kind are allowed.

                                                                          EXAMPLE

                                                    FINAL                                  1 @ 200 PTS

                                                    JOURNAL                            4 @ 50 PTS EACH

                                                    MID-TERM                           1 @ 100 PTS

                                                    QUIZZES                              5 @ 50 PTS EACH

                                                    PARTICIPATION                  10 PTS/CLASS

                                                    ATTENDANCE                      10 PTS /CLASS

                                                                                                1350 POINTS

RULES:

1. You’re not in Kansas anymore!

2. No late work is accepted.

3. Your journal should not record the events of each class.

4. Your journal entries need to be in blue or black ink only!

5. Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing and do not wear boots or hard soled shoes.

6. The goal for each student is to create a realistic, believable character that has the capacity to express emotion.   

7. Failure to attend the final, or to properly follow the established rehearsal schedule for the final, will result in a failing grade for the semester. Also an incomplete or unfinished journal will result in a failing grade for the semester.

 

 

                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

 

 

 

THTR 110-1

Introduction to Acting

Spring 2003

 

Jan 14 - Introduction/Why study acting?                                                                                                              

 

PART 1  UNDERSTANDING ACTING

 

JAN 16 - STEP 1

What does an actor do?      

Acting in everyday life        

The Tradition of the Actor   

 

JAN 21 - STEP 2

Action in life and in performance.            

Action in everyday life                             

Action and drama                                       

Believability in life and in performance   

 

JAN 23 - Cont.

 

JAN 28 - STEP 3  ( PRESENT 1ST  SCENE ) 

Internal and External Action. 

Transactions

                            

JAN 30 - Cont. ( PRESENT 1ST SCENE )

 

FEB 4 - STEP 4

Understanding emotion and character.

Emotion                                                      

Character and the Magic If                     

The Actor in you                                     

 

FEB 6 - Cont.

 

FEB 11 - STEP 5

The Actor’s state of mind.

Dual Consciousness             

Indicating                             

                 

SUMMARY TO PART 1          

 

FEB 13 - Cont.

 

PART 2 PREPARING YOURSELF TO ACT

 

FEB 18 - The creative state  [ QUIZ #1 ]  JOURNAL DUE

 

             STEP 6

Tension, effort and relaxation.

Relaxation                                  

The breath and the voice          

Experiencing center                  

 

FEB 20 - Cont.

 

FEB 25 - STEP 7

Creating together.  

Discipline                  

 

FEB 27 - Cont.

 

MAR 4 - MID-TERM

 

PART 3 PREPARING TO REHEARSE

 

MAR 6 - A scene of your own.  [ QUIZ #2 ]  JOURNAL DUE

             Sample scenes.             

 

SPRING BREAK

 

MAR 18 - STEP 8 ( REHEARSAL SCHEDULE DUE)

Dramatic function.                   

Functional and likeness traits 

 

MAR 20 - STEP 9

The character’s world.   

Who                                

Where                             

When                               

What                               

Summary of the givens

 

MAR 25 - STEP 10  [ QUIZ - Death of a Salesman  ]

The elements of characterization.

Physical traits                                 

Social traits                                     

Psychological traits                        

Moral traits                                     

Economy of characterization           

 

PART 4 REHEARSAL

 

MAR 27 - STEP 11  [ QUIZ #3 ]  JOURNAL DUE

The character’s needs.                   

Personalizing and the Magic If       

Emotional recall and substitution     

 

APR 1 - STEP 12

The character’s mind. 

The stimulus                

Automatic actions      

Choice                          

 

APR 3 - STEP 13

Objectives and actions.                        

Defining useful objectives                    

Playable actions                                    

Direct and indirect actions: subtext 

Not doing                                               

Obstacles and counter-actions          

 

 

APR 8 - STEP 14 ( ALL LINES MEMORIZED )

Beats, scene and play structure.  

Levels of action                                

The score                                         

Scene breakdown                           

 

APR 10 - STEP 15

Through-line and superobjective .   

Personalizing the superobjective  

 

APR 15 - STEP 16

Final rehearsals and performance.           

Blocking                                                                                                   

Shaping and pacing                           

Spontaneity                                       

Emotion in performance                   

The fear of failure                           

Measuring success                           

 

APR 17 - Run-through scenes. [ QUIZ #4 ]  JOURNAL DUE                                     

 

APR 22 - Run-through scenes.

 

APR 24 - Run-through scenes.

 

APR 29 - Dress rehearsal.

 

MAY 1 - Dress rehearsal.

 

May 6 - FINAL (8 AM)

 

 

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS:

 

PART 1 UNDERSTANDING ACTING - DUE DATE  2-18-03

EX 1.1

EX 2.1

EX 2.2

EX 4.1

EX 4.2

 

PART 2 PREPARING YOURSELF TO ACT - DUE DATE  3-06-03

EX 6.1

 

PART 3 PREPARING TO REHEARSE - DUE DATE  3-27-03

EX 8.1

EX 8.2

EX 9.1

EX 10.1

EX 10.2

EX 10.3

EX 10.4

 

PART 4 REHEARSAL - DUE DATE  4-17-03

EX 11.1

EX 12.1

EX 12.2

EX 13.1

EX 13.2

EX 13.3

EX 14.3

EX 15.1

EX 15.2

EX 16.1

EX 16.2

EX 16.3

EX 16.4

EX 16.5

EX 16.6

 

GLOSSARY

 

PART 1 UNDERSTANDING ACTING

 

ACTION

JUSTIFYING

BELIEVABILITY

DRAMATIC FUNCTION

OBJECTIVE

NEED

MAGIC IF

PUBLIC SOLITUDE

DUAL CONSCIOUSNESS

INDICATING

TRANSACTIONS

INNER ACTION

MOTIVATION

PERSONALIZATION

TRANSFORMATION

UNIVERSAL ACTION

SPIRITUAL ACTION

IMPROVISATION

FOCUS

 

PART 2 PREPARING YOURSELF TO ACT

 

STAGE DIRECTIONS

RELAXATION

STAGE RIGHT OR LEFT

UPSTAGE OR DOWNSTAGE

UPSTAGING

PROJECTION

STAGE RIGHT

SET UP

RUNNING LINES

PROP

PROMPTING

PARAPHRASE

CROSS

CUE

OUT ( OR IN )

OFF BOOK

GOING UP

DRESS REHEARSAL

CHEATING OUT

BLOCKING

 

 

PART 3 PREPARING TO REHEARSE

 

ECONOMY

FUNCTIONAL TRAITS

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES

READ-THROUGH

PLOT

TABLE READING

SCENARIO

RELATIONSHIP

EXPOSITION

DENOUEMENT

 

PART 4 REHEARSAL

 

BEAT

BEAT CHANGE

CHOICE

REACTING

VISUALIZATION

VERB

TEMPO

TEMPORHYTHM

SUSPENSE

SUPPRESSION

SUPEROBJECTIVE

SUBTEXT

SUBSTITUTION

STRATEGY

STIMULUS

SPINE

SPONTANEITY

SCORE

RECALL

MEMORY

SCENE

PLAYABLE

PLAYING THROUGH

PACE

OVERLAP

CUEING

CRISIS

CLIMAX

MOMENT

INNER MONOLOGUE

INDIRECT ACTION

DRAMATIC

EMPATHY

ATTITUDE

AUTOMATIC ACTION

EMOTION MEMORY