Characters; African-American Theater Tradition; Monster & Quiz

This morning, please get together in small groups of 3-4 and brainstorm a list of characters. Write these characters, their names, their occupations, and 1-2 physical or personality traits each character has in your notes/journal. 

Example: Sweety Pie, 20-30 year-old beautician. She wears her sleeves rolled up so that we can see her tattoos; there is a comb tucked behind one ear.

Teddy, 60-70 year old businessman (retired). He speaks very loudly and slowly. Always wears a soiled bib.

Kashandra, young woman, student. She smiles a lot and likes to laugh at herself. She only wears purple sweaters.

Try to gather at least 6-10 characters each. Keep this list, as you will use it later in the course.

Giving a voice to the underprivileged, minority, or unnoticed members of our society is one of the excellent things theater can accomplish. Probably more than any other art form, theater has a way of sparking a discussion and, sometimes, debate about important issues easily ignored by more mainstream mass media like film or television. African American actors, directors, and playwrights have held an important place in American Theatre history. Today, let's learn a little more about these talented and important artists.

This morning, let's read about Dael Orlandersmith as a contemporary playwright & actor (and faculty member). Spend a few minutes (up to 28 minutes for the full program) to watch the interview with Dael Orlandersmith. As you watch, consider some of the themes and issues she deals with in her writing.

Then read "A Brief Overview of the History of African American Theatre" and identify at least 3 things you learned from this article. Be prepared to hand these notes in as a "ticket out the door."

Apply what you've learned to the play Monster. Complete the quiz on the play Monster.

HOMEWORK: Please read the play Spic-o-Rama by John Leguizamo. Be prepared to discuss the play Monday, September 15.

Talking With; Monster; Character

Please read the handout about Jane Martin this morning. Follow up your reading with a 15 minute period of reading. After reading silently (alone) you will form small groups to conduct some analysis of the characters in the play.

NOTE: If you completed the play on your own, spend your time writing a monologue draft. Use Jane Martin's script and the monologues in Talking With as a model.

If you missed it, read about Jane Martin here.

Let's view a few of the following clips from the script Talking With.

As you watch these scenes from Talking With, pay attention to how the playwright engages the audience and tells an interesting story that develops the single speaking character. Notice how the actor portrays this character. Is the author's words more effective or is the performance more compelling to you as an audience? What does this suggest about the nature of performance?

Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)
Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)

Audition. (monologue, page 25-27)
Audition

Twirler (part)

Rodeo (monologue, page 31-34)

French Fries (monologue, page 61-63)

Marks (monologue, page 67-69).

Let's conduct a class discussion. Your response can include answers to any or all of these questions:

• What did you think about the play as a whole? Did it surprise you or please you or frustrate you? Explain why you reacted to the play in this way.
• What is the premise of "Talking With"? In a sentence or two, explain what you think is the premise or main idea/theme of the play. Is this premise interesting? Do you think people would pay to see this play?
• The "audience" for each character changes as the play continues. How does the author help a viewer or reader understand who the character in question is "talking with..."? Overall, by the end of the play, who do you think the playwright Jane Martin is "Talking with...?" Support your opinion.
• What challenges and stage requirements are necessary to produce this play? How has Jane Martin anticipated a low-budget, black box theater being able to produce her play? What did you learn about staging from the monologues you read and watched?
• Why are the monologues in the order that Martin puts them? What is the reason to start and end the play with the monologues she does?
• After reading about Jane Martin, what amuses or interests you in her as a writer? How might the idea of "Theatricality" (artificial life involving conflict) infuse the script and the whole experience of seeing this play on stage.

With time remaining in the class, get together in small groups of 3-4 and brainstorm a list of characters. Write these characters, their names, their occupations, and 1-2 physical or personality traits each character has in your notes/journal. Keep this list, as you will use it later in the course.

HOMEWORK: Please read Dael Orlandersmith's "Monster" for Thursday. Bring your scripts back with you to discuss this play next class.

Talking With; Loveliest Afternoon of the Year

Together, let's read the play: The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year by John Guare.

Theatre vocabulary to know:

• Monologue: an extended speech delivered by one person/character.
• Dramatic Monologue: a long or extended speech delivered by one character addressing another character or group of characters.
• Interior Monologue: In fiction or prose, the description or speech (in 1st person POV, for example) where a character exhibits (shows/tells) the thoughts, feelings, and associations passing through a character's mind.
• Soliloquy: an extended speech by one person addressed directly to an audience. Usually the character is alone on stage.
• Monologue Play (one-person show; monodrama): A solo performance, featuring an actor, comedian, or entertainer.

Please read the handout about Jane Martin this morning. Follow up your reading with a 15 minute period of reading. After reading silently (alone) you will form small groups to conduct some analysis of the characters in the play.

NOTE: If you completed the play on your own, spend your time writing a monologue draft. Use Jane Martin's script and the monologues in Talking With as a model.

If you missed it, read about Jane Martin here.

Let's view a few of the following clips from the script Talking With.

As you watch these scenes from Talking With, pay attention to how the playwright engages the audience and tells an interesting story that develops the single speaking character. Notice how the actor portrays this character. Is the author's words more effective or is the performance more compelling to you as an audience? What does this suggest about the nature of performance?

Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)
Clear Glass Marbles (monologue, page 19-22)

Audition. (monologue, page 25-27)
Audition

Twirler (part)

Rodeo (monologue, page 31-34)

French Fries (monologue, page 61-63)

Marks (monologue, page 67-69).

Let's conduct a class discussion. Your response can include answers to any or all of these questions:

• What did you think about the play as a whole? Did it surprise you or please you or frustrate you? Explain why you reacted to the play in this way.
• What is the premise of "Talking With"? In a sentence or two, explain what you think is the premise or main idea/theme of the play. Is this premise interesting? Do you think people would pay to see this play?
• The "audience" for each character changes as the play continues. How does the author help a viewer or reader understand who the character in question is "talking with..."? Overall, by the end of the play, who do you think the playwright Jane Martin is "Talking with...?" Support your opinion.
• What challenges and stage requirements are necessary to produce this play? How has Jane Martin anticipated a low-budget, black box theater being able to produce her play? What did you learn about staging from the monologues you read and watched?
• Why are the monologues in the order that Martin puts them? What is the reason to start and end the play with the monologues she does?
• After reading about Jane Martin, what amuses or interests you in her as a writer? How might the idea of "Theatricality" (artificial life involving conflict) infuse the script and the whole experience of seeing this play on stage.

WRITING/HOMEWORK: If you did not complete your reading of this play, finish it up and bring your script back with you next class. In your journal (not to be turned in) write a monologue of your own. We'll use this draft later in the course.

Welcome!

Welcome back, class of 2016. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable summer. But here we are again. This year is partly devoted to writing scripts (both theatrical and for the screen). What you learn here can help you improve your fiction "dialogue" skills, examine the use of conflict in your plots, play and experiment with language and poetry, as well as make you a better psychologist (dealing with people in crisis), all the while honing your writer's craft and developing your writer's voice.

Today, after reviewing the course criteria, getting lockers, and discussing some changes around SOTA, we will get started with a required writing activity, read a bit, and start on a couple assignments to begin this course.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Check this blog each class period for agendas, deadlines, educational information, advice, and a whole lot of links to enhance your education. All you have to do is read and click. You are responsible for reading and interacting with the material I post on the blog.

If you're absent or missed something in class, please check the blog to get caught up. As indicated above, each new class period usually includes a new post. If you have a question about an assignment and are too embarrassed to speak to me in public (or you have a question that you think you will forget to ask), feel free to use the comment section.

On our link page you will also find some useful tools for this course. During the course I will direct your attention to these tools for your use in this class and for use in Contemporary Writers.

Today, let's begin playwriting with a baseline writing exercise. You will need a notebook, the essay paper/booklet provided, and a writing utensil.

• The task is simple. Write a complete scene (with a definite beginning, middle, and end) in script format. 

• Limit your cast of characters to no more than four (4). Two or three (2-3) works best. Setting, writing style, and theme is completely up to you. 

• Be creative. Focus on the task of writing. Let your words flow from you without a lot of editing or over thinking this exercise. Trust your instincts as an artist and writer! 

•  If you need a prompt, choose one of the following starters: 

•  A policeman, a newlywed, a certified letter 

•  A widow, her half-sister, and a secret 

•  One character walks in to a familiar place but meets someone unexpected

• You will have 20-25 minutes to write.

If you happen to finish early and the rest of the class is still writing, please begin reading "Talking With" by Jane Martin. After we write our baseline, we'll discuss playwriting and get started reading some plays.

HOMEWORK: Read Talking With by Jane Martin. Bring the play script with you to our next class. Please share the course criteria sheet with your parents/guardians.

Student Film Projects

Please watch and rate the following student films. Hand in your voting sheet at the end of class today.

Congratulations! You are on your way to becoming famous filmmakers!

Ethan & Nathan's Film
Imani G's Film
Carly & Grace's Film
Ben, Frances, Thiery's Film
Nikki & Gena's Film

Branden's Silent Film

While making a film is hard work, there is a lot of value in creating your own films. Each time you create a film, you will get more comfortable in doing it. Working collaboratively can be frustrating, but also rewarding. Much of your life's work will be done collaboratively. The skills you've learned in this class can take you many new and exciting places! Congratulations again!

If you have made films this year and would like to submit them to the Rochester Teen Film Festival, please open this link and submit TODAY! (Tuesday, June 10) is the deadline! Here's the application link.

The Blockbuster

Sony unveiled their VTR (video tape recorder) in 1967, but it wasn't until the 1970's that it took the world by storm. The early versions cost a prohibitive $1,000 to $4,000! That's about 10 I-phones and at least as many 1-4 laptops. Watching movies in your home again threatened the movie industry, but under the Betamax VCR (1975) viewers could watch pornography without feeling guilty about it (the internet had not yet established itself). As fall-out, the porn and "X" film production grew and later would help release a whole host of B-films which would not receive a wide release in cinemas.

Steven Spielberg (American New Wave director/Auteur) filmed his blockbuster Jaws in 1975. The success of the book and the film began to show the possibility of mass-produced entertainment and give film a legitimacy through popular culture. There were very few film programs in colleges and schools at this time. You may recall Spielberg's other work (mostly blockbusters, like Jaws). After the Blockbuster phenomenon, film gained much attention (and money). Writers like Michael Crichton and Stephen King became quite wealthy as popular authors since so many people went to see the movies based on their books. Now, bestsellers almost always get made into films as a way to capitalize on profits (J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, for example). Stan Lee is also doing nicely. The bottom line is that a film is produced for mass consumption, that includes the marketing of toys, clothing, and a book deal.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
E.T. (1982)

George Lucas on the other hand created the single most influential film in the 1970's with his space opera (part IV) of the seminal Star Wars (1978). Both Jaws and Star Wars became the first two films to make more than $100 million, rocketing both directors into fame!

Star Wars (1977)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

In 1982 the film Tron (1982) effectively used CGI for its special effects. Since then CGI has been married to the Hollywood Blockbuster.

Westworld (1973) (same author as Jurassic Park)
The Black Hole (1979)
Star Trek (1979) (VO by Orson Welles)

As you might note, CGI greatly improved the sci-fi genre.

Now, the goal of Hollywood remains to produce a blockbuster film. These are traditionally action-packed epics chock-ful of CGI and special effects. Many films also are mass produced so that even if the film fails at the box office, the production company can make back a loss by selling the music tracks, toys, or DVD's.

Recent blockbusters include:
Avatar (2009) $2,782,275,172 Billion
Titanic (1997) $2,185,246,990 Billion
The Avengers (2012) over $552.7 Million
The Dark Knight (2008) $533 Million
Spider Man (2002) $403.7 Million
E.T. (1982) $359.2 Million (see clip above)
Jurassic Park (1993) $357.1 Million
Forrest Gump (1994) $329.7 Million

Top 100 Box Office Blockbusters of All Time It pays to be a producer!

And for perspective, the top three films that flopped:

Cutthroat Island (1995) loss of $147 Million
The Alamo (2004)  loss of $146 Million (we lost the battle as well)
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) loss of $145 Million

Film Project Due!

Please turn in your homework on the chapters MPAA & the American New Wave: (see previous post for details!)

1. Your film project should be completed today. You've had over 700 minutes of class time for a 3-10 minute film project.
2. Films should be completed, uploaded to youtube, and the URL of your film posted in the comment section below by end of day Monday, June 2. Late projects will lose a grade per day, holding at C- grades.
3. Along with your completed film, you should also turn in your film script. The film script should be relatively similar to your film (i.e., it should be a script for the film you made--with understandable differences due to editing, acting, cinematography or directing choices, etc.)
4. Both the script and the film project will be given a grade for this marking period.
5. Your film should include title credits and end credits.
6. There is a short reflective response that also should be turned in with your film. We will cover this portion of the project Monday.
7. When you are done with your film projects, please upload them to youtube (make sure you allow me to see your film--do not select private only or I will not be able to watch your film or show it to the class!) Once the films are graded, you are welcome to remove the film from youtube.
8. Student films of 10 minutes or less in length can be submitted to Nazareth's Rochester Teen Film Festival. Entering your film(s) will gain you extra credit. Winning the contest will grant you even more extra credit!

If you are done with your project, please continue to work on your director research and Prezi projects. These are your last grades (apart from your Contemporary Writers portfolio). Work on these projects this week to complete the course. All film projects must be turned in by June 12. If you turn in projects after this date, you will receive no credit. Please note this absolute ending deadline.

Those of you needing a video converter for files on you iphones, try zamzar.com.