Barnegat High School

Drama 1, 2 & 3

Drama I - III Course Outline
Ms. Bollenbach

Drama Room E-105

KBollenbach@barnegatschools.com
 
 COURSE DESCRIPTION:
 
DRAMA I
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Pre-Requisite: None Grades: 10 – 12

Credits: 5 Full Year

This full-year course will introduce students to the basic elements of formal theater with a focus on the study of acting. Role–playing, spontaneous improvisation and basic beginner techniques will be studied, fostering individual creativity and self-confidence. Students also will learn about basic staging, properties, set design, and the importance of these elements in the production of a performance. Scenes and plays will be analyzed for character development, stage directions, and set design. Theatre History, as well as stage and screen performances of the past and present will be studied in congruence with students' own work. Storydrama, Playwriting, and Children's theatre will be a focus of Drama I, culminating in a public performance of student work.                       
We will study the following aspects of drama this year:
Performance (Characterization, Vocal Development & Physicality)
Students will develop confidence, self-expression and mechanics required to prepare and perform several pieces for class. These include scenes and monologues throughout the year to improve acting skill for stage. Skills we will address include movement, character development, emotion, stage presence, articulation, expression and basic direction.

This semester we will cover the following: 

Improvisation
Students will continue to work on skills acquired in Intro to Theatre, including spontaneity, problem solving, commitment to character, situation etc. We will explore Improv through scenes, class games, and implementation into performance.
 
Playwriting
We will focus on the 10-minute play, its components, objective and effect. We will study several plays of this “new” genre, and will collectively write scripts to be rehearsed and performed.
 
Technical Theatre
Drama I will give an overview of basic technical theatre facets including set design, light and sound design, costume, makeup, props, stage and house management to prepare students planning to move on to Stagecraft class.  
 
Theatre Critique
All students are required to see and write a critique of a live theatre performance at BHS for each of three marking periods. Extra credit will be given for additional critiques of outside live theatre performances.
               
Script Analysis
A Play Analysis report is due each marking period. Students will select a play to read on their own and evaluate it for production, aesthetic, and artistic value according to the form you will be given. We will also study several plays and excerpts from varied cultures and genres as a class and evaluate their merit and value.
 
Theatre History
Students will be able to parallel historical events and analyze types of theatre and theatrical movements to come from these events. You will also develop a full knowledge of the roots and notable developments of theatre.
           
Theatre Production
Students will be responsible for taking on a role in a production to be performed on the BHS stage in front of a young audience, or as a touring show at one of the elementary schools.  
           
Vocabulary, Etiquette, & Theatre Appreciation
Upon completion of this course, students should have a wide base of knowledge needed to be a thoughtful consumer of live theatre, as well as the fundamentals to conduct themselves as part of a performance or technical team in a theatre company. Students will develop a full understanding of theatrical practices, parts of the physical theatre, vocabulary and policies governing the art of drama.

 
Course Expectations & Procedures
 
Extra Help:  Hours by appointment
 
Homework Assignments will be posted on Homework Page for all Classes