Some important concepts to research about Haiti/Danticat

biographical info about the author
timeline for Haiti's history from Independence to present
Haiti's fight for and gain of Independence
Toussaint L'Ouverture
Boukman
1937, Dominican Massacre
Rafael Trujillo
Voodoo religion
Duvalier (Papa Doc)
Tonton Macoute
Jean Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc)

Review of theater terms and concepts

List of Important Theater Terms and Concepts

Acting = Behaving Truthfully Under Imaginary Circumstances
Director's Vision
Character's Journey
Clarity and Believability of the Story for the Audience
Script
Lines
Lyrics

Acts and Scenes
Monologue
Dialogue
Cue

Actor
Cast

Company

Lead Role

Supporting Role

Ensemble Role
Genres: Comedy, Tragedy, Drama, Farce
Staging

Stage Directions (and their Abbreviations)

Blocking (Movement)

Facial Expressions

Gestures

Body Language

Emotion

Emotional Build or Progress

Character

Conflict
Action = Reaction

Setting

Plot

Articulation

Enunciation

Projection

Emphasis

Rhythm

Dramatic Pauses

Suspense

Stage Whisper
An Aside

Stage Left, Stage Right, Up Stage, Down Stage, Center Stage

Back Stage

Wings

Audience/House

Black Box

Proscenium Stage

Thrust Stage

Theater in the Round

Arena Stage

Immersive Theater

Verbatim Theater

Props
Scenery

Costumes/Costume Design

Makeup and Hair Design

Set Pieces

Scenic Design

Backdrop

Digital Projections

Spotlight

Follow Spot

Lighting Design

Set Design

Sound Design

Color

Actor Preparation Techniques

Rehearsal Techniques

Uta Hagen’s 9 questions

Improv

Emotional Memory

Muscle Memory

Given Circumstances

World of the Play

Character Backstory

Motivation

Objectives/Goals

Obstacles

Tableaux/Stage Pictures

Levels

Layers

Relationships/Connections/Status/Power

Stanislavski Method

Other Theater Theorists

Naturalism/Realism

Declamatory Style

Straight Play

Musical Theater

The Fourth Wall

Suspension of Disbelief 

Director

Dramturg

Call Time

Places

Table Read

Tech Run

Dry Tech

Sitzprobe

Run Time
Intermission
Program

Verbatim Theater Unit Recap

Here are the words and phrases you used to describe Verbatim Theater:

authenticity

multiple points of view

realistic

details

truths

character

personalized

language style

signature phrases

facial expressions

gestures

imitation

personalities

emotions

based on real experiences

show why people should care

confront a topic

know more about some issues

fun

6 Mini FITM Adaptations

https://youtu.be/pLW79G-eewE

https://youtu.be/2U0YavXp4fQ

https://youtu.be/vOv3ifRwJCA

https://youtu.be/HJ75W_gOseM 

Fires in the Mirror Mini-Adaptation Project

1. Each group has its own assigned theme. Look through the play and find references to that theme in the monologues.

2. Pull out lines/words/phrases/etc that represent the different ideas and perspectives on that theme reflected in the play.

3. Use the exact language from play (don't add your own) but you can rearrange it or put it in any order and combination.

4. Turn this into a group performance of some kind.

5. Add something interesting to the performance such as movement, layers, levels, interactions, etc. -- don't just stand and read lines.

Resources for Anna Deveare Smith and Verbatim Theater

TED talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR8SwPmCFd4

Anna Deveare Smith on Theater and Activism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJL4A79vL3c

Article about Anna Deveare Smith's latest project on race and prison in the US:

https://variety.com/2018/tv/features/anna-deavere-smith-notes-from-the-field-hbo-injustice-school-to-prison-pipeline-1202698663/

Interview about her latest project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eL9oME21v0

Videos from Our Verbatim Projects -- see if you can guess who was being interviewed!

https://youtu.be/GAfZ1xjBICU


https://youtu.be/tQoIeoOBY0c


https://youtu.be/yV8O8kecy-k


https://youtu.be/w9Q2vRXdtvc 

In-class writing 9/10

Please post a response to the following prompt on your blog:

Reflect on your experience last week exploring Verbatim Theater. Why do you think people do it? What does it accomplish? What was your experience like (and your group's experience)? Was the process difficult? And if so, how so? Were any aspects easier than others? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? What did you learn?

Writing Tip -- for blog posts or life in general

Verbatim Theater

What is Verbatim Theatre? 

(adapted from Theatrefolk)

verbatim: in exactly the same words, word for word

Verbatim Theatre uses a process in which a playwright interviews subjects on a particular topic and issue, records the responses, then use those words exactly as they are – no changes. However, some companies start with the verbatim text and adapt it to suit their needs -- a dramatic adaptation of a real conversation and real words.

There are some challenges to this type of project: How do you construct a theatrical experience with this material? You’re bringing real people, speaking their own thoughts, to life.

Why Verbatim Theatre?

This process is often used to share a specific story or event. 

Verbatim Theatre gives voice to people who would not normally have a platform.

The process creates dialogue in a way that most playwrights have to manufacture otherwise. The subjects speak naturally, so their dialogue includes all the ums, pauses, slang, regionalisms, repeated words, and other speech mannerisms that happen in conversation.

Finally it is a tool to study the physicality of a specific person or group of people. How do you imitate the gestures, physical stance, and expressions of someone else?

Verbatim Theatre is a great way to work on creating a physical character and to hear/analyze natural dialogue.

Examples of Verbatim Theatre

• The Laramie Project – Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theatre Project interviewed people in Laramie Wyoming after the murder of Matthew Shepard.
• Aftershocks, Paul Brown. This play is based on interviews of survivors of an earthquake and the effect of the disaster.
• Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith. Based on interviews about the effects of the Rodney King trial and verdict.

What’s the Process?

• Choose a topic or event as the source.
• Find interview subjects.
• Subjects must be a real person (no movies) speaking in their real voice.
• The interviews must be recorded so that you can transcribe the text exactly.
• When you perform the text, speaking verbatim is key. You’re bringing someone else to life through this process and it’s important to convey their thoughts and words exactly.

Welcome to Year 2!

Welcome back everyone,

This second year of Literature and Performance is exciting! Our big project for the year is to read a set of short stories and turn them into full theater performances. This project is filmed and submitted to IB as a major assessment grade, but it is also a lot of fun. We will also prepare for the two exams that occur in May.

In the first month of the course, however, we will review and restart: reboot our blogging skills, reconnect with our theater skills, and refresh our reading and analysis skills.

If you have not yet completed the summer reading and work, see the previous post from last year, and get moving! We will have a summer reading/work assessment next Monday, and we will be discussing it in class as well.

This year, I am asking you to make a new blog with a different name, but don't delete your old one since there are likely materials on there that you will want to keep and re-use.

I am looking forward to another great year, and I can't wait to make more theater with you all!

Ms. Guarino

(This is an image from the Tony-winning production The Band's Visit which I saw this summer on Broadway -- it was exquisite.)