Unit 4

Unit 4: Acting

Vocabulary

  • Duet: Two actors performing in a scene.

  • Ensemble: A group of three or more actors performing in a scene.

  • Monologue: A speech made by a single character (solo acting performance).

  • Objective: The specific “want” or “need” of one character. The success is dependent of his or her overcoming the particular obstacles presented in the moment, scene, or play or on the actions of other character.

  • Obstacle: The specific objects, thoughts, other characters, etc. that are stopping a character from fulfilling his or her objective.

  • Performance: Referring to the production of a play or dramatic work, or the specific acting/technical job of a production member in a play.

  • Actor Abilities: The strengths of the actor in relation to the actor’s tools of imagination, the actor’s body (movement and gesture), and the actor’s voice.

  • Actor Tools: A term used to describe the combination f an actor’s voice, mind and body to play a role.

  • Blocking Conventions: The patterns and arrangement of actors’ movements on stage with respect to each other and the performance space (“staging”).

  • Motivation: The justification or reason for a particular action taken by the character.

  • Shared Position: A position onstage in which one actor mirrors another actor’s body position.

  • Stage: The performance area.

CHARACTERIZATION PROCESS

1.Observations

  • Physical appearances

  • Expression of feelings (facially, verbally, bodily)

  • Mannerisms

2.Experiences (Emotional Memory)

  • Personal

  • Others

3.Sense Memory

  • What can your character see, hear, taste, smell, and touch in the situation they are in?

  • How should your character react to what they sense (pleasant or unpleasant; familiar or unfamiliar)?

Characterization Process

  1. Have I ever seen a person acting as if he or she were experiencing the emotions my character is experiencing?

  2. What was that person’s circumstance?

  3. What specific actions did that person take?

  4. Which of those actions can I use to portray my character effectively in this situation?

  5. (After performing the actions) Did performing these actions make me experience the emotions my character is experiencing?

Character Analysis

1.What does the play say about this character (age, personality type, physical characteristics, etc.)?

2.What does this character say about himself or herself?

3.What do other characters say about this character?

4.What motivates (i.e. the reason we do things) this character’s words or actions?

5.What is his or her subtext (i.e. information that is implied but not stated by a character; thoughts or actions of a character that do not express the same meaning as the character’s spoken words)?

6.What is the emotional makeup of this character (i.e. stable, unstable, happy, depressed, angry, etc.)?

7.How does this character change or develop throughout the course of the play?

8.How does this character use language?

9.Does this character have a regional dialect?

10.Where does this character live? What is the setting of the story?

11.Is there any film or television character that reminds you of the character in the play?


Original Monologue Performance

  • Original Topic.

  • Minimum of 60 seconds.

  • Clear story flow (beginning, middle, end).

  • Decide “who” your character is talking to!

  • Major Grade.

Original Monologue Performance Requirements

  • Choose a genre (Drama, Comedy, Tragedy, or Farce)

  • Decide “who” your character is talking to!

  • Write a 1 minute monologue with a clear beginning, middle, and end

  • Performance Standards: Characterization, Articulation, Projection, Inflection, Blocking, Pacing, and Delivery.

MONOLOGUE WRITING TIPS

  • Format

    • One long paragraph that takes up an entire page. –or-

    • Several paragraphs that take up an entire page.

  • Write down what your character is going to say out loud to the audience. (*Write how to talk…think it through in your head first…then write down the lines you said in your head!)

  • Make sure your monologue has:

  • A main point (ex. First day of school; Wife in labor; First time parents; Leaving home for war; Graduation day; First date; etc.)

  • Develop a clear beginning, middle, and end!

    • Your character should experience or have to deal with at least 3 different things that relate to your main point.

  • Brain Storming

    • Take 5-10 minutes at home and write down whatever topic ideas come to your head (no matter how good or bad! Lol).

    • Go back and look at your list…select the best 2 or 3 ideas.

    • Choose 1 idea from your top choices.

  • Free Writing

    • Start writing down whatever ideas come to your head about the monologue topic you chose. (*If nothing is coming to you, start writing, “I don’t know what to write…I can’t think of the first thing to write…you know….why did my teacher give me this assignment…this reminds me of…)

    • If you start writing SOMETHING….the ideas will start to flow!


Scripts

  • Must be typed

  • No spelling errors

  • Use correct punctuation

  • Capitalize every letter of the first name of characters (ex. JOE, MARY, etc.).

MONOLOGUE REHEARSAL DAY

  • Work on:

    • Characterization (Act out your character in a believable way)

    • Blocking

    • Voice (Projection, Articulation, & Inflection)

    • Timing (must be at minimum 60 seconds long

  • You may work together with other students (in groups of 2 to 4)

  • Give each other theatrical feedback in the four areas you will be graded on (Characterization, Blocking, Voice, & Timing)

  • Work throughout the entire class time.