Production class

Theatre Production Class Syllabus Independence High School

Theatre Productions The prerequisite for this course is either Drama or Technical Theater Arts I and/or teacher approval. The goal of this class is for students to learn the elements of productions, there are no small parts, only shorter performers.

This class will build upon the foundations of those previous classes, but will explore play production more in depth through application and public performance. This class will produce two major plays a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. We will also produce a minor show each semester and assist with other productions as needed. This means that similar to other advanced courses you will need to put in time outside of the classroom day. This time is scheduled and you will need to respect your fellow students and instructors by following the schedule. You are graded primarily on progress which leads to the final production.

Fall Major Production: Mid - Late October (Straight Play)

Fall Minor: Either Early/Mid September OR December

Spring Major Productions: Musical - Mid March, IDance - April/May

Spring Minor: I.T.S. One Act - January, Melodramas - May

Coursework will include: Theatre etiquette, Vocal and physical warm-ups Theater vocabulary, Artistic discipline, Improvisation, Movement, Characterization, Acting Scenes, Business of the production, Stage Management, In-depth play analysis of a play and a musical, Theater history, Play production reviews of live theatrical performances, Production design and various aspects technical theater. For students coming from the Acting courses - Your focus will be on the acting side of a production, for the students coming from the Technical Aspect - Your focus will be from the technical aspects associated with a show.

Grades:

We use a basic grading: 100 - 90% - A, 89 - 80% - B, 79 - 70% - C, 69 -60% D, Below 59% F.

Major Grades (Working on elements for a Major performance) = 50%

Minor Grades (daily class work, singular projects) = 30%

Participation in class = 20%

Recommended Supplies: 1 inch black 3 ring binder with plastic cover for scripts and paperwork, binder loose-leaf notebook paper pen, pencil, highlighter.

Makeup Work: Students will be allowed the opportunity to make up work as needed, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MAJOR PRODUCTION. Since a Major production from start to finish takes approx 10 weeks, this work can not be made up.. Students will be given opportunities to create and work on minor shows as needed to make up the time that would be needed to be in a major production. However, since a minor production takes less time to create and perform, the points will NOT equal that of a major production.

Please note: if the student is absent contact the teacher IMMEDIATELY! Other students and other schedules are depending on the person being present. We need to shift immediately when a scheduled person is absent.

Class Rules: 1. Demonstrate control of your body. 2. Respect others and their property. 3. Arrive on time prepared to create and perform. 4. Maintain focus and be sure to participate. 5. Audience etiquette: watch, listen and be open to learning. 7 Participate in the elements which lead to a production on the stage. Consequences will range, depending on the severity and frequency of the infraction.

A Few Words about Participation and Positive Attitude: I am so happy to have you as a student and look forward to an exciting year! Theatre Arts is a truly fun and rewarding journey. In this class, students must be willing to participate in all exercises, activities, scene work, technical work and projects. The coursework is centered on participation and collaboration with peers. To create an environment where individuals feel comfortable performing in front of peers, we must support and respect each other. Much like a sports team, in each class we will strive to give every practice our best effort and to offer encouragement to others. Being supportive of classmates and displaying proper audience etiquette is equally as important as the project work. Just like athletes, artists must have self-discipline and in this class, students will learn to manage time, rehearse according to a schedule and to meet deadlines. A positive attitude, teamwork and a willingness to try are the key ingredients to a successful experience in Theatre Arts class.

10 F.A.Q.'s about this class -

1. Can a student participate in the class and NOT be a part of the major productions? No, The class focus is on producing a production. Elements of a production reach far beyond, just acting A student can request an aspect to work on either on stage or backstage, but the student must be a part of the production and see it through to competition, similar to other class projects. Public viewing of productions are a part of the state and national standards for the class. The focus of the class is the production of the show and not the acting. Rehearsals happen after school for those students interested in performing.

2. What does it mean to participate in this class? Do I have to perform on stage? That depends on which performing basic level 1 art you are coming from. If you are an actor, you would be expected to be in the Acting portion of a main stage show. If you come from the Technical Theater aspect, you are expected to continue on the technical end of a show. However, you need to talk directly to Ms. Edwards if you plan to switch primary focus. Everyone is expected to assist in the producing of the overall main stage productions of the class.

3. What if I came from the acting perspective, but want to be a technician? YES! You can do that! Actors are generally put into the Costume, Props and Public Relations categories, while Techs are primarily put into Sound, Set Construction and Lighting. These categories are not absolute, but a student is placed in the fall based upon their interest and strength and in the spring they are given a challenge to grow in new areas of learning.

4. Can you provide an example? YES! Let's say a student is placed in the Public Relations Team. Members of that team work with other students both in and outside of the production. They help create posters and art work needed for the show. They assist with the business end in ticketing the show and running the box office and house management during the show. This group also creates the programs and displays in the lobby as well as the social media outreach. When not engaged in PR team assignments or creating self directed assignments, the team members are asked to assist in other elements of the production to help put on a successful production (i.e. - Costumes, Props, Set Building are the most common)

5. Can a student participate in the production, not be part of the class and earn class credit? No. While our productions do carry the required amount of work hours needed for a student to obtain credits in the Visual and Performing Arts coursework, ESUHSD does not allow students to obtain class credit when not enrolled in the course. Students in Drama 1 and Tech Theater 1 recieve extra credit for going above and beyond the in class curriculum.

6. Do the advanced Tech students have the same requirements as the advanced acting students? Because there is less direct rehearsal time involved with the tech students, tech students are required to do a Major and a Minor show each semester. Technical Theater students may do more if they wish to and more time spent learning the various systems in the theater may lead to a job offer to work some of our rentals. Contact edwardsr@esuhsd.org for more information about our Tech theater intership program

7. Can I still do outside sports/other activities and still be part of the class and production? YES! I am a strong supporter of a fully rounded student, however I do ask that you inform me in advance if you plan to do other activities so that I can build a schedule which can be suitable for everyone involved.

8. What hours are put into the production schedule? For Actors rehearsals the director is scheduled M-F from 7th period to 5:30 pm. The majority of rehearsals end at 5:00 in the fall and 5:30 in the spring. not every students is called for every day of rehearsal. The only time all students are called is during the final tech week where all of the elements are put together. Tech week is usually M-Th from 4:00 pm - 8:30 pm with dinner included. PARENTS NEED TO PICK UP STUDENTS NO LATER THAN 9:00 pm! These tech rehearsals are essential to the overall success of the production process, for it is the ONLY time all of the theater elements come together, just prior to the shows opening.

9. What if my student worked on a major production, but did not complete the work or did not perform due to outside of our control issues? First and foremost, please contact Ms. Edwards when this happens. A loss in one team member affects the entire production. The student is still expected to work in the class on the production team assigned, so that the show moves forward. We are fortunate enough to be a theater rental in East Side for many in school and outside productions which require additional help. I will speak with the student and IF POSSIBLE, arrange an alternative minor production for the student to work on based on the need of the student and the willingness to help out these other show productions.

10. Where can I find more information about my students schedule? We create an additional google class called Main stage Productions. This page is for communication and scheduling and is updated bi-weekly. You can also reach out to edwardsr@esuhsd.org.

Example of a typical week of rehearsal Schedule:

Monday - Act 1 Scenes 3, 8 and Act 2 Scene 4: Sally, Cliff, Kost and Earnst

Tuesday - Musical Rehearsal - Soloist, Dance rehearsal: ensemble

Wednesday - Acting Rehearsal on stage - Sally and M.C.

Thursday - Musical Rehearsal - Soloist, Dance rehearsal: Kit Kat Club Dancers

Friday - Act 1 Scene 4 and Act 2 Scenes 2, 5, & 7 - Schinder, Schultz, Cliff, Sally, Earnst