Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Chapter 6 Review Questions - Updated 11/12

Chapter 6: Designers & Technicians

**What is the initial framework for design?
**What is the difference between realistic and metaphoric scenery?
**Describe the design of a box set.
**What technological advances have alowed scenery to be more stylistic?
(New as of 10/30:)
**What is a scrim and how does it work?
**Why are properties (props) crucial?
**What was used for stage lighting in 1439?
**What brought stage lighting into the modern phase?
**What are the primary considerations of lighting design?
(New as of 11/12:)
**What are the 4 functions of modern costuming?
**How was Glenn Close's costume in A Streetcar Names Desire symbolic of her character, Blanche?
**What is the purpose of illustrative makeup?
**What is the purpose of stylized makeup?
**Carefully read the sections on Digital Technology and the Technical Production Team. Be able to match job descriptions to job titles (pages 180-185).

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sample Bio

People seemed nervous about writing a bio, so here is what I might write for an actual bio:
TOMMY IAFRATE is thrilled to be directing High Stakes! For years, Tommy has served as the Artistic Director of Kaleidscope Theatre, a touring children's theatre company. Performance credits include: Nat'l and Asian tours of Cabaret (Bobby, u/s Emcee), TBTS's Bye Bye, Birdie! (Harvey Johnson) and Anything Goes (Luke). Musical Directing/Instrumental (piano, sax, clarinet, flute): 7 shows at the Goodspeed Opera House, 3 Royal Caribbean cruise ships, King Richard's Faire, PPAC's Chance to Dance, Acting Up's Swing! and A Chorus Line, and CCA's Full Monty and Footloose. 2005 BA, RI College, Musical Theatre & Physics. Special thanks to Mom, xoxo!

If I weren't allowed to include any of my performing experience (ie, if I didn't have any), then I might write:
TOMMY IAFRATE is thrilled to be making his University of Rhode Island directorial debut with this production of High Stakes! He is a 2005 graduate of Rhode Island College, where he double majored in Musical Theatre and Physics. In his spare time, Tommy can be found volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign, taking sign language classes at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, or riding up and down the Washington secondary bike path. Other interests include playing the piano, politics, palindromes, and pi. Special thanks to Mom for the love and encouragement that were never in short supply. Peace!

(By the way, if my math-geekiness were ever in doubt, be aware that they are both exactly 100 words!)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Homework #6

This is a big one. So, (a) it isn't due until Thursday 10/23, and (b) it's worth triple the weight of a regular homework assignment. It comes in several parts, and they are:
  • Headshot & Bio: Actors usually have an 8x10 headshot that they submit at auditions. (At one time, headshots were always black and white, but more recently, color headshots have become popular - for this assignment, either a b&w or a color headshot is acceptable.) Your bio should be a brief, approx. 100-word biography all about YOU. (Typically, the bio highlights other shows an actor has performed in, where the actor went to school, and may include a special "thanks" to special family members/friends/deities/etc.).
  • Handwrite lines: In order to make the author's words your own, you should write the words out by hand. By physiologically guiding those words into your head, through your hand, and out of your pen, they become yours. This exercise is intended to help make these words sounds more natural and extemporaneous when spoken aloud.
  • Character backstory: In order to flesh out the characters a bit, create a "backstory", or a background description, for your character. Write in the first person (so say "My name is Mindy Dowd", not "Her name is Mindy Dowd" or "My character's name is Mindy Dowd"), and include the following information: your (character's) first and last name, age, family situation (do you live at home? with both parents? any brothers/sisters?), number of years working for the Bureau, how you feel personally about Mindy, Mrs. Mock, and Mr. Downsides (or do you even know Mr. Downsides?). Use these questions as a base; you may feel free to say more than what I've asked here.
  • Actor's work: (Feel free to consult pages 90-91 of the book, where I found these questions. Again, write in the first person) What is your main objective, or goal? If possible, put this in terms of other characters in the play. What is one tactic that you use to achieve this goal? This play involves a group of people posing as a class, testing the resolve of the one outsider, Mindy. How do you fit into the world of this play?
  • Directorial work: What would you choose as the (one-word) theme of this play, and why?

  • Please be sure to hand-write your lines, and type all other sections.

    Also, don't forget to see Small Tragedy this weekend, if you haven't already seen it. Your critiques are due on Tuesday before the Midterm.

    Wednesday, October 15, 2008

    Study Session

    Just a reminder ladies and gents that I'll be holding a review session tomorrow from 5:30 to 6:30 in the Library 24 hour room!! I hope to see alot of you there!

    My e-mail is also on the syllabus if you can't make the study session but would like to meet with me, e-mail me!

    See you in the morning!
    Kristen

    Tuesday, October 14, 2008

    10/14 Cast List

    Adam Arrighi (Spencer)
    Scott Benson (Will)
    Julie-Ann Boco (Beth)
    Lee Anne Bretti (Melissa/cheer captain)
    Esthefany Cabrera (Jennifer)
    Kayla Chehy (Ashley/Tap Dancer)
    Erica Dost (Mindy)
    Carolyn Foster (Meghan)
    Michael Golub (Josh)
    Mardea Halley (Jason... to be renamed "Jamieson")
    Shannon Hastings (Mrs. Mock)
    Caleb Heikes (Casey)
    Joshua Labossiere (Ryan)
    Lexy McClintic (Mariah/cheerleader)
    Sharon Monteiro (Bradley... "Bonnie")
    Jennifer Perez (Elijah... "Eliza")
    Linochka Perez (Rachel)
    Sarah Piluri (Alison)
    Erkko Puranen (Colin)
    Francesca Ritzer (Michael... "Michaela")
    Stephanie Santos (Anna/cheerleader)
    Josh Savory (Mr. Downsides)
    James Silvia-Chandley (Mark)
    Amanda Wheaton (Kevin... "Kira"/cheerleader)
    Lowell Williams (Rayquan)
    Cody Zane (Adam)

    Extra Credit opportunity: Chapter 3 Quiz

    Even though we had perfect attendance in class today, I'm posting the extra credit opportunity here anyway :)

    People had trouble matching the 5 modern playwrights that were mentioned in Chapter 3 (David Mamet, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Henry Hwang, Tony Kusher, and Neil LaBute) to their appropriate descriptions on the quiz. If you got any of those questions wrong, you may submit a paper on Thursday that includes for each wrong answer:
    (1) The correct answer (ie, the playwright's name and his/her description)
    (2) The reason why this is the correct answer (you may use the textbook's description, or if you'd like, any other resource you come across.)

    Please staple your quiz to your paper so that I can see for myself which answers you got wrong.

    Chapter 5 Review Questions

    Here are your guided review questions for Chapter 5:
    **In Greek, the term disdaskalos meant what?
    **What is the role of the producer?
    **What is the most critical decision of any director?
    **Carefully read, "Making Theatre: A Play is Put Together". Pay special attention to: first reading, set construction, costume shop, call board, off book, prop shop, sound studio, paper tech, tech rehearsal, stage manager's booth.

    Thursday, October 9, 2008

    Chapter 4 Review Questions

    Here are your Chapter 4 guided review questions:
    **Be able to explain the differences in the "two notions of acting."
    **What are the basic tenets of the Stanislavsky method of acting?
    **What is the Actor's Studio and what is Lee Strasberg's "method"?
    **What is the difference between "blocking" and "business"?

    Tuesday's quiz!

    For those of you who missed class today, please be aware that there will be a quiz this Tuesday, October 14. (If you recall, a quiz worth 5% of your grade is listed on your syllabus. It is written by Jim and given to us TAs to give to all of you.) It covers the information and theatre vocabulary presented by the IOR (Instructor of Record) in the first 3 classes.

    If you have any questions, feel free to send them my way :)
    ~tommy

    Chapter 3 Review Questions

    Here are your Chapter 3 guided review questions. Stay tuned for the Chapter 4 questions later tonight :)

    **What are the two primary tools of the playwright?
    **Be able to explain continuous linearity and non-linear play structure.
    **What is the difference between credibility and intrigue?
    **Be familiar with the work of David Mamet and Tony Kushner.

    Tuesday, October 7, 2008

    Homework #5

    Note: if you are with a Tech/Management TA, you no longer need to do these assignments. The only remaining assignments you will do for me are: the Midterm, the two Critiques, the Quiz, and the Final. The following is for the Performance section, only.

    On pages 40-43 of the text, the author explores the major parts of an Aristotelian play: Exposition, Conflict, Climax, and Denouement. Identify the exposition in High Stakes, and explain why the section you chose fulfills the author's description of exposition. Do the same for conflict, climax, and denouement.

    Your response must be typed, and should include:
    Your name
    Theatre 100
    Tommy Iafrate (with an I, not an L!)
    The due date (October 9, 2008)

    Homework #5: Aristotelian plot elements of High Stakes

    Four (short) paragraphs, double-spaced, each addressing one of the four elements. Grading will be based off of content (ie, did you justify your choices?), with consideration paid to spelling and grammar as well.
    On a related note... as we talked about early on in the semester, we will be reviewing all of chapters 1-5 before your midterm, to be held two weeks from today on October 21st. That means that we need to review a new chapter every class (!), so please read chapter 3 for this Thursday. Thanks everybody! :)

    Thursday, October 2, 2008

    Outstanding assignments:

    ...and by "outstanding" I mean "incomplete," not "phenomenal" :)

    I do not have the following assignments from the following people. I am still allowing late submissions for half-credit through the end of the weekend (that is, until 12:01am, early Monday morning). All of the homeworks can be done online or can be e-mailed to me, except for the quiz and audition, which need to be done in person and need to be scheduled this weekend - so e-mail me about those.
    If you don't remember what a certain assignment was, just scroll down or check the archives on the blog.

    HW 1: Dost, Monteiro
    HW 2: Boco, Cuna, Dempsey, Dost, Mangano, Maris, Monteiro, Silvia-Chandley
    HW 3: Calle, Guscott, Harden, Heikes, Monteiro, Silvia-Chandley
    HW 4: Bretti, Cuna, Dost, Furman, Guscott, Halley, Harden, Heikes, Monteiro, Piluri, Puranen, Silvia-Chandley, Hastings
    Quiz: Monteiro
    Audition: Harden, Mangano

    Production Assignments and Cast List!

    Here are your production assignments for the Post-Split section of the semester. Several roles are still to be determined, and will be decided gradually over the next several weeks.
    The assignments are separated by area of study, and include the name of your new TA and your new classroom. You will report to these TAs/classrooms starting next class (Tuesday, October 7th).

    PERFORMANCE
    Tommy and Kristen
    The Will Theatre
    Assistant Director:
    Alex Milton
    Cast:
    Adam Arrighi (Spencer)
    Scott Benson (Will)
    Julie Ann Boco
    Lee-Anne Bretti (Melissa/cheer captain)
    Esthefany Cabrera
    Kayla Chehy
    Erica Dost (Mindy)
    Carolyn Foster
    Michael Golub
    Mardea Halley
    Shannon Hastings (Mrs. Mock)
    Caleb Heikes
    Joshua Labossiere
    Lexy McClintic (Mariah/cheerleader)
    Sharon Monteiro
    Jennifer Perez
    Linochka Perez
    Sarah Piluri
    Erkko Puranen
    Francesca Ritzer
    Stephanie Santos (cheerleader)
    Josh Savory (Mr. Downsides)
    James Silvia-Chandley
    Amanda Wheaton (cheerleader)
    Cody Zane

    SETS & PROPS
    Max Ponticelli
    Connector
    Jessica Calle
    Casey Friend
    Brandyn Harden
    Emma Hernan
    Katie Mangano
    Stephen Maris
    Lauren Turrisi

    LIGHTS & SOUND
    Renée Surprenant
    Green Room
    Sarah Ferry
    Nick Guscott
    Matt Lombardi
    Austin McBurney
    Ryan Moriarty
    Derek Yee
    Marisa Young

    COSTUMES & MAKEUP
    Elana Dandeneau
    Conference Room
    Ashley Cavaleri
    Serena Cuna
    Chari Lehnertz
    Liz Oliva
    Yanna Segeren
    Kayla Smith

    MANAGEMENT
    Rachel Nadeau
    Room H101
    Publicity/House:
    Matt Furman
    Dan Gallagher
    Craig Maganzini (also Business Manager)
    Aaron O'Brien
    Nathaniel Shaw
    Stage Manager:
    Nana Ofei-Tenkorang
    Assistant Stage Managers:
    Alysa Dempsey
    Alex McCabe

    Wednesday, October 1, 2008

    Chapter 2 Review Questions

    Here are your chapter 2 review questions. Again, you do not need to answer these for an assignment. They are merely a guide for when you read the book, and a clue as to what will be included on the midterm.

    1) Be able to define genre.
    2) Be able to define the characteristics of tragedy & comedy. Terms to know: protagonist, antagonist, hamartia, catharsis.
    3) What are the origins of comedy?
    4) Be able to describe the characteristics of the following genres: interlude, mystery & morality plays, history, tragicomedy, dark comedy, melodrama, farce, and musical.
    (Updated 10/2:)
    5) What is the difference between plot and theme?
    6) What are the three major groupings of performance?
    7) What are the characteristics of conflict and climax?
    8) What occurs during postplay?