HOLLISTON HIGH SCHOOL
COURSE OVERVIEW
Director�s Workshop
Mr. Hickey
Course Description:
Students will approach the living art of theater from a new perspective
as sculptor rather than clay. This new focal point will give students an
opportunity to make their visions a reality on stage. From text analysis to
the importance of delivering motivated movement on stage, students will
learn to develop a directors concept and overall vision for a theatrical
piece thus learning the responsibilities of assuming the directors chair.
Students will address issues of character analysis, blocking, scenery,
costume, lighting and sound choices. They will analyze plays structural
elements, playwrights' intentions, and plays' Aristotelian theatrical
elements.
Goals:
By the completion of this course the successful student will have learned:
A. to work cooperatively and creatively in both self and teacher
determined groups of varying sizes in the development and/or
presentation of ideas
B. to form solutions to the dramatic problem that exhibit much greater
depth, detail and complexity than those in Drama I and II.
C. to identify and apply the dynamics of Dramatic Form and Content,
i.e.: conflict, conflict resolution, dramatic structure, theme, subtext,
premise, point of view, style, metaphor, etc...
D. to identify, through the creation and performance of dramatic
solutions to given problems, their artistic voice.
E. to develop through script analysis, and have the ability to
communicate a thorough and concrete episodic theme/subject and character
exploration.
F. to evaluate and critique the quality of interpretation, prepared
scenes and individual performances.
G. to develop a director�s concept and overall vision of a theatrical
piece.
H. to bring into play in a theatrical piece; visual progression,
psychological areas, visual pauses, level, movement justification, visual
focus.
I. to display in performance a broad understanding of Gestalt�s
psychology concepts
J. to identify how opinions, biases, values, and the significance of
race, gender, age, economic status, ethnicity, etc., influence the point of
view of the individual and society.
Course Materials:
A. Source Materials: various plays, text books used:
(1) Directing for the Stage: A Workshop Guide of 42 Creative
Training Exercises and Projects. Converse, Terry John.
(2) The Director�s Vision: Play Direction from Analysis to Production.
Catron, Louis E..
(3) A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing.
Ball, William.
B. Videos: films, plays, television shows, documentaries
C. Other Art Forms: music, sound recordings, paintings, photography,
sculpture, illustrations, etc.
Student Assessment:
ABCs 10%
Effort 10%
Participation 20%
Scene work 30%
Folder 10%
Director�s Book 20%
Class Format and Procedures:
ABC�s � What are they?
Attitude, Behavior and Cooperation. Most or all of you have been in
at least 2 other drama classes and know the protocol to this area. In
a less formal setting we must still strive for educational
excellence. The main objective in a class of this type is complete
understanding of all of the lessons. We must have complete cooperation,
positive attitudes with mature and responsible behavior.
Effort
Success only comes with giving it your all. For some of you I understand
that the world of theatre is not in your future but I still expect that you
will give 100% to each and every activity and assignment.
Participation
The goal is to have a free-flowing exchange of thoughts and ideas in this
class. Some of the class time will be spent on group discussion. You are
all expected to participate fully in these formats. Your participation
grade will be based mostly on your participation in group discussions and
the guidelines for this grading will be taken from the school wide speaking
rubric. (Attached)
Scene Work
Throughout the term we will be working in class on various scenes. The
progression will commence with silent scenes moving into moments where the
silence is broken with sound and/or text culminating in scripted pieces.
The grade will be based on your progress while working on these scenes and
the result of the progress, the performance of each scene.
Folders
Hand-outs will be given throughout the term and students are responsible to
keep these organized in a folder. All hand-outs could very possibly be used
in addressing different issues with the final project. Folders will be
checked at the end of the term.
Final Scenes
At the end of the quarter students will direct a scene from a script of
their choice (with permission from the teacher) using outside actors.
(fellow students from the school) Details for this final project will be
given out when the final scenes are selected.
Director�s Book
This project will go hand in hand with the final scene. Each student will
submit a director�s book with all notes, blocking, set design ideas, ground
plan(s), Character analysis, costume notes, lighting notes/choices,
director�s concept statement, etc... Specifics and examples will be given
when final scenes are selected.
Class Materials:
Pen/Pencil
Folder with pockets
3 Ring Binder
Extra Help/Make-up Policy
I will be available after school for students who feel they are falling
behind or do not understand the concepts we are discussing in class. For
assignments that are missed due to a students absence it is the students
responsibility to find out what was missed during the absence. Students
should see me either before or after class, after the end of the school day
or during DSB. If students miss a scene performance that they were involved
in and were scheduled to perform on the day of the absence it is up to that
student to see me to reschedule the scene performance the morning following
the absent day.
Communication:
Office � 107 (right outside the auditorium to the left)
Office phone # - 508-429-0677 x5107
Email � hickeyb@holliston.k12.ma.us
Website � http://teacherweb.com/MA/HollistonHighSchool/MrHickey/