"DAY BOOK": All students must keep a Day Book that should be written in (A MINIMUM OF THREE PARAGRAPHS) every day that the class meets. It will be collected and evaluated periodically by the instructor. It should include:
1. All class notes on lectures and discussions.
2. Reflections on exercises and discussion.
3. Reactions to class readings.
4. All notes given to the students by the instructor and peers on Improvisations, scenes or monologues.
5. Character notes.
from Acting I:
Auditions: * Performer’s name
* Short description of situation where character speaks
* Title of the Play, Writer, Character's Name
Be prepare to answer, if asked:
* Attitude/tone of author depicted in text
* What does the character want in the scene?
* What is the goal or objective?
* What is the emotional state of the character?
* Act/Scene of monologue and why did you select this monologue?
* What is this character like?
[ selection of monologue should be appropriate to the ability, age, and sex ]
** Write the character analysis in your Actor's Journal (before -- and after your auditions)!
TR 11.30- 1 pm. Green Room THR 101 OFFICE HOURS: TR 1-2 pm or by appointment OFFICE PHONE: 474-7754 HOME: 455-6149 emailffaga@uaf.edu
Acting 121 Web Page
"https://afronord.tripod.com/classes/fact.html" (f-undamentals of act-ing, fall + act: bookmark this page now)
Your ChatRoom is at the bottom of the page
Texts: Library on reserve Dada Scripts
(Click on "Dada" to go for Pre-Production Page)
Grading:
Midterm 20% Final 30% Journal 15% Monologue 10% Scenes 10% Improv 10% Test 5%
Monologues: 1-2 pp. 5 min. Scenes: 10 min (2-3 characters). Journal: min. 3
times a week, 2-3 pp. each time. One scheduled conferences before Midterm and one after. Each missed class without a note - reduced grade.
[6] TU Sept. 22 "Setting" Improv: Character. Scenes selection due. "Improvisation": Rehearsal Methods and Actor's HomeWork
[7] THU Sept. 24 "Action": Scenes
breakdown due. "Objective and Obstacles". Journals due for the first Journals Grade. Second Monologue presentations and discussions
[11] THU Oct. 8 Scene Study II: Prop. Overview. First Written test on
Acting Theory. Improv: Scene Development. Scenes memorized
Must attend the thesis show "Laughter" and write about it in your journals!
[12] TU Oct. 13 First Scenes presentations and discussions. Midterm grade
[13] THU Oct.15 Style & Performance. Futurism: Ideology and Expressions.
[14] TU Oct. 20 Improvisation for Style. Dada & Surrealism.
[15] THU Oct. 22 Improv for "prop use."
[16] TU Oct. 27 Costumes Improv. Selection and demostration in class.
[17] THU Oct. 29 Improvisation for Space with Partners. Exercises.
Must attend "70 Scenes" Get your tickets from the
Box-Office (you are on the list).
OCTOBER 31 -- HAUNTED THEATRE HALLOWEEN!
[18] TU Nov. 3. ELECTION DAY
[19] THU Nov. 5 Second Test (in class)
[20] TU Nov. 10 Improvisation for Time. Speed, Pace, Acceleration, Rhythm, Tempo.
[21] THU Nov. 12 Trouble-shooting Rehearsals.
[22] TU Nov. 17 Scene studies III. Back to Analysis.
[23] THU Nov. 19 Scenes run-through.
[24] TU Nov. 24 "Fish" Rehearsals.
November 26 -- THANKSGIVING
[25] TU Dec. 1 "Fish" in class. Tuning-up.
[26] THU Dec. 3 "Fish" -- problem-spots in class. PERFORMANCE OF "THE
FISH" Nights -- DEC. 3, 4, 5 & 6
[27] Dec. 8. "Fish" Postmorten. (Your self/evaluations must be written in your journals)
[28] Dec. 10 Re-working the scenes.
Final Exams Week: Dec. 15 Revised Scenes. Final Grades for Performance. Journals due. Final is open for the public. All guests are welcome.
"The most important thing in acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made." George Burns
Check Theatre UAF Master Calendar for our Fall productions and events. Join the SDA, Student Drama Association! Theatre Majors must have Theatre UAF Advising Handbook.
How to Use This Site
Take notes in class (use your journal, keep it with you all the time). If you don't understand some terminology, go to Glossary. Also, each topic on this syllabus is connected with the appropriate page, but the pages are designed for all levels of acting and directing. If you miss the class, you won't know how much you should know and you will read it all. Don't miss classes.
If you have a legitimate reason for not being in class, you call in, leave a message or email me.
The Master-File with monologues and scenes is in the Library on reserve (select the pages, copy them and put back).
If you don't show up for rehersals with your partners, they drop you -- they get the grade, you don't.
For Homework and Jounal keeping instructions go to the 221 page.
If you want to see a sample of the test on Acting Theory, please, go to Forms & Samples page.
HOW TO WORK with Yourself
You can print out the entire site and use it as a textbook, or mark the selections you need and print them only. Follow the links in each class and read the pages related to the topics. If you need more information, use the outside links on my pages, or search the Net. The text for monologues and scenes are not posted, but in the library on reserve. You can use the monologues and scenes I have on my site, they’re copyright free (that’s why I can post them). Don’t waste your time on search for a perfect-for-you monologue/scene. Go with the instinct, do the cold reading in class; you can change your mind later, when you’ll get the feedback from the class. Don’t memorize the lines, not till you went through some analysis, dramatic breakdown and develop your idea about the character and movement (floor plan). Don’t go
through useless read-through in class; we are here to work on your piece, even for cold reading you should have some ideas about the role. Throw them at us, try and test your design!
If you can’t make your mind, I’ll select the text for you. We want to have a good performance, not a great literature presented. (Usually they are together, but if a monologue is above your head, go for something you understand and feel for).
Do you have somebody at home or dorm to perform for? Torture them -- tape-recorder is good, but humans are better. Use them to feed you lines, this way you’ll get rid of the papers in your hands sooner.
No-no Things: Nobody needs to know that you forgot your line. We don’t care for words, we are into acting. Don’t stop. Don’t appologize, don’t curse yourself outloud. Do it later at home.
No-no: Don’t get into this “talent stuff” -- am I talented, I am no good, bad, do I have a potential, I suck, stink and etc. The class is not an academy award, you’re here to get as much as you can out of yourself. Let the others judge you.
Do it: If you don’t like somebody’s performance in class, speak up your mind. You don’t have to butcher your classmates; imagine yourself doing their material -- how would you have done it? That’s a constructive criticism for you! Besides, if you don’t speak in class, you do disservice to all, including yourself. You
don’t learn how to articulate your ideas.
Now, go to YOUR CLASS PAGE Summer Acting 1998 to see who is in class, assignments, how you're doing and etc.
On your first day in class all of you have "A"s! Try to keep up good grades!
Here's a new tool for you, folks -- a chat room. You can post questions to each other, me or even yourself! Try it! You have to have a name (use your real name) and password to enter (for privacy and security). Go there! ...and tell me how it works.
