1. Teacher: Michele Martyn
Grade: 8C
Class Length: 1 hour 42 minutes
Lesson: Contemporary R. Theatre
Subject/Topic: Reader’s Theatre
Date: March 10, 2014
GLOs students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs students will
Speech 9-14
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character.
Learning Outcomes students will
1. identify key differences between classic and contemporary reader’s theatre
2. demonstrate contemporary reader’s theatre techniques
Assessments
Discussion (1)
Rehearsals (2)
Materials
LOTR Reader’s Theatre video
SmartBoard
Procedure
Introduction (5 min)
Attendance – Question of the Day:
Contemporary Reader’s Theatre (10 min)
LOTR video
Brainstorm session – What are the differences?
ie. levels, body movement, tableaux, script as a prop, focusing onstage/offstage
Warm up (15 min)
Stretch bodies
Vocal warm ups
Chairs in a circle
Script on whiteboard – It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining, the birds were
singing, and Jenny was having a lovely time on her walk. Suddenly, Jenny ran into the
man with the fake leg around the corner. Hey! Watch where you’re going! Oh my
goodness, I’m so sorry!
2. Partner work!
practice getting up to grab attention (When suddenly, something unexpected
happened)
practice freezing after statements
focusing onstage/offstage
Script prop work – pirate ship, canoe, knights, caught in the rain, super hot outside
Introduce Contemporary Project (5 min)
Hand out rubric
Go over rubric & assignment
Rehearsing (25 min)
Spread groups out
Monitor rehearsals
Entrances (10 min)
Sampler of entrances & titles in character
Stars and a wish
Rehearsing More (30 min)
Immediate chance to work on wishes from above
Closure (2 min)
On Thursday we’ll be doing our final rehearsals & polishing everything up
Someone from each group: one of the differences between classic & contemporary
3. Teacher: Michele Martyn
Grade: 8C
Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Lesson: Reader’s Theatre Scene Work
Subject: Reader’s Theatre
Date: March 13, 2014
GLOs: students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs: students will
Speech 9-14
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character
Learning Outcomes: students will
1. identify key differences between classic and contemporary reader’s theatre
2. demonstrate contemporary reader’s theatre techniques
Assessments:
Discussion (1)
Rehearsals (2)
Materials:
Reader’s Theatre videos
SmartBoard
Scripts
Procedure:
Introduction (5 min):
Attendance – Question of the Day:
Warm Up (8 min):
Physical warm up – your character is a detective who’s found a clue, a giant bird just
dropped you on the edge of a 300 ft tall cliff, you’re searching for buried treasure open
the closet door in front of you & see the dead body,
Vocal warm ups – a door opens, you’ve found a dog, building a fire,
Contemporary Reader’s Theatre (10 min):
Video: “Reader’s Theater: The Mock Turtle’s Story”
“The Chamber Readers – Forty Fortunes, by Aaron Shepard”
Brainstorm Session: What do we notice about these videos? Cool things we might want
to think about incorporating?
Transition to Rehearsing (2 min):
Grab scripts, put chairs in rows for rehearsals
Time it up (8 minutes):
Campfire circle
Read straight through for 7 minutes
That’s how much text we need: take it to a complete story beat.
4. First Story Beat (15 min)
Look at your script, figure out where the first chunk of your script is, and focus on it
Make sure you hit as many of these aspects of cont. you can include (script as prop,
choreography, levels, sound effects, becoming props/setting)
Look for a group showing exemplar of one technique, show to class
Second Story Beat (15 min):
Move on to the second chunk of your script
Look for a group showing exemplar of one technique, show to class
Third Story Beat (15 min):
Move on to the third chunk of your script
Look for a group showing exemplar of one technique, show to class
Run Through From Top (15 min):
Trying it from the top (incl. entrance)
Curtain Call (7 min):
Practice curtain call & exit
Show class if time permits
Closure (2 min):
Review good techniques of Cont.
5. Teacher: Michele Martyn
Grade: 8C
Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Lesson: Pre-Production
Subject: Reader’s Theatre
Date: March 18
GLOs: students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs: students will
Speech 9-14
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character
Learning Outcomes: students will
1. demonstrate contemporary reader’s theatre techniques
2. perform one scene from an 8 minute reader’s theatre piece to the class
Assessments:
Self-Checklist (1)
In-class performances (1, 2)
Rehearsals {checklist} (1, 2)
Materials:
Checklists
Scripts
Rubrics
Procedure:
Introduction (10 min):
Attendance/Question of the Day
Hand back rubrics, hand out self-checklists
In your groups, you’ll be working on 1-3 line sections of your scripts, focusing on the
theme of your station
I’ll be making notes on your rehearsal – what are some signs of a good rehearsal
(focused on your own group, doing not just talking)
Stations
Watching for moments to highlight
Observing from centre of stations (groups set up in a square in the classroom)
Students need time to record what they did at each station
1st Rotation (22 min)
5 min/station – Levels, Props, Whole Body Movement, Blocking
2nd Rotation (22 min)
5 min/station – Interactions between actors, Exit/Entrance/Curtain Call, Facial
Expressions, Movement Downstage of Stools
3rd Rotation (22 min)
5 min/station – Tableau, Performers as Something Other Than People, Soundscaping,
Expressive Vocals
6. 1st Scene (13 min)
Students receive 6 min to work on first scene
Will need to pick one moment (1-3 lines) from first scene to show to class after 7
minutes
Need to be writing down what they’re adding
2nd Scene (13 min)
Students receive 6 min to work on second scene
Will need to pick one moment (1-3 lines) from first scene to show to class after 7
minutes
Need to be writing down what they’re adding
Closure (2 min)
After spring break we’ll get to perform these
What worked about this kind of rehearsal process?
Who liked having to focus on one station?
Who wished there was more time at certain stations?
Which stations did you want more time at?
7. Teacher: Michele Martyn
Grade: 8C
Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Lesson: Contemporary RT Pre-Prod.
Subject: Reader’s Theatre
Date: March 31, 2014
GLOs: students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs: students will
Speech 9-14
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character
Learning Outcomes: students will
1. demonstrate contemporary reader’s theatre techniques
2. complete a run-through of an 8 minute reader’s theatre piece
Materials:
Checklists
Rubrics – Group Self Reflection on back
Evaluation notes
Whiteboard timer
Assessments:
Self – Rubric, Checklists
Teacher – evaluation notes
Procedure:
Introduction (5 min)
Attendance/Question of the Day:
Production Meetings (3 min):
Split your script into 4 parts
Figure our most important part of each section (Mark it w/pencil)
Section 1 (10 min)
Timer on SmartBoard for 10 minutes
Work on your first section
Make sure we will be able to tell what the most important part is, emphasize it somehow
You have an entire sheet full of ways to emphasize (sound effects, levels, movement
downstage of your stools, music, etc.)
Don’t forget what you worked on before Spring Break
Important Moment 1 (1 min)
Have one group show important moment
Section 2 (10 min)
Work on section 2, emphasizing important moment
Important Moment 2 (1 min)
Have another group show important moment
Section 3 (10 min)
8. Work on third section, emphasizing important moment
Important Moment 3 (1 min)
Have third group perform important moment
Section 4 (10 min)
Work on final section, emphasizing important moment
Important Moment 4 (1 min)
Have last group show important moment
Entrance/Exit/Curtain Call (8 min)
Put 8 minutes on SmartBoard timer
Make sure it’s an extension of the story
Have students work on Entrance/Curtain Call/Exit
All Together (8 min x 4 = 32 min)
8 minutes on SmartBoard timer
Put it all together, 8 minutes is the length your piece should be for performance
I’ll be watching each group and making notes
Give 30 seconds for a production meeting after each run through
1st Run Through (8 min)
Focusing on one group & making Evaluation notes
2nd Run Through (8 min)
Focusing on second group & making Evaluation notes
3rd Run Through (8 min)
Focusing on third group & making Evaluation notes
Final Run Through (8 min)
Focusing on final group & making Evaluation notes
Closure (12 min)
Next class you’re going to be performing
In your groups, I want you to take your Rubrics and give your company the grade you
think you would deserve if your final run through had been your performance.
On the back of your rubrics, I want you to write down Three Stars from your Reader’s
Theatre, and Three Wishes to work on next class before your performance. Be really
specific, so that you can do the best job possible in your dress rehearsal next class.
9. Teacher: Michele Martyn
Grade: 8C
Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Lesson: Contemp. RT Performances
Subject: Reader’s Theatre
Date: April 3, 2014
GLOs students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs students will
Speech 9-14
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character
Learning Outcomes students will
1. complete a cue-to-cue tech rehearsal
2. perform their reader’s theatre piece
Materials
Rubrics (One for self, one for teacher)
Stools for performances
Chairs for rehearsals
Assessments
Performance – self & teacher
Procedure
Introduction (15 min)
Attendance/Question of the Day
Warm Up (8 min)
Vocal Warm Up
Tongue twisters, “Little Peter Rabbit”
Physical Warm Up
Stretches
Cue-to-Cue (20 min)
Each group will get 5 minutes with the light & sound board
They will run a cue to cue while the other groups go over the things they wrote down
that they need to work on/the notes that I gave them at the end of last class
Cue to cue just consists of the cue line for the sound, figuring out who is turning on the
sound, how loud it needs to be, the cue line to end the sound, who is turning off the
sound (is it the same person or someone different). Also if groups want to add in lighting
they will also need to include what the cue line for the light change is, who is operating
the light change, is there an end to the cue? And then running those cue lines.
Dress Rehearsals (45 min)
Each group will get one opportunity to work with the stools, groups will cycle to use of
the stage.
As for the lighting/sound cues, if the group is on stage, then they should run with sound
& light cues. If the group is not working on stage with the stools, they should have the
10. student operating tech exit as if they were to operate tech, and call out “Sound Cue 1,
Light Cue 1, Sound Cue 2”, etc. when appropriate
Performances (10 min)
Choose one group to perform. Go over audience behavior (giving energy to performers
so the performers can give to audience, quiet, engaged, who you’re sitting by).
Performance.
Closure (4 min)
Stars & Wishes. If performing group would definitely benefit form “Final Performance”
on next day, talk about dress rehearsals in front of audience. (What can we learn from
their performance?)
If performing group was as successful as possible, have them complete self-reflection
while rest of class conducts production meetings.
Production meetings – this is what we need to make sure we do for next class.
Rest of class performing next class – Tuesday.
11. Teacher Michele Martyn
Grade 8C
Time 1 hour 42 min
Lesson Reader’s Theatre Performance
Subject Reader’s Theatre
Date April 8, 2014
GLOs students will
explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
explore specific techniques demanded by various dramatic forms
develop awareness of various conventions of theatre
SLOs students will
Speech
9. Use volume, articulation and projection to achieve clarity.
10. Demonstrate effects of intonation, rate, pause and phrasing on the meaning of
words.
11. Use pitch to effect quality of voice production.
12. Demonstrate a stage whisper.
13. Use voice to communicate mood and emotion.
14. Use a variety of character voices.
Acting
15. Use the body and body language to enhance characterization
16. Demonstrate economy in movement and speech.
18. Use voice variety to enhance a character.
20. Enter and exit in character
Learning Outcomes students will
1. Perform a contemporary reader’s theatre piece
2. Apply knowledge of contemporary reader’s theatre techniques through peer and self
assessment
Assessments
Rubrics (Self & Teacher)
Materials
Scripts
Rubrics
Stage
Procedure
Introduction (10 min)
Attendance/Question of the Day
Warm Up (10 min)
Physically ready – stretching, jogging in one spot, walking around the room (now you’re
on the moon! now you’re trudging through a swamp! now you’re in the desert!)
Vocally ready – hooting, tongue twisters (she sells sea shells, unique new york, red
leather yellow leather, toy boat, peter piper)
Tech Review (10 min)
Classic show structure – House music up, house lights down, stage lights up, house
music down, performance, house music up, blackout, lights up for curtain call, lights
down, house lights up
Company meeting – make sure your cue sheet is in order – 5 minutes to make sure
everything’s in order (quick chat with your tech crew if necessary)
12. Final Run Through (20 min)
It’s too late for rehearsal, you just need to run your show
Hand back rubrics, quick reminder of 5 areas we’re looking at
Groups to rehearse their performance
Performances (45 min)
Review audience behaviour (giving energy to the performers, not anyone/anything
around us, not writing anything, listening, engaged, etc.)
The Dead Rising requested to go first last class
Groups perform, stars & wishes, self-assessment between performances (especially if
running short on time, but should be time for this at end)
Closure (7 min)
Time for self-assessment
Go over stars from classes
On Friday we’ll begin our Screen to Scene assignments – Maybe start thinking of film
scenes that you’d like to see on stage
13. What are you doing & When does it happen?
Different levels
Props (script,
mimed, stools)
Music
(live/recorded)
Whole body
movement
Blocking
Interactions
between actors
Interesting
entrance, exit
and curtain call
Expressive
vocals
Facial
expressions
Movement
downstage of
stools
Tableau
Performers as
something other
than people
Soundscaping
14. Contemporary Readers Theatre Evaluation Form
Exemplary Proficient Satisfactory Limited
Entrance,
Exit &
Curtain Call
Choreographed to
catch audience’s
attention, in
character, tied to
the story
Choreographed,
in character and
introduces story
Entrance and
exit are in
unison and
professional
Disjointed, no
change from
classic
Levels Several levels
throughout
performance,
effectively
choreographed to
take focus, reflect
relationships and
action
Different levels
present in
performance,
attempting to
take focus
Different levels
are used in the
performance
Levels are
absent from the
performance
Facial
Expressions
Dynamic facial
expressions, add
interest and
vibrancy
throughout
performance
Different facial
expressions
clearly define
characters and
enhance the
story
Facial
expressions
are used in an
attempt to
clarify the story
and create
character
Facial
expressions
not present
Vocal
Performance
Dialogue is
articulated,
dynamic,
expressive, and
projected
Dialogue is
interesting to
listen to,
expression
adds to story
Dialogue has
moments of
expression
Dialogue
monotonous or
unclear
Creativity Creative and
unique choices
evident
throughout
performance,
consistently
adding to
performance
Creative risks
evident multiple
times
throughout
performance
Performance is
predictable,
with a few
creative risks
taken
Little to no
evidence of
risks taken,
similar to
classic
Names
Notes:
Grade:
