INTRO TO STORYTELLING

WELCOME TO THE

DRAMA DEPARTMENT!!!

            We have an exciting year planned for you. This year in Drama class, we will be taking a journey through the ages while learning about Theater and Storytelling in all of the regions you will be covering in your Social Studies classes.  With each region we travel to in Storytelling we will add another element of theatrical performance.  This is a brief overview of our upcoming journey.

September:  Introduction to Storytelling

During this unit of study, students will all learn the basics of performance. We will also use this

time to come up with our group guidelines and get to know each other

·       Creation of group agreements, classroom guidelines, and contracts

·       Basic overview of the course

·       Introduction of stage directions

·       Group building and ice breakers

·       Introduction of Drama as a language & vocabulary

·       Tongue Twisters and vocal warm ups

·       Physical warm ups and character interpretations

·       Facial Expressions

·       Vocal Projection

·     Gestures

Middle East & Egypt

During this unit of study, students are asked to use only what is on their bodies to tell a story.  They are not to incorporate any props, sound effects, or set pieces.  They must work only within their groups and entertain the class with their story.

·       Physicalization of characters

·       Create your own folk tale or fairy tale

·       Using your body to tell a story

NB: Students are discouraged from memorizing their stories word for word.  Part of storytelling involves putting one’s own “spin” on the story.  Students are strongly encouraged to do this in their performances.  Adaptations are welcomed and encouraged.

Africa

During this unit of study, students are asked to not only use what is on their bodies to tell the story, but they are also to use percussion instruments, call and response with the audience and repetition within the story.

Students will also watch excerpts of the South African Broadway hit GUMBOOTS and learn how to use their bodies percussively.  This unit not only incorporates African folk and fairy tale, but African American and West Indian tales as well.

• Step dance
• Adinkra symbols
• History and 7 principles of kwanzaa
• Use of sound effects as punctuation and “lures” for audience
• Group work and community
• Proverbs
• Introduction of the Trickster Anansi

Greece & Rome

During this unit of study, students will learn about the Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus.  They will use what they have learned about group and body work as well as what thy have learned about sound effects and add no-sew costumes to their performances. Working in groups, they will take what they have learned about the deities and create their own myths that they will then present in the style of soap opera/melodrama or commedia d’el arte.

• Introduction of Greek and Roman dress
• Melodrama
• Commedia d’el Arte
• Improvisation
• Greek & Roman mythology

Asia & India

During this unit of study, students will learn a brief overview of Broadway Musicals and how they relate to Bollywood films. Students will also learn about the traditional Asian styles of theater Kabuki, Noh, and the highly articulate puppet theater Bunraku.  Once students learn the basics of each style of theater, they will be asked to present a folk tale in one of these styles. Bollywood uses many elements of dance, movement and song. Kabuki uses severe facial expressions and stylized makeup to represent different characters. Students will also be encouraged to create any props they think they will need for this performance. They are also allowed to use any elements from their previous units of study in this performance.

• Gesture as dance
• Facial expressions as emotions
• Physicalizations of a character
• Use of melodrama
• Use of music in performance
• Use of props in performance

Western Europe

During this unit of study, students will use everything they have learned this school year to present one folk or fairy tale per month.  The first tale that they present must come from their textbook while the second one can come either from the text book, or from another source.  Students are encouraged to twist and turn the folk tale or fairy tale so that it falls in the favor of the “villain.”  Movies like HOODWINKED and the SHREK series are excellent examples of point of view and how it can alter a story and its endings. Using all the skills they have learned thus far, students are encouraged to create playlettes of their updated fairytales.