Picture a time when there were no
computers. A time when there were no
televisions. A time when there were no radios.
I want for you to imagine a time when
people
actually had to rely on the art of
conversation to
entertain themselves…WOW! I know the
very notion
makes
some of you shudder with fear. Believe
it or not,
people
used to get by.
Since the
beginning of time, people in all parts of the world have taken words
and
turned them into narration. Narration
is the act of recounting or telling in
order
the particulars of some action,
occurrence,
or event. When someone narrates something, they take ordinary events or ideas and
bring them to life to share with others.
Over time, these narrations come to be known as stories.
A story is a retelling of real or fictional events done
to entertain or to share information. A story is not an untruth told to get out
of trouble. That is a lie. J
In the early days, storytelling was an very
important part of human communication.
Many of you have been fortunate to have someone read to you when you
were younger. Some of you may read
aloud to a younger sibling or family member now. Before there was such a thing as the written word and printed
books, stories were told to family members and neighbors to connect people in
faraway countries and tribes.
Storytelling was the only way people were able to record historic events
before reading and writing were readily available to everyone. Some of the
stories told in ancient times have lasted through the generations and are still
being told today either by word of mouth or they have been recorded in books.
Storytellers
would travel from city to city or from village to village and would tell
stories much like newscasters today tell the news. Storytellers used to be merchants who would travel to sell
their merchandise. Some
storytellers would be considered bards or minstrels or they may even be
warriors sitting around a campfire. A bard is a professional poet and singer in ancient Europe, whose job was to create and sing verses in honor of the heroes of the times. A minstrel is a traveling medieval entertainer who would sing and recite poetry, often to his own musical accompaniment.
Critical
Thinking:
Make a list of some musical
artists you consider modern
day bards or minstrels.
What makes them a bard or a
minstrel in your opinion? Remember to consider artists who use storytelling in
their lyrics. Answer the question on looseleaf. Give examples whenever
possible.
In this course we are going to try to learn to be
storytellers. YAY! Hearing and telling stories can sometimes be even more
exciting than watching a movie because no one can invent anything as
fascinating as what your mind can imagine. We can use our imaginations to
create entire worlds and galaxies that other people’s minds can not even begin
to tap into.
I know some of you may think that storytelling is
“silly” or only for babies, but I beg to differ.
In order
to be great storytellers, which I am sure all of
you will be able to do by the time we are done with this school year, you have
to put your heart and mind into your presentation. Storytellers were respected people because they provided
people with information and entertainment. They would not only tell a story, they would explain it as
well so that their audience members could travel on the imaginary journey with
them.
Many of you are storytellers right now and don’t
even know it. How many times have you told your friends about something that
happened at school, (a fight, something funny or embarrassing that happened to
someone else, something goofy a teacher said, anything!) and told your friend
in a way that made them feel like they were right there with you? Well guess
what… YOU ARE A STORYTELLER!!!!!
Now, some of you may be wondering, “Why are we
learning storytelling in DRAMA class?”
The answer to that question is very simple. In order to be a truly GREAT
storyteller, you have to use a lot of basic acting and performance skills.
Among the skills you will learn through storytelling are:
·
Enunciation & Articulation: Speaking clearly and loudly
·
Facial Expression: Using your face to express an emotion or idea
·
Gesture & Physicalization: Creating a character or expressing an
emotion using only your body
·
Improvisation: Making things up on the spot
·
Mime & Pantomime: Acting with no words
·
Projection: Making your voice heard by your audience
·
Vocal Characterization: Creating a character using only your voice
·
Vocal Tone: Using the way you speak to mean different emotions
·
Voice Modulation: Controlling the volume of your voice
·
And most importantly your IMAGINATION.
A story can be as long or as short as the storyteller decides to make it. A
story teller, or griot as they are called in West Africa, paints a
picture with words the same way an author or playwright does. What separates storytellers from others
is that they are telling their stories instead of writing or typing them and
sometimes, they are even making up the story off the top of their head!
In order to be a great storyteller, there are a few guidelines that you
must follow:
Always….
1. ….choose interesting stories that your
audience will want to hear and understand.
2. …. add character voices
or accents to your story.
3. …use words that your
audience understands and explain words they might not understand.
4. ….use facial expression,
body language and gesture.
5. ….prepare and practice
the story before presenting it.
6. …be enthusiastic,
energetic, and interesting to your audience.
7. ….make eye contact with
the audience.
8……use props, costumes, and
sound effects to enhance the story.
9…..enjoy sharing the story
with the audience.
- …..create the feeling of “Once Upon a Time,” when beginning a
story.
In this class, you will use this workbook, as well as our textbook for the
class, Folktales from Around the World. Most of the stories you will be performing in your groups
will come from this book, but there will also be some stories and plays
included in this workbook. It is extremely important for you to keep up with
your materials for this class. Without the materials, you will be unable to
participate in the class activities or complete the assignments.
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“Storytelling often has
audience participation in the form of call and response, songs within the
story, or suggestions as to how the story should proceed. Stories generally are not ‘learned,’
not memorized, allowing for the shifts, play and interplay, and the
unexpected. It is a risky art
because, when done well, it is truly an ‘on the moment’ art. Storytelling entertains. Storytelling
teaches. Storytelling challenges. Storytelling heals. And Storytelling is lots
of fun!”
JOURNAL ENTRIES
1) When was the last time you used your imagination? What did you do? Write a 1 page journal entry about your imagination.
2) What is your favorite folktale or fairytale? Why is that your favorite? If you could retell the story, what would you change? Please write a one page journal about your story.
