Fine Arts |
High School
Course Information
Theater I
This course is an introductory study of theater. Students will study creating characters through voice and diction as well as movement such as pantomime, performance of scripted and non-scripted work, structure of drama, evaluation of drama, theater history, and designing technical theater elements such as stage scenery, costuming. This course can be used for a fourth English Language Arts credit or as a Fine Arts credit for graduation; however, it may not count as an English credit toward some college entrance requirements. This course or teacher permission is a prerequisite for all Drama II courses.
| Subject: | Fine Arts |
| State Number: | 0 |
| Course Credits: |  Full Credit (1.0) Course |
| Course Options: | |
| NCAA: |
COURSE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE:
Semester 1
Unit 1: Setting the Stage
Description: In this unit, you will set the stage for your work in the rest of the course. First, you will discover why artists often keep journals of their processes, ideas, creations, and reflections on their work. You will create a space to curate your learning, projects, and reflections. The lessons for this unit (once you have created the process journal itself) will be embedded into the other units of study. The process journal will allow you to connect the different areas of the course together. Finally, you will learn how to provide a critical response to other theater makers as we all work to improve our process of creating.
Course Level Objectives:
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
- Analyze and compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theater works.
- Identify and compare cultural perspectives and contexts that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theater work.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Examine a drama/theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
- Formulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of a drama/theater work by considering its specific purpose or intended audience.
Unit 2: Storytelling Through Visual Composition
Description: In this unit, you will explore the process of creative storytelling with a focus on visual composition.
Course Level Objectives:
- Explore physical, vocal and physiological choices to develop a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant to a drama/theater work.
- Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theater work.
- Practice various acting techniques to expand skills {in a rehearsal or drama/theater performance}.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Research how other theater artists apply creative processes to tell stories in a devised or scripted drama/theater work, using theater research methods.
- Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theater work.
- Practice and revise a devised or scripted drama/theater work using theatrical staging conventions.
- Perform a scripted drama/theater work {for a specific audience}.
- Examine a drama/ theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
Unit 3: Using Voice to Create Characters
Description: In this unit, you will explore your voice as a performer in order to create characters that are believable, authentic, and relevant.
Course Level Objectives:
- Explore physical, vocal, and physiological choices to develop a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant to drama/theater work.
- Examine how character relationships assist in telling the story of a drama/theater work.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Research how other theater artists apply creative processes to tell stories in a devised or scripted drama/theater work, using theater research methods.
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
- Examine a drama/theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
Semester 2
Unit 4: Approaching the Script as an Actor
Description: In this unit, you will explore theater work from the perspective of an actor. You will practice various acting techniques that will culminate in the performance of a memorized monologue.
Course Level Objectives:
- Explore the function of history and culture in the development of a dramatic concept through a critical analysis of original ideas in a drama/theater work.
- Examine a drama/ theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
- Explore physical, vocal and physiological choices to develop a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant to a drama/theater work.
- Examine how character relationships assist in telling the story of a drama/theater work
- Shape character choices using given circumstances in a drama/theater work.
- Practice various acting techniques to expand skills in a rehearsal or drama/theater performance.
- Practice and revise a devised or scripted drama/theater work using theatrical staging conventions.
- Perform a scripted drama/theater work {for a specific audience}.
- Examine a drama/ theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Research how other theater artists apply creative processes to tell stories in a devised or scripted drama/theater work, using theater research methods.
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
Unit 5: Approaching the Script as a Director or Designer
Description: In this unit, you will explore how to approach a script with the intention of directing or designing a production. This unit includes creating a conceptual framework for the production, research into creating a design, and a presentation of ideas.
Course Level Objectives:
- Explore the function of history and culture in the development of a dramatic concept through a critical analysis of original ideas in a drama/theater work.
- Examine a drama/ theater work using supporting evidence and criteria, while considering art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines.
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
- Analyze and compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theater works.
- Identify and compare cultural perspectives and contexts that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theater work.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theater work.
- Formulate a deeper understanding and appreciation of a drama/ theater work by considering its specific purpose or intended audience.
- Apply basic research to construct ideas about the visual composition of a drama/theater work
- Explore the impact of technology on design choices in a drama/theater work
- Refine technical design choices to support the story and emotional impact of a devised or scripted drama/ theater work
- Use researched technical elements to increase the impact of design {for a drama/theater production}.
- Consider the aesthetics of the production elements in a drama/theater work.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Research how other theater artists apply creative processes to tell stories in a devised or scripted drama/theater work, using theater research methods.
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
Unit 6: Commedia Dell’Arte
Description: Theater traditions from around the world influence the work of theater makers now. In this unit, you will explore how the comedy of the ancient world in Italy leads to commedia dell’arte and then to comedy of today.
Course Level Objectives:
- Share leadership and responsibilities to develop collaborative goals when preparing or devising drama/theater work.
- Practice various acting techniques to expand skills in a rehearsal or drama/theater performance.
- Perform a scripted drama/theater work for a specific audience.
- Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theater work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
- Analyze and compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theater works.
- Justify personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs through participation in and observation of a drama/theater work.
- Research how other theater artists apply creative processes to tell stories in a devised or scripted drama/theater work, using theater research methods.
