BHCC, Course Title –Acting 1/ Section THR 107-201, M. 6 p.m to 8:45 p.m.
9/3 -12/19 (Room A300-First class 9/9, last class 12/16)
Instructor: DONNA SORBELLO, E-mail: dmsorbellobhcc@aol.com, dsorbell@bhcc.mass.edu (prefer, for all class work, use the first email listed, thank you)
There is NO book for this class, but I will give you reading suggestions later in the semester. We take a break midway through class, so if possible time restroom to that.
Course Description: An exploration of the fundamentals of acting through a series of exercises/games and improvisations. We will focus on sensory awareness, human behavior and interactions. We will be working towards physical and emotional freedom and the use of the whole person as an acting tool.
Course Requirements
1. PARTICIPATION: Weekly exercises/and observation of the work of fellow class members; A shared, constructive, dialogue of the work. This work is “hands-on”.
2.NON- WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Weekly exercises: Always looking for full participation, being willing to TRY, to EXPLORE.
Partner work : (specific work, not from a play, with fellow student)
Art Comes To Life: Individual assignment, will explain in class(THIs or partner work will be counted as midterm, depending on where are mid-semester)
Live Plays/ Videos of plays: I will ask you to watch one or two plays on line (I will give you the link> I usually get FREE TICKETS to theatre. I do not expect you to go, but tickets are costly so a good deal. I will expect each of you to see ONE play during the semester since this is an ACTING class and it’s good to know something about what acting on stage looks like.
5. At end of semester —You will memorize a monologue of approx. 2 minutes in
length. Choose a character from a full-length, contemporary (written in the last
50/60 years) play. No Shakespeare/historical, British or other foreign language
or foreign accent pieces (unless play written in accent from your own first
language.) ONLY modern, contemporary plays. The character you choose must be
close in age to yourself. *We will discuss in future and I will offer monologue/
play suggestions via handout. Be ready to present by 12/12
3. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS (Please read carefully)
1. A weekly impression/ essay. Use your senses to observe: your choice of subject (1 or 2 paragraphs, more if you want) Using your senses, write down your impressions of a moment, an event, a place, an object, a feeling, a person, a memory, etc. Look closely /deeply. USE YOUR SENSES (hearing/smell/vision/touch –feel/observe. Describe what you’re ACTUALLY feeling (not what’s in your head, or what you think is poetic— but what your senses are ACTUALLY perceiving; what your senses are telling you., and in turn, possibly making you feel, emotionally. NO lists of complaints, or how you spent your day; not about facts or reasoning, NO OPINION PIECES. Write an immediate/organic response to something. Simply describe what you see/observe/feel/experience.One per week for first six weeks. 9/16-10/21
2 Optional - Journal:— write down what you feel you may have understood or learned each week. You can then build on that. For you, not me.
3. Cultural Research: We will talk more about in class. Researching past heritage, cultural/ community and/or family traditions, to share and apply for exercise work in class. Information can be easily found online or from your own experiences. Date due TBD.
4. Summary: - For your final, you will present a monologue from a play (NOT a screenplay/ film, nor from a novel.) (*See more info below *Monologue) Your must read a one act play (at lest 20 pages) or full-length play. *IF you have reading or language issues, we can find something very short. YOU WILL read the play you have selected because it has a monologue appropriate for you. AS YOU READ, write down what happens in each scene IN YOUR OWN WORDS. *Include a final sentence of what you think the play is about. ) You must read the play. Plays are quick reads –as it’s all dialogue (people talking), NOT like a novel. I will provide a list of SUGGESTED plays/playwrights and bring in some choices. *I need to know your play selection by November 18th, So START looking for a play with a character about your age, that has a MONOLOGUE (character talks alone for approx. 2 mins —NOT in dialogue - a back and forth —with someone else.) Ask me for help if you need it. I will explain this further later in class, so LISTEN. DUE DATE: 11/18 (THis is to give you time to memorize the monologue!
5. World Of The Play: research on the Art Comes to Life assignment.(See below) Discover all you can about the character you choose: work, daily life, relationships, social status, city/ country, what is going on politically, what year is it and what are the social norms of that time. It should be at least a full typewritten page of information that you can discover easily on the internet. DUE DATE: TBD
6. Back Story: Biography of the character you have chosen for monologue (see above). I WILL GIVE YOU A PAGE OF QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED. Once you read the play and have a feel for the character you are portraying in the monologue, you can answer the questions, inventing pieces that would seem logical for the character if those questions are not answered in the play. Any answers must be believable to the character and consistent with prior info about the character already mentioned in the play The backstory helps the actor understand the events,places, relationships that shaped the character and makes him/her a real person, with a past. Will explain again in class so LISTEN! This is fun and simple to do once you have READ the play. Due: LATEST 12/5.
7. Plays on line: I will ask you to watch a video or two. (I will give you the link) I will ask for a a few written answers to questions, in class)
** OPTIONAL Extra Credit —(This is not in place of other assignments or so you can miss class!) If you are genuinely interested in acting, or in a life in the theatre, it is always smart to learn as much as you can, comparing approaches to acting training, etc. SO— if interested, Select a BOOK on Acting Technique. Read & summarize, chapter by chapter. I will give you a list of books on Acting Technique/handout. There are some in BHCC Library and in Bookstore (to by or rent, I believe) Due by last week of class.
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ATTENDANCE POLICY - Attendance =participation (see #1) If not here, not participating. Each week of class builds on exercises in the prior sessions; Students are allowed One Unexplained Absence (equiv. of two typical classes). Please provide /dr/clinic/court, etc. notes for any other absence.
GRADING SYSTEM involves
Your commitment and involvement in the class, participating with enthusiasm/ eagerness to explore, experience, with an aim to learn something, not going through motions; Not letting your partner down, but contributing to ideas; Sharing responses in class. Written assignments actually worked on and not thrown together at the last minute. Example; Essays are NOT a sentence or two written in class;
2. That you are absent no more than once unless with good, documented reason: That you arrive ON TIME so we are not waiting for you to start an exercise (includes returns from break)
*Work turned in LATE reduces your grade on the assignment. NO JOKE.
Your grades are NOT based on how good of an actor/actress you or I feel you are.
CLASS OBJECTIVES
To begin work in the following areas: sensory awareness, communication skills, observation of human behavior, making choices, exploration of expression, freedom of physical expression, (taking away inhibitions), trusting impulses, using our emotional selves and understanding the meaning underneath the text (the written line). This is a slow process and this class is about “PROCESS”— NOT performance. Experiencing the exercises/games with the goal the moment is more important than trying to do them “right” or “perfectly.” We go for real/honest/organic
What you should know about this class.
Through fun, shared exercises and improvisations, we take our goals seriously. We are about OBSERVATION, NOT judgment. If you have an idea for an exercise that would serve our work, let me know. Just showing up doesn’t get you a good grade. I’m looking forward to our semester. Have fun, go along with the program. It’s for you . You might experience something new!
***IMPORTANT: If you have language, reading, writing or learning disabilities or difficulties, PLEASE TALK TO ME PRIVATELY. I understand the problems such issues can create. We can work together to find alternative assignments to those posted.
BHCC / GENERAL INFO
For plays/monologue selection, see the Director of BHCC Library or Public Libraries for guidance. In a bookstore, ask for section on plays/books on theatre. Can order plays inexpensively via Amazon.com,etc. and more costly through Drama Book Store and Dramatists Play Service (in NYC).
Internships: Contact Office of Community Engagement. Inquire about service learning or unpaid volunteers or career development interns. (Acting requires LIFE experience. Internships provide opportunities to observe human behavior, and helps in developing understanding and empathy for others. Watch ads at school for the Intern Fair.
Policy for Individuals with a Disability: BHCC is committed to providing equal access to the educational experience of all students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehab. Act/’73 and Amer. with Dis. Act/1990 Contact: Office for Students with Disabilities.
*****PUT THIS SYLLABUS IN A NOTEBOOK, OR EASILY ACCESSIBLE ONLINE or ON YOUR PHONE, --- SO YOU CAN REFER TO IT - IN CLASS—OR VIA EMAIL— WHEN YOU ARE ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WEEKLY ESSAYS OR MONOLOGUE, ETC. ------THANK YOU
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