Musical Theatre 10-12 - SD67

Musical Theatre 11 District Name: Okanagan-Skaha
District Number: 67
Developed by: Lori Grant
Date Developed: November 14, 2005
School Name: Princess Margaret Secondary School
Principal's Name: Mr. Bruce Johnson
Board/Authority Approval Date: May 8, 2006
Board/Authority Signature:
Course Name: Musical Theatre 11
Grade Level of Course: 9 - 12
Number of Course Credits: 4
Number of Hours of Instruction: 120 Prerequisite(s):
Audition, previous music theatre experience or by instructor permission.
Special Training, Facilities or Equipment Required: Rehearsal space,
royalty-paid script of Broadway musicals, various music pieces and various
scripts to be used in class. The instructor must also have prior musical
theatre experience. Course Synopsis:
This course has been developed to support, encourage and create a lifelong
passion for the performing arts through the medium of Musical Theatre.
Students learn the value of developing community, to triumph over
diversity, and a lifelong confidence in performance skills as they gain
knowledge of the three strands of musical theatre: vocals, movement and
acting. In the culmination of all proposed levels of instruction students
will produce a professional level Broadway musical for the school and
community. Learning Outcomes for the course are grouped under the curriculum
organizers:
Building Community (Opening the Theatre Company), Pre-Production,
Production and Post- Production (Reflection and Closing the Theatre
Company). Students are expected to meet instructor expectations including
written, audio and video recordings of student work; such as character
analysis, dance tape and song recordings for analysis and further
direction. These examples of student work act as motivating tools for
movement, line and song deadlines for differing stages of the rehearsal
process. Students are also given the opportunity for self and peer
assessment in each of the four units as well as. The approach supports
student ownership and pride in performance as well as providing various
skill sets and new approaches to thinking and learning. At the grade 12
level, students are exposed to higher level acting method and are granted
opportunities for leadership and solo performance within the framework of a
Musical. This also encourages meaningful methods of collecting,
interpreting and presenting a variety of perspectives on significant issues
pertaining to the journey towards the production and the reflective process
after its completion.
Organizational Structure: Unit Topic Title Time
Unit 1 Building Community 15
hours
Unit 2 Pre-Production/Rehearsal 60
hours
Unit 3 Production 35
hours
Unit 4 Post- Production (Reflection and Closing the Theatre
Company) 15 hours Total Hours 120 hours Unit/Topic/Module Descriptions: Unit 1: Building Community/Opening the Theatre Company
Time: 15 hours
The primary goal of Unit One: Building Community/Opening the Theatre
Company is to create a sense of commonality among the entire cast of
student performers. The primary mandate for this unit is to truly become a
motivated, organic ensemble: a group that has a common performance goal
with the highest personal and community standards. Students will be
involved in team-building strategies, basic ensemble playing, and
introduced to the different roles in musical theatre: Lead, Solo, Dance
Captain, Principal Dancers and Chorus; and the three strands of Musical
Theatre: Acting, Song and Dance/Movement. In meeting the primary goal of
creating a professional level Theatre Company, students will have to
audition for desired roles. This experience relates to key concepts such as
the process of professional Musical Theatre audition and how an actor gets
the role they are seeking. Curriculum Organizer- Social and Cultural Issues
It is expected that students will:
- Identify elements of Social Responsibility crucial to the success of any
group endeavour.
- Identify sensitivity issues and create awareness to foster inclusion,
specifically when dealing with the awarding of roles and the immediate
hierarchy between leads and chorus members.
- Contribute to the creation of a "Code of Conduct" for the theatre
company entitled The Student Performer's Contract by making contributions
to the creation of the document. Curriculum Organizer- Leadership
It is expected that students will:
- Develop leadership skills and community through student centered
activities in which Music Theatre students lead and instruct younger
students.
- Lead ensemble casts through various choral, movement and vocal exercises
- Model Musical Theatre skills, exercises and technique for younger peers. Curriculum Organizer- Creation
It is expected that students will:
- Apply the creative process (i.e. perceptions, exploration, production,
evaluation, role creation, character study, focus) in their work
- Create role using script
- Model focus, range and pacing in performance for audition. Curriculum Organizer- Performance
It is expected that students will:
- Prepare and perform song, movement and script for audition
- Develop a variety of roles for audition
- Perform ensemble and solo pieces for criticism, evaluation and
improvement. Curriculum Organizer- Analysis
It is expected that students will:
- Explain personal interpretation of character and role
- Discuss elements of quality performance
- Constructively criticize the work of themselves and their peers.
- Construct a rubric which explains how students will achieve goals,
i.e. attain their desired role, and exceed expectations in the three
strands of Musical Theatre. Curriculum Organizer- Technology
It is expected that students will:
- Use different types of media to explore and research role, character,
style and genre.
- Develop an on-line call-board to announce rehearsals, coming events,
exchange information, etc. Unit 2: Pre Production/Rehearsal:
Time: 60 hours In the pre-production unit, students will go from script to stage preparing
for a major Broadway musical performance. Students will discuss primary
themes, character relevance and do intensive scene reads and studies.
Because roles have been cast, students begin intensive, specific work on
character and chorus scene by scene. Blocking rehearsals, dance and singing
rehearsals are independent and then gradually combined for successful
learning through building block integration. The process continues to Act
run through to Whole Show integrated runs. Students will be provided a
guided organic rehearsal environment where their opinion is valued as an
integral aspect of successful peer-mentoring, whole scene development and
performance success. Musical Theatre students will also be trained in
higher-level acting theory and terminology, including Stanislavsky's
Method, Lee Strausberg's principals of naturalism and the differentiation
between method and technique. (Living in the moment of the world one
creates). Curriculum Organizer- Social and Cultural Issues
It is expected that students will:
- Demonstrate aspects of Social Responsibility to integrate all
talent/experience levels in all three strands of Musical Theatre.
- Mentor students in areas of expertise
- Foster an organic rehearsal environment where all opinions are valued
- Fulfill the expectations and obligations as outlined in the Student
Performers Contract.
- Accept all cast members as equals in order to create a positive learning
environment.
- Participate in all rehearsals for the good of the entire company and
project. Curriculum Organizer- Creation
It is expected that students will:
- Gather relevant information from appropriate sources
- Apply the creative process by making interesting, justified character
decisions
- Create specific role using script from an established Musical
- Take direction in the 3 strands of Musical Theatre
- Create a character based on the principals of Method Acting
- Develop and incorporate beat counts, including directed Tempo beats. Curriculum Organizer- Performance
It is expected that students will:
- Prepare and perform an assigned role in an established Musical
- Create a believable environment in an established Musical
- Receive and incorporate specific, intricate directions for acting,
vocals and movement/dance into an established role in a Musical.
Curriculum Organizer- Analysis
It is expected that students will:
- Explain personal interpretation of character and role through character
development
- Discuss elements of quality performance through the rehearsal process
- Constructively criticize the work of their peers and themselves
throughout the rehearsal process
- Use a director's instruction to develop scene, dance and song.
- Use rubric to give and take constructive criticism
- Give honest verbal opinion/reflection to the state of affairs i.e. how
students consider the rehearsal process is proceeding and how they
themselves and the entire ensemble can improve. Curriculum Organizer- Technology
It is expected that students will:
- Use different types of media to explore and research role, character,
style and genre as they relate to the student's character and the
time/place of the chosen Musical.
- Use the Internet to access an on-line callboard (r