Character Development Unit Unit Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to develop a character by performing a 3-5 minute scene. LESSON 1: Physicality LESSON 2: Character Biography LESSON 3: Intentions LESSON 4: Objectives LESSON 5: Tactics LESSON 6: Subtext LESSON 7: Emotional Recall LESSON 8: Blocking a scene LESSON 9: Simple Actions LESSON 10: Perform Character Development Unit Lesson 1: Physicality Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to develop a character through physicalization. Hook: When students come into the room have them seated in one area of the classroom. Divide the classroom in two in such a way that students can't see what is happening on the other side. If there are two rooms available this would be ideal. Take a small portion of the class (those who have played Familia Loca before are prime candidates) and put them into one room. Explain that they will copy whatever the person that comes in is doing. Let one person at a time come into the room and introduce them to the Familia Loca. Don't explain anything else and see what happens. When the person in the middle figures it out have them join the group and let in another person. Step 1: Once all the students have entered the class divide into partners and sit across from one another face to face. Have them choose who will be A and who will be B. Step 2: A will go first and say a word. B will repeat the word copying all facial expressions and voice patterns and inflections. Try to be exact and pay attention to the slightest details. Step 3: After about ten words have the partners switch roles and repeat Step 2. Continue to take turns back and forth. Step 4: Now without speaking, have B follow A around the room copying the walk and movements of A. After a while switch. Step 5: Now have all students continue walking as just themselves and fill up all the space in the room. they walk tell them to be aware of where their weight is carried and what kind of mannerisms they have. Where are their hands and how are they held, do they walk with their feet in or out? Go through all the body parts and have them think to themselves about what they do with each part as they walk. Step 6: Now alter one thing about their walk and continue walking. Step 7: After a while add another alteration. Step 8: Ask them how this alteration makes them feel. Step 9: Tell the students to think about their character. Ask: How old are you? What is your name? How many people are in your family? What is your disposition? Are you generally happy or angry or depressed or nervous or anxious, etc.? Who are your friends? What are they like? Who are your enemies? Do you have any diseases or are you the epitome of health? Where do you live now? Imagine your house- what would it be like? Step 10: Divide class into different groups of 2-5 people. Have them answer these questions in their group staying in character. Step 11: Now that each group knows the characters in their group have them come up with an improv scene to perform using the characters in that group. Step 12: Perform the scenes in class. Step 13: To prepare for the unit, Assign scene partners or 2-3 people and tell students to find a 3-5 minute scene for 2-3 people and begin memorizing it. Character Development Unit Lesson 2: Character Biography Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to find character development from a script by writing a character biography. Materials Needed: VCR, TV and video clip from Mrs. Doubtfire and from The Net, chalk and chalk board. Hook: Show a video clip of Mrs. Doubtfire when Robin Williams calls and asks about the Job as a Maid. The scene where Mrs. Doubtfire is discovered. Before the class watches it. Ask them to pay close attention to what kind of things Robin Williams says to create this character' s history. Step 1: Discuss what Williams did to create his character and creative things we can do to create a Character History for a role in a play. Step 2: Ask students to list some questions they ask to get to know someone. Examples may include: Where are from? Name? Age? Height? Weight? Color of hair? Time period? What relationships are important to you? What physical ailments might you have? What mental ailments might you have? What does your character value most? How educated are you? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? What do you dislike or avoid? What kind of clothes would you wear? Step 3: Watch a video clip of the Net, the beginning when she is in her apartment and on her computer. Step 4: Have students answer the questions as a group after the clip is over. Step 5: Have students lie down on the floor and begin to relax. Breathe in and out and clear their minds. Step 6: Now as their minds begin to clear have them close their eyes and think about their character from the scripts that they have chosen. Step 7: Using the questions written on the board, take a few minutes for each question and ask them to answer the question in their minds about this character. Tell them to imagine what this character is like. Step 8: Now tell them to get up and walk around the room in character and experiment with the way their character moves. Continue to ask questions about their character' s history and personality and how this affects their movement. Step 9: Now have students write a character biography to turn in for a grade. This biography can be an outline simply answering questions or it can be in essay form. It must tell the history of this character and explain something about how this character is. It cannot contradict things in the script, but need not refer to the script. This biography should explain what happened before the script was written. Character Development Unit Lesson 3: Exploring Intentions Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to play intentions by presenting a scene only using the word "AH". Hook: As students come into class give them instructions in a different language or using non-foreign communicative words. Tell them in this different language to divide into groups of two and explain that they will be communicating using only the word "AH". Use gesture and tone to help them understand. Repeat information several times. Step 1: Discuss what just happened and ask why they could or couldn't understand you. Explain again in English to choose a partner. Step 2: In their groups tell them to write down an intention on slips of paper. Examples: to flatter, to make angry, to boast, to whisper, to explain, to debate, to seduce to make fun of to annoy to whine to frighten to persuade to show off to impress Collect the papers. Step 3: Have students draw a different slip and then only using the word "Ah" tell them to take turns playing the intents that they have. Step 4: Using those same intents now give the students certain locations and situations and limitations. Examples: In a church At lunch In a math class At recess A football game A dance A nice restaurant At home At the beach Skiing black diamond Playing basketball At a funeral In the movies Only using facial expressions;-no body movement. Large movement of body. Step 5: Have students choose one of these or assign one and let them perform for each other. Step 6: Have students get into groups with their scene partners and get with one other scene group. Step 7: Now have students choose a particular moment in their pre-chosen scene and work through the scene focusing on the character's objectives and only using the word "Ah." Perform the scenes for the other group and take turns discussing what worked and give suggestions of what could work better. Rework the scenes. Character Development Unit Lesson 4: Objectives Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to identify objectives, tactics and obstacles by presenting a short impromptu scene. Materials: VCR, TV, clip from Road Runner or Indiana Jones, About 15 building blocks, a table Hook: Divide class into two groups. Tell one group that they will have the task of building a pyramid using all of the blocks, they may use the table if they wish. Tell group two that they will have the task of destroying the pyramid without touching anyone from the other group nor taking any of the blocks. Tell them to go. Step 1: After the activity is over, either by default or because the first team has successfully built the pyramid, discuss what each team wanted and what they did to reach that goal. Also discuss what stopped them from achieving that goal. Have someone write these on the board. Step 2: Now tell the class that these things are objectives, tactics and obstacles. Discuss what these are and explain if need be. Also explain that the class will be focused on finding obstacles and tactics and obstacles today. Step 3: Show the video clip and have the class pay attention and be able to identify these three elements in the clip. Step 4: Discuss what the class saw in the video and identify each element. Step 5: Now have two people preferably a boy and girl. Give each of them a line and have them improv the scene. A: I'm sorry I just don't love you anymore. B: I'll never let you go. Step 6: Discuss the scene and have the class give suggestions to make the objectives more interesting or stronger. Step 7: Choose two more and repeat Step 5. Give several the opportunity to practice the dialogue Step 8: Now have the scene partners get together and using their three to five minute script have them identify the objectives of each character. Step 9: Allow students to work through their scenes focusing on the objectives of each character. Step 10: Have two scene groups get together and coach each other just on the objectives of the scene. Note: The students should be working on memorization of their scenes by now and if possible should be able to work the scenes without scripts. Character Development Unit Lesson 5: Tactics Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to create and use tactics by presenting an impromptu scene using opposing objectives. Materials: Deck of Cards, bag of candy. Hook: Have the class sit in a circle and explain how to play Mafia. Game Rules: The teacher will hand out cards. One card will identify the Mafia and two will identify the detectives. Don't let anyone see your card. Collect the cards from everyone. Now * everyone will close their eyes. The teacher will ask the Mafia to raise his/her head and to kill one person in the group and then resume the position. Then the Detectives will raise their heads and point to someone in the crowd that they suspect as the Mafia. The teacher will indicate yes or no. The detectives will close their eyes again. When given the signal everyone raises their heads and the teacher tells whoever has been killed that they are dead. Then group must figure out who the Mafia is and discuss it. Together as a group they must have a majority vote as to who is the suspect. The suspect may defend himself but if the majority rules this person is dead and out of the game. If this person is the Mafia the game has ended. If not the game continues repeating from * until only the Mafia is left. The detective may help the group identify who the Mafia is by making suggestions but should beware that if his identity is disclosed to the Mafia he may be killed in the next round. Step 1: After the activity is over, discuss the different objectives of the game and what tactics were used to find the Mafia or kill off the group. Step 2: Ask for a volunteer and give the volunteer a bag of candy. Step 3: Without touching the volunteer tell the class to try and persuade him/her using different tactics to give them some candy. The volunteer may choose whether or not the tactics were persuadable enough to share with each member of the class. Step 4: Discuss what tactics were most clever in getting the candy. Step 5: Have the class write down opposing objectives on a slip of paper and collect them. Step 6: In group of two have students draw a slip and using those objectives come up with different situations and obstacles to improv their scene. Step 7: Present the scenes to the class and discuss what kind of tactics could be used in reaching each objective. What greater risks can be taken and how can the stakes be raised to make the scene more interesting? Rework the scenes. Step 8: Now have the scene partners get together and using their three to five minute script have them identify the objectives of each character and identify different tactics that could be used to reach those objectives. Step 9: Allow students to work through their scenes focusing on the obstacles and tactics of each character. Step 10: Have two scene groups get together and coach each other just on the tactics of the scene. Be creative and think beyond just what is written. Apply physicality and different tactics that can be used in obtaining those objectives. Also make the stakes and risks high. Character Development Unit Lesson 6: Subtext Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to identify subtext from a script by applying it to a 3-5 minute scene. >Materials: Clip from Bye Bye Love, VCR & TV. Hook: Have two to three people go outside of the room. Tell the rest of the class get in a circle and tell them that when the student comes in he or she will be reacting to his or her first kiss. Let one student in at a time and guide them to the center of the circle explaining nothing. After a while let the student in on the secret and repeat with others who are in the hall. Step 1: Discuss how knowing the subtext made the situation different for the students in the class. Step 2: Tell students to look for the subtext as you show a clip from Bye Bye Love when the kids are being switched in the beginning. Talk about the subtext of the clip and what each character was really thinking, and what they meant by their dialogue. What wasn't said, but could be implied? Step 3: Have students take a section of their script and individually write out the subtext of their own lines according to the objectives they have already identified in earlier lessons. Step 4: Using the subtext that is written have students impromptu their scenes speaking the subtext only. Step 5: Have class discuss the subtext choices and offer suggestions. Repeat step 4. Step 6: Now using the subtext as a motivation, perform the same portion of the scenes using the real words of the script. Step 7: Allow students time to go through the whole script and add subtext to their lines. Step 8: Now have the scene partners get together and using their three to five minute script have them rehearse the scenes focusing on subtext of the scenes. Character Development Unit Lesson 7: Emotional Recall Educational Objective: Students will increase their ability to recall emotions by presenting their scenes in a particular emotion. Materials: Different types of music on CD or Cassette and a sound system. Hook: Play different types of music and have students walk around the room. As they listen to the music tell them to think about the different emotions that are provoked by the music and how those emotions make them walk differently. Do they speed up their pace or slow down. What mannerisms are changed by those emotions? Step 1: At a given cue have students stop a few steps away in front of a partner and cover their faces. Step 2: Tell students to choose one of those emotions that they felt the strongest while listening to the music. Step 3: With their faces still covered put on that emotion. Feel it from deep down. Step 4: Now let that emotion take shape on your face and your body. Step 5: When you are ready uncover your face and project that feeling with no words to your partner. Repeat steps 3-5 choosing 2-3 different emotions. Step 6: Cover your face again and take 2 steps backwards. Repeat Step 5 only more intense. Step 7: Now get as far away from your partner as possible and repeat Step 5 again. Step 8: Have students choose a comfortable place on the floor and lie down. Step 9: Have students choose one line from their scene. Step 10: As the students say their line, they should utilize the chosen emotion. Emotions: sad, angry, desperate, overjoyed, supressed, anger, suppressed, desire, nervous, content, distressed, unmotivated, envy, revengeful, in love, infatuated, bored, hysterical, mad. Step 11: Have students now think about their characters and the scenes that they are in. Mime the scenes expressing each different emotions that the character feels and project those to the audience and the scene partner. Step 12: Now rework the scene saying the lines and focusing on the emotions of each character. Character Development Unit Lesson 8: Blocking Educational Objective: Students will increase their understanding of character motivation by blocking a scene. Materials: Suitcases of clothes and different blocks around the room, several props, clip of White Nights and VCR, TV. Hook: When students come into the room have the space filled with different black blocks scattered and chairs and clothes in suitcases and different props lying around. Tell the students to walk around the space in their and without talking be creative and use what is in their space and get familiar with it. Absolutely no talking. Step 1: At a given cue have students think about their character in their scenes and continue the improv from the Hook. Step 2: Give students more specific directions by telling them to now just move around the room varying the pace and speed of their walk. Every now and then have them stop and look around. Be aware of other people. How do they motivate you to move in the space? Step 3: Stop somewhere in the space and be comfortable and listen to directions. Explain that students will be working on blocking their scenes today. Discuss briefly what students think is important in blocking scenes. Step 4: Show the ballet clip of Baryshnikof in the beginning of White Nights. Tell students to ask themselves why he moves where he moves. Discuss the motivation of the ballet after the clip. Step 5: Have students get into scene groups and set the blocking for their scenes. Have them answer why they move or sit or stand in the scene. Step 6: Have students present their scenes to another group and discuss the motivation for the blocking and give suggestions. Character Development Unit Lesson 9: Simple Actions Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of simple actions by applying them in an improptu scene. Materials: Slips of paper and pens Hook: Have one student "the psychiatrist" leave the room. The rest of the class will come up with one thing that they will do when adked a question by the psychiatrist. When the psychiatrist returns, tell him to ask any question to figure out what is wrong with the group. When he's figured it out, have another person leave and repeat the game. Step 1: Have the class take out a pen or pencil. Step 2: Discuss simple actions. At the end of the discussion ask the students to share some things that they did with their pen during the discussion. Step 3: Have half the class stuand up and get into a long line. Tell them they have been waiting to buy tickets to a concert they really want to see. Improv some simple actions they would do while waiting in this line. Ask them to think about things they have in their pockets or hands. No talking. After a few minutes switch the class and repeat. Have class discuss things they saw as simple actions. Step 4: Have students write down a situation on a pice of paper and collect them. Example situations: Cramming for a test Eating luch. Eating dessert after a Thanksgiving Meal Listening to a lecture. Talking on the phone. At a nice resteraunt At McDonalds Watching a re-run on TV Reading a book Writer's block Step 5: Have students choose a situation and without talking come up with a simple action for that situation. Go around the class and present the simple actions. Step 6: In scene groups have students rehearse their scenes and add in simpe actions to their scene. Character Development Unit Lesson 10: Performance Educational Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to develop a character by presenting a 3-5 minute scene in class. Materials: Evaluation sheets Hook: When students come into class have them lie on the floor. Instruct them to breath in and out and clear their minds. Have each student begin thinking of their character and start putting on their charcter. After a few minutes have them repeat vocal relaxation by taking a deep breath and letting it out saying the vowels - "Aaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooouuuuuuuuuu...". Repeat this a few times. Instruct each student to choose a line from their scene and repeat it randomly at the ceiling. Step 1: Divide students into scene groups (this was determined in lesson 1). give them a short amount of time to prepare for their performance. Step 2: Instruct the students that they must fill out an evaluation form for each scene. Step 3: Have each group perform. After the performance, discuss what was good and what could have been better in each scene. EVALUATION FORM Name of Actors__________________________________________________________ Skill Phsicality (10) ___________ Intentions (10) ___________ Clear Objectives (10) ___________ Use of Tactics (10) ___________ Emotionally believable (10) ___________ Subtext (10) ___________ Blocking (10) ___________ simple Actions (10) ____________ Memorization (10) ____________ Written Biography (10) ____________ (for teacher's use) TOTAL (100) ____________