Movement Unit Unit Objective: The students will understand and be able to utilize good movement by performing a scene. LESSON 1: The body is the Instrument LESSON 2: Movement and Actable Verb LESSON 3: Movement for Non-Animate Characters LESSON 4: Physicalization of an Objective LESSON 5: Costumes LESSON 6: Non-verbal Communication LESSON 7: Simple Actions LESSON 8: Situational Movement LESSON 9: Occupation While Waiting LESSON 10: Portrayal of the Element Movement Unit LESSON 1: The Body as an Instrument Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of the body's importance to an actor by participating in a class discussion and relaxation exercise. Materials Needed: Tools; a hammer, saw, wrench, camera, telephone, bat and ball, etc. An empty space, a tape player and some classical music. Hook: Show the class the tools one by one, ask them waht they are used for and what that type of working person (ie, carpenter) would be without their tool. Step 1: Ask the class what the actor's tools are. The actors tools are his body, his voice, and intellect or mind. Discuss briefly why these tools are important. Step 2: Lead the students in a relaxation exercise. Have all the students lie down~on the floor with an arms length between each of them. Turn off the lights and turn of some soft classical music. Step 3: Have the students think about their day, what they have done, and what they still need to accomplish. Ask them release all the cares and to concentrate on relaxing their bodies completely. Step 4: Lead the class in several repetitions of deep breathing. Step 5: Tension and release exercise: Starting with the toes have them squeeze their tses as tight as they can, exerting as much tension as they can expend, for ten seconds. Then let them release and breath deeply for ten seconds. Repeat this same process throughout the whole body. Step 6: After the tension and release exercise is completed have them breath deeply for several minutes while enjoy the state of complete relaxation they have achieved. Have them scan their bodies and if any remaining tension is existing have them breath deeper and send oxygen to the tense places in their body. Step 7: Have the students while leaving their eyes closed come to a sitting position on the floor. When they have reached their position and are sitting as they wish to ask them to open their eyes. Step 8: Ask the students why it is important for an actor to be relaxed. Help the students understand the significance of the body on stage and the possibilities a versatile body can provide. Movement Unit LESSON 2: Movement and actable verbs Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of actable verbs by using them in an improvised performance. Materials Needed: Paper and colored markers or crayons. Hook: Hand the students a blank piece of paper, have them close their eyes and draw whatever they want to. Step 1: Collect the pictures before the students have opened their eyes. Mix the pictures up and pass them back out making sure that the original drawer does not receive his/her own picture. Step 3: Have the students individually perform a depiction of the picture they are holding. Sound may be used in these interpretations however, words may not be used. This exercise does not require side coaching, allow the students to explore and enjoy using their bodies to explain something. Step 4: Have the students turn their papers over and write a word that describes that picture Step 5: Combine the students into groups of four or five. Ask them to create a scene to perform to the class that incorporates all of their pictures and displays each of the verbs listed on the backside of the picture. Step 6: After each performance ask the class which emotions they saw and what cause them to believe those were the emotions portrayed. Compare with the performers and see what they were trying to convey and how they decided to use the physical delivery chosen. Step 7: This lesson does not require a "wrap up" however, if desired the importance of using actable verbs may be covered. Tt may be beneficial to discuss with the students what they learned and how they might use this lesson to help them explore a character they are bying to form. Movement Unit LESSON 3: Physicalization of a Objective Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their ability to physically achieve an objective by using their bodies in a scene. Materials Needed: none Hook: When the students enter the classroom has them sit on the floor in a circle. Play the game "Honey if You Love Me Smile" in the circular formation. One person is to ask another person in the circle "Honey if you love me give me a smile" then the responder is to say three times without smiling "Honey I love you but I just can't smile." The questioner can sit on the person's lap, play with hair, or any manner of physical movement (as long as it is appropriate for the classroom) to cause the opponent to smile. If the person smiles then it is their turn to repeat the same process with someone else in the circle. If the person does not smile then the questioner must ask another person in the circle the same question until someone does smile. Please keep in mind that both the questioner and the responder must look each other in the eye while talking. Step 2: Discuss the game. How did they make each other smile? What did they do in order not to smile? What were the questioners and responders objective? Try to use examples from the game to help the students see how they use their bodies to get the other person smile. Step 3: Write these tws lines on the board: "I'm sorry I just don't love you anymore. I'll never let you go." Step 4: Assign pairs of students to deliver these lines to each other while giving them conflicting objectives. It may be easier for the students to deliver the scene if they are given a situation, for example: they are paffing as one is leaving to college. Movement Unit LESSON 4: Costumes Educational Objective: Demonstrate their understanding of costuming and how it affects movement by performing an improvised scene in costume. Materials Needed: Costume items for each member of the class. Hook: Hand each student a clothing item (hat, jacket, cloak, etc.) as they walk into class. Step 1: Have the students walk around the class simultaneously while exploring the character that might wear the given article of clothing. It may be effective to ask them questions to think about as they walk (how old is the person who wears the clothing piece, what is the family like, how do they feel about the weather today, etc.) Step 2: Divide the students up into groups of four or five and ask them to imprOvise '`The Three Little Pigs" using their costume pieces. Step 3: Provide rehearsal time and then watch the performances. Step 4: Discuss costumes influence on a performance and talk about how costumes can enhance the physicalization of a character. Movement Unit LESSON 5: Movement for Non-Animate Characters Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their ability to move like a non-animate object by performing an improvised scene. Materials Needed: Each student must bring their favorite toy to class. The teacher should have some toys on hand in case a student forgets theirs. The movie '`The Wizard of oz" and a TV and VCR will also be needed. Hook: The toys the students bring to class. Step 1: Talk with the students about the objects, why they like them, and how they think they might move if they were able. Step 2: Watch a clip for "The Wizard of oz" that show the Tin man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion. Step 3: Talk with the students about the different movements each of the characters had that helped them to be a Lion, Tin man, or Scarecrow. Discuss the contrast between human movements and non- humanistic movements. Step 4: Divide the students into small groups and have them prepare a 5 to 10 minute improvised story that incorporates all of their objects. Step 5: Give the students a day to rehearse in class. Be sure to watch the rehearsals and help the students portray their objects. Step 6: Watch the performances paying close attention to the movement of the objects portrayed. Movement Unit LESSON 6: Non-Vocal Communication Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their ability to use physical variety by utilizing three levels of physicalization. Materials Needed: A public space. Hook: Take or ask the students to go to a space where they can observe another person without being obvious (i.e., play ground, cafeteria, library, hallway, parking lot, etc.) Have the students practice moving like that person and if possible to follow that person around. Step 1: While playing different types of music have the students simultaneously walk around the room using the physical characteristics of the person they just studied. The objective of using music is to suggest different atmospheres such s a church, a football game, a teenage dance, an elevator, etc. Allow the students to use physical gestures that would fit the person they watched but might not have necessarily observed. Step 2: Give the students an emotion to portray while walking around the room. Emotions : Happy, sad, excited, depressed, nervous, discouraged, frustrated, overjoyed, pain, remorse, wonderment, love, twiterpation, etc. Step 3: Divide the students up into groups of three. Assign two of the students to act out a silent scene and have the third person direct. The students must show three of the physical characteristics they discovered during earlier exploration in the class. Scene : A person has been waiting at the busistop for twenty minutes and is frustrates because the buss has not yet /come. A near by shopper comes to wait for the same buss and is in a hurry to get to an engagement. The shopper asks the person waiting what time it is ant when the buss will come. They wait together for a while and leave on the buss together. Step 4: Perform the scenes. Allow the directors an opportunity to tell the class their ideas and directions. Talk with the students about each scene, discuss what worked, what:~dn't work, and what they might do if they had an opportunity to perform if again. Step 5: After the scenes, talk with the students about the importance of using physical variety. Be sure to let the students talk and draw conclusions without telling them what the desit realization is. Movement Unit LESSON 7: Simple Actions Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of simple action by performing or coaching the performer to deliver a love poem while using three simple actions. Materials Needed: Copies of the included love poem, cut copies of the below list of situations, and a video clip. The video clip should show a character demonstrating simple actions (or gestures3 in a very visible manner. Two suggestions are "Rain Man" with Dustin Hoffman or "Awakenings" with Robert Dinero. Hook: Watch a 5 minute video clip that clearly demonstrates simple actions. Step 1: Discuss the video; what was good, what was bad. If they liked the character viewed what did they like about the character, how did that actor create a believable image for the audience. Step 2: Define simple actions. Simple actions are the gesture or small movements that every one does to make them unique. A girl may twist her hair, or turn her ring around as she talks, a boy may scratch himself, or fidget. These actions change depending on our mood perhaps they are intensified of change completely regardless everyone has simple actions that make them unique. In order to make a character distance these simple actions are essential. Step 3: Hand each student a piece of paper with a situation they will be asked to silently improvise using simple actions. This exercise does not need to take a lot of time. Have the students sit in a circle and have them rapidly improvise their given circumstance where they are sitting (the students may stand or go into the middle of the circle if they choose to.) List of situations : -You just got the last two tickets to a grreat concert! -You have just been in a car accident. -You asked for the car a week ago, and noww your little brother has taken it. -You have just been fired from your place of employment. -A heart to heart chat with a really good friend. -You're grounded because you were late comming home from your date. -Your very first kiss. -You just got engaged!!!! You have cancer, and you only have two months to live. -You are talking with a boy or girl that yyou REALLY like. -You are in the testing center during finaals week -- long lines, big test, etc. -You are at lecture you don't understand. -You are watching a suspenseful movie, nott necessarily scary. -You are stuck in a very boring conversatiion that you can't get out of. -You have a terrible cold, headache, feverr, etc. -You are speaking in church. Step 4: Discuss the improvisations and draw the students attention to situations in the circle that demonstrated simple actions. Ask the students if the use of gestures helped them convey their circumstance better; why? or why not? Step 5: Divide the students into groups of four. Assign two of them to deliver the included love poem and have the other two direct the scene making sure that three simple actions are dearly seen. The Great Hunt - -Carl Sandburg I cannot tell you now: When the wind's drive and whirl Blow me along no longer, And the wind's a whisper at last Maybe I'll tell you then some other time. When the rose's flash to the sunset Reels to the rack and the twist, And the rose is a red bygone, When the face I love is going and the gate to the end shall clang, And it~s no use to beckon or say, "So long" Maybe I'll tell you thensome other time. I never knew any more beautiful than you: I have hunted you under my thoughts, I have broken down under the wind and into the roses looking for you. I shall never find any greater than you. Step 5: Perform the poems and discuss the simple actions used. Movement Unit LESSON 8: Situational Movement Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their understanding of situational movement by performing a scene. Materials Needed: A one page scripted scene involving two or three people. Hook: Instruct the students to write down on a short slip of paper a place they may find themselves in which they have no control over for example, an elevator, a ski lift, a Ferris wheel, etc. Step 1: Collect the slips of paper in a hat or container. Step 2: Have the students come to the front of the classroom in groups of three and silently improvise the situation they have been given. Be sure to discuss with the class after the performances what worked and why it was believable. Step 3: Divide the students into groups of three or four depending on the number of people required in the scene given. Step 4: Give the studen& a one page dialogue from any play that involves two or more people and ask them to perform the scene in one of the earlier situations given. Be sure that at least two students are acting and one or more directs the scene. Step 5: Allow the students time to rehearse. Step 6: Perform the scenes and discuss the scenes. Step 7: Ask the students to be more conscious of places and situations during their every day life so they can use these experiences to enhance their acting on stage. Movement Unit LESSON 9: Occupation While Waiting Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their ability to find occupation while waiting by performing a scene. Materials Needed: Copies of the enclosed description of waiting for a cab. Hook: After all the students have arrived take them into an empty space (or clear the desks to the side of the room). Tell them they must stand and wait for someone on a street corner. The waiting time should be at least five minutes. Depending on the class it may be helpful to give them a hat or costume item to help them slip into a character. Step 1: Continue the improvisation but now ask them these questions. -Find your bodily relationship to the spacce. -Know where you have come from and where yyou plan to go. -Know the direction from which the vehiclee or person will probably be arriving. -Pinpoint where to look for him, the exactt area in which he may first be spotted, by using such things as an imagined street sign or trash basket a few blocks away as your landmark; use the little light at the curve to the tunnel around which the subway first becomes visible. -Establish your bodily adjustment to the sspecified distance. -Show what you are wearing, and which way your clothing influences you. -What are the other people doing around yoou? -How do you feel physically? Are you sick?? -Are you excited to see this person? -etc. . . You can make up your own questioons as well. Step 2: Complete the improvisation for the students. Tell them that they have just spotted the person they are waiting for. Ask them how they feel, do they want to see that person, are they excited, nervous, etc. After allowing them time to see the person tell them they are now greeting that person and preparing to leave to the desired destination. Step 3: Instruct the class to leave the improvisation and when they are through greeting their person to sit down on the floor. Step 4: Discuss the activity with the students. How did they feel during the first initial five minutes of waiting? What did they do with their bodies, hands, what did they think about? How did the second portion of the activity feel to them? Did the questions help or had they already thought of those things? Where were they? Who were they waiting for? Step 5: Read through an excerpt on "occupation while waiting" from Uta Hagen's book, "A Challenge for the Actor" (pg. 191-192.) It is eight o'clock on a pleasant Monday morning in October. l'm on my way to the doctor for my annual checkup, lucky to have landed threfirst appointment. I'm wearing my navy blue jersey slacks and jacket, black jazz shoes, and black purse. . After a few minutes of fruitless worrying in front of my building on Washington Square, I have walked to the corner of Waverly Place and sixth avenue for a better chance of getting a cab. I stop at the curb and look down the street. Traffic is very light, a few cars have been stopped be the redlight near Lamston's store two blocks away, and there is no taxi among them. Since my right knee is slightly arthritic, I shift my weight to the left leg and adjust the shoulder strap of my pac for greater comfort. I speculate about the state of my underarms: Should I have shaved them to look nicer for the doctor's examination? But there was no hot water in the apartment. I wonder if it will be turned on in time for my husband's bath. I look for a taxi again. No luck. I walk a few steps to the subway entrance next to the bank behind me and consider taking the train. I change my mind, stop to check my neat appearance in the reflection of the bank window, fluff up my hair, and, after a quick look down Waverly to see if a cab might be coming from that direction, I make myself comfortable at the curb again. I see the coffee shop across the street and dream about the breakfast I wasn't allowed to eat. I speculate about the doctor's reaction to the weight I've gained and look to see if my tummy bulges. I suck it in. I check my shoes to see if they are properly laced. They are, but I decide I need new ones. I notice a crack in the sidewalk and try to walk along it wrthout teetering. I recall how the last cabbie yelled at me when I'd handed him a twenty-dollar bill, so I open my bag to make sure I have smaller denominations. I have a ten. I close the bag and readjust it on my shoulder. The traffic is getting heavier so I step off the curb for a better view, crane my neck, and spot one taxi. It's occupied. After stepping back up on the sidewalk, I notice a gray hair on the shoulder of my jacket. I pick it off gingerly and let it float into the air from my finger tips. I consider my p1ans for the afternoon. Step 6: Assign the students to prepare a waiting performance to show the class. Ask them to write out whom they are waiting for, what they see, and how they are feeling that day. The performances should be between 2-5 minutes in length. Remind them to concentrate heavily on the physical manifestations of the thought process their character may have while waiting. In this exercise they may choose to play themselves of another character. Step 7: Give the students the rest of the class period to prepare there written assignments and performances. Step 8: The students will perform for the class. Step 9: Discuss with the students what they learned. Was the written work beneficial? Why or why not? What happened during their rehearsals? How would they use this knowledge in a show? Movement Unit LESSON 10: Portrayal of the Elements Educational Objective: The students will demonstrate their ability to convey the elements of weather by performing a scene. Matenals Needed: A bucket of Ice. Hook: Divide the class in half. Have half the class stick their hand in the bucket of ice for one minute, the other half of the class must put their coats on an in a well (if possible over heated room) run in place for five minutes. Step 1: Remaining in the two groups have them make a list of words or three word phrases that describe what they were feeling. Step 2: Assign each a group a scene to act out while using the list they just composed to help them portray the given condition. The Hot Group : They are at the beach in Hawaii on vacation. It 110 degrees out side, it is humid and they have not been able to get into the water for over an hour. A body search is taking place in the water so they may have a bit longer to wait. The Cold Group : They are in Canada during one of their coldest winters, it is 25 degrees below zero and they are waiting outside their office building for the fire alarm to quit sounding so they can get back to work. Step 3: Allow time for rehearsal and performance. Step 4: Discuss the performances, were they believable? why? or why not? Did feeling hot or cold shortly before the performance help them to feel the elements more fully? Were their actable verbs more descriptive after experiencing heat or cold? How do specific actable verbs help to completely endow the elements on stage?