KRISTA D. PRICE

DAY 1:

​

1.) Reviewed:  Plot terms & definitions (inciting incident, exposition, conflict, build, crisis, climax, denouement)

​

2.) Read Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon.  If absent or quarantined, you MUST read what we read in class! 

Click the links below for this week's reading. 

(Note:  If you haven't read the script previous to this, go to the last week's lessons to read the play from the beginning.)

• Act II, Scene 1-2, pgs 64-95 (Build) (we left off on pg 73 last class)

• Act II, Scene 2, pgs 96-103 (Crisis) 

• Act II, Scene 3, pgs 104-112 (Build After Crisis)

• Act II, Scene 3-4, pgs 112-120 (Climax & Denouement)

​

3.) Discussed the question:  How does an actor know how to "play" a character from a script? 

• There are 3 main ways we learn about our characters from a script:

  • What the playwright tells us about our character (Example:  ​"she's as warm and congenial as she is emotionally arrested")

  • What other characters say about our character (Example:  "She'd come out of that door with a limp and a cane and look like she was going to kill you.")

  • What a character says about him/herself (Example:  "Sometimes I get so confused I think I should carry an alarm clock")

​

4.) Chose a character to "work with" for a future monologue assignment/performance. 

• Each student/actor must choose one of the following characters from Lost in Yonkers:  Bella, Grandma, Eddie, Louie, Jay 

• You must choose your OWN gender for this assignment, although girls are allowed to choose Jay if desired.

• If absent or quarantined, be sure to choose which character you'd like to work with, and Ms. Price will provide you with a monologue for that character next class (online).

​

4.)  Participated in an Observe/Infer activity (Google Classroom Reflection Journal - week 11) in which we observed the body positions and physical choices of various actors playing characters from Lost in Yonkers, then inferred what was being communicated to an audience about that character through the actors' choices.  (If absent or quarantined, you do NOT need to complete this activity.)

​

DAY 2:

​

1.)  Watched a video of playwright Neil Simon describing the characters of his play, Lost in Yonkers.  (watch to 1:45)  Discussed.

​

2.) Discussed:  How do actors/directors make choices about HOW to portray characters on stage?  (Answer:  They read and INTERPRET the script.)

​

3.) Participated in a small group activity (Label Activity) in which students were given every line/description from the script, Lost in Yonkers, where a character was described by the playwright, by themselves, or by others.  Students analyzed each, and put each line (label) in the correct column (playwright/self/others) and for the correct character.  When done, actors had a complete list of every description from the script about the character they will be playing.  (If absent, this is an assignment you do NOT need to make up.)

 

4.)  Journaled  (Google Classroom Reflection Journal - week 11) about "clue words" from the script (i.e. label activity) that helped actors to know how to best play their characters.  (Journal Title:  Character Clue Words)  If absent, you do not need to complete this journal entry, but you should be aware of character clue words from the script when analyzing your character.)

​

5.)  Ms. Price introduced our next acting project:  Perform a Character Monologue

​

6.) Ms. Price passed out monologues to each student for their chosen character.  If absent, choose from the monologues below (choose your own gender/gender identity; girls can also choose Jay if desired):

• Bella (2 options)

• Grandma (2 options)

• Jay (1 option)

• Louie (2 options)

• Eddie (3 options)

​

7.)  Watched a video (KP's Theatre Class - Characterization) and took notes in Google Classroom Class Notes Journal.  (watched only to 2:30)

​

8.) Analyzed / Answered character questions about your monologue character.  As introduced in the video above, when we play any character, we must analyze her/his BACKGROUND and also PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.  In Google Classroom, complete the assignment "Monologue - BACKGROUND and PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES" for YOUR character.  (Note:  Present Circumstances would refer to what's going on just before and/or during your monologue moment.)

​

9.) Participated in teacher-led movement activities in order to explore and "try on" various types of movement.  (This helps in character development.)  The movement activities we explored are listed below.

• "Leading Center" (the part of the body a character may "lead" with)

  • Lead with your chin...​ (What does this "feel" like?)

  • Lead with your hips...  (What does this "feel" like?)

  • Lead with the top of your head...  (What does this "feel" like?)

  • Lead with your nose...  (What does this "feel" like?)

  • Lead with your chest...  (What does this "feel" like?)

  • Lead with your hands...  (What does this "feel" like?)

• Laban Movement (the theory of human movement that asserts there is a ​weight, direction, and speed to all movement)  For visual handout click HERE.

  • Direct, Quick, Heavy movement ​ (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a PUNCH.

  • Indirect, Quick, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a SLASH.

  • Direct, Quick, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a DAB.

  • Indirect, Quick, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a FLICK.

  • Direct, Sustained, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a PRESS.

  • Indirect, Sustained, Heavy movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a WRING.

  • Direct, Sustained, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a GLIDE.

  • Indirect, Sustained, Light movement (What does this "feel" like?)  This type of movement is called a FLOAT.

​​

9. Discussed/Chose:  What might your character's "Leading Center" be, and what type of movement (from the above Laban Movement choices) would probably be typical for your character?  What type of Laban Movement might your character exhibit during your monologue (present circumstance?​

​

10.) Finished video (KP's Theatre Class - Characterization) and took notes in Google Classroom Class Notes Journal.  (watched 2:30-end)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​