67 th POWELL RIVER FESTIVAL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS Speech Arts. Appendix C. Adjudicator s Notes & Suggestions

Transcription

1 67 th POWELL RIVER FESTIVAL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS 2011 Speech Arts Appendix C Adjudicator s Notes & Suggestions

2 READERS THEATRE By Andrea Johnston Readers Theatre is a performance by a group of interpreters seeking to explore, to embody, and in special ways, to feature a given literary text. This convention of performance, with a long history rooted in the presentational modes of the ancient Greeks, is used today as an exciting and flexible method to explore drama, fiction, nonfiction and poetry. From Oral Interpretation by Charlotte I Lee and Timothy Gura Readers Theatre: - is interactive - has the narrative point of view ( rather than dramatic) - not bound to time or space - demands stricter attention to aural elements of the literature - all vocal and physical action is used to enhance the literature and mustn t detract Some Important Steps to take when preparing a Readers Theatre performance; ANALYZE THE LITERATURE Director should analyze the script 1. alone 2. with cast Director should look at the script and study its structure. I always look to see if I can organize the script into traditional story telling segments; 1. Introduction 2. Inciting incidents (there can be many of these that build to the climax) 3. Climax 4. Conclusion This should help to shape the text into a living story. Once the director is clear on the shape of the piece she can do the same work with the cast, leading them along. This enables the cast to make the discoveries for themselves and have a clear understanding of the journey of the text. Explore the Intellect (content) Emotion (feeling, mood) Imagination (image life) of the text.

3 Make choices on 1. central theme 2. character motivation 3. who is speaking 4. to whom the character(s) are speaking 5. moods at different times in the text 6. setting, time and place 7. point of view of each character Discuss 1. vocabulary 2. syntax 3. meaning STAGING CLOTHING - make decisions on staging to enhance the relationship between the characters and to support the text - use risers, stools, boxes chairs etc. to create different levels - place actors in a formation where all are seen and to support the text - if you choose to move during the piece make sure it supports the text and doesn t distract from the text, choreograph the timing of this into the piece - ensure actors do not fidget or change their eye focus from the one decided by the director as this is distracting and diverts from the text. NOTE This is the most important element of staging, ensure that this is accomplished before doing any of the more complex staging styles. It is best to see a simple semi-circle sitting or standing with no fidgeting and no diverting focuses rather than a sloppy, distracting more complicated staging. - at the very least be co-coordinated to show visual unity and to support the text (all dressed in black works well as it is the basic speech arts uniform and all usually own black clothing) variations on this; white on black, colour coordinated - use of simple costume can be used to suggest type of character eg. all dressed in black but characters wearing different hats or scarves to suggest their character - NOTE costumes are not necessary, if you want to use should be very minimal and support the text not detract

4 SCRIPTS - held at same level, below eyes and slightly in front of body for easy glancing - can be used as a prop eg, a horn or a hat or a hammer etc. to support the text at appropriate times - work placement and turning of pages in unison - NOTE purpose of using the script is so the actors don t have to worry about memorization they can focus on the text, main goal is to bring the text to life through language VOCAL EXPRESSSION - phrasing - pauses - word emphasis - colouring language (bringing it to life) - pace - vocal pitch - inflection - volume - articulation - NOTE you can score your text with symbols for each to ensure repeatability of desired vocal expression EYE FOCUS From Lee Bolton OFFSTAGE ONSTAGE: COMBINATION: The readers look out into the middle of the theatre with their lines of vision intersecting slightly above the heads of the audience. As the reader describes actions and events he will see them occurring at this vocal point. A focus such as this is desirable because it places the scene in the audience. It is a strong focus because the body is in full view and the voice can be projected directly forward. The readers look at each other as in stage work. Useful if the cast is small, dialogue is predominant in the script. Use sparingly as the scene is taken out of the imagination of the audience and placed on stage. Both on and off stage focus can be used if the script is appropriate and if the change from one to the other is a natural development of

5 the story. The narrator, though, should always address the audience as (s)he delivers lines. Please Note: You can create your own readers theatre scripts however, it is essential that the ORIGINAL TEXT FROM WHICH THE SCRIPT IS BASED BE PROVIDED TO THE ADJUDICATOR ALONG WITH A PRINTED COPY OF THE ADAPTED TEXT. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN YOUR ENTRY BEING REJECTED.

6 CHORAL SPEAKING Choral speaking is a group of many voices trained to interpret literature focusing on the meaning and emotional content. Clues for interpretation are taken from the text through exploration of the poetic metre or rhythm of the piece. Thus it is the art of interpreting literature as a group and communicating that interpretation. There is no substitute for choral speaking. To the literature that demands this sort of interpretation it brings vividness, clarity, freshness of meaning and the moving dramatic power of many voices. source unknown SKILLS DEVELOPED - recognize and develop the articulated sounds of standard Canadian speech - speak clearly - speak with ease - speak expressively THE PARTICIPANTS SHOULD - speak with an appreciation of the flexibility of the voice as an instrument - learn concepts of pitch, pace, pause, rate, intensity, volume - develop the following interpretive skills a) communicate the meaning of the piece of literature b) express mood c) explore natural rhythm d) phrase for meaning e) colour individual words f) develop skills of presentation by becoming aware of the importance of face, voice and body g) develop appreciation for the enjoyment of literature h) develop empathy through experiencing thoughts and feelings of other people and other cultures as expressed through their story i) develop language skills through the language processes of speaking, listening, writing and reading SPECIFIC CHORAL SPEECH SKILLS - Listen to self and others - Blend the voice with others - Respond to cues given by leader

7 MATERIAL COSTUME STAGING - Suitability for the age and skill level - Suitable material for choral speaking - No costume - Unified appearance (e.g. black on black / white on black / colour coordinated - Unified formation - Use of risers - Arranged according to vocal blending dynamic LIGHTING - Showing all the faces and bodies of speakers - Warm or cool tome depending of the mood (if possible) - General wash when lighting cannot be specific CHORAL SPEAKING TERMINOLOGY Unison speaking: Part speaking: Line- a child: Solo speaking: Antiphonal speaking: Cumulative speaking: The entire choir speaks as one person Different groups take different parts of the poem Each person takes a line. They must flow from one speaker to the next Line(s) are given to individuals Two voices or two groups of voices More than two groups are speaking sections NOTE: THE PUBLISHED BOOK FROM WHICH YOUR PIECE IS SELECTED IS TO BE PROVIDED TO THE ADJUDICATOR. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND NO PERFORMANCE.

8 POETRY By Andrea Johnston Poetry might be defined as a kind of language that says more and says it more intensely than does ordinary language. (Poetry s primary purpose is not to communicate information. It) exists to bring us a sense and perception of life, to widen and sharpen our contact with existence. (It s) concern is with experience. Poets, from their own store of felt, observed, or imagined experiences, select, combine, and reorganize. They create significant new experiences for their readers - significant because focused and formed - in which readers can participate and from which they may gain a greater awareness and understanding of their world. Literature, in other words, can be used as a gear for stepping up the intensity and increasing the range of our experience and as a glass for clarifying it. From Sound and Sense by Laurence Perrine and Thomas R. ARP Part of the performance of poetry is the preparation before hand. The purpose of all the speech arts is to teach us about the world around us and then communicate those experiences to an audience. Through exposure to, and an understanding of, different types of literature we increase our comprehension skills, our compassion for the world and those around us, and broaden our experiences though examination of worlds outside ourselves. When we then choose to orally communicate the words of our great literary geniuses we learn to communicate effectively and eloquently, not just the words of others but our own thoughts and experiences. For this reason exposure to the different modes and styles of poetry is essential before selecting the one poem to perform. This is also why it is important to choose material suitable to the age and experience of the student. Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Bruce Lansky are wonderful for the grade one and two students and some of their more challenging pieces for the grade three and four student but beyond that it is too simplistic. In addition to the Shel Silversteins of the world are other wonderful poets: poets like Robert Louis Stevenson, A.A Milne, Karla Kuskin, Alfred Noyes, Christina Rossetti (these poets also have suitable material for the grade one through four student). That is why I asked that the students explore many different types of poems by different authors before selecting their performance piece. Even if every grade one student chooses a Shel Silverstein poem to perform, they will have been exposed to other poets and modes of poetry along the way, which will in turn enrich their next encounter with poetry. The RCM or Royal Conservatory of Music Syllabus is an excellent resource for finding age- and experience-appropriate text. Many of the pieces are found in anthologies which publish a wide array of accomplished poets and writers. If a poem is found outside of the syllabus it can be compared to other poems in the syllabus to see if it is suitable for the age and grade level of the student. The syllabus chooses material that examines different modes of literature as well as pieces about different subjects. The material is meant to enhance the students understanding of the world and self. It is also meant to expose the student to as many of the great writers from the English Literature canon as possible.

9 The RCM Speech Arts syllabus is structured in different grade levels. Please note that an RCM grade level is one level lower than the child s school level; so a school grade one student would select from the introductory level, a grade two student from the grade one level etc. It is arranged like this so that a truly accomplished performer could choose a poem from his or her actual school grade without the materials subject matter being too advanced for the age and maturity of the performer. We wouldn t want a grade five student to perform Porphyria s Lover by Robert Browning; that would be totally inappropriate in the context of a festival. In my experience I find that the primary grades can perform their school grade level just fine. However, from grade three to grade four there is quite a big jump in the maturity level and complexity of the pieces and then doing the RCM grade level below their school grade starts to make sense. MODES OF POETRY LYRIC Lyric poetry consists of a poem, such as a sonnet or an ode, that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. The lyric poem addresses the speakers feelings, state of mind and perceptions. Originally, lyric poems were sung with the accompaniment of a lyre. Today lyric poems are spoken but they retain their musical quality through the rhyme, rhythm and metre of the poem and the speakers vocal expression. - author = speaker, mask of the poet (writers disguised self) - evokes - draws out - suggests - emotional responsiveness - rhythm - sound - image - sensory showing - personal Literary Speakers: to create the speaker, (not you, not the author) EYE FOCUS FOR LYRIC POETRY - inner closed (eyes are inside your head) used when thinking out loud want to be alone with thoughts - semi closed (eye focus above the audience heads, beyond the horizon)

10 used when talking to a muse, death, searching for something outside of self EXAMPLES OF LYRIC POETRY - To an Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Houseman - I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth - Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost - Just Me by Margaret Hillert NARRATIVE POETRY Poetry that tells a story, usually in linear, chronological description. Combines the excitement of a story with the elements of poetry. A non dramatic poem. - conflict / problem - narrator tells the story - poets voice submerged to the narrators EYE FOCUS FOR NARRATIVE POETRY - open focus (to the audience, look at them directly) EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVE POETRY Casey at the Bat by Earnest Lawrence Thayer The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service The Lady of Shallot by Alfred Lord Tennyson DRAMATIC POETRY Poetry in which the author writes in the voice of one or more characters. Similar to narrative poetry but the poet assumes more than one character s voice to tell the story. Employs elements of drama such as dialogue, conflict and characterization but excludes works that are meant for theatrical presentation. - characters clearly defined - conflict / problem - characters are defined speakers - poets voice submerged to the character(s)

11 EYE FOCUS FOR DRAMATIC POETRY - closed focus (on the horizon, out front) - character placement ( above the audiences head, focus at edge of stage) - open focus ( to the audience, look at them directly) EXAMPLES OF DRAMATIC POETRY Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (Dramatic Monologue) EPIC POETRY Epic poetry is a form of narrative poetry. Traditionally celebrates the achievements of heroes and heroines and is written using elevated language, high style. In more recent times epic poems have become more personal and less formal in structure. - narrators point of view - has a storyline told by the narrator - story can span several books - move between poet, narrator and character(s) EYE FOCUS FOR EPIC POETRY - open focus when narrator (to the audience, look at them) - closed focus when character ( on the horizon, out front ) - inner closed if character speaking thoughts out loud to self (eyes inside the head) - character placement (above the audiences head focus at edge of stage) EXAMPLES OF EPIC POETRY Traditional Epics The Iliad by Homer Paradise Lost by Milton The Odyssey by Homer Beowulf author unknown Non Traditional Epics The Prelude by William Wordsworth Helen in Eygpt by H.D. (Hilda Doolittle) VOCAL EXPRESSION

12 - phrasing - pauses - word emphasis - colouring language (bringing it to life) - pace - vocal pitch - inflection - volume - articulation - NOTE you can score your text with symbols for each to ensure repeatability of desired vocal expression NOTE: THE PUBLISHED BOOK FROM WHICH YOUR PIECE IS SELECTED TO BE PROVIDED TO THE ADJUDICATOR. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND NO PERFORMANCE.