Incorporating Theatre History into the Theatre I Curriculum Sara Ranzau - Center Point HS - Center Point ISD Amy Moeller - Stevens HS - Northside ISD

Why incorporate? Theatre history is often hard for teachers to teach Students tend to dislike theatre history because it reminds them too much of regular history class How do you get kids interested in all male actors, theatre run by the church and politics thrown into the theatrical mix? Who and what do Theatre I students really need to know anyway?

TEKS involved All of Them!

Year Long Curriculum Outline Based on 6 week breakdown Greeks and Roman - Oedipus Rex - Sophocles Medieval - Everyman Renaissance - Faustus - Marlowe ; Macbeth - Shakespeare Commedia del Arte/Resoration - The Misanthrope - Moliere ; The Imaginary Invalid - Moliere Absurdist/Post-Modern - Rhinoceros - Eugene Ionesco ; End Game - Samuel Beckett ; Caucasian Chalk Circle - Bertholdt Brecht ; The Lesson - Eugene Ionesco Early American - Vaudeville, Musicals; Silent Film

Unit added to existing curriculum Based on 6 week breakdown Greek/Roman - Oedipus - Sophocles Renaissance - Faustus - Marlowe; Midsummer Night’s Dream - Shakespeare (or any comedy) 19th - early 20th Century (Absurdist; Realism; Early American) - The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde; A Doll’s House - Henrik Ibsen; Waiting for Godot - Samuel Beckett

Incorporated as a Unit

In One 6 or 9 Week Period! Read two plays Have students create research projects in groups Have students complete one MAJOR activity

The Research Projects! These are the same for year long Students will choose groups and one period to research You can keep track of their research on a wiki or traditional paper and print outs Each group can either choose a section of their chosen period or can research all

The Research Projects! Suggested Research Topics - students may present in any way they like, but must provide a handout for you and their peers  Costuming  Purpose of Theatre  Staging  Who to Know (give them a starting point)  Politics/Life  Student Choice

The Activities! Students get some great choice here - Differentiated Instruction at its best!  Group - Scene(s) from the play in appropriate style and costume  Group - write a script  Individual - build a scale set or full costume  Individual - career connection (great for those who are super shy)  Anything else you can think up!

Year Long Curriculum 1st 6 Weeks  Greek/Roman (Ancient Theatre) Read a play from the period Group research projects, break into sections (costumes, purpose of theatre, etc) Create a theatrical poster for the play read Perform scenes in appropriate costumes and with appropriate style

Year Long Curriculum 2nd 6 Weeks  Medieval Theatre (Religious Theatre) Read a play from the period Group research projects, break into sections Create a theatrical poster for the play read Build a model pageant wagon Perform scenes from play read OR create and perform a modern morality play

Year Long Curriculum 3rd 6 Weeks  Renaissance Theatre (Elizabethan) Read a play from the period Group research projects, break into sections Create a theatrical poster for the play read Perform scenes from the play OR soliloquies/monologues Speaking in verse

Year Long Curriculum 4th 6 Weeks  Commedia del Arte/Restoration Read a play from the period Group research projects, break into sections Improv Mask making (character representation; symbolism) Create a Commedia script

Year Long Curriculum 5th 6 weeks  Absurdist/Post-Modern Read a play from the period (fairy tale plays are good too!) Group research projects, break into sections Politics of the period Create a backdrop/costume/makeup design for the play OR children’s play (fairy tales again!)

Year Long Curriculum 6th 6 Weeks  Early American Theatre Group research projects, break into sections (add choreography, composers, etc.) Watch a silent film OR musical Cartoons and story telling - have students bring in a cartoon that has retold a classic tale Career Connections Musical Revue

People to Know Ancient Greeks/Roman - Thespis, Sophocles, Aristotle, Plautus (Roman), Terrance (Roman), Dionysus, Eurpidies, Aristophanes Reniassance - William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Queen Elizabeth I, Richard Burbage, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Ben Jonson Commedia del Arte/Restoration - King Charles II (England); Moliere; Commedia Characters (Pantalone, Il Dottore, Harlequin, Columbina, Il Capitano, Punchinello); Absurdist/ Post-Modern - Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Bertholdt Brecht Early American - George M. Cohan; Rogers and Hammerstein; Leonard Bernstein; George & Ira Gershwin; David Garrick

Career Connections Students need to connect with people in the field of theatre (not just you!) Students create an article about a chosen theatre career (design, stage management, directing, playwright, acting, lighting/sound, teacher, etc.) Have students research and actually talk to someone in the field Contact people you know and as if they will allow you to give your to students to contact (see a list of some we suggest on your CD)

Medieval Lesson Example Direct Teach focusing on historical accuracy Social discussion of church and government expectations Students adapt a morality tale and create their own version of a modern morality play Create Pageant wagon model

Absurdist Lesson Example Read a play and have students create absurdist designs for the play. Discuss and evaluate absurdist play and the politics behind the story

On Your CD This PowerPoint Musical Theatre Lecture PowerPoint Medieval Lecture PowerPoint Greek/Roman Lecture PowerPoint Absurdist Lesson Outline Medieval Lesson Outline Career Connections Lesson Outline with “Expert” contacts Vaudeville Filmstrip Burlesque Filmstrip Minstrel Show Filmstrip

Resources Dr. Brockett’s site Anthology of English Literature

Contact Us! Sara Ranzau - Center Point High School - Center Point ISD - Amy Moeller - Stevens High School - Northside ISD -