Unit
in Drama One Curriculum
Commedia Dell'Arte
Created by Karen Loftus
5 lessons
popular
Students will discover, analyze, and explore the history, characters, and style of commedia dell’arte.
Commedia dell’arte is a theatre history unit mixed with improvisation, physicalization, and exploring specific characters. In this unit, we’re going to focus on three main aspects:
1. Causes and Effects of Commedia (History)
2. Stock Characters
3. Commedia Performance Practices
Start here
The overview lays out the structure of the unit, including objectives, materials list, lesson structure and assessment and time management tools.
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1Lesson 1IntroductionStudents begin their exploration of commedia dell’arte with some facts about the era and participate in some exercises that realize the concepts of the era.
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2Lesson 2Stock CharactersStudents continue their exploration of commedia dell’arte with an introduction to “stock characters” and learning how to implement a character walk.
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3Lesson 3Stock Character WalksStudents continue their exploration of commedia dell’arte by practicing the specific character walks of Arlecchino, Pantalone, and Capitano.
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4Lesson 4LazziStudents learn about different commedia lazzi and create their own.
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5Lesson 5Unit ProjectStudents will be able to take everything they’ve explored about commedia and create a simple scene.
Standards Addressed
Speech Drama 10
- 1 demonstrate vocal relaxation and warmup techniques
- 10 demonstrate safe and appropriate projection
- 11 demonstrate how phrasing and pausing, intonation, rate and rhythm affect meaning
- 13 speak spontaneously within a given context
- 2 apply effective breathing techniques
- 3 recognize the effect of good posture on voice
- 5 recognize how the jaw, lips, tongue, teeth and velum play an important role in articulation
Speech Drama 20
Speech Drama 30
Improvisation Drama 10
- 1 use warmup techniques for preparation of body, voice and mind
- 10 demonstrate appropriate rehearsal methods
- 12 create, relate and polish a story
- 15 initiate a dramatic situation in response to a given stimulus
- 16 make logical choices spontaneously within the boundaries of situation and character
- 17 demonstrate the ability to accept, advance, offer or block thought and action, quickly and effectively
- 20 critique the work of self and others through observation and expression of specific detail
- 23 use varied stimuli for character development
- 25 select and use language appropriate to character and situation
- 26 use body language to add physical dimensions and depth to a character
- 28 demonstrate how attitude, and change in attitude, affects a character
- 29 demonstrate understanding of and apply the concept of status
- 3 maintain concentration during exercises
- 30 demonstrate understanding of and apply the concepts of a character’s objectives and motivation
- 32 sustain a character throughout a scene or exercise
- 9 use appropriate stage directions
Improvisation Drama 20
Acting Drama 20
Acting Drama 30
Theatre Studies Drama 10 (Greek, Medieval or Elizabethan, and Canadian)
Theatre Studies Drama 20
Movement Drama 10
- 10 demonstrate focus, concentration and energy in all movement and gesture
- 15 use basic locomotor movements (eg. walking, running, crawling) to explore space
- 16 create and repeat patterns of movement
- 18 appreciate that physical expression can enhance language
- 22 translate words, images and emotions into movement
- 3 recognize the necessity for physical warmups
- 4 perform a physical warmup
- 5 demonstrate effective breathing techniques
- 6 recognize when to use specific breathing techniques
- 7 display proper body alignment
Playwriting - Drama 20
Improvisation/Acting Level III - Advanced
Junior Goal II Objectives
Junior Orientation
- communicate through use of voice and body
- demonstrate a willingness to take calculated and reasonable risks
- demonstrate trust by becoming comfortable, physically and emotionally, with others
- focus concentration on one task at a time
- generate imaginative and creative solutions to problems
- investigate a variety of roles and situations
- listen effectively
- meet deadlines and follow through on individual and group commitments
- move in a variety of ways
- offer and accept constructive criticism, given specific guidelines, with a desire to improve
- recognize that there is an historical and cultural aspect of drama/theatre
- recognize the purposes of and participate in warmup activities
- respond to directions without breaking concentration-side coaching
- share ideas confidently with others
- show awareness of story sequence
- speak, move, and generate ideas spontaneously
- support positively the work of others
- work cooperatively and productively with all members of the class in pairs, small groups and large groups
Movement Level I - Beginning
- 1 demonstrate understanding of and apply appropriate safety procedures
- 11 use directions and pathways
- 12 use levels
- 17 use movement to communicate non-verbally
- 2 demonstrate awareness of personal and shared space
- 4 recognize the need for and demonstrate warmup activities
- 6 use proper posture
- 7 demonstrate awareness of his or her own body and its movement potential
- 9 travel through space in a variety of ways e.g., running, creeping and jumping
Movement Level II - Intermediate
Movement Level III - Advanced
Speech Level I - Beginning
Speech Level II - Intermediate
Speech Level III - Advanced
Improvisation/Acting Level I - Beginning
- 1 use warm-up techniques for preparation of body, voice and mind
- 2 respond to directions without breaking concentration-side coaching
- 7 use stage vocabulary: stage areas, body positions and crosses
- 8 demonstrate appropriate rehearsal behaviours and routines
- 9 communicate a clear beginning, middle and end in spontaneous and planned scenes
Improvisation/Acting Level II - Intermediate
- 13 recognize the techniques of offering, accepting, advancing and blocking
- 14 use varied stimuli for character development
- 15 use the body and body language to enhance characterization
- 17 select and use language appropriate to a given character and situation
- 18 use voice variety to enhance a character
- 20 enter and exit in character
- 21 sustain a character throughout an exercise or scene
- 22 create business appropriate to character and situation
- 23 demonstrate understanding of character motivation
- 24 recognize that relationships exist between characters in given situations
Junior Goal I Objectives
- develop a positive self-image
- develop a sense of responsibility and commitment
- develop self-confidence
- develop self-discipline
- develop the ability to initiate, organize and present a project within a given set of guidelines
- develop the ability to interact effectively and constructively in a group process
- develop the willingness to make a decision, act upon it and accept the results
- explore and develop physical and vocal capabilities
- extend the ability to explore, control and express emotions
- extend the ability to think imaginatively and creatively
- strengthen powers of concentration
Theatre Studies Level 1 - Beginning (performance analysis)
Theatre Studies Level II - Intermediate (Theatre History)
Senior Goal I Objectives
- apply imaginative and creative thought to problem-solving situations
- demonstrate a sense of inquiry and commitment, individually and to the group
- demonstrate the ability to considered decisions, act upon them and accept the results
- demonstrate the ability to contribute effectively and constructively to the group process
- develop a positive and realistic self-image
- extend physical and vocal capabilities
- extend the ability to concentrate
- increase self-confidence
- increase self-discipline
Senior Goal II Objectives
Senior Goal III Objectives
Orientation Drama 10
- concentrate on the task at hand
- cope with success and failure in positive ways
- demonstrate behaviour appropriate to given circumstances
- demonstrate effective use and management of time
- demonstrate self-discipline, self-direction and a sense of responsibility
- demonstrate trust by becoming comfortable with others, physically and emotionally
- demonstrate willingness to challenge and extend oneself: physically, emotionally, intellectually and artistically
- display consideration and respect for self and others
- listen to self and others
- make effective decisions or choices
- offer and accept constructive criticism with a desire to progress
- positively support the work of others
- share ideas confidently
- solve problems imaginatively and creatively
- work cooperatively and productively
- work with abstract concepts
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