Unit
The Actor in Transition: From Presentational to Three-Dimensional
Created by John Minigan
6 lessons
The objective of this unit by John Minigan is to move students from a traditional presentational model of performance to a three-dimensional model. You’re going to achieve this by having students
- Develop tactics to achieve character goals, despite obstacles
- Connect physical choices to scene structure and relationships
- Clarify tactics and story rather than forcing emotion
- And focus on the scene partner rather than the self
This unit was created to use with grade nine students as a transition from middle school to high school acting approaches. It would also be appropriate for a beginning-of-the-year unit for a program that includes Drama 1. But any class that is at the beginning of their acting process will find value.
Each lesson comes with an engagement Rubric to assess how students participated in the activities and discussions.
Start here
The objective of this unit is to move students from a traditional presentational model of performance to a three-dimensional model.
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1Lesson 1An Organic Approach to Objective, Obstacle, Action/TacticThis lesson introduces the idea of “Objective/Goal, Obstacle, and Action/Tactic” as a powerful building block for actors and to introduce the concept of working with verbs as tactics.
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2Lesson 2Scores and BeatsThis lesson introduces the idea of “Objective/Goal, Obstacle, and Action/Tactic” to simple scenes by scoring those scenes and playing the scored text.
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3Lesson 3Power Plays in Three StatuesThis lesson incorporates physicality into stage relationships and learn to use stage position as an element of blocking that can show the dynamics of and changes in power in a scene.
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4Lesson 4Eight-Line Power PlaysThis lesson combines the work done in Lesson 2 (scoring scenes by beats) with the physical work done in Lesson 3 (creating dynamically staged scenes by connecting choices in blocking/staging to the underlying structural elements in a scene).
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5Lesson 5Acting the Other and Intensifying the TacticsThis lesson includes a series of improv games to focus students on “the other” rather than “the self,” on listening, on sharing their energy with scene partners, and on collaboration in acting.
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6Lesson 6The Beats in Every SceneStudents will work in pairs to create and perform two-minute scenes focused on clear objectives, clear obstacles, multiple tactics – and they will learn to give focused feedback.
Standards Addressed
Grade 6 - Creating
- TA6.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.<br/>a. Identify artistic choices, utilize theatre vocabulary, and demonstrate non-verbal communication skills in the rehearsal process.<br/>b. Interpret a character’s motivation by understanding the relationship between their background and their behavior.<br/>c. Identify the variety of relationships between characters.<br/>d. Identify, define, and classify character traits.<br/>e. Recognize and demonstrate the roles, responsibilities, and skills associated with collaborative performance.<br/>f. Use resources to identify and create technical elements of theatre.
- TA6.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.<br/>a. Identify the elements of a story.<br/>b. Identify the theme and structure of a play.<br/>c. Articulate creative ideas in oral and written forms.<br/>d. Use the dramatic writing process to generate a script.<br/>e. Demonstrate the conventions of dialogue and stage directions.
Grade 7 - Creating
- TA7.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.<br/>a. Identify and rehearse effective communication skills.<br/>b. Compare and contrast character types and relationships by analyzing character motivations, objectives, and goals.<br/>c. Compare the physical, emotional, vocal, and social dimensions of a character.<br/>d. Investigate the role and responsibility of the cast and crew.<br/>e. Identify and model ensemble skills in the rehearsal process.<br/>f. Utilize staging and blocking choices to enhance the performance.<br/>g. Compare, contrast, and design elements of technical theatre.<br/>h. Utilize theatre vocabulary throughout the rehearsal process.
- TA7.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.<br/>a. Create ideas for stories.<br/>b. Analyze the theme and structure of a play.<br/>c. Use the dramatic writing process to generate a script.<br/>d. Utilize dramatic conventions in the scriptwriting process (e.g. stage directions, dialogue, scenes).
Grades 9-12 - ACTING LEVELS I-IV - Creating
- TAHSA.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.<br/>a. Use script analysis in the development and presentation of formal and informal theatre performances.<br/>b. Examine various theories of dramatic structure.<br/>c. Engage in and apply meaningful cultural, literary, and historical research to create acting choices or directorial concepts.
- TAHSA.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.<br/>a. Examine theatre practices regarding the development, structure, layout, and format of scripts.<br/>b. Use improvisation, personal experiences, heritage, imagination, literature, and history to develop scripts.<br/>c. Perform formal and informal monologues and scenes based on published and original scripts.
Grades 9-12 - ADVANCED DRAMA LEVELS I-IV -Performing
- TAHSAD.PR.1 Act and direct by communicating and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.<br/>a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks associated with acting, incorporating voice, body, observation, and imagination to create characters for formal and informal performances.<br/>b. Implement the duties of the stage manager, including communication and safety procedures, that will assist the director in all areas of production.<br/>c. Develop a schedule and organizational plan to prepare a scene for performance, including a rehearsal schedule and a prompt script.<br/>d. Conduct rehearsals and present a full theatrical presentation to a live audience.
- TAHSAD.PR.2 Execute artistic and technical elements of theatre.<br/>a. Engage as a creative team in script analysis to plan and create technical elements of a theatre production.
Grades 9-12 - FUNDAMENTALS OF THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Creating
- TAHSFT.CR.1 Organize, design, and refine theatrical work.<br/>a. Recognize and/or employ realistic and conventional speech patterns within dialogue or dramatic verse.<br/>b. Incorporate dramatic elements through improvisation.<br/>c. Recognize and interpret artistic choices in performance.
- TAHSFT.CR.2 Develop scripts through theatrical techniques.<br/>a. Differentiate between dramatic and traditional literary writing and utilize common steps of the playwriting process.<br/>b. Assess the need for script analysis, concept development, and directorial and technical concerns of a theatrical script.<br/>c. Construct and critique elements of dramatic structure, character, and dialogue.<br/>d. Create and perform scenes for audiences.
Grades 9-12 - MUSICAL THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Performing
- TAHSMT.PR.1 Act and direct by communicating and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and environments.<br/>a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks associated with acting, singing, and dancing, incorporating vocal and movement technique, observation, and imagination to create characters for formal and informal performances.<br/>b. Identify and examine the responsibilities and tasks of an actor in relation to directors, designers, choreographers, technical crew, and production staff.<br/>c. Use the skills and tools of a director to develop a presentation of formal and informal musical theatre performances.<br/>d. Conduct rehearsals to present a musical theatre performance for a live audience.
- TAHSMT.PR.2 Execute artistic and technical elements of theatre.<br/>a. Engage as a creative team in script analysis to plan and create technical elements of a theatre production, including sets, props, costumes, makeup, lighting, and sound.
Grades 9-12 - MUSICAL THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Responding
Grades 9-12 - THEATRE HISTORY AND LITERATURE I AND II - Performing
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