Students will demonstrate their abilities to perform Shakespeare by choosing a performance piece, preparing the piece through translation and scoring, blocking the piece, and performing a Shakespeare monologue or scene.
Note: This unit was originally created to use as class work towards the opportunity to perform at the annual Utah Shakespearean Festival High School Competition and thereby the time limit requirements, ballots/evaluation sheets etc. are dictated by the rules of that competition.
CURRICULUM PLACEMENT:
The Acting Shakespeare Unit is to be used in an intermediate class with ninety-minute class periods.
Notes: If this unit is too difficult, long, or detailed for an intermediate class, you can teach this unit in simplified format– just eliminate some of the more advanced work (scansion, secondary source, character interview, etc.) and spend more time explaining the basics of performing Shakespeare (translation, learning objectives, etc.) and choosing performance pieces.
PRIOR STUDENT EXPERIENCE:
It is expected that students will have knowledge of script analysis, acting techniques, blocking, and experience with Shakespeare’s language and plays through prior performance opportunities.
NOTE FOR MATERIALS NEEDED:
The more resources there are for the students to use the better. Obviously the student needs access to Shakespeare’s individual plays, but other resources to suggest include: a dictionary, glossaries, lexicons, guides to Shakespeare plays and characters, a pronunciation guide, and other such books or articles that will help the students to “get” their character and play.
1994 NATIONAL STANDARDS:
CONTENT STANDARD 2: Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions. CONTENT STANDARD 3: Designing and producing by conceptualizing and realizing artistic interpretations for informal or formal productions. CONTENT STANDARD 5: Researching by evaluating and synthesizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices. CONTENT STANDARD 7: Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions.
MAIN CONCEPTS:
William Shakespeare, classical acting, interpretation, text analysis, competition
LESSONS OUTLINE:
LESSON 1: Introduction to Shakespeare Performance EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will be introduced to Shakespeare’s works by viewing a parody of his plays. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed by the word search.
LESSON 2: Finding the Perfect Shakespeare Piece EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the Acting Shakespeare assignment by selecting a Shakespearean scene or monologue to perform. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed on their written responses as well as their on-task work in selecting a Shakespeare performance piece.
LESSON 3: Analyzing Shakespeare’s Language EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Shakespearean script analysis by scoring, translating, and analyzing their Shakespeare performance pieces. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through their participation in the text analysis work.
LESSON 4: Making Shakespeare Sound Natural EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of scansion and phrasing by scoring their Shakespeare performance pieces. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through their original poetry and phrase/beat scoring.
LESSON 5: Blocking Shakespeare EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of movement in a performance piece by blocking and providing business for their Shakespearean monologue or scene. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through participation in the blocking activities, the written blocking in their script, and a drawn floorplan of the setting of their performance piece.
LESSON 6: Creating the Shakespeare Character EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of characterization by creating a character with personality and traits for their Shakespearean monologue or scene. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through their interview participation and their Character Analysis Worksheet.
LESSON 7: Shakespeare Previews EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of characterization, blocking, and interpretation by performing a preview of their Shakespeare monologue or scene. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through their performance preview.
LESSON 8: Relaxation and Visualization EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will continue their character work by visualizing a day-in-the-life of their Shakespearean character. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed by their participation in the relaxation and visualization activities and their written response to their preview.
LESSON 9: Shakespeare Polish & Refine EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of rehearsing by making and working on one specific acting goal for the Shakespearean monologue or scene. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed by their participation in rehearsing their performance pieces and by their written acting goal.
LESSON 10: Shakespeare Final Performances EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate their understanding of acting Shakespeare by performing their Shakespearean monologue or scene. ASSESSMENT: Students can be assessed through their final performances and by their written Shakespeare play analysis and Cliff Notes outline.
