{"id":5028,"date":"2017-05-12T15:53:57","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T15:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/?page_id=5028"},"modified":"2017-05-12T15:53:57","modified_gmt":"2017-05-12T15:53:57","slug":"imagination-given-circumstances","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/?page_id=5028","title":{"rendered":"Imagination & Given Circumstances"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lesson 2: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Imagination & Given Circumstances<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Objective:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students will demonstrate their ability to use their imagination by exploring given circumstances exercises.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Materials Needed:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given Circumstances Powerpoint\u00a02.Given Circumstances<\/a><\/p>\n

Place & Time Cards\u00a02.Time.Place.Objective Card Ideas<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pre-HOOK:<\/p>\n

As students enter the room, show the first slide on the PowerPoint (Pp) projected on the wall so that students can follow the instructions without any verbal direction.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

HOOK<\/p>\n

After all the students are in place, have each student come up to the suitcase and pull out an object and interact with it.\u00a0 They should follow all impulses and interact with it in the first way that comes into their mind; not think about it.\u00a0 They aren\u2019t performing \u2013 simply interacting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ACTIVITY<\/p>\n

Trunk Exercise SA<\/em> p.162: <\/strong>Have students combine concentration and imagination by participating in the following activity as you guide them.<\/p>\n

You are in an old attic surrounded by cobwebs.\u00a0 You see an old trunk in the corner of the attic.\u00a0 Go to the trunk and open it \u2013 what three objects do you pull out and interact with?\u00a0 What might mean something to you?\u00a0 One of your possessions? Something you come into contact with often or something that has been tucked away and forgotten?<\/p>\n

Reflect on the exercise \u2013 what does this have to do with acting?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

INSTRUCTION<\/p>\n

Explain how Stanislavsky emphasized the use of imagination<\/strong> in performing.\u00a0 But it must be grounded in what the playwright has given in the text.\u00a0 I asked you to do homework to get contextual information about your play, character, and setting. Why?\u00a0 Why do this round-the-table work and not just jump into getting the piece ready?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pp slide:<\/em> Actors have to \u2018let go\u2019 of their homework \u2013 they should \u2018forget\u2019 their preparation at the point when it has served its purpose. But you have to do the work first to be able to forget it, right?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stanislavsky\u2019s system balances theory and practice.\u00a0 So we do the homework or round-the-table analysis and then<\/u> we get up on our feet and explore with our physical and spiritual self.\u00a0 Pp slide:<\/em> \u201cIf our preparatory work is right, the results will take care of themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

INFORMATION SHARE<\/p>\n

Have students take out their notes from the homework assignment.\u00a0 They should read through them and highlight\/underline 2-3 of the most important things they learned in each category (events, relationships, setting).\u00a0 Have them pair-share these with another actor or their scene partner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Directions: Talk with each other about how you can USE this information \u2013 what these new things you learned about the play, character, and setting can help you in your acting.\u00a0 Add thoughts from your discussion to your notes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

DISCUSSION<\/p>\n

Get students to talk through moving it from their brain to their bodies: How do we move from knowing or learning about the play context to actually being able to perform that context?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Willing suspension of disbelief is needed not just by audience members, but by actors too.\u00a0 Actors need to take the text given to them and create the world of the play \u2013 world of the scene\/monologue.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Think about your everyday life\u2026you constantly interact with the environment around you as its physical, psychological, social aspects influence your behavior, personality, feelings, and thoughts.\u00a0 Characters in a play live in a world created by the playwright, but even more so since they and their world have been created specifically to serve one another.\u00a0 Your character should develop in relationship to the environment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pp slide<\/em>: Stanislavsky asked actors to think and behave as their characters would logically do in the circumstances of the play.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

CIRCUMSTANCES ACTIVITY<\/p>\n

Guide students through the following activity \u2013 coaching them to be specific and detailed \u2013 really use their imaginations to see and feel these things.<\/p>\n

Closing a Window Exercise SA<\/em> p.162<\/strong><\/p>\n

Put yourself in front of a window.\u00a0 You need to close the window.\u00a0 Play with this \u2013 how big is the window?\u00a0 Is it heavy or light?\u00a0 Up or down or slide to the side?\u00a0 Is there a crank handle or a lock\/unlock catch?\u00a0 How does the window close?\u00a0 Now put some environment into the exercise: a storm has blown in with rain, thunder, and lightening.\u00a0 There is someone trying to get into the house.\u00a0 A dust storm is coming. It is below freezing outside.\u00a0 You were talking to your friend outside and your parents are outside your bedroom where you are grounded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reflect on the exercise.\u00a0 What did you DO to use the environment?\u00a0 What world did you create?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

INSTRUCTION<\/p>\n

Pp slide:<\/em> The specific qualities of the character\u2019s world are called GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES<\/u><\/strong>.\u00a0 These determine most of the choices an actor will make about their performance.\u00a0 Remember that while the world of the play are the largest component of given circumstances, you do have to keep in mind that the performance space and nature of the performance are just as much given circumstances that affect our performance choices (technical use of body and voice, etc.) \u2013 more on that later.<\/p>\n

Who<\/strong> \u2013 relationship between your character and all the other characters important in the scene (whether physically present or not; a general and a specific relationship with each person)<\/p>\n

Where<\/strong> \u2013 two main aspects; physical environment and social environment<\/p>\n

When<\/strong> \u2013 facts plus the implications of manners, values, beliefs, etc.<\/p>\n

What<\/strong> \u2013 start with the antecedent (or \u201cpre\u201d) action: things that happened in the past that affect the present situation and then move into the main event of the scene.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Pp slide:<\/em> \u201cThe basis of all acting is the experience of ACTION in given circumstances.\u201d Adler<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PRACTICE<\/p>\n

\u201cSo let\u2019s test this \u2013 let\u2019s see if we can create action in given circumstances in an exercise format before we apply it to our pieces.\u00a0 Remember we are focusing on the task \u2013 not on ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pair students up.\u00a0 Have the places, times, objectives, etc. for the exercises listed on different slips of paper or cards for students to randomly choose from. They are to create an improvised scene based on the cards they choose.<\/p>\n

One given circumstance KS<\/em> Exercise 4.2 PLACE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pay limitless attention to your partner and constantly adapt as the other given circumstances (who you are, why you\u2019re here, etc.) are invented as you go along.\u00a0 Be playful, be open.\u00a0 Accept what other actor says, adapt to it, and build upon it to maintain a convincing and action-driven scenario.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two given circumstances KS<\/em> Exercise 4.3 PLACE and TIME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now you have to justify your actions as you adapt to your partner.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Environment Influence SA<\/em> p.162<\/strong><\/p>\n

So think through your pieces\u2019 setting: where are you and how does the environment influence you? (WHERE and WHEN).\u00a0 Either write out a description of it as if you were writing a travel blog about it or grab a piece of blank paper and draw the setting as if it were a postcard.\u00a0 Include detail and specifics \u2013 you can\u2019t use the given circumstances if they are general and vague.\u00a0 Submit this work for a grade.\u00a0 It can be completed as homework if you don\u2019t finish it now.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

CLOSURE<\/p>\n

Glance over shoulders, etc. to ensure they have generated the appropriate work in their journals\/logs. Go through the actor\u2019s homework for next class period.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Homework<\/strong><\/p>\n

Take your notes and your script home and continue to explore action opportunities.\u00a0 Read through your scene at least three times each day.\u00a0 Just read and think about the environment, what just happened and is presently happening, and how you are and how you feel about the other characters in the scene.\u00a0 Feel free to continue to jot notes on further research, impressions, analysis of the script, character thoughts and connections, etc.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The script and notes come back with you next class period.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lesson 2: Imagination & Given Circumstances \u00a0 Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to use their imagination by exploring given circumstances exercises. \u00a0 Materials Needed: Given Circumstances Powerpoint\u00a02.Given Circumstances Place & Time Cards\u00a02.Time.Place.Objective Card Ideas   Pre-HOOK: As students enter the room, show the first slide on the PowerPoint (Pp) projected on the wall so …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5028"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5028"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5030,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5028\/revisions\/5030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}