Dear Parents and students: I am so sad that we will not be able to present another parent performance this school year. This year's 8th grade drama classes have been made up of unusually talented students. I have enjoyed getting to know each one of them and also watching them create dramatic scenes and then performing them for me. I really look forward to keeping in contact with the students and looking at the distance learning work that they will be creating. Starting Monday, April 6th my office hours will be from 11AM to !PM Monday through Friday. Please feel free to contact me by email if you have any questions or need any help with the Drama assignments.
Week 1 Assignment:Think about the journal you are writing for ELA. How could you make it in a script for a short play? Enrichment is OPTIONAL: Make a list of characters, props, setting, and other things you need for this play.
We will not be writing the play, but will be thinking about what it would be like to write it.
Week 2: You have made it to Dallas and are trying out an act for America's Got Talent. You will write an introduction for yourself and your talent to give to the judges. You may write one for a real talent that you have or for an imaginary one. Practice giving this introduction to your family. You may email it to me if you have the technology available to do so.
Week 3: Your audition was great, so you will be performing in front of a large audience in New York. Write down 3 things that you learned from your performances ( or in the demonstrations in class) at SJHS that will help you conquer your stage fright when you perform. Remember each person has to pick the stage fright strategies that work for them, so there are many answers to this problem. Just think of what helps you when you are on the stage. Enhancement activity: If you would like to see additional ideas on conquering stage fright go to You tube and look up 7 Steps to Overcome Stage Fright and Beat Performance Anxiety
Week 4:
Your performance was fantastic in London. Now you are ready for another big challenge performance. You will create a pantomime to be performed on the street in Rio De Janeiro during their huge Carnival celebration. Remember, pantomime is acting without words so you must use your body language and facial expressions to create your character. When we did pantomime in class we made sure to have a beginning, middle, and an end. This really helps your audience enjoy your performance. If you can, email me a shot description of your pantomime.
Optional: If you want to you may make a video of your pantomime and send it to me. This is strictly optional, but I would love to see these. Remember it has to have a beginning, middle , and an ending. We still have two weeks left of school for you to do this video if you choose.
monologue video submission tips Video submission tips> Video record your monologue, and email it to me, upload it to the Google classroom, or upload it to YouTube as “unlisted”. This will make sure only those with the link will be able to view it and it won’t come up in search results.
If you use Youtube, email me the unlisted link to your video. Consider these ways to achieve the best quality video for your submission:
VIDEO: An iPhone or Android phone will do wonderfully.
LIGHTING: Find a place where there is an abundance of natural light in front of you if possible. Natural light coming from a window illuminating the actor’s face/body is best. You do not want there to be any bright windows or lights behind you – this will create shadows. If you do not have access to a window, consider arranging floor lamps, desk lamps or other lighting in front of you illuminating your face. You can even use other phones with their flash on to provide extra light in a pinch.
CLUTTER: Remove all clutter from the place you’ll be recording. This doesn’t mean the room or space can’t have character or personality, but it should feel neat and non-distracting.
SPACING: Ideally you don’t want to be right up against a wall, as it can make the viewer feel uncomfortable. Consider standing at least 12 inches or more from a wall.
AUDIO: Standing on a carpet or rug is best as it will make the room sound less echo-y. Close the doors and windows and make the room as quiet as possible so the only thing that can be heard is your voice. Standing further from a wall will also help to reduce echo reflections.
FRAMING: The video should be shot horizontally. You should be in the center of the frame with the bottom of the frame at the bottom of your chest and the top of the frame slightly above the top of your head.
SITTING OR STANDING: Ideally, the camera should remain stationary in one position throughout the scene otherwise you risk distracting your viewer. Don’t let the person behind the camera try any artsy or fancy camera movements.
I hope this helps! Enjoy the experience!! We are all learning new things.