Directing
Tuesday and Thursday
3:30-5:00
Stop Gap/E224
Instructor: Tammi (Tammis) Doyle
E-mail:tammi.doyle@bellevuecollege.edu
Phone: 425-564-2319
Office location: E100a
Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 12:30 - 2:30
Course Outcomes
• Using
the language of theatre, thematic content and cultural
context choose a play to direct
• Articulate
a clear and effective relationship between genre, style and theatrical
conventions
• Examine
the milieu and characters of the play using visual and text based research
• Evaluate
a variety of design elements and identify ways to make decisions for
the chosen play
• Engage
actors in exercises that will connect them to each other and to their
characters
• Apply
principles of scheduling to create a production schedule.
• Describe
the differences in staging actors in a variety of theatre spaces
• Determine
how to find the theme of the play, the guiding image, the spine and the rhythm
of the play
• Present
a directed scene from the chosen play with actors
How Outcomes will be met
Read
and discuss a text on Directing
Do exercises that will help work with actors
Choose a play to work on all quarter
Prepare a Director's Book including all
pre-rehearsal prep, research, and analysis
Chose a scene to direct
Cast and Rehearse scene with BC actors
See a show on campus and analyze
Present directed scene
AIR: A cycle of Analysis, Imagination and Research
(in any and every order) that must be
visited and revisited as you prepare a role.
SCHEEP: The tools needed to
research a role: the time and place dictates the: Society, Culture, History,
Education, Economics, and
Politics. The little Scheep are all kept in the corral
by the fence of Time and Place.
-You
will choose a scene, with the Instructor, to cast, rehearse and direct. You will rehearse outside of the class and be
ready to present the scene at the Final when you will hand in your prompt book.
Grading
Coming
to class is crucial. This class is built
upon your willingness to stretch yourself, to challenge yourself and to accept
others in the class without judgment.
Your absence will often curtail not only your learning but also that of
your fellow students. If you miss more
than 2 classes your grade will be automatically dropped and you could fail the
class; constant tardiness will also cause your grade to drop. Absences can be explained, but they are very
rarely excused.
Participation/exercises 30%
Directed
Scene 30%
Prompt Book 30%
Attendance
at a play at KCACTF or Seattle and ability to discuss an analysis of the
direction. 5%
Attendance
at Little Shop of Horrors and
two page paper analyzing the direction.
5%
TOTAL 100%
Books and Materials Required
Thinking Like a Director by Michael Bloom
An owned copy of the script
that you are to direct.
A binder with dividers
Instructor’s Expectation
Honesty
is important when students are asked to comment on each other’s work. You will be expected to respond with respect.
You will be
expected to have done the reading and be able to discuss it in terms of your
own project.
Cell
phones are to be turned off and put in your bag (never carried on your person)
during class.
You
may choose your own play with input from the Instructor. It is the expectation
of the instructor that as college students you are prepared to investigate and
perform adult material. This is the kind
of material that you will find at the university and semi-professional and
professional level. This material may
challenge your politics, culture, beliefs and personal comfort. Let it.
At any time that you are uncomfortable in the class or with the
material, please see me immediately in class or in my office.
You
must see Little Shop of Horrors and be ready to write about and discuss the
direction of the play.
Affirmation of Inclusion
Bellevue
College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the
campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free
from harassment and discrimination. We
value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty,
staff members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and
respect. http://bellevuecollege.edu/about/goals/inclusion.asp
Division Statements
At
Bellevue College Drama Classes are housed in the Theatre Arts Department within
the Arts and Humanities Division.
Please look at the following pages. You will find good information about ways to
succeed as a student in Arts and Humanities classes at Bellevue College.
http://bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/AHGdlns-StdntGrwth.htm
http://bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/policy.html
Information about Bellevue College’s copyright
guidelines can be found at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/links/copyright.html
A good resource for Plagiarism is the Writing Lab: http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/Plagiarism.html
Student Code
“Cheating,
stealing and plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own
without crediting the source) and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior
are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. Examples of unacceptable behavior include,
but are not limited to: talking out of turn, arriving late or leaving early
without a valid reason, allowing cell phones/pagers to ring, and inappropriate
behavior toward the instructor or classmates.
The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to
the Vice President of Student Services for possible probation or suspension
from Bellevue College. Specific student
rights, responsibilities and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code
of Conduct, available in the office of the Vice President of Student
Services.” The Student Code, Policy
2050, in its entirety is located at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/policies/2/2050_Student_Code.asp
Bellevue College E-mail and access to MyBC
All students registered for
classes at Bellevue College are entitled to a network and e-mail account. Your
student network account can be used to access your student e-mail, log in to
computers in labs and classrooms, connect to the BC wireless network and log in
to MyBC. To create your account, go to: https://bellevuecollege.edu/sam
BC
offers a wide variety of computer and learning labs to enhance learning and
student success. Find current campus locations for all student labs by visiting
the Computing
Services website.
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
The
Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning
challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or
learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen someone for
treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful
in college, please contact us as soon as possible.
If
you are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation,
such as a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your individual instructors
to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.
The
DRC office is located in B 132 or you can call our reception desk at
425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach us
by videophone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110. Please visit our website for application
information into our program and other helpful links at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc
Public Safety
The
Bellevue College (BC) Public Safety Department’s well-trained and courteous
non-commissioned staff provides personal safety, security, crime prevention,
preliminary investigations, and other services to the campus community, 24
hours per day, 7 days per week. Their phone number is 425.564.2400. The Public Safety website is your one-stop
resource for campus emergency preparedness information, campus closure
announcements and critical information in the event of an emergency. Public
Safety is located in K100 and on the web at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/publicsafety/
Final Exam Schedule
The final exam for this class will be comprised of a
performance of the scene you have directed and the turning in of your
Director’s Prompt Book on Tuesday March 19 6:30-9:30 pm.
Academic Calendar
The
Bellevue College Academic Calendar is separated into two calendars. They
provide information about holidays, closures and important enrollment dates
such as the finals schedule.
|
|
Tuesdays |
Thursdays |
Fridays |
|
Week 1 |
January 1 NEW YEAR’S DAY NO CLASS |
3 Class
Intro and Class introductions Go
over Directing Book Requirements and directed scene Discuss
Directing and the role of the Director Genre,
Style, Type of plays and working Discuss
plays you might choose. |
January
4 12:30 Stage Fright 1:00 KCACTF Short Mtg. |
|
Week 2 |
8 Read Intro of Text Have your play read. Present
play to work on all quarter. Have
it copied and into a binder ready for work. Discuss
Reading |
10 Pitch Play- Why does it move you? Start
working on your book: -The
TITLE- a couple of paragraphs on its meaning etc. -Poster ideas: Visual aids, mock up -Research Playwright You
will be asked to share some of this in class -Discuss and post auditions for Jan.
22 with callbacks on the 24. |
January
11 12:30-2:30 KCACTF IR/MT Perf. I Tech Olym Mtg |
|
Week 3 |
15 Read Part I (Ch 1 - 4) Have scene chosen (with Instructor) to
direct. Copy it for Instructor. Between
7-12 minutes. 2-3 actors. Discuss
SCHEEP and other research |
17 Design The
Director’s role in the design process. Groundplans The
Director/Designer/Actor Triangle Bring in Visual Research for your play |
January
18 12:30 Stage Fright 2:00 WWU Performance- Free |
|
Week 4 |
22 Read
Part II (Ch. 5-8) Casting/
Callbacks Choose
material for callbacks. Mock
callbacks in class. Directing Scenes Auditions today. No
director may act. No actor may do more
than 2 scenes. Rehearsals must begin after Feb. 11. |
24 Discuss
rehearsals, scheduling etc. Table
work, character, staging, runs, work… Directing Scenes Callbacks
today. |
January
25 12:30 Stage Fright 1:30-5:30 KCACTF |
|
Week 5 |
29 Read
Part III ( Ch. 9-13) Have
your scene cast and your rehearsals scheduled by now. |
31 Staging,
helping actors find objectives and tactics Talk
about actors and acting training and Directors’ vocabulary |
February
1 12:30-5:30 KCACTF |
|
Week 6 |
February 5 The timing
and pacing of a scene. Use of improv When things
get emotional…
|
7 Prompt Book Check in: # 2, 3, 4, 7 done |
February
8 12:30-5:30 KCACTF |
|
Week 7 |
12 Read Part IV Staging and
Acting |
14 Acting and
Staging |
February
15 12:30-5:30 KCACTF 7:30 SG KCACTF Presentation |
|
Week 8 |
19
K C A
C T F
/ N
W D C Rehearse
in |
21
NO CLASS Bellevue or Sacramento
|
February
22 No Stage Fright |
|
Week 9 |
26 Staging in
Thrust, Arena, Proscenium |
28 In Class
rehearsal Time. |
March
1 12:30 Stage Fright Meeting Judas
production meeting (Little Shop Tech) |
|
Week 10 |
March 5 In Class
rehearsal Time Paper on the direction of a show seen
the previous week due |
7 Update on
rehearsals, Problems and problem solving Little Shop of Horrors |
March
8 12:30 Stage Fright Meeting Little Shop of Horrors |
|
Week 11 |
12 Individual conferences Working with
Playwrights, Musical directors, Choreographers, Fight directors, etc. |
14 Discuss directing-:educational, youth, church, community, semi-professional, professional… Paper on the direction of Little Shop of Horrors due |
March
15 12:30 Stage Fright Meeting Judas
Production Meeting |
|
Week 12 Finals |
19 6:30-9:30 pm FINAL Scene Presentation Book Due |
|
|
The schedule is subject to
change due to missed rehearsals, illness, or pace of work.
Directing Book
Requirements
Your Directing Book is a binder large enough to use comfortably with the items below separated by labeled dividers, but not so large that the script flops around in the binder.
1. Script of Scene: Copied and analysis and staging noted on the scene you directed.
2. Research: SCHEEP, pictures, links, items for Director and chosen items for designers, actors etc.
3. Poster/PR: Research, visual aids and mock up. Be sure you know what legally has to be on the poster. A short blurb :2-3 sentences that sells your show for the show it is.
4. Playwright : Information, other works- especially know what other works relate to your play.
5. Design List of the specific design elements you will need for this show. Research, choices, sketches, choice of theatre configuration. Include set, costumes, lighting, sound, special effects, hair and make up…
6. Scene Breakdown: of entire play : pages, locales, characters, props
7. Auditions, Callbacks and Casting: What you want to see for auditions, copies of your callback material for each role with reasons for your choices.
8. Rehearsal Schedule/Log: Your schedule for the SCENE. Include table work, character work, staging, runs, tech, and performance. What, when, where, who and how it went.
9. Directors Notes: 150-200 words that would go into the program. These do not explain or excuse your production. They should illuminate the period or the playwright and/or your reason (passion) for the themes, relevance and choice of play.