Arts @the core
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  • Teacher Bio

The What, why, and wherefore

One of the seminal monologuists of the 20th and early 21st century is Spalding Gray. His Individual monologue work such as Swimming to Cambodia, Monster in a Box, and It's a Slippery Slope are full of personal experiences as an actor and a human being. In the above portrayal of the Stage Manager from Thornton Wilder's Our Town at the Lincoln Center in 1989, Mr. Gray shows us his prowess to not only grab our attention, but hold it with natural acting. 

Wilder's work was a coup in the theatre. The Wilder family website is a great resource for introduction to this work. http://thorntonwilder.com/drama/full-length-plays/our-town/ This play in three acts written in 1938 changed the face of modern theatre. No set to speak of, and a stage manager that starts the play by admitting to you that you are in the theatre. 

Enduring Understanding: Acting and the theatre all started with Thespis breaking the tradition of the Greek chorus and pulling out a single player on the stage. The actor was born, or at least the western tradition of acting. Now, as we look to contemporary theatre, we are always trying to break tradition and move toward innovation in the art of theatre. Throughout history this has been the case. One of the most profound moments in modern theatre was Our Town. In studying this monologue from the show and a work by Edward Albee called The Zoo Story, we're going to look at  the roots of contemporary theatre from the modern. 

Essential Questions: Who, in your opinion, is theatre for? Why do humans seek change and innovation? How can this instinct for innovation apply to us as actors? Are there limits to acting? How would you break those limits?


Students will know:
  • What the difference in modern plays and contemporary works are
  • How to read and understand a work by Edward Albee
  • perform a modern monologue

Students will be able to:
  • Understand how to create a realistic character
  • Form a deeper understanding of character conflict in modern theatre
  • Memorize a modern monologue

Activities:

Activity 1 -

Watch the youtube video above and read the monologue from the opening of Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Take notes on the writing and on Spaulding Gray's acting.

Activity 2 -
Read The Zoo Story by Edward Albee. Take notes as you read on the characters, the what, why and wherefore about each of the men in the show. Now delve deeper. What is the past of these characters? Where did Peter meet his wife? What is his favorite author, television show, food, etc.? Where did Jerry grow up? What were his parents like? How long has he lived in the apartment, etc.?

Activity 3 -
Memorize one of Jerry's monologues from The Zoo Story. Knowing the context of the monologue, create a performance of the selection as if it were plucked from the play. Meaning, treating the work as if you were in the middle of the performance and we are walking in on it in progress.

Activity 4 -
The Zoo Story Fight Club. Discussion questions:

1.              How are Jerry and Peter related?
2.              What social barriers does Jerry break?
3.              Who in the show is the audience?
4.              What does Jerry study?
5.              Why does Peter not just walk/run away?
6.              Which character is more socially acceptable? Why?
7.              How much of this did Jerry plan ahead?
8.              How does Jerry relate to people?
9.              How does Peter relate to people?
10.          Which character would you most like to play? Why?

In groups, discuss these questions. Each group will be assigned as either a positive critic or a negative critic. Your task as a whole is to identify either the positive or negative aspects of the show from the script to support your argument (10 minutes).

One representative from each group will then debate their group’s position for three minutes. A third party will then confer (2 minutes) and decide which group better argued their point.

Critique fight club

First debate – Group 1 vs. Group 2, Group 3 judging

      Second debate – Group 3 vs. Group 4, Group 2 judging

Regroup to firm up positions (five minutes)

      Third debate – Group 2 vs. Group 4, Group 1 judging

      Fourth debate – Group 1 vs. Group 3, Group 4 judging

Content Standards:
TH:Pr5.1.HSII
a. Refine a range of acting skills to build a believable and sustainable drama/theatre performance.
TH:Pr5.1.HSIII
a. Use and justify a collection of acting exercises from reliable resources to prepare a believable and sustainable performance.
TH:Pr6.1.HSII
a. Present a drama/theatre work using creative processes that shape the production for a specific audience.
TH:Re8.1.HSII
a. Develop detailed supporting evidence and criteria to reinforce artistic choices, when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
b. Apply concepts from a drama/theatre work for personal realization about cultural perspectives and understanding.
TH:Re9.1.HSII
a. Analyze and assess a drama/theatre work by connecting it to art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines using supporting evidence and criteria.
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