Week Twelve: Jack and the Beanstalk Preparations

Preparation for the Pantomime

 

Being a part of the Level 2 BTEC Performing Arts (Acting) Diploma, one key part of our work in the College Theatre is to work back stage in the yearly Christmas Pantomime.  Whilst the Level 3 students would be working on stage and giving a perfromance to the audience, the Level 2's are to work back stage and assist in making the show a well paid for performance.  Near the beginning of the year we were introduced to the Level 3 students and sat with them through the read through of act one, then sooner we were given our job titles for the pantomime.  To begin with my job title was assistant stage manager, and in that job I was to be in charge of prop management.  However the jobs were given out to the twelve members of our tutor, so when two members of the tutor group left there was to be some rearranging in the job titles.  As one member of the group, who left for personal reasons, had the role of stage manager, therefore switching a few members of the group to another position.  Stage manager was given to another member of the group.  Whereas I was given the role of DSM (Deputy Stage Manager).  Now my role in the pantomime was to have a copy of the script and another sheet of paper in which I would use to prompt cast and crew members.  This is called a prompt script, in which I would have by my side backstage so I have to ensure every member of the cast and crew would be on time for their queues on the performance night.  For example, I would have a head set which I would use to tell the props manager that a certain prop is needed on stage at a certain time, for a particular character.  So for the main performance me and the stage manager and the pyrotechnic manager would be backstage to ensure all queue times go according to plan on the actual performance night.

     As for the rest of this week, our job as Level 2's was to assist in any way we could to set the stage for the performance.  This was helpful as it allowed us to get to know the Level 3 students a little more, and prepared us with our jobs as we took notes on what we needed to do individually, and I made my prompt script.

     As the week drew to a close we had the stage set up and our equipment at the ready for next week.  Next week would be our technical rehearsal as the Level 3 students would rehearse their lines, and us Level 2 students would work on our roles backstage, to ensure that the 'Jack and the Beanstalk' pantomime would be an entertaining performance. 

Week Eleven

The Next Assignment

 

After our successful performance and evaluation of our 'Scaramouche Jones' assignment, we concluded our first assignment, and this week we began our next assignment 'The Historical Development of Drama' presentation.  The week began on Monday 25th November, starting with an introduction to the assignment and our teacher began by giving us all a task.  After everybody in the tutor had been placed into pairs, our job was to do some research into the chosen subject for the assignment: the historical development of drama.  From previous research and knowledge we knew the historical origins of drama originated from Ancient Greece and developed with a new form of theatre known as Physical Theatre and learnt how it developed throughout history.

     The ancient Greek Theatre originated in 500 BC which introduced the three main theatre genres: Tragedy, which began in the late 6th century BC; Comedy, which began in 486 BC; and Satyr, which was a genre of plays where some of the theatrical forms to emerge into the world.  To begin with the purpose Greek Theatre was designed as a festival to honour their Gods.  Especially towards the Greek God Dionysus, the God of the grape harvest.  From recorded history we know that in 534 BC a contest was won by Thespis in Athens, resulting in him becoming the first recorded actor.  Greek Theatre also introduced the Chorus, which was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main actions of the play with song, dance and recitation.  Greek tragedy had it's beginnings in choral performances, in which a group of fifty men danced and sang dithyrambs; lyric hymns in praise of the God Dionysus.  In the 6th century BC Thespis engaged in dialogue with the chorus leader.  Choral performances continued to dominate the early plays until the time of Aeschylus, in the 5th century BC, who added a second actor and reduced the number of chorus performers to twelve.  Next came Sophocles, who added a third actor as well as increasing the number of chorus performers to fifteen.

     Theatrical presentation developed throughout history into creating Physical Theatre.  Physical Theatre is a cross between dance and drama where many forms of performance takes shape.  Many physical styles of theatre such as mime, Commedia dell'Arte, slap-stick clowning etc. can be categorised as Physical Theatre.  Any movement can also be called Physical Theatre.  The dictionary definition states: Physical Theatre is a term used to describe any mode of performance that pursues storytelling through primary physical means.  A prime example of Physical Theatre use is with Jacques LeCoq, who was born in Paris, 15th December 1921 - 19th January 1999, he was a French actor, mime and acting instructor.  He is most famous for his methods of Physical Theatre, movement and mime which he taught at his founded school L'Ecole Internationale De Theatre Jacques LeCoq in Paris.

     More information about both subjects shall be added for when it comes to the presentation day on 17th December.

 

Our 'Footloose' Dance Performance

Another essential part of the week was our Movement assignment.  For week as a group we worked on creating a dance performance which we would be showing at the College's Winter Sharing Show.  It was an assignment in which the whole group had to participate in a dance performance, dancing to the 'Footloose' musical number.  It was very successful and entertaining, we received positive reviews from audience members, other performers in the show and our Movement teacher, who reviewed our performance.