Albert J. Wong
.
Theater Arts 41: Acting
One
Santa Monica Community College, Adjunct Faculty
Phone: (310)
434-8806
Email: ajwwong@alumni.princeton.edu
Course Objective:
The purpose of
this course is to enhance the technical competence of the beginning actor
in the genre of Realism. Specific emphasis
will be placed upon the Stanislavsky System of Physical Action as applied
to the embodiment of a role in a theatrical setting. The principal vehicle for instruction will be
multiple showings of scene work and in-class performances coupled with instructor
feedback / side-coaching. Occasional
workshops will be used to illustrate specific acting concepts and techniques.
Books and
Materials:
Required
materials:
An 8.5” x 11” looseleaf
binder.
Recommended
texts:
The
Stanislavsky System
by Sonia Moore
Optional
texts:
NTC's
Dictionary of Theater and Drama
by J. Mobley
To
the Actor by Michael
Chekhov
Stanislavski's
Legacy by Constantin
Stanislavski
Attendance:
Due
to the experiential and participatory nature of this course, attendance in
class is required. There are no unexcused
absences. Excessive absences may result
in being dropped from the class. The instructor reserves the right to drop
students after three unexcused absences. Each absence will result in a two
point deduction from the student's final grade. Additionally, tardiness is not acceptable.
Three late arrivals will be counted as an absence.
It is your responsibility to sign the attendance
sheet, each day when you come to class.
Participation:
All in-class
assignments are mandatory, excepting verified medical excuse. Your participation in warm-ups, lectures, improvisational
exercises, monologues, scenes, class discussion, acting exercises, etc., will
be noted and your level of commitment and participation will directly affect
your grade.
Final Exam:
A final exam
will be given on November 30, 2005. Bring
a Scantron: 882-ES and No. 2 pencil.
Performances:
Each
student will be required to perform in one “story with object”, one monologue,
and two scenes. Additionally, each
student will be required to perform one of the above listed performances for
a final open class performance on Monday December 12, 2005.
Story with
Object
For the Story
with Object performance, you must choose an object and tell a story that,
in some manner, involves that object. The
story may be true or the story may be false.
You get to decide. Your performance
of the "story with object" assignment must be rehearsed.
It must be longer than 30 seconds.
It should not go on for longer than approximately 2 minutes.
Regardless of whether your story is true or false, your objective is
to move the audience emotionally -- in some manner -- whether it is to make
us laugh, to make us cry, to make us angry, etc. You should rehearse
your performance at least 20 times prior to showing it to the class. No paperwork is required for this performance.
Monologue
and Paperwork
For your monologue
performance, you will select (or alternatively you may write, with instructor
approval) a monologue of your own choosing. It must be memorized.
It should be dramatic, not comedic -- and it should be in the
genre of Modern Realism -- i.e., not Shakespeare, not Greek, etc. A
copy of the monologue must be turned into the instructor on September 14.
Your monologue will be shown twice. After the first showing, you will be given notes
on your performance. After being given
notes, your monologue will be shown a second time. Paperwork for the monologue
is required. The parameters of the
paperwork will be discussed in class. Your
monologue must be longer than 30 seconds. It should not go on for longer than approximately
2 minutes. You should rehearse
your performance at least 30 times prior to showing it to the class.
Scenes and
Paperwork
First Scene
For your first
scene performance, you will select a scene partner of your own choosing.
Scene partner choices for the first scene are due on September 28. The two of you will be assigned a "content"-less
scene -- that is, a scene that has multiple interpretations and is ambiguous
in meaning. It is your responsibility
to coordinate and rehearse with your scene partner outside of class and choose
an interpretation for your scene. Scenes must be memorized. Each of the scenes will be shown twice.
After the first showing, the instructor will provide notes to the students
in order to help them improve the scene. The
second showing should incorporate these notes into the performance.
The ability to incorporate feedback into the second showing will directly
affect the students' grade. You should rehearse your performance at
least 40 times prior to showing it to the class.
Second Scene
For your second scene performance, you will
again select a scene partner of your own choosing. Scene partner choices
for the second scene are due on October 24. The two of you will be assigned a scene -- however,
for this performance, you may also choose your own scene, subject to instructor
approval. It is your responsibility to coordinate and rehearse with your scene
partner outside of class. Scenes
must be memorized. Each of
the scenes will be shown twice. After
the first showing, the instructor will provide notes to the students in order
to help them improve the scene. The
second showing should incorporate these notes into the performance. The ability to incorporate feedback into the
second showing will directly affect the students' grade. You should
rehearse your performance at least 40 times prior to showing it to the class.
Final Performance
From
among the above listed performances, each student must choose one performance,
subject to instructor approval, for the final performance, as scheduled on
December 12, 2005.
Critical Analysis
of Student Work:
In addition to
performing your monologues and scenework, you will be required to provide
your critical analysis of your fellow students in your notebook. Failure to give full attention to fellow students
during their performances and/or substandard critical analysis will directly
affect the students' grade.
You'll have one-page devoted to each
student. Throughout the course of the
term, you will attempt to examine and analyze each student's progress. You may also include yourself and your own critical
analysis of your progress.
Written Critique
of SMC Productions:
During
the course of the term, you will be required to turn in a written critique
of two (2) Santa Monica College SMC performances: Songs for a New World and
The Laramie Project. . An outline
stating the criteria for these critiques will be handed out in class.
Dates and costs for the performances are as listed below.
Attendance is mandatory -- no excuses accepted.
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Be transported from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing
ship to a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue to meet an array of characters
ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket
out of the ghetto to a woman whose dream of marrying rich nabs her the man
of her dreams and a soulless marriage. These are the stories and characters
of today, the songs for a new world.
2005 PREVIEW: October 13
7:00 pm
$6.00
OCTOBER 14, 15, 21, 22 @ 7:00 pm
OCTOBER 16, 22, 23 @ 1:00 pm
$15 General Admission
$10 Students/Senior Citizens
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
By Moisés Kaufman and
the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project
In 1998 a young college student was kidnapped, beaten
and left to die, tied to a fence in the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming.
His name was Matthew Shepard and he was the victim of this assault because
he was gay. The Laramie Project explores the depths to which humanity
can sink, and the heights of compassion of which we are also capable.
2005 PREVIEW:
December 1 7:00 pm
$5.00
DECEMBER 2, 3, 9, 10 @ 7:00 pm
DECEMBER 4, 10, 11 @ 1:00 pm
$11 General Admission
$ 8 Students/Senior Citizens
Tickets can be
purchased from the Events Box Office on campus. The Events Office is located
at the southwest corner of the Amphitheatre. Visa and/or Mastercard are accepted
with a $10 minimum purchase.
Mail orders: Santa Monica
College Events Office
1900 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone orders: (310) 434-3000
Tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE.
Exchanges are allowed with a $2 service charge per ticket through the Events
Office.
All performances are now being offered at:
HANGAR STAGE
SMC Airport campus
2800 Airport Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Grading:
PERFORMANCES (140 points)
Story with Object
10 points
Monologue: 1st / 2nd showing
20 points
Paperwork
10 points
First Scene:
1st/ 2nd
showing 20 points
Paperwork 20 points
Second Scene:
1st/ 2nd showing
20 points
Paperwork
20 points
Final Performance:
20 points
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
(120 points)
Each Class
4 points
*extra
credit accepted here -- up to 12 points for SMC Master Classes
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF
STUDENT WORK (20 points)
Each Page (front
and back) 2 points
*extra credit accepted here -- up to
20 points
SMC PRODUCTION CRITIQUES
(80 points)
Attendance "Songs
for a New World" 10 points
Paper "Songs
for a New World"
30 points
Attendance "The
Laramie Project" 10
points
Paper "The
Laramie Project"
30 points
FINAL EXAM (20 points)
20 points
380 points (possible total)
Class Schedule
|
Monday, August 29, 2005 |
Overview of Course |
| Monday, August 29, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Wednesday, August 31, 2005 |
THE "MAGIC IF": ENTERING THE GIVENS |
| Monday, September 05, 2005 |
*** NO CLASS *** LABOR DAY *** |
| Wednesday, September 07, 2005 |
1st performance: Story with object (Group A) |
| Monday, September 12, 2005 |
1st performance: Story with object (Group B) |
| Wednesday, September 14, 2005 |
Copy of monologue due in class |
| Monday, September 19, 2005 |
PSYCHOPHYSICAL CONNECTION |
| Tues, September 20, 2005 |
The Psychology of Performance in Acting and Musical Theatre,
Dr. Tom Backer, Psychologist |
| Wednesday, September 21, 2005 |
2nd Performance: Monologue (Group A) |
| Monday, September 26, 2005 |
2nd Performance: Monologue (Group B) |
| Wednesday, September 28, 2005 |
Scene partners for 3rd Performance chosen |
| Monday, October 03, 2005 |
BREAKING DOWN A SCENE: |
| Wednesday, October 05, 2005 |
2nd Performance: Monologue Replay (Group A) |
| Monday, October 10, 2005 |
2nd Performance: Monologue Replay (Group B) |
| Wednesday, October 12, 2005 |
GROUND PLAN AND BLOCKING |
| Thursday, October 13, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD: preview night |
| Friday, October 14, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Saturday, October 15, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Sunday, October 16, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Monday, October 17, 2005 |
3rd Performance: First Scene (Group A) |
| Monday, October 17, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Wednesday, October 19, 2005 |
3rd Performance: First Scene (Group B) |
| Wed, October 19, 2005 |
The Joy of Acting: Character Development, Audition Process,
Scene Study, Obba Babatundé,
Actor |
| Friday, October 21, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Saturday, October 22, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Sunday, October 23, 2005 |
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Monday, October 24, 2005 |
Scene partners for 4th Performance chosen |
| Wednesday, October 26, 2005 |
PAPER DUE: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD |
| Monday, October 31, 2005 |
CLIMACTIC COMPOSITIONS |
|
Wednesday, November 02, 2005 |
3rd Performance: First Scene replay (Group A) |
| Thurs, November 3, 2005 |
The Art and Business of Voice-Overs, Gregg Marx |
| Monday, November 07, 2005 |
3rd Performance: First Scene replay (Group B) |
| Wednesday, November 09, 2005 |
DEEPER EXPLORATIONS |
| Monday, November 14, 2005 |
4th Performance: Second Scene (Group A) |
| Wednesday, November 16, 2005 |
4th Performance: Second Scene (Group B) |
| Monday, November 21, 2005 |
Final Performance selections chosen |
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 |
4th Performance: Second Scene Replay (Group A) |
| Monday, November 28, 2005 |
4th Performance: Second Scene Replay (Group B) |
| Wednesday, November 30, 2005 |
FINAL EXAM |
| Thursday, December 01, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT: preview night |
| Friday, December 02, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Saturday, December 03, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Sunday, December 04, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Monday, December 05, 2005 |
Final Performance: Scenes -- First Showings |
| Wednesday, December 07, 2005 |
Final Performance: Dress Rehearsal |
| Friday, December 09, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Saturday, December 10, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Sunday, December 11, 2005 |
THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
| Monday, December 12, 2005 |
Final Performance |
| Monday, December 19, 2005 |
PAPER DUE: THE LARAMIE PROJECT |
Student Background
Information:
Theatre 41,
Fall 2005, Santa Monica College
Instructor: Albert Wong
Name:
Contact Phone:
E-mail:
List past acting classes.
Include instructor's name, institution (if applicable), and teaching
modality (if known).
List past performance experience.
Why are you taking this
class? And what do you hope to get
out of it?
Please
sign and return after reading the syllabus.
I have read the
syllabus and understand the requirements of the course. I recognize that I will be responsible for the
in-class performance of “story with object”, two scenes (with two showings
each) and one monologue (shown twice), the completion of scene paperwork,
maintenance of notes on students, the completion of two written critiques,
and committed attendance and participation.
Signature
Date