Drama Drama - To do or to act, a state of being Drama originates from.. Greek language, it comes from the word “Dran”

Spencer Tracy, when asked for his secret to successful acting said, “Move to where you’re supposed to and say your line.”

Why is Drama Important? 1. Career 2. Confidence 3. Responsibility 4. Getting in touch with emotions 5. Entertainment for others 6. Broaden Horizons 7. Communication Skills 8. Deal with Situations 9. Creative Outlet 10. TEAMWORK

The Four Ingredients of Theater 1. Actors – Someone to Perform 2. Audience – Someone to Watch 3. Place – A Location to Perform 4. Light – A Way To See The Performance

Theater Theater language -  Vocabulary and terms related to the stage/theater Conventions -  Special or traditional ways of doing something Criticism and evaluation are necessary for theater because they help you grow as a performer

Stage fright – nervous anticipation of going on stage to perform. Overcome it with 1.Relaxation exercises 2.Avoiding negative things that burn off positive effects of adrenaline

Theater discipline – Be where you are supposed to be; on time; in character; learn lines on schedule

Helpful Hints and Definitions  Situation – a problem that the actors must face  Conflict – a struggle between two opposing forces  Empathy – the emotional identification with someone outside ones self  Script – drama written down  Legitimate Theater – live; on a professional stage  Observe a person in order to imitate them

Projecting The inability to hear and understand actors is the number one complaint of audiences. Words must be heard. The actor needs to learn to speak loudly without shouting and still sound natural.

Projecting The ability to project will depend on three things: 1. Clear articulation/enunciation. 2. Volume-degrees of loudness and softness. 3. Focus- “aiming” the sound to a particular spot.

By varying the pitch, volume and tempo of your voice, you change it’s inflection

Projecting Proper breathing is very important in projecting the voice. The throat should be open and relaxed.

Eye Contact Eye-to-eye contact is important because…  It creates a bond with other actors and helps you react more honestly.  It helps the audience see the characters bonding.

Be Energetic!  Don’t Save your Energy for a performance, be energetic in rehearsal too!!!  Unless your teacher tells you to tone your energy down, push the energy.  Remember, energetic does not mean out of control. Actions and movements should be well planned and rehearsed.

Using Your Mind, Voice, and Body  Your Character is a composite of your mind (imagination), voice, and body.  If your characterization is weak in any of these areas, it will stand out.  Use your mind to imagine your character and how he/she would act in the scene, the use your voice and body to create that character for the audience.

Staying in Character  Staying in Character means to continue acting as your character would throughout the entire scene.  Don’t become distracted by your own thoughts and emotions.  Practice staying in character from the time a rehearsal begins to the time it ends, even when you are off stage or taking a break, then it will be easier to stay in character during your performance.

Eye-to-Eye  Find a partner. Count to 50 together while looking each other in the eye.  Now, briefly discuss something with each other, while continuing the eye contact. Although it may be hard to do, notice that it helps bond you together somewhat.

Project Your Voice  Walk in front of the class and say the alphabet one letter at a time. Use the principles of projection and enunciation to help you speak loud and clear.  The rest of the class should listen and clap whenever they cannot hear you. When they clap, don’t stop your recitation; just project more as you continue.  Remember to use your diaphragm, not your throat.

I Like you, But…  Sit in a circle  One person is “it”  “It” goes to anyone else in the circle to get the person to smile or laugh.  “It” says to the other person, “If you like me, please smile.”  The other person must answer, “I like you but I just can’t smile,” without smiling. If he/she succeeds, “it” must move on to another person in the group. However if that person smiles at any time while “it” is conversing with him, then they become the new “it.”