Assignments
1. Participation
Participation includes 3 critical components:
- ATTENDANCE - The essence of an acting class is experiential. You will learn by experiences in the moment, rather than lecture or notes. That is why you must show up; you cannot “make up” an experience. You are expected to attend every class, be on time, stay until the end. I will take attendance every class. For the purposes of grading, I do not distinguish between "excused" or "unexcused" absences or tardies.
- PERSONAL & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Like any professional theater artist, an actor is responsible for themselves and the group with whom they are working. I expect no less from Acting 1 students. I expect a commitment to being a productive member of the class; respect for your fellow students, the teacher, and the learning environment; concentration; thoughtful and disciplined responses during discussions, gracious cooperation in group work. Any disruption to the class will result in a reduction in your grade, including any behavior that shows a lack of respect for the class and/or the people in it.
- PREPAREDNESS - Homework done, on time, off book by due date, ready to work at the start of class. An actors first job is to show up on time, having spent much time outside of rehearsal researching character, analyzing the script, learning lines, making choices, not waiting for the director to tell them what to do.
2. Acting Journal
Keeping a journal increases self-awareness and reinforces concepts experienced in class. It’s a vital resource for the actor and the student. The actor can see more clearly what is real and honest, as opposed to what is inauthentic or false about yourself or your limitations. After each class session, you should
make a journal entry. Taking notes in class can get you back in your head and
out of the moment. So, wait until after class, but not too long after class as
your memory will fade.
FORMAT: Start a file on your computer and start writing. I would expect you to write no less than ONE page per class meeting, double spaced, 12 point font. Date each entry. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
DUE DATES: You will turn in your journal 4 times during the semester through the class website for a grade. You may upload your file for the weeks being graded as a PDF or Word document. Check the SCHEDULE for due dates.
CONTENT: What we did in class is important to document, but also include your reactions and resistances to the exercises, your discoveries about yourself and about acting, observations of classmates if appropriate, discoveries about the characters you are working on, about the play we are working on, reflections about your monologue performances. You will also include an entry on a performance that you attend. See #5, Acting Response.
** MAKE YOUR JOURNAL USEFUL. IT IS FOR YOUR GROWTH and REFLECTION **
FORMAT: Start a file on your computer and start writing. I would expect you to write no less than ONE page per class meeting, double spaced, 12 point font. Date each entry. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
DUE DATES: You will turn in your journal 4 times during the semester through the class website for a grade. You may upload your file for the weeks being graded as a PDF or Word document. Check the SCHEDULE for due dates.
CONTENT: What we did in class is important to document, but also include your reactions and resistances to the exercises, your discoveries about yourself and about acting, observations of classmates if appropriate, discoveries about the characters you are working on, about the play we are working on, reflections about your monologue performances. You will also include an entry on a performance that you attend. See #5, Acting Response.
** MAKE YOUR JOURNAL USEFUL. IT IS FOR YOUR GROWTH and REFLECTION **
3. Scene Performance
Your final will be the performance of a scene with an acting partner. You will receive an individual grade on your performance, any written work corresponding to the scene (character and script analysis), preparedness, completion of the assignment. You will not be graded on how talented I think you are (how could I do that?!). Details on the performance will be given as we approach the end of the semester. You will be responsible for obtaining a copy of the play from which your scene is from.
4. Midterm Conference
During the week before spring break, March 11 through March 14, I will meet with each of you for a brief individual conference to discuss your progress in the class so far. This will occur during our regular class time in AAB 232. Each of you will sign up for an individual time slot of roughly 10 minutes and you will only need to attend classes that week for your Conference. There will be some preparation necessary on your part, which we will talk about as we get closer to midterms. You will receive a zero for the week for Participation if you are late or miss your conference.
5. Acting Response
How can we understand and grow as actors if we don't see live actors performing and reflect on that experience?! You will need to see ONE live performance this semester and write a 2 pages in your journal on that experience focusing on the Acting and Acting concepts we have been studying in class. You may see WCC's department production of 12 Angry Men (even if you are involved in the production, you can still write on this production) or you can see any professional or amateur production. Details forthcoming.
Grade Breakdown
Participation: 60%
Actor's Journal: 30%
Scene Performance: 10%
DETAILS
Participation (60%)
Participation is a significant part of your grade. For each class meeting, you may receive a maximum of 3 points for your Participation Grade.
Participation will be evaluated on 30 classes (15 weeks total, I do not include the first week or finals week). Points will be totaled and roughly follow this scale:
Actor's Journal (30%)
You will turn in your journal 4 times this semester for 4 separate grades. The 4 grades will then be averaged for a cumulative Journal grade. Due dates are on the Schedule. If your journal is complete (one page per class), thorough, includes the required course content, then the grades are typically high for this assignment. Where students typically lose points if they only write what we did in class, or missed entries, or miss the Acting Response entry or turn in their journal late, or not at all. Scene
Scene Performance (10%)
You will not be graded on talent (how do we do that?!) but instead on preparedness, completeness, evidence of choices made, text work, willingness to say Yes!, taking a note, and growth. Your scene performance will take place during Final Exams week. I will provide you with details on what is expected as we get closer to the performance date
Actor's Journal: 30%
Scene Performance: 10%
DETAILS
Participation (60%)
Participation is a significant part of your grade. For each class meeting, you may receive a maximum of 3 points for your Participation Grade.
- 3 pts = On time, focused, excellent listening, homework prepared, gracious collaboration, respectful of each other and the learning environment, actively and productively participating in all exercises
- 2 pts = Late (5 - 15 minutes), average participation, unfocused, homework incomplete, limited engagement or moments of disruptive or disrespectful behavior
- 1 - 0 points = refuses to participate, cell phone usage, late beyond 15 minutes or absent, disruptive behavior, interruptive behavior, no homework, do not attend your Midterm Conference
Participation will be evaluated on 30 classes (15 weeks total, I do not include the first week or finals week). Points will be totaled and roughly follow this scale:
- 90 - 81 points = A level Participation
- 80 - 72 points = B level Participation
- 71 - 63 points = C level Participation
- 62 - 54 points = D level Participation
- 53 - 0 ponts = F level Participation
Actor's Journal (30%)
You will turn in your journal 4 times this semester for 4 separate grades. The 4 grades will then be averaged for a cumulative Journal grade. Due dates are on the Schedule. If your journal is complete (one page per class), thorough, includes the required course content, then the grades are typically high for this assignment. Where students typically lose points if they only write what we did in class, or missed entries, or miss the Acting Response entry or turn in their journal late, or not at all. Scene
Scene Performance (10%)
You will not be graded on talent (how do we do that?!) but instead on preparedness, completeness, evidence of choices made, text work, willingness to say Yes!, taking a note, and growth. Your scene performance will take place during Final Exams week. I will provide you with details on what is expected as we get closer to the performance date