In Fifth grade, students had their cold reading audition for “Lewis and Clark”. They all did such a great job! It takes a lot of courage to get up in front of you classmates and audition.  Each student was handed a cast list with character descriptions.  They needed to come to class prepared to audition for a character of their choice.  Students had to  read a line from the “Lewis and Clark” script.  They were then asked to attach an emotion that I gave to them and read that same line again.   I was paying attention to projection and articulation.   I was also looking for some kind of action and expression when they read their line as well.  I teach my students that their are no small parts only small actors.  I want every student to know that is isn’t about how many lines you have; it is about how one presents themselves  on stage. Acting can be physical too and just because someone may not have a speaking line doesn’t mean they aren’t just as important as someone who does.    Please congratulate your children! I gave them all a cast list so that they can show you at home!

Sixth and Seventh graders have been working on their script analysis for Scene Night on November 11th at 6 pm! They were asked to highlight their characters lines, underline accent words, (which are the words that have more importance and emphasize when they are speaking) and show where their beat changes in their script.  Students also had to come up with an objective (goal) for their character and mark it in their script every time it changed.  Along with that, they needed to write down their characters motivation (How are they going to accomplish this goal). Lastly they were to write what their characters moment before is.  This is so the act or knows what happened before the scene that are going to perform. It gives the character a little more purpose.  This is something that the used their imaginations for a made up.  At the same time it had to make sense with the scene they are going to perform.  Our next step is blocking and memorization.  Please help your children at home with their lines.  They need to be off book by their class time the week of October 26th.  I have told all sixth and seventh graders that class time is not enough rehearsal time.  They must rehearse at home and try to get together with their classmates a couple of times outside of class. I have also offered Wednesday flex period to help with scene work!

Eighth graders have been working on presenting their “Freeze Walks”.  The eighth graders each get a chance to play “director”.  They stand up in front of their classmates and read their freeze walk into a microphone.  Their classmates must follow direction and mime what ever is read to them.  So far it has been really great to see all of the different ideas and creations they come up with.   This teaches my students to really listen and respond/react physically.  When miming, students are much more focused on their expression and bodies.  Physical acting is just as important and I am really starting to see that in class!