I just did a great project with all my Drama Students 6-12th grades.
We are taking Stella Adler’s advice and opening up our creative channels to explore all the arts.
A consummate artist should be a lover of all things art so, we decided to re-create paintings the first week.
THE GETTY CHALLENGE.
My students chose a painting with at least one person in the painting that they could re-create. (they had to know title, artist and year)
They had to r-ecreate the painting with a minimum of 3 things found at home.
They had to photograph their re-creation.
THIS IS WHERE the PROJECT GETS DIFFERENT than the actual Challenge.
They had to write dialogue 3-4 sentences - What would the character say?
And lastly, rewrite your dialogue in the style of a playwright or theatre director of your choice.
(I had students use Chekhov, Mamet, Durang, Shakespeare, Diana Sun, Noel Coward, Grotowski, Artaud, Boal, Tennessee Williams. - just to name a few)
It was so much fun and entertaining.
Next week we plan to do the Merge Cunningham 50 steps.
This is a wonderful time to open up! Make connections. Wear many hats. Be a playwright, be a designer, be a costumer, use the influences from those who paved the way.
We have had a wonderful discussion on the question - WHAT IS EXPERIMENTAL?
And critiquing the Sondheim TAKE ME TO THE WORLD 90th Birthday celebration - also a must. We were scheduled to do INTO THE WOODS this spring. Alas.
Kristin Duerr
Director of Drama & Communications
Notre Dame Academy
Los Angeles CA
Original Message------
Hi
I've been struggling with ideas myself. So far we have done:
- Virtual Talent show
- Pitching ideas for next years play
- analyzing productions
- Spirit week
Hope this helps.
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Kristen Bishoff
Dircecter & ITS Troupe Advisor
Chesapeake High School & Chesapeake Bay Middle School
Pasadena, MD
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