I love the Mel Gordon
Lazzi book. It is a paperback, and quite inexpensive.
I typed up some of the (cleaner) lazzi and printed them on card stock, noting the number of participants needed for each. I lay out a bunch of props: rehearsal boxes, pool noodles cut to about 36" for swords and bats, small bed sheets, squares of fabric for handkerchiefs, bowls, and a plethora of funny toys I bought at Dollar Tree, such as water soakers for syringes, axes, etc. I have students choose partners and experiment with the various lazzi, choosing new partners every time they change description cards. After a while, students demonstrate their favorites for the class.
They certainly don't become experts on lazzi, but they develop and appreciation for the skill the characters would have employed. And they have a glorious time.
I do this with high school Theatre I students, but I think middle school students would enjoy it too.
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C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-12-2018 09:14
From: Valerie Farschman
Subject: Commedia videos?
I now what you mean, there are some bad Commedia performances out there on video. Have you watched the National Theatre videos? I used all of those with 7th and 8th graders to get them to learn about Commedia dell arte for the play we produced in the spring ("Commedia dell arte the Prince and the Pauper"). I did not show them all of the videos in one sitting, but we would watch one or two, then we would all attempt to do what we saw. I also believe showing videos of very physical actors (Charlie Chaplin, etc) would help them learn to use their entire bodies to show character & emotion. I never found a good final performance of the art form on video, so good luck with that.
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Valerie Farschman, Drama Director
MLS Theatre Company, Troupe 1422
Marion L Steele High School
Amherst, Ohio
Original Message:
Sent: 02-11-2018 17:05
From: Joseph Gels
Subject: Commedia videos?
HI all,
I would love to as a hook use some video of a commedia del arte performance but everything I can easily find a youtube seems...not very engaging...especially to 8th graders. Any advice?
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Joseph Gels
Theatre Teacher
Boston Latin School
Boston MA
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