Greek Theatre

There are 3 types of Greek theatre: comedy, tragedy and satire. Electra is a Greek Tragedy. A convention of a greek tragedy is a character who is a flawed hero. A film example of a flawed hero is Jay Gatsby, although you love him, you are reminded of how corrrupt he truly is. 

The plays were based on ancient, classical myths. Greek theatre was performed in a colessium/arena - in open air. The Theatre of Dionysus in Athens was able to hold more than 17,000, which tells us that the Greek theatres were quite large. Due to the largeness, the audience would stretch so far back that actors would use masks with exaggerated emotions. Despite being outside, the acoustics in the theatre were fantastic; the performers could be heard clearly by everyone, wherever they were sat.

The layout of Greek theatres
The theatre was shaped like a horseshoe, and had rows which rose upwards and backwards in tiers. The first row consisted of stone thrones, who were strictly for respectable citizens and Dionysus' priest.
1) Orchestra - the modern word for this section is the 'pit'. It was the dancing place of chorus. Musical accompaniment, e.g. a flute player, would sit in the corner.

2) Stage - also known as proscenium. This is where the most of the play's action took place. Actors sometimes would move to the orchestra, or the roof of the skene.

3) Paradoi - these were the wings, which were both sides of the stage, after the seating stopped. The chorus would come marching through and in.

4) Altar - to Dionysus, where sacrifices were made. It was sometimes used as a stage prop.

5) Skene - the modern word for this is 'scene'. It was a wooden structure. It was a dressing room for actors, with its facade being used to resemble a place, acting as the backdrop for a play. It had 3 doors, which were used for entrances and exits.

6) Theatron (seating) - where the audience watched the show. It was U-shaped.

There were few items of technical equipment, which were available to creat special effects on stage. There was equipment which could immitate lightning and the sound of thunder. The ekkyklema was a wheeled platform which came in and out of the skene, revealing actions that was taking place indoors.

In this time period, casts were only made up of males, which meant men had to play all the roles. With maks, they could play male, female, old, young. The actors would wear elaborate formal costumes. As well as having the ability to act, the men had to be good singers. Most of the acting was conventional and stylised, not having a naturalistic element.

Mask - Audition Workshop

My 'Electra' Synopsis
Electra is a play about a woman who despises her mother and stepfather, as they both contributed to the killing of her father. She hopes for her brother to return, as her sister doesn't completely side with her. However, she is told that her brother is dead - a plot planned by the brother and Old Man. Electra and Orestes are reunited, and take revenge on the parents, murdering them both.

Mask Rules
1) Puttting it on and off in private - provides the mystery element. As soon as the mask is on, you are immediately in character.
2) Treat it like a real face.
3) Face forwards as much as possible.
4) Treat it with respect.
5) Don't touch your mask face when it's on.

Workshop
At the start of the workshop we created a character in our minds. I was shy, with a sense of paranoia, and therefore didn't enjoy crowds, so being surrounded by more than a few people (our whole class) built a lot of tension in my character. It led to me travelling the room in a stiff manner. I was overly upright and fiddled with my hands, sometimes twitching when someone would come close to approaching me.

We did an exercise which explored status. Everyone entered the space one by one and put themselves in a position that represented their character, I began the exercise and knelt to the floor with my head hidden into my hands. Next, Rachel gave us the instruction - if tapped you had to stand next to people who you thought were familiar to your mask (character.) I was tapped and chose to stand next to Sophie. The emotion of my mask was quite neutral, with a straight lip. Sophie's mask had a small open mouth, with its eyebrows raised, which presented a fearful expression. Although she wasn't on the floor, the use of her hands suggested she was low status like myself. Sad (negative) masks seemed to bring the actors inwards, which I certainly felt, and gave us a low status. I think it was easier to find someone to match with if it was a mask with more of an extreme emotion, for example the angry masks were clear and ended up all together at the end of the exercise. They had a high and powerful status. 

After the starter exercises with masks, we were given the scene between Electra and Orestes. The story of the scene was Electra is carrying her brother's ashses in an urn, and is on her way to distrubute them. Along comes Orestes, who unaware to Electra is her brother, he insists that Electra knows him, however she is so distraught that she fails to think straight for a while. The scene ends on her realisation of Orestes is telling the truth, and is her long-lost brother, who she believed to be dead.

We read it as a group first and then did the following: modernised it, translated it as a soap scene, mime without and then with masks.

Modernising the scene was challenging because the language is difficult to get to grip with anyway, obviously a lot of the words aren't used today, so finding substitutes for the words was fairly difficult. Performing it as a soap scene was one of my favourite readings, this is because we got to perform it overly intense, putting in dramatic pauses for effect. I also liked it this way because we got to speak in the way we would in day-to-day life. In the miming tasks, I found it hard to restrain myself from using my mouth at all. It's also hard to make miming look slick and professional, because as an actor it is funny to perform as everything is incredibly overexaggerated. For example, me and Sophie had a prelonged moment of shock and excitement facing eachother, before hugging. Miming with and without masks was very different. Once under the mask, you are reliant on just your body parts expressing your emotions. Despite my face being hidden, I found myself using my face, still acting behind the mask, which really helped me to stay in character. I hope in the future I can perform with a mask without moving my face underneath.

I played Electra and moved around the space a lot in every task as I was headstrong to get away from this 'stranger' and just be left to mourn alone. I was very snappy in telling Orestes to leave and also through my actions, for example in the miming with masks, I stomped my foot on the ground and threatened to hit Orestes, to effectively show my anger.

At the end of the lesson, I felt a lot more confident with the mask and had a better understanding of Electra.

Mask Workshop Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYvB71quMe4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kMrWScdhOA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwyzF8gifB4

Stimulus' and Structures

There are 5 different types of stimulus, which are visual, tactile, auditory, ideational and kinaesthetic. Examples of a visual stimulus are photos, videos or paintings - something you can see. A tactile stimulus is something you can feel, i.e. cotton wool, sandpaper. An auditory stimulus is something you can hear, this would typically be music or some sort of beat. Ideational stimulus is based on an idea/theme, like the Holocaust, 9/11. Finally, a kinaesthetic stimulus is through movement itself.

Key Word: Climax
^ Most dramatic point (highlight) in dance.

Next, we learnt about compositional structures, which is the way of forming art and giving a dance piece a structure. The structures we learnt about were binary, chance, narrative/episodic, rondo, ternary and theme and variation.

Binary (AB) - This is one of the more simplistic structures. It is like a verse and chorus of a song. A and B need a transition or link.

Chance - Movements are chosen randomly, or movement is randomly structured, creating a sequence.

Narrative/Episodic - This structure follows a story line. It helps the story unfold and each section acts as a further exposure of the ideas and story line. The choreographer will need to take into consideration how to link the sections together, i.e. what transitions?

Rondo (ABACADAE) - This structure is an extension of Binary (AB), where the idea/mofit of A keeps returning.

Ternary (ABA) - The beginning and end will be the same, whilst B (the middle) is a contrast to it, like chorus verse chorus.

Theme and Variation (A1, A2, A3, A4) - This is the structure where there's continuous variation on a motif. The motif doesn't become something completely new but choreographic devices like dynamics, mood, space are used to change it slightly.

Blocking Electra (Act 1)

The chorus will start the show by roming through the audience, singing 'Lamb's Glory Box' directly to faces of the audience.

'Just...Give me a reason to love you
Give me a reason to be a woman
I just wanna be a woman'

The lyrics of the song show Electra's desire to be a woman, which is significant because nor her or her sister can have children, due to their stepfather. This song essentially tells the audience there is a female figure who desparately wants her freedom.

At the end of song, Electra approaches the chorus who are downstage centre. The chorus bring Electra down to the floor with them. Together, we sit together in a semi-circle.The action is performed as if it's in slow motion; we whisper and joke.

In the opening dialogue between Old Man and Orestes, the chorus act as protectors for Electra - distracting her from what is going on behind her. Electra shouts 'Woe for my hapless lot!' - this leads us (chorus) to taming her, such as placing a comforting hand on the shoulder and instructing her to quiet down.

On Electra's first speech, starting 'O purest light', the chorus will be doing a shoal of fish. The shoal of fish needs to be in rhythm with the dialogue, which Electra will join and re-join throughout. After this speech comes to an end, we flood around Electra. My line is 'Most impiously was quelled long years ago? Perish the cause! If I may lawfully pray so' - my character is reflecting and justifying Electra's feelings and actions. Electra responds to the friends well, making contact with us, holding our hands. We comfort Electra further, performing it again in a shoal of fish, which ends on the line 'To this land with happy omen brought?' After that, the 'Friends' cicrle Electra, delivering our individual lines whilst doing so. When Electra begins to speak once again, the Friends are at Electra's feet, and go on to gossip to one another. I start the next Friends section ('Take thought to keep thy crying within bound...') and follow wherever Electra goes. After my dialogue is over, I will sit down with the other friends and push the next Friend up to go do the same as I have done.

Electra and the Friends remain sat down together for a while, until Electra becomes angry, and aims certain lines at each one of us. This leads her to stand above us, and so we intently watch her. Suddenly, the mood becomes quite optimistic for the next lot of lines. Chrysothemis (played by 2 people) enters, and the four Friends hide away in separate corners of the stage. The next time we talk is in a loud whisper in unison, kneeling up to Electra and hiding again afterwards. We come out of our corners, running up and between Electra and the Sisters, acting as a metaphorical wall. Sisters exit, and the Friends pair up; Ellie and Lauren (listener and nurturing) hug Electra, whilst Me and Sax patrol the stage. We spy Clytemnestra, and get the attention of the other friends by clapping and miming. During Electra and her Mother's conversation, the Friends scuttily move to steps - upstage centre. Electra verbally attacks her Mother, and I as the vengeful friend am proud.

Down and Out Research

The 5 stages:
1) Stimulus - You research this, to decide on the type of dance you're going to be performing, and how it's going to be presented.
2) Improvisation.
3) Select + Refine - to decide and finalise on appropriate material.
4) Create a motif.
5) Motif development - Kat gave us a sheet which gave us 16 ways (choreographic devices) so we can achieve this.

Choreographic devices:
1) Repetition
2) Retrograde - movement performed backwards.
3) Inversion
4) Size, Tempo, Rhythm
5) Quality and Force
6) Background - change the design of the rest of your body, and perform the motif like this.
7) Staging
8) Embellishment (ornamentation)
9) Change of planes/levels - make the motif horizontal or vertical.
10) Additive/Incorporative
11) Fragmentation - using only a part of the motif.
12) Combination

I decided to choreograph for Bugsy Malone. Me and others are choreographing the song 'Down and Out.' Firstly, we had to do some research. I knew Bugsy was based in the 1920s era, which immediately made me link it to The Great Gatsby, so I watched the dance sections within the film, hoping to find some inspiration. I noticed that arms and legs performed sharp movements, and the dancing was mostly performed in duets. Afterwards, I watched other performances of Bugsy Malone, whilst doing this, I had to keep in mind that our version of the show wasn't going to be performed proscenium; the audience will be dotted around the stage, sat at their own tables. A clip that was particularly helpful was the film's version of 'Down and Out' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBdat4QeEr8

What I took from the film clip was that the style was very much like Oliver! The Musical. I took notes of props used, which were mainly plates and cutlery. There were marching sequences, which added a military slickness to the piece. Majority of the song is performed in unison. One thing that I really liked and would like to include in our version is the tap section.This is because it adds to the military feel, and is something which isn't seen in every musical.

Overall, the choreography I've watched is repetitive, involves a lot of stamping, short and static momvent, and is quite rhythmic. This song contrasts to the rest of the show, which is very glitz and glam.

Assignment 1 - Other Work Opportunities

3 JOBS:

1) Disney Princess - Application Process

To apply for a position with any Walt Disney Company, I need to start at DisneyCareers.com and choose my position of interest. I need to create a profile which includes an application to fill out, and then I can upload my CV. After applying online, I will receive a confirmation acknowledgement email, this is so I know my application has gone through, and I can also review it. Hearing back can be immediate or up to a couple weeks, it will depend on the volume of applicants. The company would've decided if your skills and experience match the role.  

If successful, I will have an interview. It is most common to expect one phone interview and two in-person interviews per position.

My letter of application to Disney would be:

Dear Employer,

I am writing to you to apply for the role as a cast member (Disney Princess) at your theme park. My name is Cherkanah Straker, I'm 17 years of age, and bi-racial. Being bi-racial, I understand my Princess roles are most suited to characters like Pocahontas, Jasmine or Mulan.

I've loved Disney since I can remember, what person hasn't? But as a performer, I see this as a real opportunity and a possible dream come true. I am great with children, being an auntie to many young nieces and nephews, and a loving big sister to a 2 year old.

I am musically talented, which is what Disney reflects in their park parades, and of course, the films. My peers would describe me as a confident and approachable, which are two characteristics I believe you must have for a role like this one.

I have been to Disneyland Paris, and always wanted to go back. Perhaps, making it my temporary home is the perfect way to do so.

Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.


Yours Faithfully,



Cherkanah Straker

2) Front of House

West End Wendy's F.O.H Commandments - I found this blog very useful for what I should put in my Front of House application letter. The 'commandments' she listed are qualities I have, which I need to sell to the Employer.

My application letter to a Front of House job would be:

Dear Employer,

Further to your advertisement in the Daily Mail, I would like to apply for the front of house position at your theatre. I have many years of experience in the theatre, having started performing at the age of 6. I am familiar with how you must behave in a theatre and familiar with the ins and outs (backstage) of a building.

I achieved an A in my Primary Tap Exam, 4 Distinction* in Performing Arts at high school, and am currently completing a Musical Theatre Diploma, with a Distinction* achieved in the first year. As well as having knowledge about the basics of the theatre, I also have experience with some of the technology, such as mics - how and where to put them on the actor.

I understand that a Front of House role also requires customer service skills. I gained a lot of experience in customer service at Papa Johns, where I took payments in person and over the phone, greeted customers and dealt with any complaints. I handled all these situations very professionally, and built a good relationship with many of the frequent Papa Johns customers. Customers have said I am polite, helpful and friendly.

Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.


Yours Faithfully,



Cherkanah Straker

3) Stageschool Helper

For several years, I went to Italia Conti in Hove. This led me to enquiring if they had any positions going there, so I have chosen to email the manager.

My letter/email of application to a Stageschool Helper job would be:

Dear Linda,

It is Cherkanah Straker, former Saturday school student. I am currently looking for a job in the performing arts, that would work alongside my regular auditioning.Therefore, I am writing to you today to see if there any positions of work for me, at Hove or Clapham.

In my time at Contis, I learnt a lot about myself and progressively became a much stronger performer. On many occasions, I had the responsibility of looking after the younger years, both on and off stage, which is something I really enjoyed. I developed a strong relationship with all my teachers, and would love to work with them in a team setting. I believe there is still so much more for me to learn and gain.

I would love to give back to the stageschool that provided me with so much.

Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Kindest Regards,

Cherkanah Straker

Watching Electra

Personal notes
Electra was set up in-the-round. The characters switched positions which was effective for this stage format. The set was grey, and very minimalistic. The set had quite a few nature elements to it - a tall tree trunk, a fire place, stones and dust. 
The opening was sudden, with little lighting. This created an eerie atmosphere. It was a scene between Orestes and The Old Man, who plot the plan of faking Orestes' death. I noticed that Orestes used his hands a lot, like pointing sharply and gesturing his hands during conversation, in order to express himself and sometimes emphasise the point he's making.

Electra enters, doing a lot of movement in silence, prior to the dialogue. Majority of the time she remains on the floor, which represents how low (weak) she's feeling, because of her father's death. We learn quickly that Electra is a very honest and open character. How weak she is feeling is so clear, creating sympathy amongst the audience.

Next, we meet the chorus - 3 virgins of the palace. They are dressed mainly in navy, and appear much slicker and cleaner than Electra, who is scruffy and in a washed-out raggy dress, wearing no shoes. At first, the chorus are stood over Electra, which suggests they're stronger emotionally, and thinking more rationally than Electra. Throughout the show, these 3 act as the onlookers.

Electra's sister - Chrysothemis - presents another contrast between Electra and another character. The contrast is physically presented through costume and hair. Electra's sister is in clothes that suggest wealth, as she wears a clean dress with gold detail, jewellery and shoes. The inclusion of gold makes her also appear quite regal. 


The lighting gets brighter when things begin to look up for Electra - when her sister agrees to the plan. Whereas, when there is praying to Apollo, the light becomes a lot darker, creating a much more serious mood.

Electra's mother comes across as a wicked-like character, who shows no remourse. On the other hand, we see this wicked woman slightly descend when she hears news of Orestes' death. The death reignites the tension between Electra and her mother.

Throughout the play, serious moments tend to come across comical. Kristen Scott Thomas' hystericalness was highly believable. Something about the serious moments I didn't like was that the actor was never alone on stage. For example, Electra's speech when first attaining her brother's ashes, with the 3 virgins and her brother on the edges. I think this moment needed to be performed as a solilioquy, so there was more of a personal moment between actor and audience.

The scene between Electra and Orestes, which we performed in our first audition workshop was similar to the way many of us interpreted it - particularly the hug they share, which came across as heartwarming, and the first real moment of happiness in show. In this version, the language was modernised and there were more comedic incidents, like the dropping of the brother's ashes and Electra's realisation, making her want to sniff Orestes.

At the end of the play, there was no visual of the murder committed, only sounds (screams) and the aftermath. The aftermath was reflected with Orestes and the Old Man's bloody hands. Also, the body was carried onstage hidden in a blanket, and only a fraction of the mother's corpse was shown, which was deadly and pale.


Class recap

• The door in Electra acted as the traditional 'skene' in Greek Theatre.
• The floor was sandy, which represented Greece's weather.
• Whilst it was a modern theatre in which they employed theatrical lighting, they attempted to replicate everyday external light states - natural.
• All of the play was based outside.
• No use of song and dance. The inclusion of song and dance is a tradition in Greek Theatre, so an absence of this was odd.
• Electra (actress) and Mum were near enough the same age - weird casting choice.
• Time passing was unclear.
• 'If someone hurts your Father, the son will grow up and evenge' - this was a belief by Greek society, hence why it was all down to Orestes. A modern day version of this belief is the Mafia and their ways.
• The stepdad spoke in stacatto, which juxtaposed to all of the other characters. He is high status. He came across as weird and awkward, like the King in Medea. His costume was slightly pantomime, and not appropriate in my opinion.

Things I'd change

1) More solilioquys
2) Different male costumes - more in line with the females.
3) Tension heightened for death scene
4) Age casting
5) More of the chorus
6) Orestes needs to be more determined.
7) Paced better - the ending was too quick.

Fautus Performance

Our mini assessment of Classical Theatre was Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe.

Every pair blocked and self-directed their own section, which was a fun and creative experience.

Fautus Performance

Others Strengths:

• Sophie's change in volume was a strength. This is because her raising her voice showed that she was acting stern, making the mood more serious and the feel of the scene much more dramatic.
• Physical theatre in Catttrina and Beth's scene - I really liked their use of physical theatre. No other group decided to use the technique, so it was unique and stood out from the rest. It was kept simple (John and Josh acting as a table and chair), but looked highly effective.
• The levels used in Lauren and Niamh's scene - Niamh being sat on the floor clearly showed she was inferior to Mephastophilies, who was played by Lauren.
• Lighting - this always sets the atomosphere. The choice of red was a smart one because the colour is easily linked to hell.

Mine and Sax's scene:
I thought that I used the space well in our scene. Playing Mephastophilies, I had to obtain some power over Fautus, which I tried to show through circling him. In our performance, Sax forgot majority of her lines, however, I carried on and covered it well, adding a burst of energy to the scene. My improvement for the future would be to spend more time choreographing the miming sections - of the scene and of our seven deadly sin (lust.) On the day, our miming sections were practically improvised. One thing I was really pleased with was the learning of my lines. I thought my confidence with my lines helped me deliver a stronger performance. A goal for my next classical theatre performance would be to have a greater understanding of the language in the text. The language can sometimes create a barrier for the actor.

My favourite scene was Josh and Ellie's - they started back to back, which was different and a powerful image. Standing back to back also helped to reflect that they were playing the same character that had two minds. Ellie's pauses left more wanting more, and heightened the suspense. They both projected their lines to the audience, with no interaction between them, which created a really strong conenction between actor and audience.

Rush Review

The main dance style in Akram Khan's 'Rush' is contemporary, there also elements of Khatak, which is a type of Indian classical dance. The piece is performed as a trio. The stimulus of Rush is the idea of freefalling.


At the start of the piece, the music is the sound of swishing, which compliments the movement - for example, when the dancers rotate their arms. The swishing noise represents the sound of the wind you hear when you're going up in a plane, prior to the actual free-fall. Akram Khan was interested in exploring what happens to the 5 senses during free-fall; this shows that the sense of sound has been tackled in the opening music and is proven to be suitable for the theme. 


Choreographically, there a minimal moments of unison in the opening section. The only time unison appears to be used is in group moments of stillness, for instance, when their left arms are in by the chest with the right arm extended out. Stillness is effective because a change in dynamics has a greater impact. Through stillness, tension is built which can be instantaneously broken. The main device used in the opening section is canon, this is where the dancers perform the same movement, but at different times to one another. Another device that has been applied is repetition, which highlights key movements, like when the dancers are bent over with their arms spread horizontally. This movement reflects the mental and physical preparation the person goes through, before jumping out of the plane.


Akram Khan has represented the jumping out of the plane by completely changing the dynamics, and also through his choice of music. The word 'Da' is spoken, and shortly afterwards comes the sound of an alarming bell. The dancers then perform their movements at a much faster pace, in unison, and begin to use a broader range of the stage. This tells us that the spatial restriction at the beginning was intended, because the spatial freedom in the next section reflects the unpredictable journey of freefalling.


Overall, the lighting starts quite dark and brightens when the pace picks up. However, the change in lighting is very gradual, which in my opinion doesn't create a strong enough impact on the audience. If I were directing it, I would've had a flash or strobe of lighting when the dancers have metaphorically begun their free-fall.


Each dancer wears the same costume - all black. It is good that the costume designer hasn't gone literal and put them in free-falling attire. The trousers worn by the dancers are loose, which is helpful to the dancer as they need to be able to move freely in performance.


One thing I'd definitely change is the music. Although, I like the opening music, the same music returns after the alarming bell, which I believe is boring and repetitive. The last section is supposed to be the most exciting part, of both the dance and literal freefalling, therefore, I would've had music to reflect that. Free-falling is loud, which Akram Khan has failed to represent by sticking to the same sound of swishing.


To conclude, I though 'Rush' was average. I think there was a lack of excitement in the piece. With a stimulus like freefalling, the audience need to feel like they're on that journey with the dancer, and I just didn't feel that. However, performing the movement in our own groups with something I really enjoyed, I think this is because we were allowed to interpret it individually, using pictures and different choreographic devices.

Rush - Akram Khan (2nd Attempt)

 

 

 

Rush - Akram Khan (1st Attempt)

 

Key Words:

1) Improvisation - spontaneously creating work (movement.)

2) Transitions - 'linking' movements in a dance. 

Presenting our hat (Costume Mini Project)

Beth provided the group with our hat materials - brown cloth, tartan cloth and white netting.
The brown cloth will be the base colour for the hat, although we initially decided on grey, this colour was our only source, and it is still as much of a negative (dark mood) colour. The tartan will be the patches on the wizard's hat. Tartan is old-fashioned so it proved to be suitable. The colours in the tartan cloth include red, green and yellow, which make it stand out from the brown base. Lastly, the netting will represent cobwebs, therefore aging the hat like we initially wished to.



Sketch of hat, with attachments of different fabrics.

We would like the hat to be made 30cm (12 inches) tall, with it flopping mainly at the back. We have decided to 'oversize' it so the children will be engaged and interested by it. The largness of the hat may also create humour. A disadvantage of the hat being quite tall could be that it weighs down the actor's head, altering his posture. However, his posture becoming slouchy will match well with his lazy attitude. The character of Fizban having a
slouchy posture is also appropriate because of his old age.

Our presentation went well in my opinion. We were quite organised, designating a section for each person to speak about. Kim did ask questions on the spot which put us under pressure, but I think as a team we responded well and supported eachother's statements. Next time, I wish I'd have learnt my speech by heart so I could've been more natural in my delivery.

Faustus Duologues

Act 3, Scene 1

Fautus = Prisoner - Sax
Mephastophilis = Evil, Power-crazed prison guard - Me
Pope =  Elsie
Friar = Natalie

The way we've modernised Fautus is by making Fautus a prisoner and Mephastophilis the prison guard. In the original scene, Mephastophilis is casting a spell on Faustus to make him invisible in Rome, and wants to gain something from it. Because of this, we want it to appear like Mephastophilis is letting Fautus out of his usual prison boundaries, to attend a secret, dodgy deal. Fautus' invisibleness will be shown in him running free and having a laugh. To show that Mephastophilis is releasing Faustus, we've decided to use handcuffs which I will undo on the line 'So, Faustus; now do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discerned.' Unaware to Fautus, but aware to the audience I will perform this deviously. The Pope will act as the head guard, whilst the Friar will play the role of deputy. Instead of snatching dishses and cups, Fautus will steal the keys and a food which is classified as a treat, such as chocolate - not a usual privelege for prisoners. The opening of our scene will be located in a cell. The section with the Pope and Friar will be in an office.

The purposes in our scene:

• From Fautus' Rome speech to the line 'I hope his Holiness will bid us welcome' = to inform
• Mephastophilies persuading to the line 'Come, therefore, let's away' = to persuade
• 'Nay Faustus' to 'their folly make us merriment' = to discourage
• 'I may be invisible' to 'thou shalt not be discerned' = to gain control
• Pope, Friar and Faustus description = to decieve
• 'Come on Mephastophilies' to End = to stop conversing

What is Choreography?

The HOW of choreography:
Dynamics - e.g. smooth, sharp, slow.
Stimulus
Motif
Choreographic devices
(In italic are the key words of the lesson.)

The WHAT of choreography:
Actions - e.g. roll, jump, contraction.

The WHERE of choreography:
Space - e.g. levels, upstage, downstage.

The WHO of choreography:
Relationships - e.g. trios, props, audience.

Action + Space + Dynamics + Relationship = Movement motif

Choreographic devices:
Retrograde
Canon
Repetition

After learning the basics, we looked at the professional work - Rush, by Akram Khan. First of all, we watched the video and noted down what we saw. I noticed the use of unison and canon. One thing that stood out to me was the change of dynamics, where moments of stillness would turn into a super fast sequence. Afterwards, we were informed that the stimuli was freefalling, which explained the spacial restriction and freedom. The restriction resembled the moment when the person is in the small plane waiting to jump. During the jump out of a plane, there is an endless amount of space, which explains why the dancers in the video largely expanded on their use of the stage.

Performance CV

Name: Cherkanah Straker

Playing Age: 11-22

Eye Colour: Brown

Hair Colour: Brown

Ethnicity: Bi-racial

Native Accent: Southern England

Build: Slim

Weight: 8st 6.25lb

Height: 5ft 3

Spotlight: Yes

Equity: Yes 

Training (Qualifications): Musical Theatre Diploma, Primary Tap (A)

Skills:
Highly trained singer (mezzo soprano), Acting
Trained dancer in: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Commercial, Musical Theatre
Confident with children
Confident with animals
Script Writing
Lighting designer
Costume designer
Sound designer

Accents: RP, Northern, Cockney, Irish, Southern American, State American

Performance Experience:
2006, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Spread Eagle Theatre
2007, High School Jazz, The Camberley Theatre
2008, A Spring Cabaret, The Old Market Theatre
2009, Whatever The Weather, The Old Market Theatre
2010, A Chorus Line, Ralli Hall
2011, Italia Conti Centenary Show, Piccadilly Theatre
2012, Thank You For The Music, The Roedean Theatre
2012, Alice in Wonderland, The Connaught
2013, Live Your Life, The Roedean Theatre
2013, Little Shop of Horrors, The Connaught, Role: Ronette, Director: Emily Isham
2013, Seussical The Musical, The Sealight Theatre, Role: Jojo & Wickersham Brother, Director: Rachel Maddix
2014, The Wardrobe, The Sealight Theatre and The Capitol, Role: Sarah & Amy, Director: Adrian Reily
2014, Bad Girls the Musical, The Sealight Theatre, Role: Prisoner , Director: Rachel Maddix
2014, Variety Show, The Sealight Theatre, Self-Directed
2014, Bugsy Malone, The Sealight Theatre, Role: Babyface, Director: Rachel Maddix
2015, Cats The Musical, The Sealight Theatre, Role: Jellylorum, Director: Rachel Maddix

Mini Costume Design Project

What I need to consider in the design process?

• The appropriateness of costume for children's theatre!
• The personality of the character - reflected in the colour, size, shape, creativeness of the costume etc...What social status does your character have?
• Actor's measurments.
• The physical movements of the character and therefore the impact on the costume.
• Suitable materials/fabric for the type and style of costume.
• What period is your story set?

My charatcer is 'An old lazy wizard.' We will be designed a hat for our charatcer over the next 2 weeks. Because of the children's theatre nature, the hat should be literal, colourful and recognisable.

To create my backstory for my charatcer - What should I consider? What questions should I ask?

1) Ethnicity
2) Social Status
3) Gender
4) What do they contribute to the story?
5) Age
6) Hero or Villain?

Why is this wizard lazy? (The Backstory)

The wizard is a 200 year old man, named Fizban Belgarath. He is better know as Fiz. He lives in a village called Elkin, where the locals resent him for a past tragedy he caused. The story is set in the Medieval period. As a young boy, Fiz was one of the most famous and well-trained wizards. One day, Fiz gathered all the villagers for a surprise. He planned to cast a spell which would improve the village, but devastatingly destroys it, hence the resentment from the villagers. This act results in him becoming an outcast, which leads to his lazyness. Ever since the tragedy, Fiz hasn't attempted any kind of magic as he believes he is a rubbish wizard. Throughout these years of no magic, Fiz's wizard hat has become tatty - including cobwebs, greyness, rips and tears. The hat is moping (floppy), to resemble his sadness. However, this all changes when a young girl named Morgan Glinda comes along, a daughter of one of the village famalies. Morgan has been told the story of Fiz by her great grandparents and has a great interest in wizard history. Being young and naive, she visits Fiz and they form a heartwarming friendship. She is keen to learn new wizardry and Fiz's stubborness is broken down and he can't help but teach her what he knows. Eventually, he has restored faith in himself, enough to attempt his original spell once more. The spell is successful and the village is beautifully restored. The idea of resentment towards Fiz is abandoned, and the villagers (including Morgan) gather to create a new hat for him, which includes an engraving of his name and a heroic patch. The hat has a purple base and gold stars; it is tall and pointy and covered in glitter.


Reasoning behind the backstory:
To get the names, we used a wizard name generator. We will get the children to know Fizban as Fiz, because it is simple and easier to remember for someone who is young, e.g. like Fiz from the Tweenies. All children stories tend to end happily, and so we stuck with that idea because we believe it will recieve a good reaction. Above, I mentioned 2 hats. However, we will only be making one, which will be the one which is worn over the years (tatty.) We decided to make this one instead of the other because the character name we were given was an old LAZY wizard, and the hat needs to symbolise that.

Initial ideas:
As a group, we decided that grey would be a good colour to make the hat,this is because grey typically creates a gloomy atmosphere, which the wizard will be in. We also thought rips and tears would be suitable to include as the hat is meant to be over a hundred years old. Our model is John, who's head measures 58.5cm (23 inches.)

What is Costume?

Firstly, Kim asked us to list what costumes are for. I came up with the following:

• To portray character.
• To aid the actor.
• Make the production more naturalistic or fantasical.
• Literal costume, for childrens theatre.
• To represent social status.
• To show the historical context.
• To be representational, menaing that you don't neccessarily need to have the whole costume to portray your character. For example, we were shown someone playing the Cricket from Pinocchio, who simple dressed like him, as opposed to being literal and painting themselves green.
• Must be specific to occassion.

In the lesson, we improvised with costume, and were provided with one item per scene. Our first item was a pair of yellow rubber gloves, our second was a 1950s style skirt, and our third and final one was a christmas headband. The scenes were a minimum of 10 seconds.

With the yellow rubber gloves, our group created a scene about a family. I wore the gloves, playing the mum washing up. John played the Dad, and Lauren, Beth and Elsie played the children. In a way this showed status, because the parents were clear authority figures over the children.

With the 1950s style skirt, Beth wore it and was a dancing couple with Lauren. Me, John and Elsie performed the handjive behind them. This shows that the skirt automatically told us the time era we were meant to set our scene in.

Lastly, the christmas headband led us to create a scene specific to occassion. Me, John, Elsie and Beth knocked on Lauren's door, singing christmas carols. She wore the headband to show she was in the festive spirit.

Good and Bad Auditions

Carrie Hope Fletcher Audition
In the opening of the audition, she comes across well, speaking confidently and clearly. However, the combination she improvises -dancing on the spot whilst singing the line 'to be or not to be is the question' - is awful and looks as if she's doing it mockingly, which the casting director wouldn't be pleased with. Furthermore, her choice of songs aren't unique - On My Own (Les Mis), Memory (Cats.) Performing a popular song choice is a disadvantage because you will automatically be compared to other auditionees or the original singer.  She goes on to sing the wrong lyrics to the wrong melody, which shows how unprepared she's came. It is clear that this has been made to showcase what a BAD audition is.

Lea Michele - Audition for Glee
'She had that bold confidence the character needs' - This was a comment from Glee's casting director, Robert Ulrich. Although, he'd never met Lea Michele before, he had high praise for her before the audition. This shows that having a popular repertoire in the industry can come at an advantage. Lea Michele's bold confidence shined through when she slapped the casting director - a direction written in the script. This means that risks sometimes can pay off, and definitely stand you out from the crowd.

Assignment 1 - P.A.B (Drama Schools & Unis)

Drama Schools:

1) The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - Musical Theatre Course - Central
2) Arts Educational - Musical Theatre Course - Arts Ed
3) Mountview -  Musical Theatre Course - Mountview

Unis:

1) University of West London (London College of Music) - Musical Theatre Course - L.C.M
2) University of Surrey (Guilford) - Musical Theatre Course - Guilford
3) Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance - Musical Theatre Course - Trinity Laban



WHY?

• Reputation
• Location
• Course Content
• Showcases
• Alumni

The location of all my chosen drama schools and universities are in London, I am attracted to London because for many years and still today it is the central area for the performing arts industry. Being home to The West End is probably what attracts me most, as achieving a role in that type of theatre is my ultimate goal.

What are my priorities?

My main priorities are to recieve consistent and strong vocal training. I also wish to keep developing my acting skills. Lastly, I want to be capable of dancing in various styles (ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz) to a good standard. As a musical theatre student, I am not aiming to seek a solo career in the dance world.

• The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - First of all, I found an article by The Stage. They describe the Central students to be 'outstandingly skilled and industry-ready.' Furthermore, they compliment the school in stating that the material they select is carefully chosen and is 'beautifully presented.' A guest of principal at Central's showing of Caberet also had positive things to say, such as that most students were 'pretty well on top of the triple threat.' Personally, this provides me with the fact that Central has an excellent reputation; all the information above convinces me that If I were to attend I will massively develop as a performer and be able to begin a successful career afterwards. Additionally, the mention of the material being carefully chosen shows that the staff must be concerned with making sure all students can get the best out of it. The course details are very thorough and appealing. One reason it is appealing is because of the wide range of theatre they cover - Greek theatre, contemporary American theatre, Shakespeare comedy and tragedy, Sondheim musical. Also, they do a range of dance classes - ballet, jazz and contemporary. I am determined to become a better dancer and believe I can if given the right guidance and a solid amount of practice and dedication is put in; I have past experience with all the dance styles listed. The course is fairly new at Central, however the alumni is still quite impressive, as the two people named are starring in big shows such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse. High profile alumni includes film star Andrew Garfield, actresses Dawn French and Judi Dench, and many more. All these performers have been incredibly successful which draws me to Central even more so.
• Arts Educational -  As one of my main priorities is my vocal training, the description of 'weekly one-to-one singing' immediately draws me in. British stage actor and singer - Oliver Tompsett - says Arts Ed stands out from the rest of the drama schools because 'they constantly update the training to what the industry requitres.' This reassures me because I don't wish to be stuck in the same routine day in and day out. I am keen to learn and ensure that I grow through drama school. I believe Oliver Tompsett's word is reliable because he has had a great amount of success, landing roles in Wicked and We Will Rock You, portraying the roles of Fiyero and Galileo. This musical theatre course also interests me because of the range of dance styles they cover, some of which I've never had experience in, i.e. pas de deux and classical.

• Mountview - The list of works is what really draws me into Mountview - Golden age of Broadway, modern British and American Standards, contemporary musicals, and the opportunity to create your own work. As an English student, creative writing is something I love doing and believe I could express that well in my own storyline and characters. Also, the school was the first to establish a specialist three-year course in Musical Theatre, starting in 1992. This reassures me that Mountview is a succesful school, having their students 'dominate the industry' throughout the years.The regular classes they offer interest me because they differ from other musical theatre courses - screen acting, actor & text, improvisation, music theory, sight reading. I particularly think regular classes in improvisation will help me be more prepared for future auditions. The more improvisation I do, the more confident I will become with doing things on the spot when/if asked to.

•  University of West London - The teaching of stage combat is an aspect which attracts me to the course. I attended a stage combat class when I was younger and quite enjoyed it, and would love to pick it up again. I think it will be a useful skill to have because it will allow me to apply for more roles - on stage and in television. Thomas Leak/Redgrave won Britain's Got Talent with his musical theatre band, Collabro. He is a graduate from the BA (Hons) Musical Theatre course at UWL. Not only did he win one of the world's most famous talent shows, he has had success previously, touring across Italy performing a rock version of the Shakespeare tragedy, Hamlet. Looking at the university's facilities, I was thoroughlly imprssed. The one-on-one teacher pods are laid out professionally, with the environment looking comfortable and not overly formal. I like that there is a mirror because I will be to analyse my movement and singing, and alter any faults quickly.

• University of Surrey - 'Arguably the world's most successful centre for musical-theatre training' How could you not want to go to GSA with a description like that? Overall, the description of the course comes across very supportive of students, which is something I like. Performing can be very stressful, and it's comforting to have members of staff which will help you through it and believe in you. 'Classes in dance and singing are highly prioritiesed' - as I've said above, singing is my number one priority, and I'd really love to become a stronger dancer, so this course seems to be perfect for me. The alumni for Guilford is by far the most impressive of all my options, with students landing roles in Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera. Stand-out past students include Brenda Blethyn OBE and Michael Ball. Guildford students have also had massive achievements, like Winner of the Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year, and winning Olivier Awards.
• Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance - The thing I like about the musical theatre course at Trinity is that the scale of work builds up over 3 years. I like this because I think I'll be able to fully notice my growth as a performer; starting small and working up to something big gives me the opportunity to really progress and be the best that I can be. Additionally, I love the idea of working alongside highly experienced industry professionals on occassions, I feel that I can learn so much from people who were once in our shoes and find out how they found success and what techniques they use as a performer.

Marketing your Product

In this lesson we focused on marketing ourselves as a product in the performing arts industry. We discussed publicity, people and places.

PUBLICITY

The first source of publicity is social media, i.e. Facebook and Twitter. I learnt that I will have to generate a separate profile simply for my work. Therefore, on Facebook I will create a fan site page which eliminates the difficulty of having to accept or decline friend requests. A fan site page can simply be liked or followed by any other Facebook users. To get the page up and running, I will be inviting my family and friends to like the page, and then promote to others. On Twitter, I will  be making my personal account private. My work account will be open to any Twitter users, and I will be tweeting things like 'Gig at The Lions Pub tonight. Would be great to see you guys there!' Through Twitter, I can easily update my followers on my whereabouts and at the same time promote myself. 

Facebook and Twitter are a good source of publicity because both are constantly growing in their number of users, the same goes for Instagram; once again, I will need to create a strictly work-based account, only posting pictures and videos of things related to the business I am in.

Other ways I can publicise myself is through YouTube and Soundcloud. With my YouTube account, I will make sure it is a channel of work, and not full of funny videos I'd watch in my spare time. To make it a channel of work, I plan to upload my show-reel and full performances of productions I am in - solo and ensemble. Although I have little experience in song writing, I think that Soundcloud could be greatly beneficial as it provides you with the opportunity to put your original recordings out there to the world.

I believe that I can become a good songwriter, and that perhaps teaming up with a music student could enable me to do so, as I need a melody and not just lyrics.

Another way I can achieve publicity is through busking, which I can combine with social media, posting videos of my performances. I can also do local events/gigs, and sign up for mini festivals, which singer Adele did before her career sky rocketed. Lastly, a blog is very effective because you can have one link that will lead to all your various accounts, which appears slicker and more proffessional.

For drama school and auditions in general, I will need a fantastic performance CV which I am currently working on. Rachel said it would be beneficial to make business cards with a tiny headshot of ourselves, which we can pass onto the public and people in the industry.

PLACES
We have been advised to start involving ourselves in any student or low budget films, as they will be a handy addition to our performance CV. 'Amdrams' are also good for the CV,  but need to make sure never mention the word amateur and not let them dominate my performance list. Another thing we can all do is contact agencies, sending them our showreel.

PEOPLE

• Other performers - this is in case you want to put on your own production or wish to hear about upcoming auditions.
• Agents
• Casting director
• Musical director
• Director
• Choreographer
• Photographer
• Media students - they are the future broadcasters.