Day 5 (Monday, January 12, 2015):

1. 1.Ms. Price collected all “late” work (signed syllabus, parent form, binder, paint clothes)
   

2. 2.Reviewed terms/ideas from “Scavenger Hunt” (from last class) & reviewed class motto:
   

3. “All the world’s a stage, but we are responsible for this one.  Together we will bring success to the OHS stage through encouragement, communication, creativity, problem-solving, & trust.”
   

3. 3.Warm-up activity:  When Somebody Claps Twice  (Afterward, discussed independence vs. interdependence, and working in groups)
   

4. 4.This week’s learning goal: Be able to define “Director’s Concept” as well as describe how and why directors create “concepts” for shows.
   

5. 5.Discussed the “role” of a children’s book illustrator.  How do illustrators decide the colors, mood, style, etc. for their illustrations?  Discussed how this role is similar to that of a stage director:  Directors use text (the script) as well as the message/meaning of the story to create images/mood, etc. on a stage. 
   

6. 6.Discussed how “good” directors always have design in mind.
   

7. 7.Ms. Price asked:  “Do directors actually design all elements in a show (set, props, costumes, lighting, sound, make-up, etc.)?” 
   

8. 8.Answer to above question:  There’s no way (s)he could!  (Nor should they!)  Instead, a director creates a “Director’s Concept” (sometimes called a “Production Concept”) which (s)he shares with all designers.  Designers then design according to the “Director’s Concept”.
   

9. 9.Watched an example of “Director’s Concept” in film:  Sweeney Todd (Production Design) and jotted down (while watching) words given that impacted design.  Discussed.
   

Homework:

          (If you haven’t already, turn in your signed syllabus/parent form/binder/paint clothes!)

Day 6 (Wednesday, January 14, 2015):

1. 1.Reviewed class motto (see #2 above)
   

2. 2.Reviewed role of director:  1.) be an outside eye for the production, 2.) provide a UNIFIED vision for the production, 3.) create a concept for the show (“Director’s Concept”), 4.)  guide both actors & designers in realizing (bringing to life) that concept on stage
   

3. 3.Reviewed “Director’s Concept” and design choices from Sweeney Todd (see above)
   

4. 4.Question:  How do directors communicate their vision to designers. 
   

5. Answer:  They study/analyze the script and then write a 1-2 sentence “Director’s Concept” which gets to the heart of the show (theme/meaning) and gives a vision for design (style, mood, etc.). 
   

5. 5.Defined “Director’s Concept”  (See gray box - top right on this webpage)
   

6. 6.In pairs, students analyzed ONE of six different examples of Ms. Price’s “Director’s Concepts” for former shows she’s directed.  Three examples are shown below.  If ABSENT, read/look at all three for a better understanding of showing Director’s Concept in directing/design choices on stage.
   

7. ★  Director’s Concept for Once On This Island 
   

8. ★  Director’s Concept for The Crucible
   

9. ★  Director’s Concept for Flowers for Algernon
   

7. 7.Discussed groups’ responses to shows/concepts above.
   

8. 8.Ms. Price introduced Julie Taymor.  Julie Taymor has directed/designed many shows for film and stage.  She is best known for her designs (set/costumes/masks/puppets, etc.)  in the staged musical version of The Lion King.  See some of her work here...
   

9. 9.Watched a talk by Julie Taymor in which she describes her philosophies about directing and design.   Students jotted down, in their design journals, statements that stood out to them.  (Watched from 15:30-23:40 and from 26:18-end)  You can watch that talk HERE.  (If ABSENT, you are expected to watch the clips from this video listed above!)
   

10. 10.Reviewed learning goal from yesterday/today.
    

11. 11.Homework:
    

          (If you haven’t already, turn in your signed syllabus/parent form/binder/paint clothes!)

Day 7 (Thursday, January 15, 2015):

1. 1.Reviewed class motto
   

2. 2.Ms. Price collected late work, and asked specific students for assignments not turned in yet.
   

3. 3.Discussed how directors start to determine a Production Concept.
   

4. 4.Listened to a song from the musical, Brooklyn to “find” philosophical statements (that speak to the greater meaning of the show)...
   

5. 5.Shared philosophical statements and what they might “mean”.  Ms. Price showed images of costume design from Brooklyn that speak to this greater meaning.
   

6. 6.Ms. Price passed out various “pieces” to groups (children’s stories, poems, song lyrics, etc.).  Students were asked to come up with a design concept for their “piece”, starting with “Key Statements” and working all the way through to “Set Design”  (What is a “set” that could be created for this piece, using the “Director’s Concept” that you have written for the piece?)
   

7. 7.Reviewed key statements from script (“philosophical statements”) & conflict > theme > style > Written Director’s Concept > Visual Elements (how do you SHOW this concept on stage?)
   

Homework:

          (If you haven’t already, turn in your signed syllabus/parent form/binder/paint clothes!)

Day 8 (Friday, January 16, 2015):

1. 1.Reviewed class motto.
   

2. 2.Reviewed process of directing & design (theme/meaning > Desired mood/style > Director’s Concept > Visual Elements in show)
   

3. 3.Shared “mini-designs” from last class.
   

4. 4.Discussed the concept of creating the “world of the play”. 
   

5. 5.Discussed:  When creating the “world of the play”, some things must be HISTORICALLY/GEOGRAPHICALLY ACCURATE according to the show’s time & place.  (example:  Wizard of Oz = 1930’s Kansas farmhouse, barn, windmill, fencing, storm cellar, broken wagon, etc.)
   

6. 6.Did research in small groups to determine what would be historically accurate for each of the above needed set items.
   

7. 7.Discussed:  When creating the “world of the play”, sometimes you get to DREAM/CREATE.  (example:  Wizard of Oz = munchkin-land, land of Oz, witch’s castle, etc.)  These don’t require research per se, but DO require a strong knowledge of the script (Ex:  “Who are these “munchkin people?” - “Where/how do they live?”, etc.)
   

8. 8.(will have time next class to work on creating these “worlds”)
   

Homework:

          (If you haven’t already, turn in your signed syllabus/parent form/binder/paint clothes!)