Research Presentation Structure

Structuring the presentation 

The presentation may be up to 15 minutes in length. It should demonstrate the research findings of the world theatre tradition; the cultural context through which the world theatre tradition developed and the impact this has had on how and why it is performed; the student’s physical and practical explorations into a performance convention from that theatre tradition; the student’s exploration and analysis of the application of their learning to the staging of a moment of a moment of theatre; the student’s reflection on their learning and their development as a performer.

The student may refer to notes, slides or other prompts during the presentation, but to ensure the presentation engages their audience the student should avoid simply reading from a pre-prepared script. Any illustrations, charts, mind maps, visuals, diagrams or designs used within the presentation must be clearly annotated and appropriately referenced to acknowledge the source, following the referencing style chosen by the school. When students include any of their own photographs or images in the presentation, these must also be identified and acknowledged in the same way. There is no lower limit on the length of the presentation and teachers are encouraged to remind students that their work will be assessed on how it best fulfills the assessment criteria for the task and not judged on how many minutes they present for.

 Students may wish to adapt and adopt the following structure for their presentation. This guidance, which outlines a possible structure for presenting the work rather than a process through which to approach the task, is neither prescriptive nor restrictive, as students should feel free to cover each section in an order preferable to their needs and requirements.

• The world theatre tradition and its context
• Performance conventions and the process of their physical and practical explorations
• Demonstration and explanation of the convention applied to a moment of theatre
• The impact of this study on me as a learner

Sample Research Presentations

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=10&mode=moderator

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=11

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=12

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=13


And here are some tips:

https://blogs.osc-ib.com/2018/05/ib-teacher-blogs/tips-for-the-research-presentation/

Rubric for Research Presentation

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ld.php?content_id=48133573


And here is another link to the actual assignment:


https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ld.php?content_id=20841053

List of world theater traditions to choose from

Ancient Greece - Comedy & Tragedy	Ancient Rome - Comedy & Tragedy	Bali - Topeng dance
China - Cantonese, Yueju and Peking opera	China - Yuan Drama or zaju	Egypt - Khayal al-zill shadow puppets
England - English Renaissance theatre	England - Victorian melodrama	England - Punch and Judy puppets
England, France - Comedy of manners or Restoration comedy	England, France, Germany - Medieval mystery plays	France - French farce
Greece - Karagozi shadow puppetry	India - Kathakali	Indonesia - Barong (or Rangda) dance
Indonesia - Kecak	Indonesia, Malaysia - Wayang golek puppetry	Indonesia, Malaysia - Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry
Italy - Commedia dell'arte	Japan - Bunraku	Japan - Kabuki
Japan - Kyōgen farce	Japan - Noh theatre	Japan - Rakugo "sit down" theatre
Korea - Talchum mask dance	Taiwan, China - Shadow theatre	Thailand - Hun lakhon lek puppetry
Thailand - Khon dance drama	Turkey - Karagöz shadow puppetry	United Kingdom - Pantomime

Research Presentation

Here is a useful resource (that we looked at in class):

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ib_theatre_research_presentation

Solo project template

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ld.php?content_id=48029489

Production Review Assignment

All IB Theater students need to choose one production that we saw in NYC (either Beetlejuice or To Kill a Mockingbird) and write a formal review of it. Here is the assignment:

Play Review Guidelines and Grading Rubric

A review is more formal than a blog post but is still posted on your blog. It needs to have a title, an introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion. It should be 650-900 words in length. 

Be sure to include the title of the play, the author, the date on which you viewed it, and the location. If you have a program, please also include the director and names of the major actors.

The review should begin with a short summary of the plot of the play and discussion of the major themes. Sometimes, one theme is more prominent than others because the director/actors decided to highlight that, so pay attention to the overall plot points that seem most important. Sometimes, in the program, there is a director’s note that explains the particular approach taken – be sure to read this and think about the examples in the play. Don't spend your entire essay on summarizing the plot — this is not the most important part of a review!

The bulk of the play should discuss the actual staging, performance, and production. For example, consider the following questions: What choices did the production make regarding staging/set, color schemes, costumes, sound, lighting, etc.? What effects did these tech choices have in terms of mood, atmosphere, meaning, etc.? What characters were highlighted as most important and how was this done? What characters were positioned as being similar to one another or opposite to one another and how was that effect achieved? All of these things are part of the overall director’s vision — what do you think the directors’ intentions were for this piece and how was that vision achieved?

Then, choose a moment or two that are memorable to you as a viewer. Describe it/them and explain why they stand out to you — what did the director, actors, designers, etc. create in this moment, and how did you as an audience member respond to it?

Next, choose one actor who was the best on your opinion or your favorite and explain why. Who was the character created and how did the actor work to make this character so successful? Was the actor realistic, believable, natural, comedic, emotional, etc. and how so? What about blocking, voice, gestures, and costuming helped sell this character? Be specific and use examples from the show to back up your points. 

Finally, discuss your opinion of the play. Did you like it or not and why? Did the rest of the audience seem to enjoy it and why? What did you learn about theater from watching this?

Grading Rubric 

Structure of Essay (including title, paragraphs, etc.) — 8 points 

Clarity of Writing and Accurate Proofreading — 8 points

Word Count — 12 points

Short Summary of Plot and Major Themes — 10 points

Review of Staging Choices and Director’s Intentions — 15 points

Discussion of Memorable Moments and Impact on Audience — 12 points

Review of One Actor — 10 points

Overall Opinion — 10 points

Specific Examples and Lots of Details — 15 points 

Solo Theatre Project

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/solo-theatre-piece

IB Theater Year 2 is all about TEAM

TEAM Activity:

Tension = an important moment, a moment of suspense, a climax

Emotion = a particularly strong feeling for character or audience

Atmosphere = a setting on the stage or tone created for the audience

Meaning = key plot points, symbolism, message, deeper understanding


For your chosen production (live or recorded), make a chart for each element and...

Describe the moment with the most …

Performance elements that create this moment

Production elements that create this moment

Breaking the Solo Project into Smaller Steps

Creating your Solo Project – the stages





Stage 1: Choose your theorist.


This is potentially time-consuming so you need to be disciplined and make up your mind reasonably fast. You do not have time to read several theorists’ work before you select your final choice. Once you have identified someone whose work sounds interesting to you, then you should stop looking at other theorists’ work and instead start to collect as many sources as possible so that you are able to develop a clear idea of the theorist’s main ideas.


Stage 2: An aspect


You need to find an aspect of the theorist’s work which you can explore through your solo project. Before you make a decision on this you should not only read as much as possible of the theorist’s own writings, but you should also read about what other practitioners have taken from their ideas. This will help you to understand in what ways the theorist has been influential.


An aspect might be a style of performance, the relationship with the audience, a method of rehearsal, or the way that design elements work with the actors. Sometimes an aspect might have a name, such as Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt. In other cases a label might not have been given but it will be possible to identify a specific aspect, such as Robert Lepage’s use of film in live performance. If the aspect is not clear then the best advice is to look again for a specific and clear example.


Stage 3: A script or a devised piece


You have a choice in your solo piece of using a script written by someone else or of creating your own material. You may think that an existing script will be less work, but you need to remember that you will have to find a script that can be performed by one performer, you. It may be more straight-forward to develop your own piece which you can shape around the aspect.


Stage 4: Your mentor, your journal, and your three interactions


A solo show could be a lonely experience. You should choose a mentor to support you and to talk over your decisions with. This is another student rather than a teacher. Their role is to listen to your ideas and to help you reflect on them. They will not direct your piece, but they can watch its development and help you by giving feedback.


Your blogl is essential for recording your creative ideas, findings, sources. It will be the resource you rely on for the 3,000 word report which you will be writing as part of the assessment. If you keep your journal carefully you will be able to pull much of your report directly from what you have already written.


At three points during the process you will have a formal “Interaction” with your teacher. These are structured conversations about your work which have to follow certain guidelines. You need to complete the Planning and Progress Form after each interaction. This form is submitted together with your assessments.


Stage 5: Rehearsal


Rehearsing on your own is difficult. Filming your rehearsal work will allow you to look back at your work and keep a record of your ideas.


Plan your rehearsals. What space is best for you to work in? How will you ensure that you are focussed and concentrating? What materials will you need? Would music help to create the right mood or atmosphere? How long is the right length for a rehearsal? When do you need your mentor to watch your work?


Stage 6: Technical support


You are allowed to have lighting and sound operated by other people, but it is your responsibility to plan this and to give direction to your designers. Don’t do this too early as you may change your ideas, but equally don’t leave it to the last moment.


Stage 7: Performance


The solo project is a 4 to 8 minute performance. You will need an audience, but you may decide how large your audience is and who they are. The performance must be filmed as the video is part of the assessment material. This video is unedited.


Stage 8: The Report


The report is a 3,000 word (max) document written in a formal register, but in the first person where appropriate. It must have the following:


A table of contents


Numbered pages


These sub-headings


The theorist, the theory and the contexts


Practical explorations and development of the solo theatre piece


Evaluation of the solo theatre piece and my personal reflection


Lots of illustration such as diagrams, annotated text, photographs etc which should all be referenced


A list of all primary and secondary sources cited





The report is a central part of the assessment and requires as much effort as the performance so start putting it together as you are developing your piece. If your writing in your journal is reasonably formal in style and you are meticulous in noting down what you learn and the ways in which your ideas are developing then you will have much less work to do later on.

IB Theatre Final Project 2019

This project will be the last thing we work on in 2019. For the official IB upload, you need to complete a 4-8 minute performance with a report that is 3000 words maximum. This will be our first draft (for Year 1) that we will revise in the fall. Therefore, for this version, you need to complete:

1)  a 2-4 minute performance

and

2) a report that is 1500 words maximum with at least 5 images included and 2 primary sources and 3 secondary sources.

The report will be your official final exam for this class and is due by the end of the day of our final exam period on May 30.

Another List of Practitioners

https://theatrelinks.com/category/practitioners/

One more fantastic resource

The CA Library has access to Digital Theatre + which is an amazing resource that has information on many practitioners. You can access it directly as long as you are using the CA Network:

https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/education/practice-and-practitioners

Resource for Solo Theater Piece

This is a description of the assignment in full including how it is assessed by the IB:

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ld.php?content_id=45073303

Here is a list of theorists you can use:

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/solo-theatre-piece/theorists

Another list of theorists:

https://sites.google.com/a/theatrenotes.org/ib-theatre/home/ipp/a-list-of-theorists

This link provides additional resources, sample projects, etc.:

https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/solo-theatre-piece


Here are some samples:

https://ibtheatrereadingroom.wordpress.com/solo-theatre-piece/

And here are more if you can access these -- directly from IB with marks and comments too --

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=2


https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=3


https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=4


https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_6_theat_tsm_1702_1_e&part=5&chapter=5


Five Truths Series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OD7phopWWk&list=PL5DE67813461897E6

Interviews with the director and 2 actors

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQq_244Fz7fDttPBPD1z99BLlOrwpx1Ir

Afrofuturism style

This is a good resource to look at when thinking about what the art, fashion, and architecture of Afrofuturism looks lie:

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/04/06/african-architects-designers-championing-afrofuturism/

This is a pinterest board that shows a lot of images related to fashion:

https://www.pinterest.com/andreapippins/afrofuturism/?lp=true

Yale Rep's Twelfth Night

As mentioned in class, this version of Twelfth Night is based on the director's vision of an Afro-Futurist world (think Black Panther). Here are some images of the set design model and costume sketches:

Here is a promotional video with great photos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=eakYrzfX_FI

And here is the Study Guide for you to read including an interview with the director:

https://yalerep-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/files/1819-willpower-final-online.pdf

Interesting article about acting and the brain

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/mar/13/actors-show-different-brain-activity-when-in-character-study-finds

Sample Projects

See end of page:

http://dptheatre2016.weebly.com/mock-collaborative-project.html

Collaborative Project -- Description and Rubric

Please review this information, especially to find guidance for creating the process portfolio:

http://mrscheuer.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/6/9/25693360/ib_theatre_-_collaborative_project_-_devised_work.pdf

Idea Generator to use in class today

artprompts.org