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.