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IB Theatre: Director's Notebook

IB Theatre 4

IB Theatre Internal Assessments

The Director's Notebook

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IB Theatre: The Director's Notebook

 

Each student chooses a play text that they have not studied in class, and for which they can clearly identify the potential for success in transforming it from page to stage. Once selected, the chosen play text cannot be used by the student in any other assessment task for this course.

Perspective—Candidates should approach this task from the perspective of director.

Aim—The aim of this task is for students to explore the processes involved in transforming a play text into live action by developing a directorial vision for staging the play text.

Understandings—Through this exploration students will understand:

  • The importance of research into the context of a play text and how this can inform directorial intentions for staging the play text
  • The artistic processes required to transform text into action
  • How meaning is communicated on stage and how to create moments of atmosphere, emotion and tension
  • How performance and production elements function together to create an intended impact for an audience
  • How live performances they have experienced influence, inspire and inform their work as directors.

Working with

play texts

 THEATRE IN CONTEXT THEATRE PROCESSES PRESENTING THEATRE
  • Cultural context (origin)
  • Theoretical context (style, form, practice or genre)
  • Identify key ideas
    • Intended meanings
    • Motifs
    • Themes & throughline

 
  • Think about the play from the perspective of the Director and record your thoughts
    • How would you stage this play?
    • Who is the intended audience?
  • Make connections to live theatre you have experienced (other than the play you selected to study) 

 
  • Select 2 particular moments of the play
    • Explain your directorial intention & it's intended impact on audience
    • Explain how this will inform your staging

Think about: 

  • moments of atmosphere
  • emotion
  • tension
  • moments that communicate the meaning(s) of the play

 
Document your exploration in the Director's Notebook
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Lee Library

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BBC GCSE Drama 

GCSE is the qualification taken by 15 and 16 year olds to mark their graduation from the Key Stage 4 phase of secondary education in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

BBC GCSE Higher Drama 

  • Drama skills: creating drama & performance
  • Production skills: acting, costume,  lighting & props
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National Theatre Playlists

Located in London, United Kingdom the National Theatre is a publicly funded performing arts venue

Topics featured in the playlist include: 
PLAYBILL

Playbill Vault

Database of Broadway Playbills dating back to the 1944-1945 Broadway season.
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Student Technical Theater Handbook

This handbook from Harvard University includes information on all aspects of design.  It was last updated  Oct. 2007

Topics include: 

 

 

Assessment Timeline

The Director's Notebook
Make a copy of this document and add it to your IB Theatre folder in your google drive.  You will need to refer back to the document throughout the research process.

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Project Timeline

November

Library days 11/27

December

Library days 12/11

January

Library days 1/16, 1/23

  • due 1/28

Need help? Contact your librarian

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Mimi Marquet
Contact:
John R. Lewis High School Library
6540 Franconia Road, Springfield, VA 22150
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