# data[].attributes.body
Project leader

Rob Brannen: rbrannen@dmu.ac.uk (Office: Clephan 2.12, Tel. 0116 257 7318)

# data[].attributes.body
Tutor Pete Shenton: pshenton@dmu.ac.uk (Office Clephan 2.08, Tel: 0116 250 8174)

# data[].attributes.headline
Introduction to Marketing and Management 

# data[].attributes.subject
Introduction to Marketing and Management 

# data[].attributes.body
Olwen Davies: olwen.davies@dmu.ac.uk

# data[].attributes.body
Tove Dalenius: tove.dalenius@dmu.ac.uk

# data[].attributes.body
This project is about establishing some core skills and knowledge in contemporary dramatic performance and textual analysis, as well as developing self-management and ensemble performance skills, which are essential for success on the degree. The project centres on rehearsing and then performing small or whole group pieces, using existing text. This then provides a benchmark for how contemporary performance deconstructs such practice (see Module 2 PERF 1052).

Specific project description

Dramatic performance is best described as a representation of  fictional characters and ‘real’ situations. It’s the kind of acting that you see most often in theatre and on TV and in films. It’s also often associated with plot and storytelling. We want to start you on this type of acting as you know what it looks like from watching it and you’re probably already familiar with some of the techniques needed. It also gives you a good basis to understand some of the other types of performance that you will be introduced to later in the first year, particularly post-dramatic performance in which there is less pretence that you are on stage in a fiction and often actors appear as themselves or make it clear they are acting a role. Many contemporary, post-dramatic styles still use dramatic techniques as part of their methodology so even when the piece doesn’t look ‘dramatic’ in a traditional sense, the principles are at work in the background. That’s why dramatic performance is so useful to know about and a good starting point for us. You will develop your dramatic acting skills through this project, and will collaborate with other students to create performance of  Holloway Jones by Evan Placey.

# data[].attributes.body
IMPORTANT: We will be performing the play on the following dates:

Thursday 4 th November at 7:30pm in PACE Studio 1 (all required from 6pm to 10pm)

Friday 5 th November at 7:30pm in PACE Stduio 1 (all required from 6pm to 10pm)

There will also be a Dress Rehearsal/Tech Rehearsal 6pm – 10pm on Wednesday November 3 rd

KEY DATES IN ORDER

| Friday 8 th October (week 1) noon | Deadline to email your casting preferences to Rob
| Monday 11 th October (week 2) | Casting and Rehearsal schedule released
| Thursday 21 st October (week 3) | Interim Performance and Viva assessments during classes
| Wednesday 3 rd November. | Evening Rehearsal 6pm – 10pm
| Thursday 4 th November | Public Performance 1 (assessed) 7:30pm (call 6pm)
| Friday 5 th November | Public Performance 2 (assessed) 7:30pm (call 6pm)

# data[].attributes.headline
OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE MODULE AND STAFF WHO WILL TEACH YOU

# data[].attributes.subject
OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE MODULE AND STAFF WHO WILL TEACH YOU

# data[].attributes.body
Through this project, you will also be asked to think about familiar terms such as performance, text, character, acting, theatre and drama and be encouraged to expand or reconsider your own definitions of these. This will be explored during a two hour seminar with Pete Shenton on Tuesdays.

The module also begins to introduce you to some of the key ideas within arts management. Each week you will have a two hour seminar with Olwen Davies on Fridays, within which you will begin a short assessment task concerning Marketing & Management. This assessment will be completed after Christmas during the next module: PERF1052.

After the performance task has been completed in week 5, Tove Dalenius sees you in week 6 for an intensive week of video and film skills which you will need to make the most of this course. Her classes will use the PERF1051 performance of Holloway Jones as stimulus for a short video project.

# data[].attributes.body
Assessment and criteria

This Module is assessed via 3 elements –

1.     Interim Performance – 30%

2.     Viva – 20%

3.     Final Performances – 50%

·      1 interim performance – each student will participate in a small group performance of one section from Holloway Jones. This will be approx. 5 minutes long and

·      1 group viva -  held during the rehearsal process (week 3 or 4). This will be approximately 10 mins per group. A viva is a structured verbal discussion with a member of staff who will ask you questions about the work in progress. Your answers form the basis of the assessment grading. Sample questions will be circulated in advance.

These events will be filmed and take place during the week 3 timetabled classes on Thursday 21 st October

Performance - This specifically refers to the final public performances in week 5.

Learning outcomes for this Project:

1.     Demonstrate a commitment to the creative process in terms of effective time keeping, attendance, preparation and independent research

2.     Demonstrate required rehearsal skills as an individual and part of an ensemble.

3.     Demonstrate required textual analysis skills.

4.     Demonstrate required performance skills.

Criteria

(LO= Learning Outcome above)

Interim performances 30%

·      Preparation to perform – inc. effective time keeping in lead up to interim performances, punctuality, lines / dialogue and stage action learnt, appropriate warm up (LO1, 2)

·      Application of performance skills (LO4): at this stage utilising relevant performance techniques, character development and stage collaboration (LO2)

Viva   20%

·      Knowledge and understanding of the play text inc. roles, plotline, social context, themes and performance challenges (LO1, LO3)

·      Knowledge and understanding of dramatic acting techniques used during rehearsals, including their individual contribution to the ensemble (LO2)

Performance    50%

Criteria

·      Preparation to perform – inc. effective time keeping in lead up to performance, punctuality, lines / dialogue and stage action learnt, appropriate warm up (LO1)

·      Application of performance skills: at this stage demonstrating awareness of performer / audience dynamic (e.g. volume level and diction), utilising relevant performance techniques and ensemble skills (e.g. active listening, responding to dialogue, space and movement considerations) (LO4)

# data[].attributes.body
There will be ongoing feedback throughout the rehearsal process.

Feedback for all elements of this project will be presented to you after the final performance verbally via an individual 7-10 min meeting with Rob, the module leader. This could be online or in person and you be given instructions of how to book a slot for your feedback.

The latest date for this feedback meeting will be 3/12/21

# data[].attributes.body
Every week for the first 5 weeks of term you will have 3 x 3 hr practical sessions led by Rob:
9-12 Monday mornings in PACE studio 1
9-12 Thursday mornings in PACE studio 2
3-6pm Thursday afternoons in PACE studio 2

You will also have classes with Pete Tuesdays (2 hour Introduction to Performance) and with Olwen on Fridays (2 hour Marketing & Management) - see timetable above

Week 6 you will have a whole week of classes with Tove to teach you Video editing and production see timetable below

# data[].attributes.body
In simple terms just start with the basic list of what you did each day and write down any definitions or your own explanations

Other things to make a note of -

Feedback from me or other students

Ideas you've come up with or decisions you've made in rehearsals (in class or in your own time)

Any research notes - eg if I set you a task to explore the theme of your scene

Your own reflections on how warm ups, exercises etc are helping you with your rehearsals

Challenges of the text or our production approach eg using digital and live performance together

Use diagrams and images as much as you want

You can also keep audio diaries as part of the log

Before the viva you can distill your key notes - informed by the sample questions on BB

# data[].attributes.headline
Performance process – (Interim performance and viva)

# data[].attributes.subject
Performance process – (Interim performance and viva)

# data[].attributes.body
Think about the following –

Preparation and engagement – prepare for any class or rehearsal that you have for the creation of the play. Preparation tasks may include reading sections of a book with acting theory in it, seeing a recommended play or learning lines. Be positive and pro-active when you are in sessions – do you offer ideas to the group? Do you offer positive critical feedback? Are you on time and do you have the right materials with you?

Understanding and application of ideas into practice - focus on your ability to translate ideas into practice. In this project, you will learn new ideas about dramatic performance from the text, from tutors, watching performance and reading new theories. You will be assessed on your ability to comprehend these ideas and embed them in your dramatic practice.

Explore the material – In essence this comes down to your ability and motivation to be inquisitive with the new ideas and the text and be prepared to try new exercises out without holding back. But it also means that you need to learn from each new experience and develop your practice, improving your acting skills in terms of voice, physicality and interaction on stage.

Progress up to interim performance and on to the final piece – You will all start this project with different levels of ability in dramatic acting. What matters is your ability to make progress and demonstrate development. You will be assessed in the interim performance on how your acting has improved over the duration of the project leading up to (but not including) the final performance/s.

# data[].attributes.body
You will be given some guideline questions to think about leading up to this viva so be ready to discuss the play text inc. your roles and the characters they interact with, the plotline and how your characters fit into it, historical context and how this informs the production as well as the themes of the play and the performance challenges which might include emotional complexity, physicality and playing a role outside of your current age range. To prepare for this viva you must keep a rehearsal / research log detailing your progress in each class. You may be expected to refer to this in the viva.

This rehearsal log will also be a useful source of information to draw upon when compiling your PORTFOLIOS and REFLECTIONS for Perf 1053 and 1054.

# data[].attributes.body
This is where you really get to demonstrate all your skills as an individual and as a supportive member of the ensemble. You must be as professional as possible during this week. The focus here is on your ability to translate all your new skills and understanding into performance – the ability to relax, to focus and apply acting technique. Think about creating believable and complex characters that sustain throughout the performance, interact effectively with other characters on stage, deliver lines and action clearly and precisely AND communicate confidently to an audience.

# data[].attributes.headline
Be there! Be disciplined! Be responsible!

# data[].attributes.subject
Be there! Be disciplined! Be responsible!

# data[].attributes.body
*Attendance, punctuality and assessment

Consistent, high levels of attendance are vital for success on your degree and in the workplace once you graduate. (You may want to take a look at BBC staff attendance / sickness policy to see how stringent the professional world is: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/foi/classes/policies_procedures/health_sickness_absence_policy.pdf)

To support you in developing these key skills we have a basic set of attendance and punctuality requirements/strategies for each module throughout the year. For PERF1051, they are as follows –

·  Aim for 100% attendance and punctuality.

·  Be pro-active - If you cannot attend on a given day or know in advance you have to miss a session then you must contact staff immediately via emails provided in handbooks.

·  If you record 3 unauthorized absences (see below for definition **) you transfer from main group performance assessment into a solo monologue assessment. You will be involved in all group activities (warm ups etc.) but will not rehearse or perform in group pieces for public performance in week 5. This still entails full attendance in order to attain a pass grade.

·  2 x late = 1 unauthorised absence. i.e. 6 x late = 3 unauthorized* absences = transfer from main group performance assessment into a solo monologue assessment.

·  Continued unauthorized absences and lates – If the pattern persists (even when on the monologue assessment) you will be warned that your attendance and punctuality problems are jeopardizing the potential to pass the assessment. Sustained poor attendance and punctuality is likely to lead to failure in assessments (graded below 40%) and if this sustains as a long-term pattern throughout the year this may jeopardize progression on to the 2nd year of the course.

**Unauthorized absence – when the student fails to inform staff prior to (or within 24 hrs. if unavoidable) of the session why there was an absence, (medical proof will be necessary in certain circumstances for it to be classed as authorized).

Late – you will be deemed to be late to a session after 10 minutes have elapsed from the start of the class (on the hour) and you arrive thereafter with no authorized reason (contacting the lecturer beforehand to explain). Leaving a class early with no authorized explanation will also be deemed equivalent to a Late.

These requirements apply across all TAUGHT module sessions: rehearsal, seminars, tutorials and case study classes. i.e. an absence or late in any session impacts on your performance opportunity. Additional rehearsals organized outside of class-time should be considered mandatory as that is the best professional approach but they will NOT be subject to the same requirements as above. We encourage you to keep your own registers for these rehearsals in case any issues arise.

Sustained authorized absence - If for some unexpected but justifiable reason, you are having difficulty attending (e.g. COVID, long term mental or physical health condition or family issue) please come and discuss this with us as soon as possible. It may mean that you are better off on the individual assessment pathway for the time being as it allows you more flexibility and less stress. If unauthorized absences or lates occur very close to the performance date, it may not be possible to implement the procedures outlined above, but students must note that such action will impact significantly on their assessment grading and for any fellow student this behaviour impacts upon this will be taken into account with their grading.

Note – there will be an exception for week 1, session 1 in terms of Late as we appreciate its difficult orientating yourself in a new building etc.