Minds On
Let’s warm up
Safety reminder
Don’t forget to do your safety check!
Warm Up
Warm up
Take a deep breath in, counting silently to 5 as you do so.
Hold your breath for 5 seconds.
Slowly exhale your breath, counting silently to 5 as you do so.
Now count to 5 before taking another breath.
Repeat this activity 5 times.
You may choose to access this audio clip/recording entitled “Five Breathing” to complete this breathing activity.
Five Breathing
Drama game
Select two or more of these actions and attempt to perform them in slow motion. Be creative, move around your space, and perform the actions in any way you prefer!
- swimming
- horseback riding
- preparing a meal
- driving a vehicle of your choice
- climbing a tree
- washing a large window
Let’s get started
When a director signs on to direct an artistic production, they have important decisions to make.
Consider any play, film, show, music video, YouTube series, or podcast series that you enjoy. Each one of these pieces have a director.
Brainstorm the types of responsibilities or decisions you think a director needs to consider about this artistic piece.
You may consider the tone of the piece, where they will film and the setting of the story, etc.
Record your thoughts digitally, orally, in print, or use the mind map provided.
Complete the Mind Map in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Directors
By definition, the director of a theatre production is the person who supervises the actors and directs the action in the production of a show.
Explore the organizational chart for a theatre production:
An organizational flowchart a production crew. At the top of the chart, you have a producer with an arrow pointing down to production manager and director. Then you have the director with an arrow pointing down to actors. The director also has another arrow point down to the very end listing other roles. The roles include; costume designer, lighting designer, projection designer, scenic designer, and sound designer. Then you have the music director, choreographers, and stage manager. The music director has an arrow pointing down listing other roles in the following order: conductor and musician. The role of the choreographer has an arrow point down to actors.
Where does the director appear in this organizational chart?
By following the solid lines that attach from the director to other theatre titles, who is directly linked to the director?
Press ‘Answers’ to access the answers to these questions.
The director is at the top, under the producer and beside the production manager. The following titles are linked directly to the director:
- producer and production manager
- music director, dramaturg, choreographers, stage manager
- costume designer, lighting designer, projection designer, scenic designer, sound designer
Return to your brainstorming list in the Minds On section. Is there anything you can add to your list now?
Access this video that helps to understand the role of the director.
- How does Sheldon Epps determine what the production will become?
- What is already determined before meeting the actors which helps create the concept for the director?
- What is a puzzle that the director has to solve?
Press ‘Answer’ to access the responses to these questions.
- He waits to find out what the actors involved in the production believe the show to be about.
- The set has already begun to be built before meeting the actors so that set creates an overall concept of the story without the details.
- The puzzle for the director is what the overall concept for the play will be for each Act.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
What kind of notes do you think a director might create on their copy of the script?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to access the notes of one imaginary director.
The director would have notes in their script that would not appear in other scripts. These are the areas where notes may appear in their script:
- blocking notes – where the actors will be in relation to the audience and the other characters in each section of each scene
- their thoughts about characters’ emotions, gestures, delivery of lines, relationships and handling of props
- the involvement of the audience – what they are going to be witnessing and not witnessing
- their notes about the setting (time and place), and how that can be depicted on a stage
- lighting, sound, projection, costume, and scene notes
Use your learning to respond to these true/false questions about the role of the theatre director.
Go!
“Belling the Cat”
Explore the script of the staged version of “Belling the Cat” adapted from Aesop’s Fables.
Press ‘Aesop’ to learn more about Aesop.
In the mid-6th century BCE, Aesop, who was a former enslaved person in Greece, wrote tales called fables. These 725 fables were often shared using the storytelling tradition of passing the tales orally from person to person but were also available for children to learn to read. These fables, as written, were not long stories. They would begin with a setting and a situation and then move quickly into the “punchline” or the moral (lesson) of the tale.
Act one, scene one. At rise: lights brighten on the inside of a cozy mouse den with little chairs and stools. Old Mouse and Young mouse were there as well as a smattering of other mice, all chattering over each other. An off-stage Narrator is also there.
Old Mouse says: "Order! Order! We have come together today to figure out how to protect ourselves from...The
Cat."
In italics, all the mice start to boo.
Old Mouse continues: "We must find some way to know when she is coming, so we will have time to run away."
The Narrator says: "The mice sat and thought about it. Many plans were discussed but non of them was thought good enough. Something had to be done since the mice lived in constant fear of her claws and they barely left their dens during the day or at night."
Old Mouse says: "That's it? No one has any plans?"
Young Mouse says: "Excuse me? Excuse me?"
Old Mouse says: "Yes, Young Mouse. Do you have a plan?"
Young Mouse says: "Yes I do. I have a plan that seems very simple but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell around the Cat’s neck. When we hear the bell ringing, we will know immediately that the cat is coming."
The Narrator says: "All the Mice were surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But while the crowd of mice were rejoicing over their good fortune, Old Mouse had a concerned look on their face."
Old Mouse shouts: "Attention! Attention! We have a problem."
In italics, the room went silent.
The Old Mouse says: "I will say that the plan of Young Mouse is very good. But let me ask the question: Who will put a bell on the Cat?"
The Narrator says: "The room was filled with disappointing sighs. After all it is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it."
Becoming a director
Imagine you are the director of a production of “Belling the Cat” adapted from Aesop’s Fables.
As the director you are responsible for:
- reading the script
- collaborating with teams on a production crew
- communicating the overall vision, mood, and style you want the production to take
One of their responsibilities is working together with the actors to create blocking and stage direction.
Explore this video entitled “Blocking and Stage Directions” to learn more about how actors move on a stage.
Did you notice how Unshirley moved across the stage? This is called blocking.
What did you learn about blocking and stage direction? How might this be applied to your production of “Belling the Cat”?
Planning your production
Consider the following questions as you begin the planning process:
- How would you like this script to be performed?
- Will the play be set in the past, present or future? Why?
- What kinds of opinions and perspectives are included in the play?
- How might you add changes to involve different characters?
- What decisions will you make about how to set up the stage? Costumes? Props?
- How will you block this play?
- What decisions will you make about sound and lighting?
Share your ideas with a partner, if possible.
Record your ideas using the copy of the script below. You may also create a description of your plan or record your ideas using another method of your choice.
Complete the Director’s Notes in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your drama portfolio.
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ACT ONE Scene 1 AT RISE: Lights brighten on the inside of a cozy mouse den with little chairs and stools. OLD MOUSE and YOUNG MOUSE were there as well as a smattering of other mice, all chattering over each other. An off-stage NARRATOR is also there. OLD MOUSE Order! Order! We have come together today to figure out how to protect ourselves from …The Cat! All the mice start to boo. OLD MOUSE We must find some way to know when she is coming, so we will have time to run away. NARRATOR The mice sat and thought about it. Many plans were discussed but none of them was thought good enough. Something had to be done since the mice lived in constant fear of her claws and they barely left their dens during the day or at night. OLD MOUSE That’s it? No one has any other plans? YOUNG MOUSE Excuse me? Excuse me? OLD MOUSE Yes, Young Mouse. Do you have a plan? YOUNG MOUSE Yes I do. I have a plan that seems very simple but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is hang a bell around the Cat’s neck. When we hear the bell ringing, we will know immediately that the cat is coming. NARRATOR All of the mice were surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But while the crowd of mice were rejoicing over their good fortune, Old Mouse had a concerned look on their face. OLD MOUSE (shouting) Attention! Attention! We have a problem. The room went silent. OLD MOUSE I will say that the plan of Young Mouse is very good. But let me ask the question: Who will put a bell on the Cat? NARRATOR The room was filled with disappointing sighs. After all, it is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it. PAGE 2: A chart with 2 rows (one LARGE SPACE) and 3 columns. Titles: materials, drawings, set & costumes |
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My list of materials: |
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Plan your set of costumes: |
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Create your drawings: |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Director’s Notes.
Press ‘Answers’ to access sample answers to these questions.
How would you like this script to be performed?
- My adaptation will be done as a series of tableaux set to music
Will the play be set in the past, present or future? Why?
- My adaptation will be set in the present because I would like to have them meeting as a virtual meeting (since they are afraid of leaving their dens)
What kinds of opinions and perspectives are included in the play?
- My adaptation will have mice of all colours, different sizes, have a variety of abilities, and be different ages. Their dens will be varied in furniture, style, and amount of light. The mice will have reactions that are varied which we will be aware of on their screens.
How might you add changes to involve different characters?
- My adaptation will include more of the mice sharing their feelings about the cat
What decisions will you make about how to set up the stage? Costumes? Props?
- The virtual meeting will have all of the mice side by side in their dens with walls between them and when they are in the virtual meeting, they will hold a frame up around their faces. The actors will wear ears and whiskers as their costumes. They will have a variety of props in their dens.
How will you block this play?
- In my adaptation, the characters will all be in their dens centre stage, reaching from left to right. When the mice go onto the screen they will step downstage in front of their dens and lights will shine directly on their faces in the frames.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
Imagine you are having your first crew meeting to communicate your ideas for the production.
Press ‘Organizational Chart’ to review the organizational chart for theatre productions.
An organizational flowchart a production crew. At the top of the chart, you have a producer with an arrow pointing down to production manager and director. Then you have the director with an arrow pointing down to actors. The director also has another arrow point down to the very end listing other roles. The roles include; costume designer, lighting designer, projection designer, scenic designer, and sound designer. Then you have the music director, choreographers, and stage manager. The music director has an arrow pointing down listing other roles in the following order: conductor and musician. The role of the choreographer has an arrow point down to actors.
Respond to these questions in a method of your choice:
- Who would you invite to your crew meeting? Why?
- What are a few questions you could ask your crew members during the meeting?
Press ‘Hint’ for a hint.
How do your roles relate to each other in this play?
Choose one specific crew member, such as the costume designer.
- What information would you want to share with them?
- What kind of relationship would you want to have with the costume designer? Why?
Press ‘Hint’ for a hint.
Would you want to be able to share your ideas?
The second meeting you are going to have is a meeting with the actors in the production.
- What are a few questions you could ask your actors during the meeting?
Press ‘Hint’ for a hint.
What did Sheldon Epps discuss in the director video?
- What information would you want to share with them?
- What kind of relationship would you want to have with the actors? Why?
Portfolio
Review your learning
Consider adding the responses to these reflection questions to your portfolio.
- How did you feel about being the director of this production? Why?
- If you could create an adaptation of any artistic piece you know, what would you choose? Why?
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.