Learning READERS THEATRE

TCA Performing Arts Students - in class ensemble work. Not an easy assignment! I'm most impressed by how easy you are to work with and be directed. You take risks and follow directions - even when you think you may make a fool of yourself! Welcome to theatre! A good director won't let you make a fool of yourselves, and you didn't here!

Friends who are passionate about Jesus and Theatre!

Last Thursday thru Sat Dr. Dale Savidge* came to Singapore and we had a great intensive class : PERFORMING THE SACRED at TCA College (where I have the privilege of teaching the theatre courses for students who want to use creative arts in ministry:                                  

(see FB group page for photos). We're all exhausted, but full from great fresh insight on the relationship between Christianity and Theatre, as well as collaborating with one another on bringing Scripture to life in creative ways.

Then, yesterday, Wednesday - Theatre Practitioners had a "Uniquely Singapore City Tour"

Working professionals in theatre and performing arts had a full day of tourism and hanging out. It was a good excuse to get together, know one another better, and be mutually encouraged by taking Dr. Savidge around out town.

Tonight: Drama as Ministry Fellowship

A casual gathering of those who use Theatre in ministry - or would like to. Held at Hope Church Singapore, Cuppage Plaza, top floor auditorium. A great opportunity to meet up with others who share your passion, and meet Dr. Savidge with some Q&A follow up to the PERFORMING THE SACRED class last week (for those who missed it!). If you've recently presented something for worship, or have a short script that's getting polished up, or have produced a short video for worship, bring it along as a show-and-tell to inspire us! (text ahead of time, so we can plan accordingly!)

Check out the Facebook group page for details! (join the group too!) 

(Photos from our first showcase workshop May 2nd)

Hope we get to see you this week!

For the CITA SIngapore team,

K!Mberly Creasman

Theatre Practitioner/Explorer

Church Resource Ministries

*Info on Dr. Savidge & TCA College, Certificate in Higher Education in Creative Arts:

http://www.tca.edu.sg/

Dr. Savidge was brought out for TCA's 30th Anniversary celebrations starting later this week. I've known and respected Dale since 1992 when I joined CITA (a 20+ year old organization for networking and resourcing Christians in Theatre Arts). He wrote the chapter on theatre in Amour Publishing's SIGHTS & SOUNDS: A Christian Response to Media and the Arts (local) and helped us in designing the theatre courses for the college. He has 2 masters degrees and a PhD in English and Theatre, and has his own arts management company representing some extremely talented actors in USA (including Rich Swingle  who came from New York to be in the cast of Judah Ben Hur years ago, and & Bruce Kuhn who came through a few years ago to do his Gospel of Luke in a few venues and teach a worshop on Biblical Storytelling at GBST.)

If you want to read more about Dr. Savidge, Here's the link to the CITA leadership page on the Christians in theatre Website. But trust me. He's not only well connected to what Christians are doing in theatre, and extremely smart, he's also just an all around great man.
http://cita.org/site/?page_id=8

Doubting Thomas

In the Performing Arts course, we learn about different performance styles. This particular adaptation has taken a well known Bible character, Thomas the Disciple, and placed him in a modern setting. In adapting this, we imagined Thomas if he were meeting up with his friends in 2009, in a Singaporean Kopitiam years after the resurrection of Christ. Actually, it is a Kopitiam in heaven, because, in the end Thomas tells his friends of his eventual martyrdom for the cause of Christ.

In our placing Bible characters in modern settings, with local language, the audience can more easily identify with them. Otherwise, these characters might be seen as Ancient History and having no relevance to modern people's lives. But a modernized depiction breaks down stereotypes and helps us learn from and apply lessons of these ancient peoples. In the same way Jesus used parables to teach, these modernized Bible characters are just one way of effectively reaching and communicating with 21st century people. May God bless you in your effort to teach God's truths with creativity.

“Doubting Thomas”

I guess you could say I did doubt, but this nickname “Doubting Thomas” is really bo-fair leh. Yes…I may found the idea of rising from dead kang kor xiong xin, but I didn’t make doubting my way of life. Being a doubter was not my permanent condition.
I wanted to know the truth, so I said so. ”unless I see the kang in His hand and put my chiu ji thru, I will not believe it”. Bo salah, right?

I took Ye-So a xi pretty hard. I didn’t expect yi zhou ka an-neh kin, and in the way that it did.

Wa jin xiong xin without Him. My life qua bo lo. In the days immediately after yi a xi, Wa sial ke! Trying to sort through all my emotions and make plans for future. And hor, after that 3 kang kor days, the others disciples told me they had seen Him in the lau ding, bo see…. Wah… lagi sial! And they were going to meet him there the next night.

I didn’t want to be bluff and disappointed again. That’s why I said I needed proof, zhen gi ! The idea of a resurrection…. xi bo kor neng a!!!
But I wanted to believe. I wanted a reason to follow wa a Taukeh. Trust me; my doubt was just a reluctance to believe the impossible.

Lu nang ma xi xiang kuan. Don’t you find it hard to believe the impossible? You walked carefully through your life and leave tam bok room for miracles. Don’t bluff. It’s true. Jay xie kai miracles xi bo sim mi kor neng a! I bet ar, that you let your dreams die because of doubt.
Just like me, you forgot “impossible; BO KOR NENG” is one of God’s favorite words.

All I asked for was a little bit proof, not too much, right? Jesus hor wa exactly what I asked for. And do you know the rest of the story…? Once I had the proof hor, they had to kill me to get wa a chui stop talking about wa a peng yu who’d come back from the dead.

If they honestly and earnestly seek it, He tak teo hor lu proof a. And their response will be just like mine hor. Fall flat on their face when they realize the truth and cry out “my Lord and my God”!

And life will not ever be the same again.




Edited by Barry Chee
TCA College, Singapore 2008
For Performing Arts Final
Kimberly Creasman, lecturer

Growing SE Asia Samples on YouTube

Just made a playlist of videos of drama ministry I've worked on, or student work in Singapore the last few years.

Playwriting Week 4 & 5 Assignments/Asessments

It's like finals week in TH ARTS! You get to get the hard work part out of the way early in the semester!!!

(week 4) What we'll cover from chapter "Writing a Winning Sketch"
Dialogue, Show Don’t Tell, Suspense, Surprise, Reversals

5 sketch evaluations due
2 x play idea worksheets
2 character analysis

Students will read one of their play ideas.
Can they say what their play is about in 3-4 sentences which includes these elements:
Inciting action
Rising action
Climax
Falling off action.
And THEME?

Exercise: Hot seating a few of their characters to ask them questions about the story.


Assessment on the Draft of short play/sketch (10%)
Due: week 5
1. Premise is clear
2. Is there evident structure? (exposition, inciting action, rising action, climax, denouement).
3. Is there a clear protagonist with a strong evident conflict?
4. Has the student created believability/suspension of disbelief?


Assessment on the Final draft of short play/sketch (15%)
Due: week 10
1. Is there evidence of rewriting between drafts?
2. Will there be strong audience Identification?
3. Is the piece humorous or moving?
4. Does it move forward with action with a variety of Pace? (Showing more than telling)?
5. Are there examples suspense & surprise?
6. Is there an economy of words?
7. Is there suspense & surprise?
8. Are the characters believable/realistic characters with realistic dialogue (utilizing unfinished/partial sentences, short lines, talking over one another, subject changes, characters having to repeat themselves or clarify, etc).

NOTE: The original short plays will be assessed based on subjects found in DRAMA MINISTRY, Steve Pederson (chapter 6), this is also the foundational information needed for your final exam.

Instant Character Analysis

(ast least 2 required. One must be for a protagonist in one of your play idea worksheets)

In 2004 I attended a playwrighting master class. This was a great exercise for creating a play idea and character on-the-spot. The teacher, British playwright, Kaite O'Reilly ran through the list of questions at a fairly fast pace. We were all writing furiously and felt like we were really beginning to pull a real person out of thin air when finished. This is not as in depth a character analysis as you can do, I'm assigning this as a short version.

Here's the list of questions (red coloured ones are most crucial):

Your gender? Age?
Do you swear?
With whom do you live?
What’s your favourite drink?
When you were small, what was your nickname?
Favourite colour?
In material terms, do others consider you successful?
When you were 5 years old, what did you want to be?
Have you ever been in love?
What’s your marital status?
What is your ambition?
Your favourite music? Song?
Educational level?
Ethnicity
What makes you laugh?
Are your parents living? Do they live nearby?
What is your favourite holiday? Why?
Where do you live?
What would your mother say is your biggest weakness?
What would she say is your greatest strength?
Do you have any dependants?
What is your relationship with them like?
Who do you despise most in the world? Why?
What are you really good at?
Do you run your own life, or do you do what others tell you to do?
Are you concerned with pleasing anyone? Who?
What is your greatest fear?
If your enemy were to use 3 words to describe you, what would they say?
Why do you have an enemy?
What do others think about you?
What is your favourite holiday destination?
What is your private joy?
Are you religious? Are you moral?
Who do you resemble most in the world?
What is a secret you don’t feel you can tell anyone?
Do you have any rituals? Describe.
Sports?
How do you feel about your body?
How do you feel about those 5 year old dreams of yours now?
Do you have a hobby?
How would you describe your emotional life?
What do you want from life?
What is stopping you?
What are you going to do about it?

Play Idea Worksheets

(at least 2 required, more encouraged!) (5%)

1. Does the form show that the student understands the purpose of the exercise?
2. Are the questions thoroughly answered with thoughtfulness and creativity?

Date:
Working Title:
Central Character:
Central Character’s dominant need:

Other major character(s):

Setting:

Occasion:

Major conflict/dilemma as it manifests itself in action:

Resolution:

How the central character changes by the end:

Dramatic premise:

NOTE: The original short plays will be assessed based on subjects found in DRAMA MINISTRY, Steve Pederson (chapter 6): Will there be strong audience Identification? Is the piece humorous or moving? Is there evident structure? Does it move forward with action? (Showing more than telling)? Is there an economy of words? Is there suspense & surprise? Is there evidence of rewriting between drafts?

Sketch Evaluations 2009

Sketch evaluations (15% of grade) (5 required)
you can copy and paste what's below to use in a word document, or you can paste your answers as a comment below....

Name of Sketch:
Name of Sketch Collection/Book:
Publisher:
Copywrite date:
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate this script?
Do you feel that it would work in your setting without modifications?
Do you feel it would work with minor modifications?
STYLE:
(Realistic Drama or Comedy, Farce, Reader’s Theatre, Radio Drama, Mime, Puppet Show, Clown, Stylized, Musical, Opera, etc.)
TARGET AUDIENCE:
(Christians, Unchurched, Children, Youth, Adults, a specific ethnic group, etc. )
PERFORMERS NEED TO BE:
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced
STRUCTURE:
Does it grab your interest and make you want to see what happens? How?
Does it develop logically, so that the action can be followed? (Inciting action, rising action, climax, denouement)
Does it reach a satisfying conclusion? How?
What is the playwright’s theme? (Issue)
Is the premise believable? (What happens?)
Does it have clear and adequate conflict? What is the conflict?
Does it appeal to the imagination?
If a comedy sketch, is it funny?
If a drama sketch, is it actually dramatic?
If a mime, are the stage directions clear?
If a reader's theatre, is it voiced well?
Is it developed in a fresh creative way or is it too predictable?
MESSAGE:
What is it about? What Christian truth does it reflect or set up teaching about?
Does it deal with one issue, or avoid trying to say too much for it's length?
Does it avoid answering its central question with platitudes and clichés?
Does it refrain from being too preachy?
Is it relevant?
PRODUCTION:
Are the playwright’s production notes adequate?
Is it possible to produce?

PRIMING THE PUMP

Before you start Brainstorming Play Ideas....

Brainstorm 10-20 of your most influential life experiences.

(also can 10 values you hold important, 10 of your favourite stories or movies)

Now add to your list: one experience you’ve never had but always dreamed of doing, or can imagine yourself doing.

IMPORTANT: Give examples of at least 3 interesting and multilayered characters (in movies or plays) and describe how these strong underlying aspects about them made them more interesting.

The Practitioners & Tour of UCC at NUS

Thanks Daniel Loh for the amazing tour of NUS' super facility! We were wowed!

Besides Actor, Director and Playwright, who are the other players in the world of theatre?

Producer
The person ultimately in charge of a production. THE BOSS. Often the person who raises/provides the money, and wields day-to-day financial control.

Stage manager/Production Stage Manager
The person, subordinate only to the DIRECTOR, in charge of everything that occurs on the stage. During rehearsals the stage manager is chief of all the crews who work on a production, and assistant to the director in matters affecting entrances, exits and cues. During the run of the show, after the DIRECTOR’S job has been completed, the stage manager is in charge of every performance in every detail, from the way actors handle cues, to the timing of curtain openings and closings as well as curtain calls. “Calls the show”

Set/Scenic Designer
structural design of set + those who will execute the design and turn it into something real!

Set/Scene Dresser
Selects furniture and trim props for each scene of the play and designates their placement in the set.

PROPERTIES MASTER
The person or team responsible for providing and managing all the props throughout a production. Works from a prop list.

COSTUME DESIGNER,
Designs clothes and accessories to be worn by actors in a production.

COSTUME MASTER & CREW
Sees to the assembly or rental of costumes and accessories, helps with fittings, keeps care of, & helps in costume changes.

Make-up Artist & Crew
Designs and creates an appropriate face for and actors by applying make-up.

Stage Hands
Any person who works with scenery and furniture on the stage, setting up each scene, shifting from one scene to the next, etc.

House Manager
The person who manages all functions of the theatre building except those specifically concerned with the production itself.
Ushers, Ticket booth/sales, lighting in the hall, handling emergencies in the audience…
Publicity works with producer graphic artists & printers in the design, printing & distribution of publicity, tickets, and programs for the show.

Technical Director (Production Manager)
Oversees the behind the scenes technical preparation of the show. Often oversees the following technicians and directors.

Lighting Engineer
determines how each scene will be illuminated and specifies the type, power, color, and aiming of all the lighting instruments need to do the job. Writes out a lighting plot. Oversees the execution of hanging the lights and focusing the lights. Makes a light cue sheet/script, directs the operation of lighting changes for a show, (in motion pictures, this is call a Director of Photography)

Sound Engineers/Operators
Determine how actors will be heard, & oversees the production of sound FX and any other sound used in, before and after the show. Oversees the execution of designing and setting up the sound equipment and balancing the sound in the house from the control booth console. Makes a sound cue sheet/script.

Reaction paper (5%)

“When the Curtain Opens: A Christian Response to Theatre”
Dale Savidge, in Sights & Sounds
Write out your answers to FIVE QUESTIONS (minimum).
We will be discussing this article during class time on May 4, 2009 (the first week of class) Answering these questions will help you prepare for the discussion. You can post your answers on the blog, or submit your written answers in class.

1. Informed by your reading of this chapter, explain why theatre is a powerful communication tool.
2. How is a play not like a sermon?
3. Francis Schaffer’s understanding of a Christian worldview explains that there is a minor theme of the Bible (man is a sinner and we live in a fallen world) and the major theme of the Bible (Christ’s death provides redemption from our sin). What is your opinion on what Dr. Savidge believes that plays that present only the minor theme of the Bible can be powerful?
4. What is your opinion of the plays you have seen presenting the major theme of the Bible (redemption of sin through Christ)?
5. Why theatre “is the most directly human of all the arts”?
6. Why is it important to “engage culture”?
7. After reading Dr. Savidge’s suggestion for how Christians should respond to the offensive nature of many theatre productions or the lifestyle of theatre practitioners, what is your stand on this?
8. How can Christians discern to what extent they should experience theatre (as audiences and as artists)?
9. What did you learn about the difference between entertainment and amusement? Does that have any effect on how you see the use of “entertainment” in a worship setting?
10. Dr. Savidge wrote about playwright playing to our sympathies. Do you think this affects us? If so, how?
11. What are your thoughts after reading about the objectionable elements you might find in theatre?
12. Why is working in theatre a frustrating occupation? Why would it be dangerous for a Christian?
13. Have you ever had an opportunity to “come alongside” a theatre practitioner? How did you respond to them and they to you?