THEATRE TEACHERS | LESSON PLAN: CREATING A COMIC CHARACTER AND SCENE

Submitted by I love Ragtime on Fri, 2010-07-16 09:02

Categories:

Playwrighting

For ages:

High School

Shows:

Description

The student will analyze the form and content of dramatic literature.

The student will be able to:

1. create a character using one or more of the following traits: self ignorance, funny faces, social ineptitude, physical gestures, automatism, vice, innocence, obsession, vanity, professional solemnity, absentmindedness.

2. write and perform a scene using one or more of the following plot elements: momentum of speed, arrests, violence or potential violence, mechanical inelasticity, types, repetition, inversion or reversal, exaggeration, or understatement.

Materials

Comedy notes teacher resource sheets #1 and #2

Copies of assignment and rubric: student resource sheets #1 and #2

Comedy Examples on video such as : I Love Lucy, Saturday Night Live skits, etc.

Student Journal for note taking and reflection

Full Lesson Plan

Anticipatory Set/Context Setting:

Lead a discussion:

Ask students to describe the funniest movie, television show and/or theatrical performance.

Follow up with these questions:

Why do you think it was funny?

What were the settings?

Why can some actors make us laugh and not others?

Why do audiences laugh at some jokes but cringe at others?

Development/Procedures:

1. Students take notes on Common Character Traits (teacher resource #1)

2. Show several excerpts of Saturday Night Live

3. While watching, students will identify and document in their journals which character traits they observe.

4. Students take notes on Elements of a Comic Plot (teacher resource #2)

5. Show an episode of “I Love Lucy” such as “Ricky thinks he is bald”.

6. While watching, students will identify and document in their journals the comic plot elements.

7. Divide the class into small groups; 3-4 students work best.

Development/Procedures:

1. Students take notes on Common Character Traits (teacher resource #1)

2. Show several excerpts of Saturday Night Live

3. While watching, students will identify and document in their journals which character traits they observe.

4. Students take notes on Elements of a Comic Plot (teacher resource #2)

5. Show an episode of “I Love Lucy” such as “Ricky thinks he is bald”.

6. While watching, students will identify and document in their journals the comic plot elements.

7. Divide the class into small groups; 3-4 students work best.

8. Distribute the following (student resource #1) assignment: Pretend that you are a cast/writer member on “Saturday Night Live”. To create the show, the cast and writers have five days to write and rehearse a show that goes live at 11:30 Saturday night. The schedule looks something like this:

Day 1 Table discussion of ideas

Day 2 Write scenes and begin to rehearse

Day 3 Rehearse scenes

Day 4 Rewrite scenes & work on design to create the look of the piece.

Day 5 Dress rehearsal

Day 6 Perform live

Remind students to follow this same schedule (Remind them that they are only creating one scene – SNL has to create an hour and half show!)

Each day that students rehearse their scenes ask the following questions to reflect and guide the rehearsal process. Students should record their answers in their journals.

–

Write the name of your comic character and describe the traits that you portray in your scene.

–

Write the title of your scene and the elements of comedy used in the plot.

–

Rehearse your scene. What punch lines did you try? What lines got rejected or thrown out in the rehearsal process and why?

Summary/Closure:

1. Before students perform their scenes they should complete the written part on the rubric for Creating A Comedic Character and Scene.

2. Collect the rubrics by group; watch and grade the performances.

3. After viewing all the scenes students should reflect on their scene work by answering the following question in their journals:

–

Should I call Lorne Michaels (producer SNL)? Do you think that your scene is ready for late night television? Why or why not?

4. Collect and grade the journal questions.

The above lesson plan was based on an article by Peter King “Playing Comedy” Teaching Theatre: Education Theatre Association; Winter 2010.

After a brief discussion explain that Peter King in his article “Playing Comedy” (Teaching Theatre Winter 2010) notes that according to philosopher and comedy theorist, Henri Bergson: laughter is uniquely human, it appeals to the intellect, and occurs when something mechanical is encrusted upon the living. Mechanical refers to human habits, imitation, disguise, and routine.

Attachments

Comedy Rubric

character and scene assignment

LESSON PLAN: CREATING A COMIC CHARACTER AND SCENE