Welcome to the World of Drama and Theatre!

You must post your play review on the assignment in MySFP entitled "Play Review" no later than dismissal on Tuesday, May 21.

Spotlight on Marino!

"You're in my world now, grandma!"

"Hey Nonny Nonny!" 

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Spring 2013

I have posted the course requirements which we will review the first few days of classes.

Please complete the following background information on the links below:

Origins of Greek Drama: "Cult of Dionysus," "Tragedy and Dithyramb," "Actors and Chorus," "Costume/Appearance," "Tragedy, Comedy, Satyric Drama," "Production of Tragic Contests."

Theatre and Drama in Ancient Greece

Theatre Database: "Origins of Tragedy," "City Dionysia"

Please read these additional sections:

Origins of Greek Drama: "Plan of Ancient Theatre," "Play Structure," "Masks."

"Aeschylus," "Sophocles," "Euripides"

Greek Stage/Structure of Greek Tragedies

Greek Drama: "Ancient Greek Theatre"

Reading Exam Friday, 2/1 (E period); Monday, 2/4 (G period). This will assess your comprehension of the background reading, class discussion, and video presentations. Format: Short answer identifications and sentence completion. 

This week we will be reading and discuss Oedipus Rex in class.

We will finish the prologue, the parados, the first episode, and the first stasimon and first episode of Oedipus Rex by Friday. Then we will view the first section of the BBC film of the play.

You must read the rest Oedipus Rex for Monday, February 11. You will have a major reading quiz. You can find full texts of the play on the links below.

During the week of February 11, we will be discussing Oedipus and viewing scenes from the BBC film.

Read Antigone over the winter recess. The complete text of the play is located on the link below. Before you read the play, read the web page "Oedipus at Colonus," which will give you the summary of the action after Oedipus Rex. As you read Antigone, please focus on the characteristics of a tragic hero. Be prepared for a major reading exam on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

On Thursday and Friday, we will discuss Antigone in class and view excerpts from the BBC film.

Read Lysistrata for Tuesday, March 5 (E per.) or Wednesday, March 6 (G per). The full text of the play is located in the link below. Be prepared for a reading quiz. Re-read the definition of Greek Comedy located on the "Origins of Greek Drama" link. Be prepared for a reading quiz.

The literary criticism analysis paper on either Oedipus Rex, Antigone, or Lysistrata is due on Tuesday, March 12. We will discuss the details of this in class. Please consult the details on the page below: "Literary Criticism Analysis."

You must submit this paper through turnit.com

Sign up for an account on turnitin.com When you register for this course, use the correct ID and password for the period you meet the class:

The class ID for "E" period is 5992564; the password is "Shakespeare."

The class ID for "G" period is 5992568; the password is "Miller".

Hamlet

Before we read Hamlet, you must do some background reading on Shakespeare, his life, and times. For Wednesday, March 13, on the "Theatre Database" website read on the link "Medieval Theatre": "Dawn of the Early English Drama," "Drama of the Middle Ages" and "the Medieval Drama." On the link for "16th C. Theatre" read "Shakespeare's Bio" and " Early English Theatres," and "Elizabethan Playhouses, Actors, and Audiences." On the "Shakespeare Online" website, read "Shakespeare's Bio."

Read the following additional background material for Monday, March 18:

Shakespeare Online: Under the link for "Shakespeare's Bio," read all the links listed under "Shakespeare's England:"

Shakespeare's England

Daily Life in Shakespeare's London
Life in Stratford (structures and guilds)
Life in Stratford (trades, laws, furniture, hygiene)
Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read?

Games in Shakespeare's England [A-L]
Games in Shakespeare's England [M-Z]
An Elizabethan Christmas
Clothing in Elizabethan England

Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron
King James I of England: Shakespeare's Patron
The Earl of Southampton: Shakespeare's Patron
Going to a Play in Elizabethan London

Ben Jonson and the Decline of the Drama
Publishing in Elizabethan England
Shakespeare's Audience
Religion in Shakespeare's England

Alchemy and Astrology in Shakespeare's Day
Entertainment in Elizabethan England
London's First Public Playhouse
Shakespeare Hits the Big Time

Essential Globe Information
Shocking Elizabethan Drama
The King's Men

Also read under the link English Monarchs, read "The Tudors."

On Tuesday, March 19, Day 7, you will have an exam on all this material. The format is short answer and multiple choice. Read the information on "How to Prepare for the Shakespeare Exam" to properly prepare. (I will post this on Monday, March, 18.)

ORPHANS

Please bring in your money and permission slip for the play ASAP. There are only a few spots left. First come, first served!

Hamlet

Over the next week, we will be reading and discussing act 1 of Hamlet.

You will read act 2 over the Easter vacation.

Read act 2 of Hamlet over the Easter vacation. If you did not sign out one of my classroom copies of the play, there are full-text electronic versions on the Shakespeare online sites below. There is also much explanatory material on these sites that will help you understand the action; however, this does not substitute for a serious reading of act 2. Prepare for a reading quiz. I will post review questions on the topic below: "Hamlet Act 2" on Monday, April 8.

You will have to read the rest of Hamlet--acts 4 and 5 --for Wednesday, May 1. You will have a reading comprehension exam on these acts.

Spotlight on Marino!

"You're in my world now, grandma!"

"Hey Nonny Nonny!"

*******

Fall 2012

I have posted the course requirements which we will review the first few days of classes.

Please complete the following background information on the links below:

Origins of Greek Drama: "Cult of Dionysus," "Tragedy and Dithyramb," "Actors and Chorus," "Costume/Appearance," "Tragedy, Comedy, Satyric Drama,"  "Production of  Tragic Contests."

Theatre and Drama in Ancient Greece

Theatre Database: "Origins of Tragedy," "City Dionysia"

Please read these additional sections:

Origins of Greek Drama: "Plan of Ancient Theatre," "Play Structure," "Masks."

"Aeschylus," "Sophocles," "Euripides"

Greek Stage/Structure of Greek Tragedies 

 Greek Drama: "Ancient Greek Theatre"

Theatre and Drama in Ancient Greece

Reading Quiz: Thursday, 9/20. This will assess your comprehension of the background reading, class discussion, and video presentations. Format: Short answer identifications

We will begin our reading and discussion of Oedipus Rex in class. 

We will finish our reading and discussion of the prologue, first stasimon and first episode of Oedipus Rex in class. We will view the first section of the BBC film of the play in the next class. 

Read the rest of the play for Wednesday, October 10.  You will have a major reading quiz.  You can find full texts of the play on the links below.

We will continue our discussion of Oedipus and then watch the episodes from the BBC production.

Read Antigone for Friday, October 19.  The complete text of the play is located on the link below. As you read, please focus on the characteristics of a tragic hero. Be prepared for a major reading quiz.

On Monday and Tuesday, we will discuss Antigone in class and view excerpts from the BBC film.

Read Lysistrata for Wednesday, October 24. The full text of the play is located in the link below.  Be prepared for a reading quiz.  Re-read the definition of Greek Comedy located on the "Origins of Greek Drama" link.

The DRAMA EXAM will be TUESDAY, 11/6!!!!!!!! Be prepared!

The next few days, we will discuss Lysistrata in class and view excerpts from the stage and film versions.

Tuesday, October 30: Essay exam on our entire discussion of Greek Drama, Oedipus Rex, Antigone, and Lysistrata.

Week of November 5: Literary Criticism Paper due. (In class, we will go over "how to" complete this assignment.)

Before we read Hamlet, you must do some background reading on Shakespeare, his life, and times. For Tuesday, November 13, on the "Theatre Database" website read: "Shakespeare's Bio" and " Early English Theatres," and "Elizabethan Playhouses, Actors, and Audiences." On the "Shakespeare Online" website, read "Shakespeare's Bio."

Read this additional background material:

Shakespeare Online: Under the link for "Shakespeare's Bio," read all the links listed under "Shakespeare's England:"

Shakespeare's England

Daily Life in Shakespeare's London
Life in Stratford (structures and guilds)
Life in Stratford (trades, laws, furniture, hygiene)
Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read?

Games in Shakespeare's England [A-L]
Games in Shakespeare's England [M-Z]
An Elizabethan Christmas
Clothing in Elizabethan England

Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron
King James I of England: Shakespeare's Patron
The Earl of Southampton: Shakespeare's Patron
Going to a Play in Elizabethan London

Ben Jonson and the Decline of the Drama
Publishing in Elizabethan England
Shakespeare's Audience
Religion in Shakespeare's England

Alchemy and Astrology in Shakespeare's Day
Entertainment in Elizabethan England
London's First Public Playhouse
Shakespeare Hits the Big Time

Essential Globe Information
Shocking Elizabethan Drama
The King's Men

Also read under the link English Monarchs, read "The Tudors."

On Tuesday, November 20, Day 1, you will have an exam on all this material. The format is short answer and multiple choice. Read the information on "How to Prepare for the Shakespeare Exam" to properly prepare.

Read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie which I have available for you in an e-text version below. Of course, you may also read your own print copy.  The novel is approximately 170 pages. This reading is due the day we return from Thanksgiving on 11/26.

Make sure you bring home your permission slip for the theatre trip. Have your parent/guardian sign it and bring it with your payment for the ticket and bus. I have posted a copy of the permission slip on the web page below.

Your research essay on the various media forms of Peter Pan is due on Friday, Dec.7. We will go over in class how to complete this internet based assignment. The specific details are on the web page below titled: "Peter Pan Research Assignment."

It's show time! Report to the East parking lot at 11:30 a.m. to your assigned bus for our trip to Manhattan to see Peter and the Starcatcher. Please dress appropriately.

Between now and Christmas, we will be devoted to reading and discussing Hamlet, all text, stage, and film versions of Peter Pan, and Peter and the Starcatcher.

Your review of Peter and the Starcatcher is due Thursday, 12/20. (I will accept papers on Friday, 12/21, but that is the final day to submit your paper.) Please follow the formats which are posted below. We will review these in class.

Over the Christmas vacation, you must read act 2 of Hamlet. You may sign out one of my classroom copies of the play; there are full-text electronic versions on the Shakespeare online sites below. There is also much explanatory material on these sites that will help you understand the action; however, this does not substitute for a serious reading of act 2.

Prepare for a reading quiz. I will post review questions on the topic below: "Hamlet Act 2."

Happy New Year!

The reading quiz on act 2 of Hamlet is on Thursday, Jan. 3. There are review questions below: "Hamlet Act 2."

Over the next two weeks, we will complete our reading and discussion of Hamlet. Over the next few days, we will read and discuss act 3 in class. You will have to read the rest of the plays--acts 4 and 5 for Friday, January 11.

This week we will complete our reading and discussion of Hamlet. You will have to read the rest of the play--acts 4 and 5 for Friday, January 11.

The final exam for this course will be on Wednesday, January 16 for "A" period and Thursday, January 17 for "B" period. You will be required to write an essay which analyzes Hamlet's conflicting action in the play.

A change in schedule: The quiz is now on Friday. Tomorrow we will talk about the perfromance of Orphans and the play review.

Hamlet Act 2. I have posted the review questions on the topic below: "Hamlet Act 2." Note: The quiz is now FRIDAY April 12. Format: Short Responses.

Over the next few classes, we will discuss Act 2 of Hamlet and then read and discuss Act 3.

We will finish our reading of act 3 then view acts 2 and 3 in various film versions.

You will take an exam on acts 1, 2, and 3 on Friday, April 26. Format: Multiple choice, short responses, and a brief essay that will require you to analyze Hamlet's emotional state.

The final exam is on Wednesday, May 15.  You must read A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen for the exam. You will write an essay on some aspect of the play. A full-text of the play is at the link below.