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THEA 4500.001: Rehearsal and Production of The Little Foxes
Fall 2010 – Dr. Andrew Harris
See attached Calendar: Sun 2:30-7:30
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 6:30-9:30
Tech Week and Production: TBA (prepare to be available for the entire week)
Opening: September 30th - Final Performance, Sunday, October 10th.
All Students Must Participate in Strike and Clean Up.
Campus Phone: X- 2306
Office: RTFP 223
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: TR 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
(To schedule an appointment, call during office hours or see me after rehearsal.)
In this course, we will rehearse and produce Lillian Hellman’s play, The Little Foxes.
TEXT
The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (Scripts are available in the Theatre Office.
Collateral Reading : Robert Barton; Acting Onstage and Off; 5th Edition. (Students should have a copy of this book. An exercise in character analysis will be assigned to be handed in by September 2nd. You will be asked to write an analysis of your role. Forms for this use are attached to the syllabus.
Suggested Readings : Ms. Hellman wrote another play on the same family (background) called Another Part of the Forest (1946) in The Collected Plays of Lillian Hellman. She has written a memoir entitled to An Unfinished Woman (1969). For those who want to know more about her private life, there is Joan Mellen's Hellman and Hammett, The Legendary Passion of Lillian Hellman and Dashiell Hammett (1996).
Introduction to the Course
The purpose of this course is to examine the relationship between theatrical technique and theory into practice and performance. This is a group collaboration between performers, director, and technical staff to encourage and experience the group dynamic of the theatre is every aspect from the first day of rehearsal to the last night of the show’s run. The professor assigned to the course will be responsible for the conduct of class activities and will ultimately decide each individual’s grade for the course.
Student Obligation
As a member of the cast of The Little Foxes, you are required to attend rehearsals, meetings, productions calls and performances on the schedule distributed to cast/staff or placed on the theatre callboard located in the RTVF building.
The Stage Manager and Director will provide performers with a rehearsal, technical, and performance schedule.
Any changes made to the schedule will be posted on the callboard with at least a 24 hour notice. It is your responsibility to check the callboard daily for any changes made to the schedule; you will be held accountable should you not comply with an updated schedule. When necessary, your initials will be required to indicate you have read the information.
Schedule
Rehearsals begin August 22 First Read-Through. Technical rehearsals begin the week of September 20
Character Analysis: (See Attached): Due September 2nd. Dress rehearsals are scheduled for September 28-30 and a brush up dress rehearsal on
Wednesday, October 30 at 6:00pm Performances of The Little Foxes are September 29 - October 2 at 8pm, October 3 at 2:30pm,
October 7-9 at 8pm and October 10 at 2:30pm Strike is set for Sunday, October 10 immediately following the show and the post-mortem
Discussion is scheduled for the Design/Tech and at 6:00pm for the actors. Actor’s Journal . (See Below) Due: October 12th.
Grading
Attendance: 40 %
Each student shall: Attend each class meeting Participate in all rehearsals/technical calls for The Misanthrope Perform in all public presentations of The Misanthrope Be prompt (on time) and prepared for all rehearsals, crew calls, and performances There are no unexcused absences in this course and all absences must be submitted and
approved by the faulty supervisor or instructor for the course. A student who does not comply with the attendance policies made be subject to removal from
the cast or crew assignment and will receive a zero for the course.
Participation: 40%
It is not enough to simply be physically present at rehearsals or meetings. You are collaborating with a group as a whole and your undivided attention is mandatory. Your support for your cast-mates, your input is beneficial not only to yourself, but to the entire group; input should always be respectful, appropriate and professional.
Please be respectful of entering and exiting the workspace while others are working and you are not. It is considered discourteous and distracting to leave the room while others have the space, and you may not leave the space without notifying the Stage Manager.
You are required to arrive to each rehearsal prepared to work, which will include proper shoes and clothing.
When cast/crew is scheduled to be “off book”, you must be off book. Behave in a professional manner and be courteous and respectful to all cast/crew members at
rehearsals, meetings and performances. Treatment of theatrical equipment and space is to be used professionally, safely and with care.
You must obey the policies and procedures outlined in the rules and regulations of their use You will not use any intoxicants immediately before or during a rehearsal, call, or performance. Strike of the set is mandatory for all cast members; come prepared with appropriate clothing
and shoes required for the scene shop.
Written Evaluation: 20%
You will be required to keep a journal and take notes at every rehearsal. Using your notes, you will write a 2-3 page final reflection paper on the entire process from the first day of rehearsal to the final performance. This paper is due at the post-mortem discussion on Tuesday, October 12.
Be sure to include personal annotations of your experience working on this production.
Ask yourself how it has developed your theatrical skills and thought process as a performer.
Evaluate yourself and the performance as a whole; what were the strengths and weaknesses of the production? What will you take from the experience?
COURSE-RELATED ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The UNT Department of Dance and Theatre Arts does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students. THEA 2440 is a lecture-participation course that requires the reading of scripts at home and in UNT facilities, the composition and typing of exercises, the presentation of a group project and the taking of a written examination. The student has the responsibility of informing the instructor of any disabling condition that will affect his or her completion of the course assignments. It is the policy of the Department of Dance and Theatre Arts to make reasonable accommodations to help such a student perform well in the department’s courses.
Responsibilities for Time Management
Dance and Theatre students are expected to budget and organize their time and efforts in order to meet both their academic and production commitments satisfactorily and on time. The faculty and staff recognize that the academic and production assignments within the department as well as outside employment and other obligations sometimes impose conflicting pressures on dance and theatre students. One of the principle responsibilities of each student is to carefully identify and monitor the commitments that comprise his/her departmental assignments and obligations. It is important to keep in mind that production work and outside obligations do not constitute an excused absence from dance or theatre classes from the completion of any required class assignments.
Professional Behavior
You are expected to follow a professional work ethic. Performing artists must be disciplined and take their work seriously. Therefore you are expected to:
1. Attend class consistently.2. Be on time.3. Be mental and physically prepared for class and/or rehearsal. (This includes being awake in
class!)4. Dress properly.5. Display an eagerness and willingness to commit to assignments and exercises.6. Respect your fellow actors, your professor, the space, and any furniture or props. 7. View and critique others’ work in a respectful, professional manner.8. Cell phones and music players must be off during class.
Memorization
When you are expected to be off-book, please BE OFF-BOOK! This means you have memorized the EXACT words of the playwright. We will not allow you to stumble through a scene you have not memorized – this is a waste of my time and your classmates’ time. Of course, occasionally, we all forget a line or two. If this happens, please do not stop. Do your best to paraphrase the line – you should know the scene well enough to do this.
Proper Attire
So that you may fully participate in warm-ups and acting exercises, you are asked to dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. (i.e. sweatpants, t-shirts, etc) Footwear can include sneakers or jazz shoes – no boots, flip-flops, or high-heeled shoes. Please also wear appropriate undergarments for support and to allow uninhibited movement.
Do NOT wear hats of any kind. Please remove any jewelry that could present a danger to yourself or others or that will inhibit your work.
Student Behavior in the Classroom:
Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at www.unt.edu/csrr
Background (FYI):
Title Meaning: from the Song of Solomon: "the little foxes,that spoil the vines."
Production History : Opened Feb. 15, 1939, with Tallulah Bankhead (Regina) and Patricia Collinge (Birdie) for 410 performances. Directed by Herman Shumlin. Brooks Atkinson (New York Times) hailed it as "one of the theatre's keenest dramas." Harold Clurman stated "love is present only through the ache of its absence." Notable revivals: Mike Nichols directs Anne Bancroft (Regina) at New York's Lincoln Center (1967). Elizabeth Taylor (Regina) and Maureen Stapleton (Birdie) (1981). Film: Bette Davis (Regina).
Ms. Hellman on her play: Aim "to depict a family just as it was on the way to the achievements that were to bring it wealth or failure, fame or obloquy. At the fine final curtain, the Hubbards are just starting to get on it the world in a big way, but their various futures I like to think I leave to the imagination of the audience."
Cast List:
Role Actor Email Phone
Assistant Director Jamie Cooper [email protected]
Regina Giddens Connie Parker [email protected] 469 544 7341
Horace Giddens Brian A. Hill [email protected] 214 662 0539
Oscar Hubbard Russell Kliebert [email protected] 817 637 4022
Birdie Hubbard Maggie Smith [email protected] 469 734 0338
Ben Hubbard Ryan Cox [email protected]
Alexandra Giddens Kerry Goldmann [email protected] 817 404 7122
Leo Hubbard Eric Orman [email protected] 214 457 7227
William Marshall Nick Ross [email protected] 432 816 8659
Addie Aigner Mathis [email protected] 832 483 5400
Cal Keenan Cobb [email protected] 214 542 3252
Mr. Mander/Dr. Sloan/understudy
Thomas Warren [email protected] 903 841 0721
Name ___________________
Script Analysis
Please see Barton pp 254-255 (4th edition 245-247) for explanation of analysis terms.
Please note that this assignment must be TYPED.
Play Title and Author ____________________________________________________
Characters in the Scene ____________________played by ______________________
_____________________played by ______________________
_____________________played by ______________________
Classification
__________________________________
Style
Degree of probability _____________________________________________________
Types of improbability ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Structure
Script length ____________________
Number of acts ________ Number of scenes ________ Length of scenes _________
Place of your scene in the whole ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Theme/Message
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Cultural Binding (of the playwright)
Date written ______________ Date set ______________
Cultural biases in text _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Production History
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
World of the Play
Time ___________________________________________________________________
Space __________________________________________________________________
Place __________________________________________________________________
Values _________________________________________________________________
Structure ________________________________________________________________
Beauty _________________________________________________________________
Sex ____________________________________________________________________
Recreation ______________________________________________________________
Sight __________________________________________________________________
Sound _________________________________________________________________
Due September 2 nd .
Character Analysis
Please note that this assignment must be TYPED.
Character _____________________________
Play and Author _________________________________________________
Character Past
I come from ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
My childhood was ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Family conditions were ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Three experiences making the most lasting impression on me were
1. _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Ten most important given circumstances are
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________________________________
7. _____________________________________________________________________
8. _____________________________________________________________________
9. _____________________________________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________________________________
Five most powerful members of my private audience would be
1. ___________________________because ___________________________________
2. ___________________________because____________________________________
3. ___________________________because____________________________________
4. ___________________________because____________________________________
5. ___________________________because____________________________________
Crucial events prior to this scene were ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Details on the moment just before my entrance include ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Character Present
Immediate conditioning forces are ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Other characters and/or the playwright describe me as ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
I describe others as _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
In groups, I tend to ________________________________________________________
I would describe myself as basically __________________________________________
My usual style of clothing and type of accessories include _________________________
My most distinguishing characteristics are _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My favorite things are _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My temperament could be described as ________________________________________
For example _____________________________________________________________
I am most interested in _____________________________________________________
I am least interested in _____________________________________________________
My physical life differs from the actor playing me in that _________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My vocal life differs from the actor playing me in that ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The actor playing me most needs to use the Magic If in ___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Three examples where endowment must be used in the scene are
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
The location of this scene can be describe as ___________________________________
In the most crucial moment of evaluation in the scene, my cue rejected alternatives, and choice are:
Cue ___________________________________________________________________
First reject ______________________________________________________________
Second reject ___________________________________________________________
Third reject _____________________________________________________________
Fourth reject ____________________________________________________________
Choice made (my answer or action) __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
I make the following discoveries in the scene: _________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Character Future
My super objective in the play is to __________________________________________
My primary objective in this scene is to _______________________________________
Other important objectives include ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The obstacles I face are ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My strategy in the scene could be described as __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My three rehearsed futures are:
Best possible ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Worst possible ___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Wildest dreams come true _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Character Abstracts
Helpful images _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
