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AssessmentOSPI-Developed Performance
Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionSeptember 2015
A Component of the Washington State Assessment System
TheatreThe Arts
The Play’s the Thing Grade 10
Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionOld Capitol Building
P.O. Box 47200Olympia, WA 98504-7200
For more information about the contents of this document, please contact:
Anne Banks, The Arts Program SupervisorPhone: (360) 725-4966, TTY (360) 664-3631
OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at (360) 725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.
This work is licensed as a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike product by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. For more information on this license, please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
Table of ContentsIntroduction...................................................................................................................................................ii
Overview.........................................................................................................................................................1
Test Administration: Expectations......................................................................................................1
Description of the Performance Assessment..................................................................................2
Learning Standards....................................................................................................................................2
Assessment Task.........................................................................................................................................3
Teacher’s Instructions to Students.................................................................................................3
Accommodations....................................................................................................................................3
Student’s Task..........................................................................................................................................4
Supporting Materials and Resources for Teachers...................................................................11
Preparation for Administering the Assessment....................................................................11
Recommendations for Time Management...............................................................................13
Glossary....................................................................................................................................................14
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page i
OSPI-DOSPI-D EVELOPEDEVELOPED P P ERFORM ANCEERFORM ANCE A A SSESSM ENTSSSESSM ENTS FORFOR THETHE A A RTSRTS
IntroductionTo Washington educators who teach theatre:
Welcome to one of our OSPI-developed performance assessments and this implementation and scoring guide. This document is part of the Washington assessment system at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
The assessments have been developed by Washington State teachers and are designed to measure learning for selected components of the Washington State Learning Standards. They have been developed for students at the elementary and secondary levels. Teachers from across the state in small, medium, and large districts and in urban, suburban, and rural settings piloted these assessments in their classrooms. These assessments provide an opportunity for teachers to measure student skills; they can both help teachers determine if learning goals have been met, and influence how teachers organize their curricula. They also provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained.
These assessments:
Provide immediate information to teachers regarding how well their students have acquired the expected knowledge and skills in their subject areas.
Inform future teaching practices.
Provide resources that enable students to participate in measuring their achievements as part of the learning experience.
Included in this document are:▪ directions for administration
▪ assessment task
▪ scoring rubrics
▪ additional resources
Our hope is that this assessment will be used as an integral part of your instruction to advance our common goal of ensuring quality instruction for all students.
If you have questions about these assessments or suggestions for improvements, please contact:
Anne Banks, Program Supervisor, The Arts (360) 725-4966, [email protected]
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page ii
THE PLAY’S THE THING TheatreGrade 10
An OSPI-Developed Performance Assessment
OverviewThis document contains information essential to the administration of The Play’s the Thing, an OSPI-developed arts performance assessment for theatre (Grade 10). Prior to administration of this assessment, all students should have received instruction in the skills and concepts being assessed. Please read this information carefully before administering the performance assessment.
This classroom-based performance assessment may be used in several ways:
As an integral part of instruction.
As a benchmark, interim, or summative assessment.
As a culminating project.
As an integral part of a unit of study.
As a means of accumulating student learning data.
As an individual student portfolio item.
Test Administration: Expectations The skills assessed by this task should be authentically incorporated into
classroom instruction.
This assessment task is to be administered in a safe, appropriately supervised classroom environment following district policy and procedures.
All industry and district safety policies and standards should be followed in the preparation and administration of OSPI-developed performance assessments in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 1
Synopsis ofThe Play’s the Thing
After analyzing the script of a play, each student uses a central theme as inspiration for a department store’s window display. She/he describes the design concept and creates it on paper (as a mixed-media illustration, a written description, or a drawing) or as a 3-D model to show how the design will work in the display. The student must also prepare responses to reveal her/his analysis of the play and justify the design concept.
Accommodations based upon a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan may require additional modifications to this assessment.
Additional modifications to the administration of this assessment may be required to accommodate cultural differences, diversity, and religious mores/rules.
Description of the Performance Assessment Performance prompts ask each student to create and present a design based
on the criteria outlined in the task.
The student’s design must be submitted either as a written description, or as a two- or three-dimensional representation.
Students must respond to short-answer questions and prompts. Their answers may be written or verbal. All written work must be completed on the response sheets provided. All verbal responses must be recorded to facilitate scoring and to document each student’s performance.
Learning StandardsThis assessment addresses Washington State Learning Standards for Theatre, including the GLEs from the Options for Implementing the Arts Standards through Theatre by Grade Level document.
GLE 1.1.110th Grade
Analyzes the elements of theatre (character, plot, setting, conflict, dialogue, and theme) in scripts and/or performances.
GLE 1.2.210th Grade
Analyzes and applies choices of vocal projection, articulation, and expression when creating a performance to suit given circumstances.
Depending on how individual teachers build their lesson units, additional Washington State Learning Standards can be addressed.
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 2
Assessment TaskTeacher’s Instructions to Students1. Say: “Today you will take the Grade-10 Washington OSPI-developed arts
performance assessment for theatre. This assessment is called The Play’s the Thing.”
2. Provide the class with copies of the student’s section of the assessment (which may include the student’s task, response sheets, rubrics, templates, and glossary), along with any other required materials.
3. Tell the students that they may highlight and write on these materials during the assessment.
4. Have the students read the directions to themselves as you read them aloud. We also encourage you to review the glossary and scoring rubrics with the students.
5. Answer any clarifying questions the students may have before you instruct them to begin.
6. If this assessment is used for reporting purposes, circle the scoring points on the first page of each student’s response sheets.
AccommodationsThe following accommodations can be made for students with special needs or whose English language skills are limited:
To complete the response sheets, students may dictate their answers to an instructional aide, who will write them down.
The student may give the written and/or recorded responses in their first language. We request a written and/or verbal English translation for consistency (validity/reliability) in scoring the rubric.
Refer also to the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan.
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 3
Student’s TaskThe following section contains these materials for students:
The student’s task: The Play’s the Thing (Grade 10)
Assessment rubric
Response sheets
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 4
Student’s Task
The Play’s the ThingThe Play’s the ThingYou are a part-time employee at a large department store that has decided to use famous plays as the theme for its upcoming store window displays. The manager is holding a contest for the best window display idea. You will need to select and read the play that you believe will make a great window display. Analyze and interpret the script to develop a design concept around a central theme. Be able to describe the overall concept that you want people to see as they pass by the window. You will then need to create your design on paper (using various materials to make a two-dimensional illustration, writing a description, or drawing a picture) or create a three-dimensional model of the design to show how your design concept will work in the window display. Finally, you will prepare a response that shows your analysis of the play and a justification of your design concept. The employee whose window design is selected for use in a window display will receive a bonus in his or her paycheck.
Your Task
First, develop your design concept—
The overall visual theme for a combined theatrical design should include lights, sets, costumes, makeup, props, and sound working together to tell the story. It is a visual way of expressing how the technical elements will illuminate the central theme of the play to others.
The manager of the department store asks that you meet the following require-ments when you prepare your entry for the contest:
Select a play that you are familiar with and base your window design on it. (It must be a published play; however, it may be a one-act play.)
Select a theme that is supported by and developed within the play.
Analyze and interpret the script to develop a design concept around the theme that you selected.
Using aspects of technical design, create your design concept.
Consider the set, props, lights, costumes and sound that you can you use to create the window display. Ask yourself the following questions.
o What ideas might be used to express these emotions visually in a window display?
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o What colors might I use?
o What is the time period, season of the year, etc.? How might that be reflected in the lighting and/or use of color?
o What shapes or materials might express the design concept? (burlap, metal, curves, right angles, water, etc.)
o What type of items might be in this window display? (furniture, accessories, architectural pieces, material, etc.)
o What fabrics would be in my window display?
o What sounds might passers-by hear to evoke emotions as they look at the display?
Second, describe your design concept and create a visual representation—
The manager of the department store requires that you:
State your design concept fully and concisely.
Justify your choice of theme and the design concept that you created.
Once you have a picture in your head of your design concept, do one of the following:
o Describe in writing your design concept (draw a verbal picture).
o Draw/sketch your design concept.
o Create a mixed-media (fabric, paper, crayon, paint, pictures, gels, etc.) illustration of your design concept.
o Create a three-dimensional model that visually demonstrates your design concept.
Remember that your design concept should be clear, represent your stated theme, align with the text of the play, and be fully expressed and unified.
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 6
Assessment Rubric
The Play’s the Thing4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point No Score
Crea
ting
The student clearly describes all four of the following aspects, there-by demonstrating a thorough understanding of script analysis: States relevant background infor-
mation, including the play’s title and playwright.
Summarizes the play completely. Concisely and thoroughly states
the selected theme. Justifies the selected theme using
examples or quotations from the text of the play.
The student clearly describes three of the aspects listed at left, demonstrating an adequate understanding of script analysis.
The student clearly describes two of the aspects listed at left, demonstrating a partial un-derstanding of script analysis.
The student clearly describes one of the aspects listed at left, demonstrating a minimal understanding of script analy-sis.
The student describes none of the aspects listed at left, de-monstrating no understanding of script analy-sis.
Perf
orm
ing
The student meets all four of the following requirements, thereby demonstrating a thorough under-standing of the design concept through written text, sketches, mixed-media illustration, and/or finished 3-D model: Clearly states and describes a
unified design concept. Justifies the design concept with
selected theme and text of the play.
Describes how the design concept will create a window design.
Uses the vocabulary of theatre correctly.
The student meets three of the require-ments listed at left, demonstra-ting an ade-quate under-standing of the design concept.
The student meets two of the require-ments listed at left, demonstra-ting a partial un-derstanding of the design con-cept.
The student meets one of the require-ments listed at left, demonstra-ting a minimal understanding of the design concept.
The student meets none of the require-ments listed at left, demonstra-ting no under-standing of the design concept.
Resp
ondi
ng
The student writes a clear descrip-tion of four of the following six aspects, thereby demonstrating a thorough understanding of technical design: sets lighting props costumes makeup sound
The student writes a clear description of three of the six aspects listed at left, demonstra-ting an ade-quate under-standing of technical design.
The student writes a clear description of two of the six aspects listed at left, demonstra-ting a partial un-derstanding of technical design.
The student writes a clear description of one of the six aspects listed at left, demonstra-ting a minimal understanding of technical de-sign.
The student writes a clear description of none of the aspects listed at left, demonstra-ting no under-standing of technical design.
Response Sheets
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Student’s Name/ID# _____________________________________________ Grade Level _________
(circle number) Creating Score 4 3 2 1 NS
Performing Score 4 3 2 1 NS
Responding Score 4 3 2 1 NS
Script Analysis for Design Concept
1. Name the play and the playwright: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Summarize the play completely and concisely:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Concisely state the theme that you selected: _________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 8
4. Use the text of the play to justify your choice of this theme. (Be specific and use quotations and examples from the play to support your statements.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Responses: Design Concept
1. State your design concept and describe it thoroughly.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Use the theme that you selected and the text of the play to justify your design concept.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 9
3. Describe how this design concept will create an attractive, interesting, and aesthetically pleasing window display that people will want to look at.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Responses: Technical Aspects of Design Concept
Describe completely how you used at least four of the following six technical aspects in the creation of your design concept (be specific and give examples):
set _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
lights ___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
props __________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
costumes ______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 10
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
makeup ________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
sound __________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Supporting Materials and Resources for Teachers
Preparation for Administering the Assessment
Tools & Materials
Teachers will need the following materials and resources to administer this performance assessment:
copies of the task, including the glossary of terms (one set for each student)
copies of the student-response sheets (one set for each student)
a selection of plays
paper, pencils, crayons, markers, magazines to cut up, scissors, tape, glue, gels, scraps, etc. (for use in a 2-D or 3-D design)
a marked performance space
one pencil per student
an audio/video recording device
Guidelines
This assessment is an individual performance.
Copy the student’s task, rubric, response sheets, and glossary of terms. Make one set of copies for each student.
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Provide a variety of plays from which students can make a selection for the assessment. Alternatively, you may assign plays to the students; or all students can do the same play.
Prior to the assessment, allow the students time to read the plays that they have chosen (or that you assigned).
When you are administering the assessment, students may ask questions to clarify the process. You should encourage students to ask questions at any time throughout the administration of the assessment.
As an alternative to a written response:
You may permit video or audio recording. Coach the students who are being recorded to face the recording device when responding. Students must have a copy of the response sheets when being recorded. Prompt students to state their names/numbers and current grade level into the recording device before they begin speaking their responses.
A student may dictate her/his response-sheet answers to a teacher or aide, who will write them down. Students may use resources that are visible in the testing classroom, but you may not prompt or coach students during the assessment.
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Recommendations for Time ManagementStudents may have as much time as they need to complete the task. The timeframes suggested here are meant only as a guide, and you may shorten or lengthen them to suit the individual circumstances of the class and students.
The following is a three-day suggested timeframe:
DAY 1
15 minutes: The teacher provides the class with the task and reads it aloud. The students may ask questions. The teacher answers questions.
15 minutes: Each student selects a play. Alternatively, plays may be selected (or assigned), read, and discussed prior to the assessment.
35 minutes: The students review their plays and complete the interpretation process.
DAY 2
5 minutes: The teacher answers any clarifying questions.
50 minutes: Each student creates a design by writing, sketching, or creating a 2-D illustration or 3-D model using materials the teacher or student provides.
DAY 3
5 minutes: The teacher answers any questions.
40 minutes: The students respond (in writing or verbally) to questions about the technical design aspects.
5 minutes: The teacher collects written responses and records students who wish to respond verbally.
All students who remain productively engaged in the task should be allowed to finish their work. In some cases, a few students may require considerably more time to complete the task than most students; therefore, you may wish to move these students to a new location to finish. In other cases, the teacher’s knowledge of some students’ work habits or special needs may suggest that students who work very slowly should be tested separately or grouped with similar students for the test.
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Glossary acting skills—the use of voice, movement, improvisation, and characterization.
action—events within the play that move the plot along.
aesthetics—an idea of what is beautiful or artistic; a set of criteria for judging something to be beautiful or artistic.
articulation—the use of all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis)to deliver speech or language clearly.
audition—a tryout for a theatrical role.
balance—the arrangement of design elements and actors to create visual stability on stage.
blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage.
business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and makeup to strengthen the personality of a character that the actor is portraying.
character—a person, animal, or thing in a scene, story, or play.
character development—creating from a text a character who uses tactics to overcome obstacles to achieve objectives; portraying this character by choosing physical actions, vocal qualities, and believable emotions that are sustained throughout the performance
conflict—a struggle between two or more opposing forces, events, ideas, or characters in a scene or play.
costumes—the clothing an actor wears to create a character.
creative dramatics—a teacher-led dramatic enactment of story, setting, and/or characters; an experiential process-based activity, not a performance for an audience. The teacher may assume a role.
cue—1. a signal for a performer or technician to perform an action or say a line; 2. a signal from a side-coach to perform an action or say a line.
design—a purposeful plan for the spectacle of a play (such as costumes, set, props, lighting, sound) based on an overall concept.
design concept—the overall visual theme for a combined theatrical design in which features such as lights, sets, costumes, makeup, props, and sound work
The Play’s the Thing: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 10 Page 14
together to tell the story. A design concept is a visual way of expressing how the technical elements will illuminate the central theme of the play.
dialogue—a conversation between two characters in a theatrical performance.
diaphragmatic breathing—using the diaphragm muscle to support the breath.
diction—choice and use of words.
drama—a literary composition (a play) intended for a performance before an audience.
dramatic structure—the composition of a theatrical work (such as a play, scene, or improvisation) that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.
elements of theatre—setting, character, conflict, dialogue, plot, and theme.
ensemble—a group of actors working together cooperatively and responsibly to achieve the group’s goal by means of problem solving and creativity.
enunciation—saying the vowels and consonants correctly.
event—something that happens at a certain place and time.
expression—the way the character says words to convey meaning and emotion.
facial expression—movements of the face that show feelings or ideas
focus—1. the intended point of interest on stage; 2. the actor’s ability to concentrate and keep attention fixed on the matter at hand.
genre—a type or category of theatrical work that is defined by a particular style, form, or set of characteristics and is often associated with a specific historical period or culture.
given circumstance—in the text of a play, the information that the playwright gives concerning character, setting, and relationships.
haiku—an unrhymed Japanese verse that consists of three lines, the first containing five syllables, the second containing seven syllables, and the third containing five syllables.
improvisation—a spontaneous performance during which the actors establish a story (including objectives, setting, character, and relationships) with minimal preparation.
improvisational blocking—refusing/denying/ignoring/rejecting an offering.
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improvisational theatre—a structured, yet non-scripted scene or play.
inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion.
levels—1. the placement of an object or person on the stage from upstage to downstage; 2. the vertical height of an actor or set piece from the stage floor.
lighting—using a variety of instruments to illuminate both the actors and sets on stage.
makeup—cosmetics applied to the face and body to enhance character.
mime—to act out a movement or the use of an object without words or props (totally silent).
monologue—a speech within a play delivered by a single actor alone on stage.
movement—physical action used to establish meaning and emotion to create character, including:
blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage.
business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and makeup to strengthen characterization.
facial expression—movements of the face that show emotions and/or ideas.
gestures—movement of a body part (arm, leg, hand, etc.) which is used to communicate.
posture/stance—the position of the limbs and the carriage of the body as a whole that communicate character.
whole-body movements—locomotive and non-locomotive uses of the body that communicate character.
nursery rhyme—a short song or poem for young children.
objective—the character’s wants, needs, and desires.
obstacle—what stands in the way of the character achieving his/her objectives.
offering (offer)—a suggestion (conveyed verbally or by means of movement) that is given by one actor to another to initiate or further an improvisation.
open—maintaining a body position in which the character’s face/frontal body can be seen by the audience in a proscenium or thrust-stage setting.
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pantomime—conveying a story by use of expressive body and facial movements without speech, props, costumes, or sounds (instrumental music can be used as background).
pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character.
performance—a structured presentation of a theatrical work in front of an audience.
phrasing—the use of punctuation, pause, and word- or phrase-emphasis to create meaning and emotion.
play—a form of writing intended for live performance.
plot—a storyline that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution of a conflict.
production—a structured performance created and presented for an audience.
props/properties—objects used by an actor on stage.
projection/volume—the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience.
pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word.
rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion.
readers’ theatre—an orchestrated reading that relies primarily on vocal characterization and does not include the elements of visual theatre (such as costuming, sets, or blocking).
rehearsal—the period of time used to prepare a play for performance in front of an audience.
resonance—fullness of voice created by vocal vibrations.
scene—a subdivision of a play, characterized by a single situation or unit of dialogue.
set—the on-stage space and its structures (scenery), within which the actors perform and that represent the setting of the play.
setting—the time, place, and atmosphere in which the scene or play occurs.
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side-coaching—comments made by the teacher during an activity that affirm or correct students in the achievement of objectives, especially in creative dramatics.
sound—the process of using music, audio effects, and reinforcement to enhance setting and mood.
stage—the place where the actors perform.
status—the importance (or lack thereof) of a character or object on the stage.
subtext—an implied meaning or unspoken complication that generally runs concurrently with the main plot.
sustainability—an actor’s sustained portrayal of a character—with no noticeable break or lapse—throughout a performance.
stage geography—physical areas of the stage labeled center stage, down center, up center, stage right, stage left, up stage left, down stage left, up stage right, and down stage right.
stage picture—a visual image created by using any combination of set, costume, props, lighting, and character placement.
style—the distinctive characteristics or techniques of an individual artist, group, or period as seen in a work of theatre.
tactics—the possible ways the character can overcome obstacles.
technical design—the plan (based on an overall concept) for costumes, set, props, lighting, sound, makeup, and special effects in a production.
text analysis (script)—the examination of the theatrical elements of a text to gain greater understanding both of the theme and of the character which the actor portrays.
theatre (or theater)—1. the place where plays are presented to an audience; 2. the art of creating performances.
theatre etiquette—appropriate behavior of audience, performers, or technicians in a variety of theatrical settings.
theatre text (script)—any written text used as a script.
theme—the central idea of a play.
three-dimensional character (round)—a character that is developed emotionally, psychologically, and physically.
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venue—a place where a performance is held.
vocal placement—resonating the voice in different parts of the body, such as chest, head, nose, throat.
voice—vocal qualities that are used to convey meaning and emotion in order to create character; these include:
articulation—the clear delivery of speech or language utilizing all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis.)
breath support—the use of the diaphragm in correct breathing.
enunciation—saying vowels and consonants correctly.
expression—the way the character delivers words to convey meaning and emotion.
inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion.
projection/volume— the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience.
rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion.
pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character.
pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word.
word emphasis—selection of the most important word or words in each phrase or sentence to create meaning, show emotion, and convey character (pointing up the word).
Note: The entire glossary for theatre is included here as a resource for teachers and students.
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