The One Sure Thing Teachers Resource Pack

Emma Campbell Photo: Angelo Sgambati

The Voices Project: The One Sure Thing

atyp teacher resources

february 2012

This Resource Kit has been designed as a classroom tool to assist with the preparation,

evaluation and analysis of the Australian Theatre for Young People (atyp) production:

The One Sure Thing.

The notes and activities have been divided into three components:

Before you see The One Sure Thing

The Performance: Behind the scenes of The One Sure Thing

After you see The One Sure Thing

They are designed for students from Years 11-12; however some of the activities could be

adapted for younger year groups. NSW BOS Syllabi have been used as a guide for this

resource kit. It is recommended before using the recommended websites in this kit that

teachers first visit the sites to assess suitability of content for your particular school setting.

We hope you find these activities useful and that they enhance your creative arts

experiences in the classroom.

Heather Clark

Education Manager

Australian Theatre for Young People

atyp SEEKS TO CREATE EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE EXPERIENCES THAT ENGAGE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS AS ARTISTS

AND AUDIENCES

atyp is driven by the belief that the arts have the power to transform lives, enrich communities and

ultimately impact on the future of our nation. The power of stories and storytelling, of sharing experiences

and seeing life from another‟s point of view, are integral to everyone‟s growth and development.

Our work is motivated by the need to improve access and opportunities for all young Australians to

participate in the arts and to encourage them to share their stories, regardless of economic, geographic or

social barriers. We provide a supportive, creative environment for artists of all ages to take risks, engage,

challenge and test ideas and, in doing so, uncover their creative potential.

All atyp programs generate stories told by young people via the development, production and promotion

of new writing, and the maintenance of the dynamic creative hub that connects young people with

experienced professional artists locally and nationally.

Before you see The One Sure Thing

What is The Voices Project?

Getting Comfortable with the “D” Word

Individual Project: Performance – What the Markers Say

A Writer‟s Inspiration and Reflection – Brooke Robinson

In Rehearsal

The Performance: Behind the scenes of The One Sure Thing

The Creative Team & Cast

Interview with Director – Tanya Goldberg

Interviews with the Writers

Interviews with the Cast

Get Involved!

After you see The One Sure Thing: Written Responses

Initial Reaction

Design Elements

The Elements of Drama

Write a Review

After you see The One Sure Thing: Practical Responses

Spatial Awareness

Audience Awareness

Building and Maintaining Energy

Directors in Action

Acknowledgements

table of

contents

Alistair McIntosh Photo: Claire Harris

All of the monologues that you will watch in this performance were created through our

young writers‟ program, Fresh Ink.

Fresh Ink is for writers hungry for a career in theatre. The program helps writers build skills

and the confidence to step into the industry. Emerging writers are matched with

experienced mentors who help bring out each writer‟s own voice. When the scripts are

ready, we support writers through creative development workshops and public readings

to link them to other companies and artists in the theatre industry.

The One Sure Thing is the second annual instalment of the overwhelmingly successful The

Voices Project. Born from the need for quality scripts specifically tailored for young

actors, this collection of seven-minute monologues will challenge the way you look at

youth theatre. The Voices Project 2011: Tell It Like It Isn’t was a runaway success. This is a

unique opportunity for a first look at the scripts that young people will be performing for

years to come.

what is the voices project?

before you see

the one sure thing

Tell it Like it Isn’t explored the theme of first love. This year, The One Sure Thing takes a

look at the one thing we can count on in this life.

Prior to the show, we advise that you prepare your students for the content of the

performance. There may be some scenes that, for students who have experienced the

death of a loved one, may be upsetting. The monologues are all very different – some

cheeky, some uplifting and others quite moving. It is our intention to provide a thought-

provoking performance without exploiting the emotions of the students.

getting comfortable with the “D” word

classroom

activity

BRAINSTORM

In groups of three, make a list of the plays, novels, songs, poems and artworks

that you know that explore the themes of change, transition and death.

Share your list with the class and upload them to the interactive whiteboard or

write them up for the class to see.

PRACTICAL TASK

Group the titles into similar genres. For example, you may use categories such

as “comedy”, “tragedy” etc, or “demographic groupings”, or pieces that

move you and those that are more objective in their reflection of death. It‟s

up to you as a class to decide how to split the “works”. You may change the

groupings until, as a class, you agree how to classify them.

Discuss why you grouped the titles as you did.

REFLECTION

Answer the following questions in your Drama journal. You may also like to discuss

them as a class.

How do you feel about seeing a production about death? How do you think

you‟ll feel at the end of the show?

Choose an object that represents “transition” for you. Find a picture of it or

draw it in your Drama Journal.

Write a “stream of consciousness” inner monologue from the perspective of

the object. Write for 15 minutes. (Stream of consciousness is an unedited

progression of thoughts that you write continuously). Don‟t read over it until

after you have seen the production.

After you have seen the performance, read your “stream of consciousness”.

Compare and contrast your ideas to those that were presented in the

performance.

Bookend the experience with questions before seeing the show that can be

answered at the end of the performance.

- The playwrights have expressed the theme of death differently in each

monologue. Look for differences in style, costumes, lighting and language.

How do these interpretations work with or work against the theme?

- Look for differences in acting styles. What effect does this have on the

theme and on you as an audience member?

2011 HSC Drama markers comments were not available at preparation of these

resources. Follow the link to access marker comments when published by the NSW Board

of Studies.

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2011exams/

individual project: performance - what the markers say (2010)

classroom

activity

BRAINSTORM

The following list is a selection of words and phrases that HSC markers use when

commenting on Individual Performances. You have 10 seconds to brainstorm and write

down what each of these words/phrases mean to you. (Your teacher can be the

timekeeper). When you complete the list share your answers with the class:

HSC students are encouraged to “focus on”:

1. “Well-rehearsed”

2. “Theatrical journey”

3. “Actor-audience relationship”

4. “Action/objective analysis”

5. “Absolute conviction and clarity”

6. “Dynamic character journey”

7. “Subtly defined complexities”

HSC students are encouraged to avoid:

1. “Running over or under time”

2. “Simplistic storytelling”

3. “Unclear or incomplete theatrical shape”

4. “Lack of audience awareness”

5. “Style unsustained”

6. “Reliance on production elements (e.g. music, lights)”

7. “Lack of spatial awareness (i.e. wandering aimlessly around the stage”

8. “Low energy, one-dimensional characters”

PRACTICAL TASK

Create two lists (i.e. “Focus on” and “Avoid”) based on the words and phrases

from the above activity that outline what you will look for in The One Sure Thing

monologues.

REFLECTION

In your Drama journal, take time to reflect on the following questions

Thinking about the comments from the markers, what do you think will be your

strengths in your IP?

What areas are potential weaknesses for you?

What will you do to address your weaknesses? Are there specific techniques that

will help you?


Brooke Robinson is the writer of Hunger

For more articles like this, go to

www.freshinkaustralia.com

Hunger started with an image of a helium

balloon; as it slowly drops to the ground,

someone rises and floats away, the two

connected as an invisible counterweight. I

knew this image took place in a kitchen

and that the person floating away was

doing so because they had lost a lot of

blood. Blood and guts and the body are

recurring themes in my work over the past

year. I'm not sure what this means, even on

a pop-psychology sort of level, so I assume

I'll keep writing about these things until I

figure out why.

Hunger places seventeen-year-old Sam in

a commercial kitchen that is also a

dystopia. It's a world of total loneliness and

disconnection and he as a kitchen hand is

desperate for approval and kindness from

the head chef.

I was interested in writing about a world I

knew nothing about – a busy commercial

kitchen. I spent some time reading blogs of

professional chefs to try and get an idea of

the way they spoke and what their day-to-

day life is like. What I read was people

who, in their quest to make the best food

and become the most popular chef,

ended up living an insular life on the fringes

of society by working very long and very

odd hours. A blog by a chef in New York

gave me a great starting point,

“... a life of broken dreams, broken lives

and living in the moment. No past, no

present, just 'get it out there' and make

sure it's HOT.”

I would make Sam's dystopian kitchen a

closed, timeless, sort of self-perpetuating

system where nothing but getting the food

out mattered – not even bleeding to

death!

As Sam cooks on the production line, he

realises he has cut himself and has dripped

blood into one of the dishes. The head

chef doesn't notice and serves the dish to

restaurant customers without Sam able to

stop him. The customers applaud the food

and soon the whole restaurant wants

Sam's dish. Aware that it's his blood that

has made the food so desirable, Sam

secretly leaks more and more of his blood

into the dishes, his reward being affection

from the head chef, something he has

never had before, possibly from anyone.

With Hunger I chose to write about death

in a blunt way by showing a death on

stage. Sam ultimately sacrifices his life for

what he sees as his only opportunity for

approval and human connection and thus

dies satisfied. He dies outside of the kitchen

and its self-perpetuating system - his death

is of little importance and the hellish world

of the kitchen will carry on unaffected.

There are three worlds in the play: the

dystopian kitchen, the bleached, calm

and almost forbidden world of the

restaurant and the alfresco dining area, a

sort of fantasy escape world where Sam

goes to die.

Sam and the head chef's is the only

relationship in the play and it is a very

utilitarian one.

Sam speaks to the head chef for the

duration of the monologue, although most

of the conversation exists in his head and

only a fraction is actually said aloud. We

get the idea that Sam has a lot of these

one-way conversations with his boss.

Maybe he has conversations – real or

imagined - with other people outside of

the play, but this is the one that matters.

For me, Hunger is a play of images and

rhythms. I hope that line-by-line I've

somewhat captured the sense of urgency

and mania of a commercial kitchen and

that the images are a truthful albeit

unrealistic way of portraying death.

a writer‟s inspiration and reflection

classroom

activity

DISCUSSION

Writers use many forms of inspiration to get started. Brooke Robinson was inspired by

the image of a helium balloon slowly deflating. She then imagined its opposite (or

counterweight), a person rising and floating away.

Bring in photos, magazines and web images that can be displayed in your

classroom.

In groups of 4, select 5 images that interest you.

Discuss the images and decide on a “counter” or contrasting image. For

example, the image may be of an old tree stump and your counter image may

be a newborn baby. You don‟t need to draw a picture of the contrasting image,

simply write it down.

Present your images and counter images to the class.

PRACTICAL TASK

Individually, select one of the images/counter images. What themes emerge

from these two opposites? What could the images represent?

What characters spring to mind when you look at the images?

In what setting or environment could you place your character?

On a continuum, map your character‟s journey from one image/point to the

other. Think about the things that change your character.

E.g.

The above journey can become a metaphor for a character‟s journey.

Something old and dying is given new life.

You may like to include obstacles on the continuum. Also, the journey may not

be linear. Try showing the journey (narrative) in different ways (e.g. circularly,

retrospectively or as a mosaic).

REFLECTION

How does creating your own character and character journey help you with your

preparation for your IP (performance or otherwise)?

Our cast members rehearse two evenings a week and Sundays. They are all under 26

and some of them are school students. Evening rehearsals allow our young actors to

work and attend school during our season.

Photo:

Photos: Claire Harris

in rehearsal

classroom

activity

Have a look at the pictures below of the cast in rehearsal: What do you think is happening in each scene?

What are the characters feeling/ thinking?

PRACTICAL TASK

With your classmates, physically recreate the actors‟ positions and facial

expressions.

Hold the position and then improvise a monologue from that starting place.

Remember, there is no right or wrong in this activity. Have fun with where

you can go in the improvisation!

Alistair McIntosh

Charlotte Hazzard

Patrick Richards

Lucy Coleman

The One Sure Thing atyp Creative Team atyp Artistic Director Fraser Corfield

Director Tanya Goldberg

Production Manager Liam Kennedy

Stage Manager Asha Watson

Designer David Fleischer

SX Design Kingsley Reeve

LX Design Verity Hampson

Assistant Director Liz Arday

Rhys Keir Photo: Claire Harris

The One Sure Thing atyp Cast

At atyp we make theatre by young people, for young people. Our cast members

range from 16 to 26 years of age.

That‟s What I Am Now Patrick Richards

Twisted Shaun Foley

Hunger Rhys Keir

The Circle of Life Alistair Mcintosh

The Last Post Emma Khamis

La Conversacion Charlotte Hazzard

Stick Emma Campbell

Senseless Kate Campbell

Ben Thomas, I Love You Julia Rorke

Prince Willy Lucy Coleman

the performance:

behind the scenes of

the one sure thing

interview with director – tanya goldberg

We’re thrilled that you’ve been available to

direct The One Sure Thing at atyp. Could

you tell me how this has been different to

some of the other shows you’ve directed?

A show of monologues has a whole

different set of challenges from a standard

play. The through-line of the whole needs

to be constructed/imposed, rather than

mined from the text, since there isn‟t just

one text. Each piece needs to be

interrogated and explored, with each

actor, but every actor also needs to inhabit

the world of the ensemble. So there are two

different areas of focus: the individual

pieces, and the greater piece that

together they create.

What do you look for when auditioning

young actors?

The same things I look for in any actor: their

natural instincts and tendencies, their ability

to be agile with choices, any ticks and

habits that get in the way, how thoughts

and body and voice come together to

communicate ideas.

The theme of the show, first experiences of

death, could provoke quite strong

responses in your audience. How do you

ensure that you don’t exploit that response

(or do you)?

I think theatre is an invitation to

participation not exploitation. Good

theatre should leave you choosing to

participate in the questions it poses, it

shouldn‟t let you sit back and then wonder

what you‟re going to eat for dinner. That

can happen in lots of different ways. If an

audience is valued, that is, the piece has

been made explicitly to share with them,

then participation can flourish.

How do you direct essentially quite

individual pieces and give them a sense of

cohesion?

See the first answer! Also, a unifying design

helps keep disparate pieces in the same

visual world, and the way the ensemble

travels from one piece to the next helps the

audience make that journey too. Finally, I

don‟t think that difference and

contradiction per se is a problem – after all,

we humans never behave consistently. We

change our minds constantly, yet we are

still the same person… I like that potential

for contradiction, it allows for richness and

complexity.

What have been the challenges in directing

10 individual performances?

Dealing with different actors, different levels

of experience and understanding, and

dealing with very different pieces, some of

which are simple, others which would

challenge even the most accomplished of

performers. Flexibility and patience are

essential!

What advice would you give to aspiring

young directors?

Read: books, plays, magazines. See:

theatre, movies, art. Hear: all different kinds

of music. Live in the world. Eat good food.

Get clear on your passions. Follow them.

Don‟t ignore the details.

interview with writer – georgia symons

Georgia wrote the monologue, Twisted.

How did you come up with your idea for your

monologue?

When I was starting out, I thought that the

best thing to do to get ideas flowing to write

a monologue on the topic of death would

be to brainstorm some ideas about death as

a concept. Pretty soon, though, I could tell

that was getting me nowhere. And so

instead, knowing that the monologues were

to be performed by teenagers, I started

brainstorming about youth instead. Some

phrases I came up with were „hormones‟,

„fun‟, „hidden depths‟, and „inability to

connect actions and consequences‟. I was

pretty intent on writing a darkly comic piece,

and so connecting these ideas and phrases

back to death through the prism of comedy,

I found my idea.

What was the process involved in developing

your character?

When I write a character, I usually think of

one particular person I know who most

closely resembles the character I‟m trying to

write, and whenever I get stuck I try and think

what that person would say or do in any

given situation. The process for this

character, though, was slightly different. I

had three different reference points which I

thought would come together to create a

more multi-faceted whole. For the Australian

teen idioms and general word placement, I

kept my younger brother Jono in mind

(thanks, Bro!) To make that character a little

more outrageous and larger than life, I would

occasionally cast my mind back to the

character of Nathan from the TV show Misfits.

Then, as more of a guiding principle than a

specific reference point, I tried to infuse the

whole character with a hidden but powerful

intellect. I wanted the character to be

calculating, and aware of exactly how to

push people‟s buttons.

What was the most challenging part of the

process of scriptwriting?

As always, the challenge was not in writing

the script in the first instance, but rather in

cutting and changing that draft. At first you

can really see the flaws and pitfalls of your

work, but the more drafts you do, the less

material you can find to cut or alter, and the

less aware you become of what is and isn‟t

working - especially, I find, when you‟re

having to work on that one piece of writing

all day, every day, for an extended period of

time.


scriptwriters?

If you‟re only a few drafts in but can‟t see

what needs fixing, leave your script alone for

a while. Save it in a folder on your computer

or put it in a desk drawer, and leave it there

for at least a week. Once you‟ve been out

doing other things and not thinking about

the script, the next steps you need to take

will become much clearer.

Have you had an opportunity to collaborate

with the director, Tanya Goldberg, and the

actors? If so, what has that been like as a

writer?

The writers were all invited to the first day of

rehearsals, where we sat around the table

with Tanya, the actors, and all of the

creatives involved. First we heard the actors

read each of our pieces, with a brief

discussion of its themes and people‟s initial

thoughts after each reading. Then we had a

design presentation, and Tanya shared with

us her thoughts going into the rehearsal

process of what the show might look like and

how it would be put together. It was an

incredibly exciting day and gave us writers

all something to look forward to.

Unfortunately, as there are ten writers on the

project, it hasn‟t been possible for us to

attend rehearsals, but I think we‟re going to

get to go along to a tech rehearsal, which

I‟m looking forward to!

Carolyn wrote the monologue, Stick.


monologue?

The theme of the 2011 Fresh Ink National

Studio was death and loss, and while we

talked a lot about the loss of loved ones

during the week, no one really seemed to

want to talk about their own mortality.

I was diagnosed with Crohn‟s disease in 2010,

and am living now with a chronic illness, I‟m

often surprised by how uncomfortable

people can be with acknowledging the

challenges faced by those with medical and

physical disabilities. Beyond examining some

of my own experiences, the monologue is

about leading the audience on a journey

through the challenging landscape of

chronic illness.

In Stick I wanted to fairly explicitly raise a

couple of important questions: is it possible to

ever truly understand someone else‟s pain?

What are we allowed to find funny? Are we

obliged to try and make other people

comfortable when we are suffering?


your character?

While the monologue is to some extent

autobiographical, in developing a distinct

character for the monologue I tried to think

about how the experience of chronic illness

would be different for someone younger

than me. To do this I used the five stages of

grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression,

and acceptance – as a rough guide and

thought about how each of those stages

might be experienced by a teenager.

One of the difficulties in writing monologues is

that it is often a person‟s interaction with

other people that is most important in

defining character. Here I found the

challenge was developing a strong sense of

the people around Louise: her immediate

audience, the support group, but also her

family.



Beyond developing character and

establishing the relationship between

characters, I always try to think about what it

means for something to be performed for an

audience. The difficulty lies in imagining not

just what something means to your

character, but also how different people in

the audience will perceive that character.

I find this to be the most challenging, but also

the most rewarding part of scriptwriting –

when something you‟ve written really

connects with the audience.


scriptwriters?

I‟m really not sure I‟m in the position to

provide advice, as I‟m learning more about

writing every day, but what I would suggest

to writers starting out is to write as much as

you can and try not to fixate on the end

product. Often I‟ve written half of a script

and abandoned it, only to find that

something about it can be used in a different

play. And it‟s great to be able to switch

between projects when you get blocked.

Emma Campbell Photo: Claire Harris

interview with writer – carolyn burns

Carolyn wrote the monologue, The Last Post


monologue?

I was on Facebook really late one night, and

I noticed friends were still posting comments

on the page of someone who had passed

away a while ago. I looked at this person‟s

Facebook page and started thinking about

the relationship between Facebook and

death. For those who use it, Facebook

chronicles our lives in such detail, that it

makes sense for it to be a kind of „online

memorial‟ after we die. The theme of piece

developed from there; the characters are

based on people I have seen or people I

know, and the setting is based on a small

country town where I grew up.


your character?

I grew up in a small country town, so Rose is

based on various people I have known. All

Rose‟s friends are as well; Kevin was the

character I came up with first. He‟s that guy

who always takes the risk, jokes about dying

but seems invincible. They all live in the same

street – Ryan, Alex, Ed, Rose and Kevin. I

remember in my town there was a strong

sense of „neighbourhood‟ that I haven‟t seen

so much in the city. My own best friends

lived on my street as a kid. The characters

who never appear in the monologue are as

real and important as Rose. She‟s grown up

with them, they‟ve shaped the way she

thinks, and who she is.

Being the only girl in a group of guys isn‟t an

issue for Rose. The „same street‟ connection

transcends age and gender. Perhaps they all

„dated‟ Rose in kindergarten, perhaps one or

more of them will develop feelings beyond

friendship at some point soon.

Rose is a character totally open to

interpretation. But there are some things

about Rose that are very clear to me. She‟s a

problem solver. She‟s pretty sharp and she‟s

really loyal. She has a boyish sense of humour

but that doesn‟t make her a „tomboy.‟ The

way she handles herself with Ed suggests

she‟s been through some personal tragedy

before.

Some questions that I asked myself during

the process, and that I‟m still considering –

does Rose play sport? Does she hang out

with the boys at school or just outside of

school? How does Rose cope with her grief

when no one else is around? What would

someone think of Rose just by looking at her

Facebook? Does she have many, or any,

girlfriends?



The biggest challenge for me was to find

language appropriate to both the

enormous, universal subject matter, and the

seventeen-year-old who is discussing it. It‟s

great to use poetic images and phrases in

writing. But realistically no school-aged girl

who is crippled by grief and loss is going to

speak in iambic pentameter. For me it was a

process of finding language that works when

the character DOESN‟T have the language

to express what they are saying. The most

important communication happens in the

pauses and long silences.


scriptwriters?

If you have an idea, write it down – on a

napkin, on a wall, in your diary. Just write and

don‟t be afraid of the rubbishy stuff that

comes out – work through it and you will

interview with writer – sarah gaul

come to the material you actually want.

Draft, draft, draft, draft. Save a copy of

everything you do. Try everything that is

suggested to you, take advice, try it and

keep what works for you. Challenge

everything you write and be meticulous.

Consider how every phrase moves the piece

forward or speaks about the character. Write

the backstories, because what isn‟t

mentioned in the work, the characters that

don‟t appear, the stuff that has happened

just before and just after, can be really

clarifying. Use your own experience and

stories, because they will be more authentic

than anything you make up. Don‟t

underestimate how much the audience

reads into the work, and don‟t imagine that

one interpretation of your work is more

„wrong‟ or „right‟ than another. And

remember that any script that you write is for

an actor. A script is a blueprint for something

that lives and breathes onstage, that is

performed by real people in real time in front

of other real people. That‟s what makes it so

exciting!

.

Emma Khamis Photo: Claire Harris

Alex wrote the monologue, Senseless

How did you come up with your idea for

your monologue?

Access for people living with disability is

something that I am passionate about, and

something I wanted to write about. There

are many Australians who live without

access to basic things the wider community

take for granted. I wanted to write about

someone who is faced with isolation, and

has to find a new way to connect to their

community.

What was the process involved in

developing your character?

I played around with different voices, trying

to find a fit. Once I had the voice, the rest of

the character felt more focused. It‟s

important to ask questions of your

character, flesh them out.



Self-assessment is really crucial. Being open

to feedback, and deciding which feedback

is relevant and which feedback is not.


scriptwriters?

If you see a show that you love, get the

script and read it. It‟s the best way to learn

about structure and pacing, and other

techniques.

Have you had an opportunity to collaborate

with the director, Tanya Goldberg, and the

actors? If so, what has that been like as a

writer?

It‟s really exciting when a director works on

your piece, because they bring with them

fresh viewpoints and ideas. You see the

progression from first rehearsal to opening. A

script takes on a new kind of life when other

people have been exploring it.

interview with writer – alex cullen

Kate Campbell Photo: Claire Harris

interview with writer – alexandra macalister-bills

Alexandra wrote the monologue, La

Conversascion


your monologue?

My Nan had Alzheimer‟s. She had been in

a home for years before she died and

had long forgotten who we were or who

she was. When she died we were on

holidays in New Zealand and for Dad

deciding whether to return home or not

was an incredibly tough decision. I never

set out to recreate that story; I merely

wanted to work with the ideas of absence

and loss. I travel a lot and someone dying

or becoming ill while I‟m away has always

been something I‟m afraid of. I started

wondering how I would deal with a similar

situation to my Dad‟s, how someone even

younger would, what would be the

arguments on either side, what would be

the „right‟ thing to do. This dilemma of

what to do became the central question

in La Conversación and what I built the

monologue around.



My character was born from the situation

she was in. Before I knew anything about

her I know she would be dealing with

death from a distance and confronting

the choice of whether to return or not.

She needed to be young as she was

designed for 17-year-old actors. Once I

knew she was on the phone to her sister I

began imagining fragments of the

conversation she would be having and

tactics she would use to avoid the

elephant in the room. From there I began

piecing together more details about her

background, her personality and her

relationships. I think because I didn‟t know

the answer to the dilemma she was

facing I decided she wouldn‟t either; she

would avoid the issue entirely. She

became distracted, overly enthusiastic,

naïve and a little insensitive, basically the

type of traveller I am terrified of being.

She is not a bad person; she was just fed

by my own insecurities!



Death and I haven‟t had too many

confrontations so when I was told the

theme of our monologues was „Death

and Passing‟ I was afraid. I was worried

that my lack of experience would mean I

couldn‟t do justice to a theme that was

bound to raise emotions in the other

writers, let alone audiences. I had to

retrace my previous dealings with death

and figure out what aspects of those

experiences I could build my writing upon.

I realized that although the circumstances

of Nan‟s death were fairly unique, the link

between absence and loss was not. I

began to understand that I couldn‟t

dismiss my own experiences as

comparatively meaningless. Instead I had

to be confident that I could utilize them to

develop a concept and character others

would find intriguing.


scriptwriters?

Never dismiss an idea before you have

explored it. Don‟t underestimate yourself

or compare yourself to other writers. Write

your own stories in the way you feel they

should be told. Submit to every magazine,

blog, competition, internship and theatre

company you can even if you don‟t think

you‟ll succeed, sometimes you surprise

yourself.

interview with writer – alysha herrmann

Alysha wrote the monologue, Ben Thomas,

I Love You


your monologue?

We were all given the theme of death and

dying and I toyed around with the theme

from a lot of different perspectives before

finding the final idea for Ben Thomas, I

Love You. I brainstormed all the personal

experiences and feelings I‟d had in

relation to death to discover which of

those I most wanted to explore.

I became really fascinated with the idea

of a character that was holding onto

something physical; a memory, a trinket

they didn‟t want to (or couldn‟t) let go of.

Thinking about the theme we‟d been

given of death and dying, I started thinking

about the times I‟d been to funerals in my

own life and other people had talked

about the deceased person as though

they were a wonderful paragon of virtue –

to the point I often didn‟t recognize the

person they were talking about anymore.

Which is where this monologue started to

take shape – what if someone you loved

died and shortly before they died or

directly after they died you discover

they‟d done something terrible; something

so terrible that it matched none of your

ideas of that person; something so terrible

that it would make you hate them and call

into question your whole life with them?

How would you reconcile that? How would

you talk and think about them? What

would his or her funeral be like – someone

that you‟d loved your entire life but now

you hated?

It was from those questions that the idea

for Ben Thomas came.



In my early drafts I focused a lot more on

Ben‟s character and telling his story and it

was only through redrafting that Alison

became clearer. Having said that, those

early drafts were really important in

clarifying who Ben was, to be able to find

who Alison was and why this relationship

mattered to her. It was really important to

me that Alison didn‟t become a robotic

character and I wanted her to have this

sense of losing control and perhaps having

actions that didn‟t quite make sense. I

think sometimes when people write

characters there‟s this really strict idea that

the character has to be „consistent‟ which

of course they do, but I think it‟s also really

important to remember that real people

aren‟t always consistent, sometimes we

don‟t make sense and our actions aren‟t

easy to explain. Real life and real people

are complex and we never get the full

story, which is something I really wanted

people to feel with Alison.



The most challenging part of writing Ben

Thomas, I Love You was grappling with my

own self-doubt and finding ways to

overcome my inner censor. During the

writing process I found myself deciding

that the monologue was going to be bad

and poorly written before I‟d ever put pen

to paper and that was really crippling for

me. Once I overcame that, the whole

process was a lot easier and a lot faster!


scriptwriters?

Tell the story only you can tell. Reach out

to your peers and the wider arts industry,

for connection and for development.

Engage with life from the core of who you

are – that‟s how you‟ll find great material

and tell stories that are meaningful and

relevant to others.

interview with writer – alice cooper

Alice wrote the monologue, Circle of Life


your monologue?

To be honest, I just began writing. I

actually sat down to write something

completely different - a humorous, largely

unspoken monologue to be performed by

a female. Instead a male appeared on

the page and it ended up being quite

sad, so I‟m not sure what happened

there! I had just been for a long bushwalk

and came back and started writing, so

perhaps the fresh air and exercise had

something to do with it - but I really don‟t

know.



The character I wrote largely came out of

a strong desire to create an accurate

portrayal of the person he was speaking

to: his four-year old brother. This aspiration

was the single most influential thing in

creating the character, thinking about

ways a seventeen-year-old boy would go

about communicating a difficult topic, his

mother‟s death, to someone who is

significantly younger and thus processes

the world in a very different way. With this

clear goal in mind, the character

somewhat wrote itself.



I think starting is always difficult. This

monologue was the exception to the rule

as it felt relatively easy and natural to

begin. Normally though, as a perfectionist,

it‟s hard to start, as I feel that it won‟t be

perfect the first time, or moreover that the

ideas in my head won‟t meet

expectations. Redrafting can be tricky

too, especially if you really like a section

and then you realise, for the greater good

of the piece you need to let it go. I‟m

learning to not be so precious, so starting

and redrafting is becoming a little easier,

but only a little!


scriptwriters?

As an aspiring scriptwriter myself, there are

a couple of things that I‟ve learnt that

help me. Firstly, don‟t put too much

pressure on yourself to be perfect (I realise

this sounds hypocritical coming from a

perfectionist) and allow yourself to simply

write. I think initially when starting

something, just write a lot even if it doesn‟t

make much sense when put together, I

think you need to get things out there on

paper and then you have somewhere to

edit from. That‟s what I keep telling myself

to do anyway. Also, in a practical sense, I

find an egg-timer (or similar) can be useful

when I‟m stuck - I set it for ten or twenty

minutes and force myself to write non-stop

for that time and see what happens. One

of the mentors we had for Fresh Ink this

year said something very wise, “It‟s too

hard to think and write at the same time;

write first, then review it”. I try to follow that

too. Another useful thing I try to keep in

mind when writing is something Peta

Murray said to me at the National Studio. I

was explaining an idea to her and finished

by saying, “Oh, but I don‟t think it will

really work”, to which she replied, “Create

before your criticise”. Rosie Dennis, who

has been my mentor for Fresh Ink, has

always encouraged an attitude of trying

things first and not getting too attached

to ideas. That way it‟s easier to drop them

if they are not serving you well.

Lucy (21) plays Elsa in Prince Willy

Why did you audition for The One Sure

Thing?

I saw last year‟s monologues‟ production

and it was great! Plus atyp always puts on

a great show and I was keen to be a part

of it.

The theme of “death” could be

perceived as quite heavy and

depressing. What has it been like

preparing for the role? Do you need to

de-role after rehearsals and

performances?

Death doesn‟t come into my monologue

as much as it does the others. The

monologue starts in the big, bright,

happy world of Elsa and gets a little

heavy towards the end, but Elsa is more

confused about what is going on towards

the end and there are never any actual

references to death itself. So when I‟m

preparing for my role, it‟s more about me

taking myself into the heightened, over-

excited world of Elsa.

How does your character change and

how do you reflect this change in your

performance?

Elsa in on a quest to marry Willy and fulfil

her dreams of being a famous actress.

She comes up against hurdles the whole

night but nothing deters her from going

after what she wants. When her plans

aren‟t working out the way she wants,

Elsa acts out and hits Willy. Her world

begins to fall down around her. Still trying

to cling onto whatever hope she can,

Elsa begins to see her dreams fade and

disappear. When she realises that Willy is

in serious trouble, her focus finally shifts

and her mood changes to confusion/

guilt and wanting to help. The

monologue is left on an ambiguous note

as to what actually happens to Willy. But

Elsa‟s dreams have definitely gone down

the toilet (sic)!

What advice would you give to young

actors preparing for the HSC Drama

performance?

Pick a piece that really resonates with

you; a monologue that has themes and

events that you are interested in

exploring. This way you a) won‟t get

bored of it half way through working on it,

and b) will be passionate about

researching and performing it. Then go

for it! Don‟t hold back, learn your lines

and let loose! Most of all have fun!!

interview with cast member – lucy coleman

Emma (17) plays Louise in Stick


Thing?

I graduated high school last year, and my

HSC Drama IP was a piece from The One

Sure Thing’s predecessor, Tell it Like it Isn’t.

Having read countless monologues, the aim

of the project – to create and encourage

quality writing for young actors to play

young characters – is much needed and

warmly welcomed from the perspective of

a young actor. Being involved with that

process is what prompted me to audition.

The theme of “death” could be perceived

as quite heavy and depressing. What has it

been like preparing for the role? Do you

need to de-role after rehearsals and

performances?

When I was researching Crohn‟s disease for

my role, it did become hard, reading about

what people went through with a relatively

unknown disease with no cure. I read some

personal accounts of living with the

symptoms and talked to a girl who had

been recently diagnosed. Realising the

effect of being diagnosed with a chronic,

incurable disease and how it impacts not

only the individual and their life, but how

their family lives, was an eye-opening

experience.

Having said that, the writers of the

monologues have successfully written them

in such a way that the pieces have

elements of light and dark in them.

How does your character change and how

do you reflect this change in your

performance?

Stick very much explores Louise‟s reactions

and feelings towards her disease. She

experiences a range of emotions, including

an element of denial, but eventually is able

to be very vulnerable and honest to herself

(and the audience). It‟s very much about

submerging yourself in those emotions and

feelings, and either putting yourself in the

situation and simulating how you think you

would react, drawing on your own

experiences, or creating a world of given

circumstances for your character, which is

what works best for me.



performance?

Find a monologue that you love and won‟t

completely hate by the end of the year;

there‟s nothing worse than forcing yourself

to perform a piece you despise. I‟ve seen it

happen before and it‟s just not the same.

Don‟t get lazy with your GP and IP, but

don‟t work them beyond a point of no

return, either.

interview with cast member – emma campbell

Alistair (19) plays Liam in Circle of Life


Thing?

My agent was contacted by atyp, I

only recently started living in Sydney

full time so it was nice to finally have

an opportunity to be involved in an

atyp project.

The theme of “death” could be

perceived as quite heavy and

depressing. What has it been like

preparing for the role? Do you need to

de-role after rehearsals and

performances?

To an extent, but I think the average

role an actor is cast in is already

around 80% you. The other 20% comes

from another place, the text, other

actors etc, and so while you may be

fully immersed in your character there

is still a lot of yourself in most roles you

play and I find that it's finding those

pieces of you that makes a character

really come to life.



performance?

My character has fairly subtle changes

within the piece, but I have found that

in my case the more significant

change has happened prior to the

piece, and the way that is reflected in

the monologue is hugely significant.

My character‟s change within the

piece is more to do with his brave and

almost paternal bravado he puts on

for his brother and how that

strengthens and weakens as the piece

goes on, letting us in and out of his

head and reflecting the impact of his

mother‟s passing on him.



performance?

Exactly what they don't want to hear!

Choose wisely, work hard and don't

waste any time on your individual

performance. The harder you drill your

piece the better and come the big

day you'll breeze through it. Your

performance is certainly one area of

your HSC you can't afford to

procrastinate in, and the band 6 will

do all the talking for you come

December.

interview with cast member – alistair mcintosh

Patrick (19) plays Jaz in That’s What I Am

Now


Thing?

Having performed in Tell it Like it Isn’t last

year I was more than a little eager to be

involved in The Voices Project for a

second time and I am always interested

to work with new directors. Tanya

Goldberg has a very strong history in this

department so not auditioning really

wasn‟t an option.

The theme of “death” could be perceived

as quite heavy and depressing. What has

it been like preparing for the role? Do you

need to de-role after rehearsals and

performances?

The theme could certainly be construed in

such a way and, to be honest, it was my

initial impression. However, I think the

selection of pieces cover many facets of

one‟s experience with death. We have

characters who are having to face their

own mortality or having to deal with the

passing of another or, in some cases,

being the direct cause of that „passing‟

and I think the tone shifts dramatically

enough between these concepts to keep

the show dynamic.

In terms of preparing for my role the first

thing I did was hit the serial killer films.

David Fincher‟s Seven and Zodiac

among others have been a huge help but

in the latter half of rehearsals we shifted

my piece to a more absurdist and in

many ways more sinister tone and so I

went on a hunt for people who smile a lot

but are incredibly insincere. Children‟s

television hosts were the perfect find.

Fortunately I haven‟t had to do any „de-

roling.‟ While the content of my

monologue is undeniably dark there is

also a beautiful sense of humour through it

and I‟ve tried to avoid being too serious

so that I don‟t lose the comedy.



performance? I think the greatest change that Jaz

experiences, has occurred well before the

monologue. It‟s quite clear that the shift

from perfect young woman to

pharmaceutical serial killer happened a

while ago and her intention remains

largely the same throughout the piece.

However what does change is her

understanding of herself and her „duty to

God‟, if you will. She begins to realise

exactly why she‟s doing what she‟s doing

resulting in an almost explosion of

enlightenment at the end.



performance?

I think the best piece of advice I can give

is to love your chosen piece. Don‟t select

a piece that you think will get you the

marks but you don‟t really feel a

connection to. Remember that you will be

drilling this monologue for 9+ months and

you need to be able to keep it dynamic

and fresh that whole time. Finally, have

fun with it, mess around and try every silly

idea that pops into your head. If it doesn‟t

work, so be it, but sometimes these crazy

moments can help you discover

something truly special.

interview with cast member – patrick richards

How do you audition for an atyp show?

All atyp auditions are advertised on our website www.atyp.com.au and in our e-

newsletter. Once they are advertised call atyp to book an audition time 02 9270 2400.

atyp‟s productions provide students with the opportunity to work alongside

professional directors and creatives in staging a show, providing an opportunity for

them to learn from people who are actively working in the industry.

get involved !

http://www.atyp.com.au/

What was your initial reaction to the performance? What sticks out in your mind?

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Would you recommend the performance to a friend? Why / why not?

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Costumes

Describe the costumes. How was costume used to portray character? Was the use of

costume successful? Why / why not?

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Lighting

Describe the lighting. How was lighting used to set the scene and define the space?

Was the use of lighting successful? Why / why not?

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Set

Describe the set. Why do you think the designer used school lockers for the set? Was

the movement of the lockers by the cast effective? Why / why not?

___________________________________________________________________________________

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initial reaction

design elements

after you see

the one sure thing

written responses

Sound and Music

How was sound and music used to create atmosphere?

Identify a moment where the sound/music affected you as an audience member.

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Comment on how the performance used the elements of drama:

Tension: Where were the moments of

tension in the overall performance?

_____________________________________

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Which moment held the most tension

for you?

_____________________________________

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Recreate the tension in the moment as

a tableau.

Focus: The One Sure Thing is a

collection of monologues with all

actors on stage all the time. How did

the director draw the audience's focus

to the action she most wanted you to

see?

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Identify a moment that was really

successful.

_____________________________________

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Space

How did the actors use the stage

space?

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How did the set reflect the theme of

“first experiences of death”? What

was the most interesting aspect of the

use of space?

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Movement

How was movement used to portray

each character? How effective was

the use of unified movement? Why?

_____________________________________

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Symbol

Can you identify any symbols/motifs

used in the production?

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What were the most successful symbols

used?

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Mood / Atmosphere

Describe the mood of the piece.

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elements of drama

What sort of feeling did you have at

the end of each monologue? Did it

change? Why/why not?

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Where were the high points in the

performance?

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How did you feel at the end of the

performance?

_____________________________________

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What devices were used to create

mood throughout the performance?

_____________________________________

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Draw a mood map that shows the

emotional journey of the overall show:

Character / Role

The show has 10 actors. How did the

cast portray character?

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How successful was this?

_____________________________________

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Identify 2 characters that stood out in

your mind? Why were they so

memorable?

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Actor-Audience Relationship

What was the role of the audience in

the performance?

_____________________________________

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How did the characters relate to the

audience?

_____________________________________

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The brief for the writers was to create

characters that Year 12 students could

relate to. Did you identify with any of

the characters?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

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Why/why not? _____________________________________

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A review is an important part of theatre criticism. It gives an account of the

production with the writer's opinion of the success of the performance. Become an

atyp theatre critic! Use the scaffold below to write a review of The One Sure Thing.

Send it to [email protected]

We'll publish well written reviews on our website.

How to write a review:

Remember to:

- Paint an accurate picture of the production for someone who has not been

there

- Give a personal opinion about the success of the performance

You may wish to approach your review writing by following guidelines:

1. Statement of the details of the production, where, when, by who.

2. Synopsis of the overarching plot of the monologues (without giving away

the ending!!!)

3. Background of the show, importance of the production (including the

background of the scriptwriting process).

4. Information about the style and genre of the piece.

5. Analysis of the mood and atmosphere created by the cast/designers.

6. Analysis of the choices of the director.

7. Analysis of the performances of the actors.

8. Analysis of set, costume, lighting and design aspects and how these relate

to the themes of the show.

9. Your personal opinion supported by examples to justify your opinion.

10. Recommendation and / or overall rating.

Charlotte Hazzard Photo: Claire Harris

Remember to make it concise and clear.

Try to write your review in 300 words.

We look forward to receiving your reviews!

write an atyp review

mailto:[email protected]

Spatial awareness is the ability of the actor to be constantly aware of where he/she

places him/herself on the stage. The following activity is designed to help you

develop your sense of “placement” within the performance area.

Shaun Foley Photo: Claire Harris

spatial awareness

classroom

activity

after you see

the one sure thing

practical responses

PRACTICAL TASK

Begin walking around the space with your class. Imagine that you are all

moving on a finely balanced plate and the class must be spread evenly over

the floor to keep the plate from falling. Keep walking around. Fill the gaps as

you see them. When the teacher beats a drum, freeze. Look around to see if

you are equally spaced.

Moving to different types of music, initially walk around the space again. At

your teacher‟s direction, walk forwards, backwards, sideways. Walk quickly,

slowly, on the ball of your feet, on the heel, on the sides of your feet.

Add the directions “stop”, “lie down”, “kneel”. With the music you may use

any of those directions as you please. You may copy what you see someone

else doing, or you may choose to do your own combination of the specific

movements.

Split the class into two groups. Have one group “perform” for the other and

then swap over.

REFLECTION

What did you notice when you were performing? How did it feel to use the

space fully? How did you respond to other members in your group as you

moved?

As an audience member, what did you notice about the movement? What

had the most impact? Where were the most prominent spaces on the stage?

Which positions lost focus? What could there have been more of?

Audience awareness is a difficult skill to develop as an actor. If the script requires

naturalistic acting, overt audience interaction isn‟t suitable. However, an awareness

of the audience is still required. When we speak one-on-one to people, we adjust our

speaking to and awareness of who we are addressing. As an actor, you should be

aware of how an audience is responding to your performance. Good actors will be

flexible in their performance, bringing the audience with them and engaging them in

the “dialogue” of theatre.

Patrick Richards Photo: Claire Harris

audience awareness

classroom

activity

BRAINSTORM

Which actors from The One Sure Thing had strong audience awareness?

How could you tell?

How can you develop audience awareness?

PRACTICAL TASK

Split the class into two groups: one group is audience and one performs

Performers find a space on the “stage” and perform a simple action (e.g.

brushing teeth, peeling a banana etc.)

Audience spends at least two minutes looking at the different “actors”.

Which actors seem to have the greater audience awareness? Why?

Swap groups and repeat the activity.

REFLECTION

In your Drama journal, discuss what “audience awareness” is. On a scale of

1-10, measure your own audience awareness. How will you increase and

develop it?

Similar to “audience awareness”, an actor‟s energy is difficult to define. Read the

following link on developing your energy as an actor:

http://www.jbactors.com/actingreading/tenactingtips/actorsenergymasters.html

(Teachers: please read the article for some interesting class-room activities. The mix

of psychology and acting is particularly useful.)

building and maintaining energy

classroom

activity

BRAINSTORM

As a class discuss the following questions:

What is “energy”?

How is energy different to intensity?

Why do you need “energy” on stage?

What is the effect of shifts in “energy” – both within one actor‟s

performance and between different actors?

PRACTICAL TASK

Say the following lines from Stick, by Carolyn Burns, with varying levels of

energy. You may like to say them all with the same energy or change the

energy within the excerpt.

Louise: So I‟ve got five minutes? Okay.

I‟ve got the talking stick.

What am I supposed to talk about?

Pause

What about the weather we‟ve been having?

Pause

Do I have to talk for the whole five minutes?

Perform your lines for the class.

As a whole class, stand in a circle and create a low energy sound and

movement that can be repeated. Gradually build the energy until as a

group you intuitively find an ending.

REFLECTION

What was the effect of different levels of energy?

What was it like to perform the different levels of energy? How did you

generate the different levels of energy?


Directing a performance can often enhance your skills as an actor, particularly with

the overall through-line of a piece, spatial awareness (blocking), energy levels and

audience awareness.

Tanya Goldberg Photo: Claire Harris

directors in action

classroom

activity

PRACTICAL TASK

Follow the link to the Sydney Theatre Awards

http://www.sydneytheatreawards.com/2011.php

Write down the nominations for BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE

PRODUCTION and BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION in

2011.

Did anyone in your class see any of the nominated performances? If so, ask

them what they thought about the production.

Who were the winners? (Winners are in bold type)

Choose one of the nominees and write a one-page outline on their:

- Training

- Past productions

- Style of direction

- Tips that they have for directors

- Tips that they have for actors

REFLECTION

What can you apply from the above research to your own IP?

How will that improve your IP?


This Education resource has been created by atyp‟s Education Manager, Heather

Clark. The classroom activities are an amalgamation of her 15 years Drama and

English teaching experience and training.

Some useful websites:

http://www.sydneytheatreawards.com/2011.php http://www.jbactors.com/actingreading/tenactingtips/actorsenergymasters.html


atyp runs an extensive student workshop program during school terms and holidays.

See our website http://www.atyp.com.au/index.php/workshops

A big thank you to all of the respondents who have contributed to this resource.

A special thanks to Kerrie Noonan from The Groundswell Project: using the arts to

promote resilience and well-being through all phases of life.

http://thegroundswellproject.com/

acknowledgments




http://www.atyp.com.au/index.php/workshops

http://thegroundswellproject.com/

Documents

The One Sure Thing Teachers Resource Pack