Class Plan #3                      

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Exercise #1 

  Wearing the Masks.

Objectives: (In addition to the ones in classes one and two.)

1)  Become comfortable with a close fitting mask.

2)  Understand the size of play needed for the mask.

3)  Develop proper breathing.

The students work in groups of six.  They try on the masks and make them comfortable on their faces.  They line up with their backs to the audience giving each other as much elbow room as possible.  When they are ready you tell them to turn.  The characters turn and create an exaggerated pose for the audience.  Then tell them to move.  The characters begin to move around and talk all at the same time.  When you call freeze they return to their poses.  Then one at a time they talk and move around solo when you call them.

After everyone in the class has had a chance to experience a mask you can play with the character encounters from Class #2 or your own variations.

Notes:  

1)  Even though these are half masks some students will feel claustrophobic under the mask.  Remind them to breathe deep to avoid hyperventilating.  

2)  Remind them to talk out to the audience and remember their stage positioning.

3)  All their reactions should be overreactions.

4)  They should put the mask on with their backs to the audience and turn their backs when taking the mask off.

5)  Never place a mask face down after taking it off.  

6)  Encourage them to say anything while doing the first exercise even if it is repeating what they remember from the previous class.   

Exercise #2

After everyone in the class has had a chance to experience a mask you can play with the character encounters from Class #2 or your own variations.  They should play with their personal character 'signatures' and use them for their entrances and exits.

"The examination." - Pantalone and Dottore.

"The secret rendezvous." - Lelio and Isabella / Arlecchino and Columbina.

"The seduction."  -  Capitano and Columbina.

"Kitchen duty."  -  Brighella and Arlecchino / Columbina and Tartaglia.

"The threat."  -  Brighella and Tartaglia / Capitano and Lelio.

"The proposition." -  Capitano with either Brighella, Arlecchino, or Pantalone.

Now play with more than two characters.  The following improvs are done with entrances and exits.  The character giving the instructions always exits before the new character enters.  For example, Pantalone gives instructions to Arlecchino then exits before or as Columbina enters and so on.  Tartaglia is left trying to remember or mixing up the instructions while repeating them to the audience.   

"The instructions." -  A) Pantalone to Arlecchino to Columbina to Brighella to Tartaglia.

                                 B) Lelio to Isabella to Columbina to Arlecchino to Tarta

1)  Use the audience takes from the previous class.

2)  Remind them to over act.  Commedia is very broad, physical action.  Avoid being too intellectual. 

3)  Commedia Dell'Arte is not politically correct theatre.  It was and is, very crude, sexual, and political.  Allow the students as much lattitude as is permitted in your school and your own personal teaching philosophy.

4)  Keep the characters' relationships and social status in mind.

5)  Always arrange yourself so that you are never talking upstage to someone.  

6)  Remind them of their character's personal signature gesture or movement when entering and exiting.

End of Class #3

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