Acting 1 2017-2018 Syllabus 

Corey Josephson * Room 106 * [email protected] 

 
Class Overview 
Acting 1 is a beginning theatre class that will focus on the history of theatre and acting 
fundamentals, including storytelling, ensemble work, improvisation, script analysis, and 
developing realistic characters. Students will also be expected to see a variety of live 
performances and increase their exposure to classic plays and musicals through the Live 
Performance Requirement. Students will be given several opportunities in class (and outside of 
school) to meet this requirement.  
 
Three Ways to Fail Acting 1: 
1. Poor Attendance​ - If you aren’t here, you are not getting credit and will therefore fail 
this class. 
2. Poor Work Ethic​ - You should consider school to be your full time job, which means you 
will have daily assignments & rehearsals, homework, readings, writing and projects or 
performances due at the end of each Quarter. Failure to do your work OR fully participate 
will result in you failing this class.  
3. Poor Communication​ - If you need help, if you are confused, if life happened overnight, 
you need to communicate with me. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me there’s a 
problem. I’m pretty awesome, but I’m not a mind reader and cannot tell when you are 
having a bad day/week/month/or even year. Failure to communicate with me in a timely 
manner (i.e. NOT at the end of the Semester) will result in you failing this class.  
 
Grading: 
By design, my classes are set up so that if you come in each day and put in an average effort, you 
will receive an average C in my class. B’s require a little more effort and time and A’s even more 
so. Please do not expect to receive top marks just by coming to my room each day.  

Academic Integrity: 
“The first performance is in the classroom.” Students are expected to maintain at least a 2.5 
GPA in order to participate in after school rehearsals and performances, including the 
International Thespian Society. Students who let their academic grades drop will be placed on 
probation and will need to attend tutoring sessions. In addition, students who are repeatedly 
absent, tardy, or who refuse to put in a full effort towards class or performances will lose future 
opportunities to perform at DSA.  
 
Phones: 
You may use phones for approved educational purposes when the Cell Phone sign at the front of 
the class has been turned to green.  
● I will give one verbal warning to put the phone away. 
 ● If I see it out again (even if it’s a different day) I will confiscate your phone for the rest of 
the period. 
● If I see it out after that, I will take it and bring it to the main office where your parent 
may pick it up. 
● You may place your phones on silent (not vibrate) and charge them at the back of my 
room at any point - however, once plugged in, you are not to get up to check on them 
until the end of the period (unless you need them for a lesson). 
● Please tell your parents that they s ​ hould not be calling you during classes​ - EVEN for 
an emergency.  
○ If there is an emergency, parents may call the school office at 313-494-6000 and 
Mrs. Gant or Office Holden will call for you if any action needs to be taken.  
○ Parents please understand that it is distracting to your student and the entire 
classroom when you call or text during class periods. Students will not be allowed 
to call or text you back while they are in my classroom.  

Hall Passes: 
I will give you two hall passes. If you do not have one with you, you do not get to leave the room. 
If you choose not to use your hall passes, I will give you 10 points of extra credit for each pass at 
the end of each Quarter. 
 
Food & Drink: 
● THERE IS NO FOOD OR DRINK (except water) allowed in ANY OF THE THEATRES! 
● The moment that I see students leaving a mess in the classroom - crumbs, wrappers, 
empty bottles, etc. - in my room, the privilege of having food in my room goes away for 
the entire semester. 
● The moment that I see food & drink acting as a distraction in the classroom - students 
getting up to share food, making loud crinkling noises, rummaging through backpacks 
and bags to get food - the privilege of having food in my room goes away for the entire 
semester.  
○ Yes, even if it’s just one person.  
 
Class Objectives 
By the end of the year students should be able to: 
● Analyze a script for character, setting, plot, blocking, and intention and clearly 
articulate their analysis through written and verbal means.  
● Demonstrate the discipline required to memorize, rehearse, and refine a character and 
scene for performance and engage fully in the collaborative artistic process 
● Demonstrate an understanding of development of the theatrical arts, including seminal 
works from prominent playwrights, the use of theatre vocabulary, theatre etiquette, and 
artistic criticism. 
 
Class Supplies: 
Students are expected to be organized and will need to reference handouts and worksheets all 
year long. S
​ tudents will therefore need: 
● A 3-ring binder or folders with prongs  ● College ruled paper or notebook 
● Binder divider tabs or divider folders  ● Blue or Black ink pens 
 ● Highlighters or colored pencils for  ● White Out 
highlighting  ● 3-hole punch (optional) 
Assignments/Late Work: 
● All assignments will be posted on the class website: w ​ [email protected] 
● I will accept ALL LATE WORK, but points will be deducted up to 50% (depending on the 
lateness) for each late assignment. 
○ Please do not try and turn in a bunch of work at the end of each Quarter. I will 
give a final date for all late work. After that date I won’t take it and then you’ll get 
grumpy at me and it will not be a good way to end the Quarter.  
● If you are absent on the day of a scheduled performance - it MUST be excused otherwise 
you will lose 20% off your grade. Attendance is a key factor in this department and your 
group is counting on you to be there.  
 
Contact Information: 
Mrs. Josephson’s Email:​ [email protected] 
 
Daily assignments, resources, & more info about Mrs. Josephson can be found on the 
class website at: w
​ ww.dsaacting1.weebly.com 
 
For text message reminders and updates, including the ability to directly text Mrs. 
Josephson, please text ​@dsatheatre to 81010​ to join her Remind group. 

Summary of Unit 1 - Ancient Greek Theatre & Ensemble 

September 5 - October 20 
Texts:  Antigone ​ by Sophocles  
 
Objective: 
Students will identify essential elements of storytelling, including the Aristotelian story arch, 
the role and function of ensembles and chorus groups and artistic discipline as they study 
Antigone by Sophocles and prepare their own ensemble based Readers Theatre.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Proscenium Stage  Tragedy  Theatre 
Skene  Tragic Hero  Festival/Cycle/Repertory  
Antagonist/Protagonist  Irony  Satyr Play/Satire 
Story Arc  Dionysus  Auditorium 
Ensemble  Blocking  Theatre Etiquette 
Chorus  Thespian  Rehearsal 
Hubris  Sophocles  Critique 
 
 
Summative Assessment for Unit 1 
Students will need to work together to create a piece of Reader’s Theatre based on Dr. Seuss 
stories. Students will work in large ensembles and will need to pitch in equally in the creation, 
rehearsal, and performance of the story. Students will not be allowed to use any props or 
scenery - they must use their bodies and voices together as one to create the story on stage.  
 
Students will also be tested on their reading of A
​ ntigone​ and theatre vocabulary.  
 
 

Summary of Unit 2 - Commedia & Improv 

October 20 - December 4 
Texts: The Snow White Variety Show by Brian Taylor 
 
Objective: 
Students will rehearse scenes for the DSA Production of “​The Snow White Variety Show”​ using 
improvisation and physical acting skills based in the historical art form of Commedia Del Arte.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Improvisation  Say Yes  Safety Guidelines  
Physicality/Body Language  Script Analysis  Time Management 
Telling a Story without words  Rehearsal/Dress 
Commedia Del Arte  Rehearsal/Final Dress 
Breathing with Emotion  Performance Etiquette 
Unit 2 Summative Assessment 
Students will prepare scenes for the DSA Production, however grades will be based not on their 
actual performance, but on their rehearsal, preparation and implementation of the skills taught 
in class. They will perform their rehearsed scenes as a final dress rehearsal in class and will be 
graded there. Students are reminded that to perform in the theatre department at DSA they 
need to maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.  
 
 

Summary of Unit 3 - Morality Plays & Storytelling 

December 4 - January 26 
Texts: Everyman by Carol Ann Duffy 
 
Objective: 
Students will continue using the skills from Commedia and the knowledge of storytelling and 
ensemble in order to read and analyze a modern adaptation of the Medieval morality play, 
Everyman.​ Students will create their own morality play as they continue to develop their 
storytelling and acting skills.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Morality Play  Archetypal Characters  Playwriting 
Influence of Religion on Art  Symbolism  Dialogue 
Everyman   Script Analysis  Ensemble 
Archetypes  Story Arc  Adaptation 
 
Summative Assessment for Unit 3  
Students will write their own mini morality play based off of Everyman. Scenes should 
be 5-7 minutes long, have a beginning, a rise in action, climax and conclusion. Story should 
have a purpose and moral that applies universally. Everyone should be equally engaged in the 
writing, rehearsal, and performance of this piece. There should be no narrator and no one just 
standing around as a “background” person. Everyone needs a meaningful part. You may use 
minimal furniture and props. You may add music if it is necessary for your characters, plot, or 
moral.  
 
Students will also take a Mid-Term exam covering the key concepts, skills, and vocabulary that 
we have been working on up to this point.  
 

Summary of Unit 4 - Shakespeare & Characterization 

January 29 - March 2  
Texts: Selected scenes from various Shakespearean plays 
Shakespearean Sonnets 
 
Objective: 
Students will work with Shakespearean language as they explore the colorful characters in his 
plays and learn how to use their voices to effectively communicate emotion and character.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Characterization  Stage Combat  Follow the Punctuation 
Monologue  Script Analysis  Breathing with Emotion 
Inverted Syntax  Vocal Quality  Dynamics 
Iambic Pentameter  Moments/Beats  Audition Protocols/Slate 
 
Cumulative Assessment 
#1: Students will prepare individual monologues from Shakespeare's sonnets. Students should 
demonstrate an understanding of the language, establish context for the scene, and find 
moments, beats, and vocal variety as they perform. Monologues need to be memorized.  
 
#2: Students will partner up and perform short scenes from Shakespearean tragedies - notably 
those that contain fight scenes. Students will work together to choreograph their fight scenes 
using stage combat techniques taught in class.  
 
 

Summary of Unit 5 - Great American Plays & Scene Study 

March 5 - April 27 
Texts: varied by students 
 
Objective: 
Students will read and analyze “Classic” American drama’s from the 20th century and explore 
the idea of what makes this play a classic. Students will then choose a scene from that play to 
study in-depth and will be able to break down moments, characters, and present the play for 
the class.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Development of American  Thornton Wilder  Moments/Beats 
Drama  Edward Albee  Breathing with Emotion 
Arthur Miller  Characterization  Dynamics 
Tennessee Williams  Script Analysis  Audition Protocols/Slate 
August Wilson  Vocal Quality 
 
Cumulative Assessment 
Students will read, analyze and research a classic American drama from the 20th century as 
partners or small groups (no more than 4). Students will need to pick a play that they have not 
read before. Students will need to read and analyze the entire play, research the history of the 
production, and then choose one scene to do an in-depth character and scene study with. 
Students will present their play, research, and scene to the rest of the class.  
 

Summary of Unit 6 - Broadway Musicals 

April 29 - June 8 
Texts: Varied based on students 
 
Objective: 
Students will read and analyze musicals as another form of storytelling in theatre and how 
music and dance help to develop character, plot, and tone.  
 
Key Concepts / Skills / Vocabulary 
Characterization  Musical Moments/Beats  Lerner & Lowe 
Scene  Breathing with Emotion  Lin-Manuel Miranda 
Script Analysis  Dynamics  Andrew Lloyd Webber 
Vocal Quality  Choreography  Stephen Sondheim  
Moments/Beats  Rodgers & Hammerstein  Bob Fosse 
 
Cumulative Assessment 
Students will read, analyze and research an American Musical that has appeared on Broadway 
as partners or trios. Students will to read and listen to the entire musical, research the history of 
the production, and then choose one scene to do an in-depth character and scene study with. 
The scene should include dialogue that leads into a song. Students will act out the dialogue that 
leads to the song and then will perform (lip sync) the song, showing appropriate blocking and 
character movement. Choreography should be kept to a minimum.  
 
A final cumulative exam will be given at the end of the year covering all skills, vocabulary, 
concepts, plays, and playwrights studied during the course of the year. Students are encouraged 
to take notes throughout the year in order to have a suitable study guide.