APEEL THEATRE SCHOOL
Leader George Smith
“activate the body exercise the voice engage the mind release the imagination integrate the whole”
S Y L L A B U S
this will evolve according to students’ needs
VOICE AND SPEECH WORDS IN ACTION
developing power expression clarity “words…key to…action…thought…feeling”
relaxation posture alignment word sounds and energy
fundamentals of pure voice READING ALOUD
intercostal diaphragmatic breathing prepared prose poetry drama
resonation sight reading of prose poetry drama
enunciation of vowels POETRY SPEAKING
diphthongs structured verse
articulation of consonants ballad
expressive projection blank verse
RP dialect accents Petrarchan and Elizabethan sonnet
voice and movement ode
use of microphones free verse
comic verse
pitch pace pause phrasing power CHORAL SPEECH
inflection tone rhythm group speaking of prose poetry drama
vocal range STORY-TELLING
MOVEMENT
relaxation posture alignment flexibility balance strength physical awareness
leading to imaginative creativity
movement, the outward expression of an inner impulse emanating from the centre to the periphery and beyond
MOVEMENT PRACTICE
singly with another as part of the ensemble
to experience the centrality of the spine in all movement
to free and use the body as a creative, eloquent instrument, a means of communication
to bring about movement that is motivated, instinctive, unconscious, dramatically significant
to use body parts
head face hands feet
to convey on their own with another part together with all parts
age character state of mind occupations environments
to explore
rhythm space eye contact body language non-verbal communication physical transformation
gesture
basic stage combat
movement of dance
movement of singing
movement and period costume
IMPROVISATION
enabling the discovery of acting that is authentic immediate controlled free
acquiring precise control of the body’s expression in space
finding a way physically to make others ‘see’
maintaining spontaneity with repetition
away from the tyranny of words
THE STUDENT IN ACTION ALONE
presenting elements of everyday life as self
finding physical means of presenting the true reality of the ordinary
observing the characteristics of an occupation and showing them truthfully to an audience
given a subject the student composes, plans and develops the stage action
students find ways of being persons as different as possible from themselves
ACTING
the art of telling a story to an audience
(there are a cross-overs from the Voice and Speech and Movement aspects of this syllabus)
realism naturalism
tragedy comedy farce melodrama
actor playing as self playing someone else
ensemble acting
solo acting – monologue soliloquy chorus
text – its analysis and usage
building a character
use of space and acting spaces
proscenium thrust/apron in-the-round avenue/traverse Amphitheatre
actor and audience
actor and director
in rehearsal
theatre history and playwrights
Constantin Stanislavsky Michael Chekhov David Mamet