Higher Drama

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Higher Drama Set Text The Crucible
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Learning Intentions

• To understand how we use the 'set text' in our
  Higher Drama course.

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Your set text

• This is the first play you will study in Higher
  Drama.
• You should read it more than once!
• You want to know this play inside out as it will
  help you gain marks in your exams.

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3 main outcomes

• You will perform an ACTING piece from a scene in
  your set text as part of your acting exam.
• You will write an ESSAY on your prescribed text
  in the final written exam (from a selection of 4
  questions)
• You will complete a DRAMATIC COMMENTARY and
  GROUND PLAN on a scene from your text in the
  final written exam.

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How do we do all this?

• With a lot of work!
• By using your KNOWLEDGE of the play.

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What Do I Need To Know

• All the CHARACTERS in the play and their
  motivations.
• Understand RELATIONSHIPS in the play and how they
  develop.
• Understand the THEMES and ISSUES explored in the
  text.
• Where and when each scene/act is SET.
• How you would act, direct or stage the play?

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Study of a text in its Theatrical Context

• You must understand when the play was written and
  set.
• The play which you are going to study is 'The
  Crucible' by Arthur Miller.
• Here are some facts about Miller and when and why
  he wrote the play.
• 'The Crucible' was written by the late playwright
  Arthur Miller from New York in 1953.
• Miller had already written successful plays
  including 'All My Sons' and 'Death of a
  Salesman'.

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FACTS

• Miller was know for his success in writing these
  plays and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
  He is also known for being married to Marilyn
  Monroe from 1956-1961.
• However, there is one more reason why Miller has
  been in the public eye.
• Miller was called to testify before the 'House
  Un-American Activities Committee' (HUAC).
• This committee was chaired by Senator Joseph
  McCarthy.

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FACTS

• The committee existed at a time when FEAR was
  rife in America.
• Context The Second World War had only just
  ended in 1945, leaving a strong determination
  that no totalitarian forms of government must
  ever be allowed to develop as Hitler's regime
  developed.
• Russia was now being watched uneasily because of
  the totalitarian aspects of international
  communism.

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FACTS

• There was an exaggerated fear in America that
  Communism might infiltrate the government.
• Communism (a system of social organization in
  which all economic and social activity is
  controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a
  single and self-perpetuating political party
  everything controlled by a government).
• Investigations were vigorous and aimed to seek
  out any person in any way sympathetic to
  communism.

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FACTS

• As it was led by Joseph McCarthy, the process of
  routing out of Communists was called
  'McCarthyism'.
• As many artists (who were forward-thinking)
  became accused Miller became aware of the manner
  in which suspected communists were accused and
  questioned and didn't like what he discovered.
• If accused you were asked to name names of others
  you know/suspected of communism. Many people
  NAMED NAMES out of fear of being blacklisted.

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FACTS

• In this 'naming of names' Miller noticed a
  parallel between the McCarthy trials and the
  history of the Salem witch trials of 1692.
• In puritan Salem, witchcraft was terribly feared.
  If you were accused of witchcraft you would be
  forced to say who else bewitched you. If you did
  not NAME NAMES you would be hung!
• This resulted in the hanging of many innocent
  people in Salem.

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'The Crucible'

• Miller had found a way of commenting on
  McCarthyism without directly commenting on it.
  His vehicle was the Salem witch trials.
• Miller studied the facts of the time and used it
  to create the fictional 'The Crucible', which is
  loosely based on real people and real events.

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Summarise

• You should now understand how you will use your
  set text.
• You now know a little about the playwright and
  context in which the play was written!
• (by Arthur Miller, 1953, America, during
  McCarthyism)
• You are about to learn a little about the context
  in which the play was set! (1692 Salem,
  Massachusetts, Salem witch trials).

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Reading 'The Crucible'

• Before we begin reading The Crucible choose a
  character from the play (any!).
• As we read the play think about
• what the character's personality is
• what their motivation is
• what their relationships are
• how the character develops throughout the play.

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Reading 'The Crucible'

• As we read the play make note of the following
• Key characters
• Relationships
• Themes/issues
• Important scenes/key moments
• Important quotes
• You should use your summary sheets after each
  reading and complete your notes.

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What else to look out for?

• Pay attention to the playwrights stage directions
  as you can refer to these in an exam.
• Imagine you were going to direct this play, how
  would you stage it? Or act in this play, how
  would you play the characters?
• What reaction would you be looking for from the
  audience?

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Before we begin!

• ENJOY the play, it is a wonderfully emotional and
  intense play with a powerful message.

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Character Map Aims

• To have a full understanding of who all the
  characters are in the play and how they are
  connected.
• To have a visual aid to use when studying The
  Crucible
• Your character map might look a little like this.

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Character Map
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Character Map

• What things do you think you could include in
  your character map?
• Details on characters personalities
• Details on characters relationships
• Details on how relationships progress in the play.

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The Reduced Performance

• The Crucible

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Aims

• To strengthen our memories of the text.
• To discover all important moments in the play.
• To communicate to an audience, all the important
  aspects of the play.
• To have the chance to adopt the roles of many
  characters in the play.

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How do we perform a reduced performance?

• Each group will present a shortened version of
  each Act, which can be in your own words and also
  use quotes from the play.
• The idea is that if you presented this to an
  audience who knew nothing about the play, they
  would know almost everything about it after
  viewing the presentation.

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The Reduced Performance

• Each group will be given a different Act to
  study.
• In groups you will discuss the Act in detail
  taking note of all events that happen, and of key
  events.
• You can take notes of important quotes that you
  want to include.
• You can plan and rehearse how you want to present
  each Act.
• Costumes/Props can be provided to show character
  changes. A narrator is also a good idea to show
  the passing of time (etc), and other conventions
  can be used, e.g. tableau to perhaps show
  important relationships.

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The Reduced PerformanceTips

• Do not spend too long planning your performance.
• You can use your summary to help you establish
  key moments as a starting point.
• Quickly establish what type of presentation you
  want to do will people play multiple roles and
  show scenes? Or will you use still images and a
  narrator? How will you use the quotes to
  perform?

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More Tips!

• You cannot communicate everything that happens in
  the Act!
• You might decide to represent the present themes
  in the Act.
• You dont have long to create and rehearse this!
• Do not worry to much about the performance being
  polished this isnt your acting exam.
• Experiment with new ideas of how to present
  information about the play.

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Success Criteria

• Have we strengthened our memories of the play?
• What are the important/key moments in the play?
• What have you learned about characters in the
  play by adopting their roles?

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The Crucible Characters
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Learning Intentions

• To study a character from the Crucible in depth,
  in preparation for your written exam.
• To have a bank of quotes about that character
  that you can use in the exam.

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Tasks

• Choose your character.
• Write out a summary of what that character
  experiences from the start of the play until the
  end.
• Complete a character description including
  information about that character, e.g. background
  info, personality, relationships.
• Look through the play for quotes that support any
  information you have given about that character.
• Does Miller use the character to show any themes?
  How does he do this? Use quotes to support your
  argument.

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Choosing a character

• You should only choose a main character to write
  about. Here are some good suggestions
• John Proctor (tragic hero represents the theme
  of guilt/individual conscience)
• Elizabeth Proctor (virtuous wife represents the
  theme of honesty)
• Abigail Williams (manipulative female represents
  the theme of fear, adultery)
• Reverend John Hale (intelligent expert on
  witchcraft represents the theme of integrity)

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Final Check!

• You should now have detailed knowledge about at
  least one character which you can comfortably
  write about in the exam.
• You could do the same activity again, but this
  time with another character, or you could
  highlight an important relationship in the play.

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No Fixed Stage
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Learning Intentions

• To begin to realise how you would breakdown exam
  questions.
• To do this with your no fixed stage essay
  question.
• To think about how YOU would direct The
  Crucible.

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Tasks

• Group discussion of question.
• Feedback and class discussion of question.
• Group/individual rough essay plan (i.e. what
  topics you will cover in essay)

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Question

• IF YOU WERE ASKED TO DIRECT THE CRUCIBLE IN A
  VENUE OF YOUR OWN CHOICE WITH NO FIXED STAGE,
  WHERE AND HOW WOULD YOU DO IT? REMEMBER TO
  JUSTIFY FULLY ALL YOUR DECISIONS.

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Final Check!

• Do you understand the question?
• Do you feel you that you know how to unpack an
  exam question? How would you do this?

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Learning Intentions

• To learn all theatre arts.
• To begin to think about what theatre arts you
  would apply to the Crucible (there are already
  clues in the play look for them)

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Tasks

• Powerpoint on theatre arts take notes.
• Study the play to look for already existing
  theatre arts e.g. sound, lighting, set, etc.
• Clue Millers stage directions at the start of
  each act will help you with this, but also think
  of any other theatre arts throughout the play
  that already exist.
• Your design concepts of the play plan what
  theatre arts you would use and why. Would your
  set design be symbolic or realistic?

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The Magic Six!

• Remember there are 6 types of theatre arts.

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Lights
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Why would we use lights?

• Stage lighting is used for 3 reasons
• To see the actors and action.
• To focus the audiences attention on particular
  areas or characters.
• To create a mood or atmosphere.

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What can we do with lights?

• Here are some basic functions with abbreviations.
• You can program lights to switch on/off.
• You can fade lights up or down (F/U or F/D).
• You can fade them fast or slow (Q/F or S/F).
• You can CROSSFADE the lights (C/F).
• You can snap to blackout (B/O).

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What else can we do?

• You can change the colour of lights by using
  GELS.
• You can choose to light separate areas of the
  stage, e.g. USR, CS by ANGLING the lights.
• You can have the lights brightly or dimly lit by
  choosing the LEVEL.
• You can spotlight characters by SHAPING the beam
  of light (e.g. narrow/wide).

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Types of Lights

• There are 5 types of lights you should know.
• Profile Spot
• Fresnel Spot
• Floodlight
• Spotlight
• Follow Spot

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A PROFILE SPOT gives you a HARD-EDGED BEAM OF
LIGHT. They are fitted with shutters, usually
four, which can be pushed into the light beam,
shaping its appearance on stage. There is usually
a slot cut into the body of the lantern, which
accepts Gobos cut out metal patterns whose
image is projected onto the stage.
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FRESNEL lanterns give a soft-edged beam of
light. Used to create large washes of light
(like a flood), They have external BARN DOORS,
which shape the beam.
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BARN DOORSused to adjust the shape of the beam
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FLOODS are used to provide large area washes of
light. They come equipped with a gel frame and
are especially useful for lighting backcloths.
The beam cannot be shaped, so generally other
lantern types are more flexible.
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Spotlight

• A profile lantern can be used to create a
  SPOTLIGHT which is a beam of light created by a
  lantern for a person or place on the acting area.

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Follow Spot

• A follow spot is a powerful profile used to
  follow actors around the acting area.

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Gels

• Gels are film placed in front of a lantern to
  change the colour of the beam, which can create
  different moods or atmospheres and symbolise
  themes in the drama.

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Special Effects are achieved by using such
equipment as

1. Disco Ball
2. Gobo (thin metal plate cut out in a pattern and
   place in a lantern to project pattern or shape)
3. Strobe light
4. Pyrotechnics
5. Effects Projector
6. Smoke Machine

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Props
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Types of Props

• There are two types of props personal props and
  set-props.
• Personal Props An item carried by, or worn by a
  character, such as glasses, handbag, wallet.
• Set Props An item placed on the set, usually
  part of it e.g. a lamp, a clock, a picture.

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Remember!

• It is important to get the right stage prop for
  any production because props will add the final
  touch to the overall setting.
• Props should be in keeping with the period or
  style of the production, e.g. mobile phones would
  not be used in a play set at the beginning of the
  20th Century.

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Costume
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Why wear costume?

• Costumes help make the characters believable.
• Costume helps the audience identify the
  characters more easily and can help the actor
  build up the character he is portraying.

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Make-up
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Why use stage make-up?

• Make-up is used for to allow for actors to be
  seen under bright stage lights.
• Make-up is used to help create a believable
  character or effect.
• Lets look at some make-up effects.

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• Every make-up application starts with a
  foundation base. FOUNDATION can be either pale
  or dark.
• SHADING use colours to make facial areas look
  shrunken e.g. under the eyes.
• HIGHLIGHTING use light colours to make face
  areas stand out e.g. cheeks.
• You can create wrinkles and shades by using
  LINERS.
• See the next slide and think about what has been
  done to make this character look old or ill.

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• A STIPPLE SPONGE can be used to show stubble on
  the head or chin or cracked veins.
• Latex is liquid rubber which can be used to make
  SKULL CAP moulds to make people look bald.
• WOUNDS and SCARS can be built up using make-up.
  This is called SCARRING.
• See what you think has been used in this next
  picture.

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• Perhaps a character is injured and has to be seen
  with a black eye, wound or cut.
• LINERS can be used to create bruises.
• LINERS sticks of make-up in different colours
  which can create lines, bruises, shading or
  highlighting.
• PENCILS can be used in different colours and are
  easily smudged and blended.
• See what make-up you think the make-up artist has
  used in the next picture.

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• NOSE PUTTY is a type of clay that can be used for
  altering the shape of the nose or chin and
  or/making warts and wounds. False noses can also
  be made by LATEX.

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• Strong red lipstick can be used to show the
  character is a powerful female boss. Whereas
  softer lipsticks might be used for characters
  such as princesses.

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• TOOTH VARNISH can be used to create the look of a
  missing tooth by blacking out an existing one, or
  by colouring teeth.

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• CREPE HAIR - Plaits of artificial hair can be cut
  and trimmed to form eyebrows, moustaches and
  beards. SPIRIT GUM is glue used to attach hair
  to the face.

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Fake Blood

• Fake blood can be used in a variety of ways
  (powder, liquid or capsules) to show that blood
  has been shed.

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Make-up can be used to create fantasy characters.
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Sound
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Types of sound

• There are two types of sound.
• Atmospheric sound e.g. music.
• Sound effects.

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Atmospheric Sound

• As it suggests atmospheric sound creates a mood
  or atmosphere that directly affects the audience
  e.g. sadness, happiness, romantic mood, scary
  atmosphere.
• Atmospheric sound can also tell the audience
  information about the production e.g. the period
  or style (historic or ultra modern)
• It could communicate information about a theme
  from the lyrics.
• It could also be used to build tension.

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Sound Effects

• Sound effects are noises used to signal something
  e.g. a gunshot, an explosion, a knock etc
• Sound effects can be pre-recorded or live.

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Set
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Set

• Set includes any furniture that is used in the
  production.
• This can include tables, chairs, etc.
• It can also be theatre created set, like flats or
  backcloths with scenery painted on them, or door
  flats, window flats.
• Rostra are raised platforms used to represent
  objects e.g. bed, platform, counter, sink,
  fireplace, etc.

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What is a design concept?

• When a Director has a design concept, they have
  thought about the overall style of the drama in
  terms of theatre arts.
• They have ideas about how to use theatre arts to
  represent where and when the drama takes place.
• They have thought about ideas to represent the
  message of the drama or the overall mood and
  atmosphere they wish to create.

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Set Design

• There are two types of set design
• symbolic or realistic
• Realistic where the set appears real and
  life-like, exactly how it should appear.

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Here is a realistic set design in a play called
Proof by David Auburn
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Symbolic Set Design

• Symbolic - where the set represents elements of
  its location to symbolise where and when the
  drama takes place, or represents the dramas
  message.

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Here is a symbolic set design in Shakespeares
Julius Ceasar
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Have a guess!

• Have a close look at the next picture of a set.
• Think about what the Director is trying to
  achieve by designing the set this way.
• Is it a symbolic or realistic set design?
• How do you know this?
• What is the Director trying to represent or
  symbolise?

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Staging

• Staging is not a theatre art but there are many
  types of stages that you could perform The
  Crucible in.
• However, you have to complete a ground plan in
  your exam and it must correlate with your essay.
  This means that you should choose a stage type
  which you can comfortably do a ground plan with,
  i.e. end-on staging.
• End-on staging allows all the audience to have
  the same view of the acting area, with more space
  in the acting area for movement and scenery
  making it easier to direct, but can distance the
  audience so it is good to have the performers
  come close to the audience for an intimate
  atmosphere when using end-on staging.

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What are the 6 theatre arts?

• Remember all of these when thinking about your no
  fixed stage essay question, or any other question
  involving set design, a director or design
  concepts.

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Learning Intentions

• To know how to structure your essay.
• To complete your essay plan.

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Tasks

• Class discussion about structure.
• Your essay plan.

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Structure

• What basic structure should any essay have?
• What structure would you divide your no fixed
  stage essay into?
• Create your essay plan for your no fixed stage
  essay.

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No Fixed Stage Essay Structure

• Possible essay structure
• Introduction Historical background who wrote
  the play and why it was written.
• Social background of the play - Puritanism.
• State choice of venue, and the mood and
  atmosphere you wish to create.
• Act 1 what theatre arts you would use and how
  you would direct actors to create intended mood
  and atmosphere. Take new paragraph for each act.
• Conclusion state why your choices would be
  effective.

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Learning Intentions

• To think about how to open an essay.
• To create your opening paragraph of your no
  fixed stage essay.

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Tasks

• In pairs discuss what you would include in your
  introduction.
• Class check What do we not want?
• Individually create your opening paragraph of
  your essay. You may use your background notes to
  do this.

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Ground Plans
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Learning Intentions

• To know the ground plan for each act of the
  Crucible.
• To have a copy of these ground plans to keep and
  study.

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Tasks

• Split into four groups, each with a different
  act.
• Draw a ground plan for the act.
• Present the drawn ground plan and real set design
  for each act.

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The Crucible Dramatic Commentary
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Learning Intentions

• Apply what we have learned about dramatic
  commentary and use this information to help us
  create a dramatic commentary for The Crucible.
• Be able to apply what we learn from our practical
  direction to our written dramatic commentary.

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Tasks

• Remember what a dramatic commentary should
  include.
• Direction of a scene.
• Begin dramatic commentary.

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Dramatic Commentary

• What do you remember that you have to include in
  your dramatic commentary?
• Moves, Justification, Technical Effects

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Directors

• Tell them WHERE to move (stage positions)
• Tell them HOW to move
• Tell them HOW to speak
• Tell them WHY they are acting this way
• Their personality
• Their motives
• Their background
• Their status
• Their relationships

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Directing

• MOVES
• In what manner are they moving?
• Where are they facing?
• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Body language
• Posture
• Eye contact

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Directing

• VOICE
• Volume
• Pitch
• Pace
• Tone
• Emphasis

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Moves Column

• The director should describe the moves of the
  actors including
• STAGE DIRECTIONS To place the characters on the
  ground plan, i.e. USC, DSR and include entrances
  and exits.
• MOVEMENT To describe how characters are moving
  by using movement terminology, i.e. facial
  expression, posture, body language.
• VOICE To describe how the line should be
  delivered using appropriate voice terminology,
  i.e. tone, pace, volume, pitch.
• INTERACTION of characters To describe how they
  interact, e.g. stare, cuddle, etc.

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Justify on two levels

• Explain how your direction illustrates the SHORT
  TERM objectives or problems/issues that the
  character is tackling.
• Explain how your direction illustrates the LONG
  TERM objectives or problems/issues that the
  character is tackling.

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Technical Column

• This must be done on 2 levels
• The physical effect you hope to achieve, e.g. to
  create the impression of a warm day in June and
  to light the faces of the actors.
• The mood or atmosphere you hope to achieve, e.g.
  to communicate the warmth and love between the
  characters.

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Remember to

• State opening position of actors in the first
  move.
• Use adverbs is a very good way of explaining what
  your intended directorial interpretation is.
• Aim for roughly 12-15 moves per page of script so
  pick the best moments!
• Try to make your moves and justification
  detailed.

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Character/Acting Essay

• The Crucible

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Learning Intentions

• To be able to discuss the characters of The
  Crucible play in detail for your essays.
• To have a bank of important quotes you can use to
  support your argument about characters in the
  Crucible.
• To be able to write the first part of your second
  Crucible essay.

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Tasks

• Look at 2010 question and discuss this as a
  class.
• Discussion of qualities and characteristics
• Discussion of characters in groups and
  presentation.

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Question

• Choose a character from your prescribed text and
  describe their qualities and characteristics. As
  an actor, how would you perform this role?
• Qualities A personal trait, qualities that make
  up ones personality e.g. confident.
• Characteristics A feature that helps to
  identify, or distinguish a person.

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List of possible qualities/characteristics

• Trusting, courageous, jealous, honest, brave,
  manipulative, honourable, assertive, resentful,
  individual, affectionate, forgiving, caring,
  spiteful, unselfish, selfish, devoted, envious,
  hard-working, spiteful, cold, warm, loving,
  heroic, proud, strong, domineering, loyal, evil,
  weak etc

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Group Discussion

• Discuss any qualities or characteristics your
  character may have.
• Go through the characters journey in the play to
  discover where these qualities and
  characteristics emerge.
• Try and find quotes to support your answer!
• Prepare your presentation the group with the
  most suitable quotes wins!

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Part 2 of the question

• Choose a character from your prescribed text
  and describe their qualities and characteristics.
  As an actor, how would you perform this role?
• How would you start this answer?
• As an actor I would want to portray many of
  these qualities and characteristics. I would
  want to show how John Proctor is an honest, proud
  and brave man who loves and protects his wife. I
  would also want to show how he is not afraid of
  authority and is constrained by the guilt he
  feels over his affair. I would portray Proctor as
  an individual who is motivated by personal
  integrity. Ultimately, he is a man who cares
  about the truth and hence, goes to his death as a
  tragic hero. I would use various performance
  skills to do this.

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New Paragragh

• In the next few paragraphs go through each act,
  pin-pointing various moments that are important
  for this characters journey and discuss how
  would use the following acting techniques to
  portray the character

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Acting Techniques

• Voice (volume, tone, pace, clarity, pitch,
  accent, emphasis)
• Movement (Gesture, facial expression, body
  language, eye contact, posture)
• Use of silences, pauses.
• Use of space (pacing)
• Stage positioning
• Character inter-relationships

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Tips on improving character essay

• Introduction introduce the play (info) then
  introduce who the character is (brief description
  of role in the play) then begin to answer the
  question.
• Part A Answer part A of the question with
  quotes (referring to the question).
• Quotes Introduce them, indent them, explain the
  quote and summarise the point you are making in
  relation to the question.
• Explain what has happened in the play when
  relevant.
• Part B refer to A points and question (must
  link!)
• Point A, point B structure is possible, if you
  prefer.

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Themes and Issues

• The Crucible

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Learning Intentions

• To have a sound understanding of all the themes
  and issues in the play
• To be able to say how you would highlight these
  through your design concepts.

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Tasks

• The Crucible basket game.
• Pair up and pick themes. Look to see where the
  themes are present in the play, try and find some
  quotes.
• Join pairs share findings.
• Class discussion of themes.
• Read worksheets Themes info booklet and
  Question.

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Themes/Issues Pick a few!

• Honesty
• Hysteria
• Personal Integrity
• Good and Evil
• Witchcraft
• Struggle Between Freedom and Oppression
• Individual Conscience
• Fear
• Courage
• Envy
• Revenge

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Themes Question

• As a DIRECTOR, explain how your design concepts
  would illuminate the themes and issues of your
  prescribed text.

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Opening or Closing Scene

• Q. Explain the significance of the opening scene
  in your prescribed text. As a director, explain
  what impact you would like this scene to have on
  the audience and how you would achieve this.
  (2005)

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MOMENT of Dramatic Tension

• Can you think of any moments in The Crucible with
  great dramatic tension?
• Please note moments are not Acts or scenes they
  are shorter than this.
• Q. Describe what you consider to be a moment of
  great dramatic tension in the text you have
  studied. How, as a Director would you realise
  this moment in performance?