NSAE/TAISM Standards & Benchmarks

Drama and Theatre

By the end of grade 8:

1. Script writing by the creation of improvisations and scripted scenes based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature and history.

a. Individually and in groups, create characters, environments, and actions that create tension and suspense.
b. Refine and record dialogue and action

2. Acting by developing basic acting skills to portray characters who interact in improvised and scripted scenes.

a. Analyze description, dialogue, and actions to discover, articulate, and justify character motivation and invent character behaviors based on the observation of interactions, ethical choices, and emotional responses of people.
b. Demonstrate acting skills (such as sensory recall, concentration, breath control, diction, body alignment, control of isolated body parts) to develop characterizations that suggest artistic choices.
c. In an ensemble, interact as the invented characters.

3. Designing by developing environments for improvised and scripted scenes.

a. Explain the functions and interrlated nature of scenery, properties, lighting, sound, constumes, and make-up in creating an environment appropriate for the drama
b.Analyze improvised and scripted scenes for technical requirements.
c. Develop focused ideas for the environment using visual elemetns (line, texture, color, space) visual principles (repetition, balance, emphasis, contrast, unity) and aural qualities (pitch, rythm, dynamics, tempo, expresssion) from traditional and non-traditional sources.
d. Work collaboratively and safely to select and create elements of scenery, properties, lighting and sound to signify environments, and constumes and makeup to suggest character.

4. Comparing and incorporating art forms by analyzing methods of presentation and audience response for theatre, dramatic media (such as film, television, and electronic media), and other art forms.

a. Describe characteristics and compare the presentation of characters, environments and actions in theatre, musical theatre, dramatic media, dance, and visual arts
b. Incorporate elements of dance, music, and visual arts to express ideas and emotions in improvised and scripted scenes
c. Express and compare personal reactions to several art forms
d. Describe and compare the functions and interaction of performing and visual artists and audience members in theatre, dramatic media, musical theatre, dance, music, and visual arts

5. Analyzing, evaluating, and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions

a. Describe and analyze the effect of publicity, study guides, programs and physical environments on audience response and appreciation of dramatic performances
b. Articulate and support the meanings constructed from their and other' dramatic performances.
c. Describe and evaluate the perceived effectiveness of students' contributions (as playwrights, actors, designers, and directors) to the collaboraive process of developing improvised and scripted scenes.

6. Understanding context by analyzing the role of theatre, film, television, and electronic media in the community and in other cultures

a. Describe and compare universal characters and situations in dramas from and about various cultures and historical periods, illustrate in improvised and scripted scenes, and discuss how theatre reflects a culture.
b. Explain how culture afects the content and production values of dramatic performances
c. Explain how social concepts such as cooperation, communication, collaboration, consensus, self-esteem, risk taking, sympathy, and empathy apply in theatre and daily life

By the end of grade 12:

1. Script writing by improvising, writing and refining scripts based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literaturem and history.

a. Construct imaginative scripts and collaborate with actors to refine scripts so that story and menaing are conveyed to an audience.

2. Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions.

a. Analyze the physical, emotional, and social dimensions of characters found in dramatic texts from various genre and media.
b. Compare and demonstrate various classical and contemporary acting techniques and methods.
c. In an ensemble, create and sustain characters that communicate with audiences.

3. Designing and producing by conceptualizing and realizing artistic interpretations for informal or formal productions.

a. Explain the basic physical and chemical properties of the technical aspects of theatre (such as light, color, electricity, pain and makeup)
b. Analyze a variety of dramatic texts from cultural and historical perspectives to determine production requirements.
c. Apply technical knowledge and skills to collaboratively and safely create functional scenery, properties, lighting, sound, costumes, and makeup.
d. Design coherent stage management, promotional, and business plans.

4. Directing by interpreting dramatic texts and organizing and conducting rehearsals for informal or formal productions.

a. Justify selections of text, interpretation, and visual and aural artistic choices.
b. Effectively communicate directorial choices to a small ensemble for improvised or scripted scenes.

5. Researching by evaluating and synthesizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices.

a. Identify and research cultural, historical, and symbolic clues in dramatic texts and evaluate the validity and practicality of the information to assist in making artistic choices for informal and formal productions.

6. Comparing and integrating art forms by analyzing traditional theatre, dance, music and visual arts, and new art forms.

a. Determine how the nondramatic art forms are modified to enhance the expression of ideas and emotions in theatre.
b. Illustrate the integration of several arts media in informal presentations.

7. Analyzing, critiquing, and constructing meanings from informal and formal theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions.

a. Construct social meanings from informal and formal productions and from dramatic performances from a variety of cultures and historical periods, and relate to current personal, national, and international issues.
b. Articulate and justify personal aesthetic criteria for critiquing dramatic texts and events that compares perceived artistic intent with the final aesthetic achievement.
a. Constructively evaluate their own and other's collaborative efforts and artistic choices in informal and formal productions.

8. Understanding content by analyzing the role of theatre, film, television, and electronic media in the past and the present.

a. Compare how similar themes are treated in drama from various cultures and historical periods, illustrat with informal performances, and discuss how theatre can reveal universal concepts.
b. Identify cultural and historical sources of American theatre and musical theatre.
c. Analyze the effect of their own cultural experiences on their dramatic work.