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Students will explore one of the four background/historical elements for Theatre of the Absurd. Within their groups, they will create a way to share their area of exploration with the class. This works best as a multiple-class lesson.

Students will explore using clichés, stereotypes, and overused phrases in dialogue as used in Theatre of the Absurd.

Students will be introduced to Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and examine clichés, stereotypes, and overused phrases.

Students will explore the absurdism theatrical convention of using meaningless language to communicate (or not communicate) a larger theme of interpersonal relationships and misunderstandings. Students will create nonsensical scenes using their own text messages.

Students will explore acting the absurd by taking a blank scene and adding specific absurd acting choices.

Students will explore the absurdism theatrical convention of circular plot lines that appear to go nowhere and end in unresolved situations. They will create a conventional and an unconventional (absurdist) plot line using a well-known fairy tale.

Students continue to explore the absurdism theatrical convention of circular plot lines that appear to go nowhere and end in unresolved situations. Students are introduced to The Arsonists by Max Frisch.

Students will perform a blank scene, varying the placements and lengths of pauses to show the absurdist convention of using pauses to create tension and misunderstanding. They will also be introduced to the master of the pause, Harold Pinter.

Students will demonstrate the absurdist dialogue convention of strange and ill-timed pauses by adding pauses to Lucky’s monologue from Waiting For Godot and either direct or perform with varying pauses in their performance.

Students will create a scene where impossible things happen and there isn’t a conventional response. This is a multiple-class lesson.

Students will act truthfully in fictitious circumstances, as they physically act as humans turning into rhinoceroses. They will be introduced to Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros.

Students will apply what they have learned in a final project. Their goal is to demonstrate their understanding of the elements and the historical and philosophical background of absurdism. This will be a multi-day project.

In order to partake in the audition process, students need to identify and comprehend the necessary steps in that process. What is the auditioning process? Why is it used? Is the process fair? Why or why not? The class ends with students playing director in the “Who Would You Cast?” Exercise.

An actor needs two documents when they audition for a role: a resume and a headshot. What should go on an acting resume and what should stay off of it? What is an auditioner looking for? Students will discuss the purpose of an acting resume, review a model, and reflect on the process. Students will use this template when they create a resume for their mock audition.

While the Mock Audition does not require students to bring in a headshot, it is an essential document in the “real world” audition process. A good headshot will help a director remember an actor. A bad headshot can get an actor rejected before they step through the door. Students will complete exercises that respond to the question What makes a good headshot?

Students will continue their journey toward the Mock Audition by exploring audition etiquette. How can an actor’s attitude and behaviour affect an audition?

Students will continue their journey toward the Mock Audition by exploring what goes into choosing an appropriate audition monologue.

Students will continue their journey toward the Mock Audition by reading and choosing a monologue for their mock audition.

After students choose their monologues, the next step is to prepare. More often than not, students think that preparing means learning the lines and throwing in a few moves. When students do this in an audition, it shows. The character is one-dimensional and the movement looks out of place. You want to see three-dimensional characters brought to life both physically and vocally. In this session, students are given time to practice their monologue and start working on the who, what, when, where, and why.

Students will continue their journey toward the Mock Audition by exploring what they can do to prepare their monologue. Once students have completed the Character Profile, have them complete the Physical Profile. This will solidify how the character stands, gestures, and moves.