Greek+Drama

The Greek Drama unit is primarily project-based and centers around one of the following plays, depending on what your group selects:

Agamemnon - Aeschylus The Libation Bearers - Aeschylus Eumenides - Aeschylus Oedipus the King - Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus - Sophocles Antigone - Sophocles Medea - Euripides

Each group of 5 is responsible for a slideshow explication of the play which incorporates consideration of the biography of the playwright and the history of both Greek (both the play assigned to you and all the greek dramas in general) drama and drama’s further evolution (cite your sources!), a written review of the play, a theatrical poster or playbill, and a 3-5 minute trailer to be performed in class or presented via video/DVD. All aspects of the project will be presented in class. You may choose to work with members within your class period or the other class period.

//Thesis approval// (20 points): Thesis needs to be submitted 3 school days (see syllabus) before the presentations.
 * Requirements:**

//Slideshow presentation// (100 points):
 * Each “slide” must have a combination of words and pictures. These facts/pictures must support your thesis. Reminder: words should be in phrases NOT sentences or paragraphs. Think of each “slide” as one paragraph of an essay; thus it should have the pictures and/or words to support an idea.
 * This component of the presentation should run approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
 * Suggested applications: PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, SlideRocket.
 * Make sure animations and transitions are appropriate to the tone of the slide and/or pictures/words.
 * Make sure you cite your sources following the MLA format.
 * Connections must be made to fictional events

//Written Review// (60 points):
 * Critiques a performance (obviously imagined) of play, incorporating the employment of elements of drama by set, acting, etc. and written in the style of critical reviews
 * Approximately 4-7 well-developed paragraphs in length.
 * Must be in newspaper/periodical layout with the corresponding facets (advertisements, supplemental articles, etc.)
 * Can be presented in print and electronic form.
 * Tips: Google Docs has newspaper templates and allows for collaboration outisde of class. Pages and Word both have nice templates. I suggest reading through some reviews online to get a feel for the voice in which critics write.

//Poster/Playbill// (30 points):
 * Includes a visual representation of play, either symbolic or literal.
 * Follows the playbill/poster format (e.g. playbills list producers, directors, cast including previous work, usually have advertisements. Posters list major actors and production information.)
 * Is cleanly composed to present for all audiences; may be color or black and white to create tone and mood.
 * Can be presented in print and electronic form.

//Trailer// (60 points):
 * Must be approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
 * Merges various scenes so as to draw audiences.
 * Lines must be memorized.
 * Setting may be updated, but language must remain intact.
 * Music and special effects should be appropriate to mood, tone, and theme.

//Presentation Grade// (30 points):
 * All group members must participate in the presentation in class.
 * Dress and speak appropriately. This is a formal academic presentation, so practicing your delivery is expected.

Presentations will take place on Thursday, April 21, in the auditorium.



THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR PRESENTATIONS:   1. Dress appropriately 2. Practice for pacing and pronunciation. 3. Do not read from the slides - they are a visual aid meant to support your speech. 4. Do not read titles of slides - work them into a transitional statement. 5. Everyone must be part of the presentation, so designate who will present what aspects of the thesis. 6. Order of presentation: Defense of thesis, newspaper, poster/playbill, trailer 7. Presentation of newspaper: summarize your analysis and present the construction of the newspaper (why did you put the extras in, organize it the way you did, name it what you did. etc?) 8. Presentation of poster/playbill: explain your choices for visual representation of play 9. Presentation of trailer: after screening, explain why you chose the scenes you chose, music or sound effects, etc. 10. Question and answer will happen after each component as the presentation progresses. 11. Smile! It will all be over soon :)

Audience members: you will be evaluating your peers as they present and asking questions based on their presentations. __You will NOT be practicing your speeches or working on anything else during their presentations.__