21M.645 Motion Theater
Spring 2017
Instructor: Caleb Hammond
Lecture: T EVE (7-10 PM) (50-201)
Announcements
correction
Announced on 15 May 2017 8:59 p.m. by Caleb Hammond
Final Class
Tomorrow is it! Looking very much forward to seeing your work.
I will be around to open the room by 6pm if anyone needs to get in early for set-up.
(If you come by after that and the door is locked -text me: 857-498-0042. I will be near by)
If you happen to be even more keen to get in early you could hang out by the door when the pervious class ends at 7 and tell the instructor your are setting up for my class. I have it reserved from 6pm on so its possible that someone else might have reserved 5-6pm .... but unlikely.
We will run through these works one after another (with the usual 6-7 minute set-up time between) and then have a general critique/ discussion about all of the work at the end. Be ready to say a word or two about each your classmates' projects - I'd encourage you to take notes if you need.
Here is my proposed running list (forgive my haphazard quick naming of your groups)
Upstairs-Downstairs (Baltazar, etc...)
Ophelia / String Theory (Scott, etc...)
The Two Hamlets / The Two Claudias (Jamie, etc...)
Ghost Bros. (Kevin, etc...)
In the mind's eye (Victoria, etc...)
I'll be video-recording these -I need copies of student work for faculty review. I'll make the files available for you as well.
Josh Higgason (another faculty memebr in the Theater Dept) will be attending the presentations - and perhaps one or two other people I know (very friendly audience memebrs, I promise.) You are welcome to invite friends to come watch if you like as well.
If there are any last-minute tech / logistics issues/ changes that it would be good for me to know about please e-mail me!
ALSO: For fun (not required viewing) - Here is a link Tomo sent me of a Japanese prodcution of Hamlet. I think it's interesting to see - I was going to show a few minutes to y'all last class but forgot.
I'd recommend checking out the opening for a few mninutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx8T3Sy-Dao&list=PLE2AD70DBD25A51D9)
I think the stage-set is very interesting (and shares some similaring feeling to some of your projects)
And: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9p3W31LMnc&list=PL4C77529A6C64BF5D&index=8
(around the 6min mark)
One last request: Please fill out a subject evaluation for this class when you have a minute!
See you tomorrow night.
CH
Announced on 15 May 2017 8:56 p.m. by Caleb Hammond
Tonight
Tonight we will meet briefly at 7pm for a quick logistics discussion and to set a running order of the performances. Then I will release you to prepare for 30 minutes with your groups: to set up/ run referesher rehearsal /whatever you need to get yourselves organized.
See You tonight!
CH
Announced on 02 May 2017 1:28 p.m. by Caleb Hammond
Project update
Dear class:Great to see you all hard at work on your projects this week.
Just to touch base on the plan for next week:
We will show all the groups' work in progress. Can you all by Sunday night give me a heads-up as to what kind of set-up you will be doing? So that I can plan out a smart schedule for these/ know what logistic challenges we may encounter.
Although these are "rough-draft" performances I would like you to treat them with a certain level of professional presentation.
What do I mean by this?
-The performances should be pushed along as far as you can - make
some critical decisions about the work you are doing and expend
serious effort to stage them as dynamically and as smoothly as you
are able to. Memorize lines and blocking/choreography - rehearse
the transitions and technical aspects so they are functioning the
way you want without too many hiccups. The work will definitely
still be rough and subject to change - but, given that, I want you
to present the best possible, most fully realized version that you
can. Feedback from your classmates and I will then be geared
towards further refinement and making the work even stronger. But
the more you put in to this first version - the more you will get
out of that critique session.
-make sure you are rehearsed enough and comfortable enough that you can perform in a non-self-conscious way: i.e. no breaking character/ laughing at the performance or yourself.
-Several groups have expressed some question of how best to END the works. This is really up to you -- I (and your classmates) may have some good advice for this (and any other parts you are unsure of) once we see your draft version Tuesday night. In the meantime - my advice to you would be to go back to your proposal and look at the themes you have identified as being most important to the work you are creating. What do you want to show us or say to us about these theme? What image or action can get the feeling or idea or experience you want into the room in the most compelling way? And what final move will help you amplify (or re-contextualize) the experience of the moments/ scenes leading up to that point? These are also good questions to ask at this point about each moment- to-moment experience in your work - starting with the beginning move. How can you simplify and amplify your images and actions? Is everything working in the strongest way you can imagine it working? Is there a better (more compelling, more beautiful, more heart-breaking, more -disturbing/uglier/sexier/weirder/more chilling/funnier) version to be staged? Sometimes a change as simple as re-orienting the scene physically in relation to the audience will make it 10 times better. Sometimes it's a matter of sustaining a physical gesture 10 seconds long, or making the music twice as loud or soft, altering the lights slightly, etc… you get the point!
Lastly - collaborative work can be great - but working together is also HARD. Coming to a consensus takes patience and work. Don't be stubborn - don't get too attached to your individual ideas if they simply don't fit with what you are making as a team. This is a two-way street: also give everyone's ideas a chance- definitely try things out before editing them away.
Go make some good work - I look forward to it!
CH
Announced on 27 April 2017 12:25 p.m. by Caleb Hammond
Group check-in
I was excited to hear the beginning ideas for your group projects on Tuesday. You're all off to a good start and I look forward to receiving your proposals next Wednesday.
One group who wasn't able to be present on Tuesday is made up of Kevin, Ryan and Brad - and they have some interest in potentially adding a 4th member. So - no pressure- but if any of the groups are feeling like their project would actually fit better with 4 vs 5 performers - get in touch with Kevin : kvnkusch@mit.edu
Another option might be if someone ends up with a smaller role in their primary group -perhaps that person would like to lend their help as an additional perfomer (without neeeding to contribute as much to the tresearch and composition process) to the Kevin/Brad/Ryan team. Anywway - there is some flexibility to the process.
FYI: their group is focussed on exploring and expanding upon the ghost's impact on the play, and Hamlet in particular.
Cheers
CH
Announced on 14 April 2017 11:51 a.m. by Caleb Hammond
