FROM THE VILLAIN’S POINT-OF-VIEW
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
FOR TEACHERS
Theme: UNDERSTANDING
HISTORICAL FIGURES THROUGH DRAMATIC MONOLOGUES
Utilize drama methods to impact and integrate history, character
education, team building, and teamwork. Through developing “confrontational”
and “defense” monologues, participants learn how to engage students in historical
dramatic monologues which will help them identify with historical characters,
good and bad, from the character’s point-of-view and how their
actions/reactions might be triggered from environment, culture, circumstance, and
home-life and how “motive” plays an integral part of understanding all characters.
In this
workshop students learn to create scenes from character motivation (what I
want), to obstacles (what’s in my way), to strategy (what to do to succeed).
Study/understand character development through environment, culture, beliefs,
experience and circumstance. Through character analysis, discuss/discover
motive and cause/effect of character reactions/decisions to environment,
culture, beliefs, experience and circumstance. Students create theatre using
inspiration from reflection of lives and history and discussion following other
students’ performances.
Students choose
a famous, but flawed (aren’t they all?) historical figure and research that
character’s contributions (positive/negative) to history. Students then write
and perform a monologue with a prop/costume.
What students
will do?
45-minute intervals
Easily
modified to fit all grades
Instructional Objectives:
Teachers
will know how to:
Study different point-of-views of historical figures that
brought about change, positive or negative and their “motives.”
Study cultures of the time, belief systems, and government
of their country and how these elements affect character and character’s motive
for his/her actions/reactions.
Study behavior of “opposing” individuals and groups toward a
particular historical figure and the “whys” of the opposing characters
Demonstrate theatrical creative process and principles to
relive history and bring historical character to life.
Use “confrontational” and “defense” monologues
to create an understanding of historical principles, development, religious,
and political systems in character’s region.
demonstrate different
points-of-views so students may understand more the “whys” of history, the need
for diversity, global cooperation, and multicultural perspectives.
Develop a greater understanding of the need to improve
attitudes towards individuals and groups.
Investigate positive and negative aspects of historical
figure’s life and those involved in or causing directly/indirectly his/her
life-changing behaviors/events.
Record communication from past to present
through the words and actions of the actor.
Write a “confrontational” and “defense” monologue
perform monologue
Create costume.
Teachers will be able to:
Help students personally connect to the historical figure
Help students relate to historical figure’s challenges back
to themselves by asking questions about how the student would feel or react if
they had been in the figure’s shoes and faced with the same challenges
Deepen the student’s understanding of the historical
character(s), the times, the culture, the environment, and the challenges
Teachers will appreciate:
How “confrontational” and “defense” monologues do much more
than just having students step into the shoes of the historical character. Confronting
and defending make students think about the “whys” and understand “motive” in
an active way.
How students will learn that characters can mimic each
other’s actions, but that their “motives” for that action can be entirely
different.
Supplies:
Book containing historical biographies from different POVs
VCR or DVD Player – sample monologues (Check public
library/history sites)
Video Camera –record students
Students must supply some type of costume or prop that
relates to their character.
Instructional Plan:
Discuss the different ways students can research a famous
person in positive and negative light. Record information in
notebook/board. To the students:
“Have you ever been asked to explain “why” you did something?” Most students
will reply, “Yes.” You elaborate more. “You might be asked ‘why’ you did
something negative or ‘why’ you did something positive. You might be asked
‘where’ you got the idea. You might be asked ‘how’ you did it. Or even ‘what’
you were thinking when you did it. Or ‘who’ else was involved. And ‘when’ you did it.” Write who, what, where, when, and
how on the board. These will be elements the students give some focus to as
they research.
Explain a monologue:
a long passage in a play or motion
picture spoken by one actor, or an entire play for one actor only.
Tell students to choose a “confrontation” monologue or a “defense” monologue of an historical character. The “defense” monologue tries to defend character’s actions to an opposing character or group of people. The “Confrontation” monologue confronts an opposing character/group of people about how he/she/they affected historical character’s life, well-being, and rights and also how his/her/their treatment might have adversely affected character’s traits/behaviors. The students only choose “one” character for the monologue, but must also choose the “antagonist/antagonists” to which the monologue is directed.
Tell students to choose a “confrontation” monologue or a
“defense” monologue of an historical character. The “defense” monologue tries
to defend character’s actions to an opposing character or group of people. In
other words, his/her “motive.” The “Confrontation”
monologue confronts an opposing character/group of people about how he/she/they
affected historical character’s life, well-being, and rights and also how
his/her/their treatment might have adversely affected character’s
traits/behaviors. A “confrontational” monologue will also ask “why” the
character/group acted they did. In others, what was his/her/their “motive.”
Explain motive: reason for doing something or behaving in a particular way.
Have students choose “one” character for the monologue, but also choose an
“antagonist(s) to which the monologue is directed.
Develop two sample model monologues, “confrontational” and “defense,” for students to use.
Instruct students to list positive/negative facts/traits about their character.
Pass out short biographies and have them start with these. From these biographies, demonstrate on the board how students can begin their list.
Provide students with other resource material and/or a list of resources they can use for research.
Provide time for library visits or Internet use. Allow time for students to complete information in the classroom with writing partners/groups and at home.
As students work, have brief conferences with students about their character and opposing character(s).
Ask questions and comment on the student’s work relating to their character’s nature and what traits would be best used in a five-minute monologue.
For instance: Mary I was very close to her mother, but Henry VIII separated mother and child when he married Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn was very cruel to Mary. Ask students how they would’ve felt if that had happened to them. Would they be hurt? Angry?
Encourage them to use “emotion” in their monologue.
Only guide students in developing monologues to enhance their
independence. By students researching resources and choosing monologue
information, they expand their knowledge of an historical world, its cultures
and environment, and improve their own understanding of life.
Have students write a short “confrontational” or “defense” monologue (no more than three-five minutes) in first person that they will perform for the class. Give students the freedom to choose the nature of character as “they” see the historical figure, ie: pompous, regretful, angry, defensive, humble, proud, guilty, etc., but encourage them to use incidences from throughout the historical figure’s life, failures as well as successes.
Have students bring at least one stage prop for their
character that would help to define the character, clothing, beard, jewelry,
book, instrument, headwear, something to use during their presentation to help
them get into character.
Videotape students performing their monologues in the
classroom...
Assessment:
Share with class what makes a monologue strong and effective
and use these steps to assess each student presentation.
Improvisation and Role Play of Monologues
Curriculum Expectations:
BEGINNER:
INTERMEDIATE:
Theatre Standard:
Acting by assuming roles and interacting in improvisations
Drama “shows” children about life – actions, consequences,
customs, beliefs, about others and themselves, historical and present-day. But
this is not something new to children. They have always learned from pretending
and from television, movies, and books and attempted to discover and understand
the world they live in by pretending to be other characters. They have always
created pretense environments to make imaginations a reality, assuming the roles
of other living beings (animals, aliens, whatever), and while interacting with
peers, they have always tried to maintain order in their drama
world while responding to their peers’. Children are born with the skills of
playwrights, actors, designers, directors, and, of course, the
listening/comprehending skills of an audience. Integrating imagination and
pretense with drama and history enhances a child’s education and his/her
understanding of life.
Students assume a role that demonstrates concentration and
contributes to classroom dramatizations based on imagination, literature, and
history
Students compare global characters and situations in dramas
from and about various cultures and historical periods and illustrate character
through a scripted scene
Students analyze emotional and social impact of dramatic
events in historical character’s life, in their culture, and in their
environment
Students learn how culture affects character and how social
concepts, such as cooperation, communication, self-esteem, risk taking,
sympathy, and empathy apply to daily life in the past, present, and future.