The Creativity...
For my creative aspect, I have a lot of elements I can focus on:
1) My Music
Which comes I the form of playing the piano/flute/guitar
2) Drama
Being involved in the Secondary Production
3) My Photography
Showing and displaying my recent products
Let's put some drama in!
Wednesday 28th November
For the first term of this year, I was mainly focusing on my music and the progress I achieve every class. The question is, what do I do in class?
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I have successfully achieved and passed the Royal Academy of Music Piano exams upto Grade 6
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It was a tough journey and now I would like to primarily focus on playing the piano for the joy and for the relaxation that the instrument provides; not only for the achievement.
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I love to create my own songs and do covers of other popular soundtracks ; either by reading music or playing the song by ear
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My Goal: Was to complete three songs and learn them by ear
The goal was succeeded:
Wide Awake – Katy Perry
New Divide – Linkin Park
What Goes Around Comes Around – Justin Timberlake
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2nd Goal: I have to perform in one of the OSC Talent shows; Maybe in Music Makers and focus primarily on the piano
- Looking back, I think I need more evidence of myself playing the piano (maybe some pictures and videos)
But now looking back at out title, what does it mean….? :)
For the second term of this year I will be focusing on Drama being my creative aspect. I’m currently involved in the Secondary Production known as
“The Night of January 16th.”
“The plot centers on a trial to decide whether Bjorn Faulkner has been murdered by his secretary, Karen Andre. Prior to the start of the play, Faulkner had been a prominent businessman who swindled millions of dollars to invest in the gold trade. In the wake of a crash, he had faced bankruptcy despite his access to funds from John Graham Whitfield, a prominent banker whose daughter, Nancy Lee, had married Faulkner. On the night of January 16, Faulkner and Andre were in the penthouse at the top of the Faulkner Building in New York, when Faulkner fell to his death.” (Wikipedia)
As you can see from the attachment, I’m Attorney Stevens, the lawyer defending Karen Andre. I’m definitely ecstatic for getting that part as I can characterize her to be strict but yet display her in an eccentric way. Rehearsals have already started and will be continuing until next semester; the show is set to open during the month of March.
When looking at what will be my learning outcomes during this drama experience, the factors that I will focus on are:
- Increasing my awareness of my strength in drama and see where else I can grow (which other aspect of theatre)
- Undertaking new challenges
Goal: To understand how to develop myself as an actor in order to play a demanding role such as a lawyer. What are the techniques? Speech and physical movement wise?
Being a lawyer is a new character for me, and there is a sense of responsibility involved with the character that I haven’t experienced much with.
- Working collaboratively with others = I have to communicate well with my fellow actors in order to understand and enjoy the play more
- Definitely learn new skills!
Cast List!
Wednesday 28th November
MEHR – JUDGE HEATH -. No nonsense…very authoritative.
IXANA- DISTRICT ATTORNEY FLINT – The kindly appearance of a respectable parent, but the shrewd, piercing manner of a pawnbroker.
UPANDHA -DEFENSE ATTORNEY STEVENS - Gray-haired, displaying the sophisticated grace of a woman of the world.
DHANYA – KAREN ANDRE - Female (28). To handle her would require the skills of an animal trainer, not a lawyer. Yet she is not emotional or rebellious , but profoundly calm; one senses the tense vitality, primitive fire, untamed strength in her body – proud, head held high. She knows anything she wears will make her look good.
EMILIE – CLERK OF THE COURT – All business (but we may have some ‘fun’ with this character)
EDEN – DR. KIRKLAND – Kindly and indifferent.
CHRISTIANE – JOANNE HUTCHINS - Timid, elderly (not necessarily), neat, but almost shabby, nervous, and cringing.
MAKI – HERMIA VAN FLEET – Can be described as ‘correct’. Clothes are smart, not ‘flashy’. Manner is ‘correct’….cool, exact, strictly business.
HYUN SUK – ELMER SWEENEY – Male. Somewhat naïve (we can have ‘fun’ with this character)
MARGI – MAGDA SVENSON - Female. Middle-aged with tight drawn lips, suspicious eyes, an air of ‘righteousness’. Plain, old-fashioned clothing (can have an accent…Irish, perhaps).
DAISY – NANCY LEE FAULKNER - Female (22). Slender, very pretty, delicate as a costly statuette, elegant and refined.
LUCA – JOHN GRAHAM WHITFIELD – Male, Nancy Lee’s Father. Gray-haired, perfectly groomed a thorough gentleman with an attitude like a Major General.
ELIJAH – JANE CHANDLER – Dignified, precise, middle-aged (handwriting expert).
IMRAN – SIEGURD JUNGQUIST – (30’s). A little timid in a quiet, reserved way, with a naïve face and questioning eyes. Swedish accent.
GIORGIO – “GUTS” REGAN – Male. Loves Karen Andre. A tough gangster. Late 20’s.
YO WILL BE THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, IN CHARGE OF ALL VIDEO.
Malaysia Bound!
Wednesday 28th November
Tomorrow… myself, along with my drama class of 6 and my teacher Ms. Grant will be travelling to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, where we will be attending a Theatre festival from November 30th – December 2nd! This is such a great opportunity as we will be taught by some of the most experienced artists. I will be undertaking new challgnes and be communicating with so many children from different school around South Asia. Below is some more useful information:
ISTA: (International School of Theatre Anthropology) is an international and multi-cultural network of performers, directors, scholars and academics of the theatre. (Wikipedia)
Schools Involved in workshop:
ACS International Singapore – Paul Hannon
American International School of Lusaka – David Chapman and Penny Keet
Bali International School – Monica Coburn
Bavarian International School – Sarah Gibson
British International School Ho Chi Minh City – Catherine Clare Sargent
Creative Secondary School, Hong Kong – Marnie Duff
Dubai International Academy – Katherine Spry
Hong Kong Academy – James Woodard
International School Dhaka – Jennifer Gray
International School of Kuala Lumpur – Tim Howe
International School of Penang – Suki Atherton
International School Suva – Alexandra Vagic-Karountzos
Jakarta International School – Thomas Bartlett
Mont Kiara International School – Sterling Johnson
Overseas Family School Singapore – Emer OʼHara
Prem Tinsulanonda International School – Borys Maciburko
Regentʼs School Pattaya – Nicholas Lewis
The Overseas School of Colombo – Valerie Grant
Location: The International School Of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), Jalan Kolam Air, 68000 Ampang, Selangor Malaysia.
Attending Workshops:
Masterclasses:
1. Natya – the dance conducted by Lex Lakhsman Balakrishnan
Civilisation is mirrorred in cultural patterns. Indian arts make evident not merely its societal roots, but also its development in the performing arts. India’s rich traditions continue to inspire and, just as in ancient days, influence dance, film and culture. This masterclass seeks to introduce participants to the various forms of Indian dance and its contemporary developments.
2. Stories in you conducted by Mark Beau de Silva & Christopher Ling
An interactive workshop that encourages the participants to explore the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE in the creation and exposition of narratives.
3. The ternary nature of the actorʼs communication with the observer conducted by Chris Jacobs
The objective of this master-class would be to give students, through means ofdemonstration and practical exercises, a cognitive and corporeal understanding of how two fundamentals of of Meyerholdʼs Theatrical Biomechanics … the Acting Cycle, and Raccourci… help to provide the actor with a heightened sense of kinaesthetic response, while developing an expressive vocabulary that will better allow him to interpret and accommodate external stimuli, whether it originate from the director, the playwright, his fellow actors, the audience, or indeed from his own imagination.
4. Butoh: THE BODY and BEING AWARE – the Aura of actor conducted by Lee Swee Keong
Discover the relation of moving and rhythm
Experience an organic way of movement
Develop self awareness and the quality of stability and focus
Develop the Aura of actor
5. The Futurist Prize conducted by Timothy Howe & Judimar Hernandez
Within the context of this workshop participants will examine the conventions and belief system of the futurists, work with Futurist scripts, and attempt to honor Futurist ideals with “purist” interpretations of these abstract and absurd works.
6. Love and loss in classical Indian dance conducted by Lawrence Sackris
In this workshop, Odissi dancer and teacher Lawrence Sackris will provide a brief introduction to the dramatic content of classical Indian dance. Beginning with some basic dance exercises emphasizing rhythm, the workshop will move towards abhinaya (the exaggerated expressions of the face used by Indian dancers) and working with the Navarasa, the nine basic emotions that underpin classical Indian theatre.
These are some of the many workshops that we will attend. The main goal is to:
Goal: To learn these different techniques in order to increase my theatrical knowledge and further apply these methods in my IB Creative Drama Assignment in grade 12.
(Info taken from ISTA Workpack.)
Drama Done! :)
Well lot's have changed since the last time I wrote on the creativity section of this blog. Firstly, Ms. Grant left on some personal issues and we were left without any drama teacher and no director for the play. Over the holidays, I did manage to learn some of my many lines but my enthusiasm died down after this whole 'missing drama teacher' situation. However, after 2 weeks, we were lucky enough to get Mr. Mather, a brilliant, funny and ecstatic teacher. He may have not done IB but he was there for the whole process of the play and he made it a great success.
Rehearsals
Mr. Mather was a superb planner and planned all our rehearsals schedule according to our appearances in the script. 'Lucky' for me, I was needed ALL the time since I was practically involved with the whole play. Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...well practically the whole week, my after school consisted of going to the auditorium and just acting like Attorney Stevens, and it was enjoyable. With my character, I thought I knew her inside and out...but I didn't. With a new director and new perspectives, I had to change my character to be more witty and more peculiar and different than Attorney Flint. Since that charismatic behavior is like my personality, I was able to adapt with no problem.
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The problems I did face with my character was that I sometimes overdid the acting that it became more of a melodramatic character than just pure real acting.
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Sometimes, it may seem appealing to the audience but most times it seemed too much and I just had to bring it a 'notch down.' When I did overact, my voice would go a pitch higher, my gestures would be expanding and confusing and ultimately, I'm no longer Attorney Stevens.
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In order to cut away from being over-dramatic, I had to plan my goals for each scene and stick to the blocking schedule that I was directed to do. E.g. Act 2 - John Graham Whitfield, my goal was to make Mr. Whitfield angry in order to show the jury that he has a short temper and could be responsible for the murder of Bjourn Foulkner. In order to achieve that I slowly built up my character to become sneaky by mocking Whitfield, asking him questions one after the other in turbo speed and finally coming to the peak by insulting him. By doing that strategy, it raged Whitified, the scene made sense and the audience had a good laugh and reaction out of it.
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I was the first cast member to learn all my lines and WOAH, WAS IT HARD! But, now, i can't even forget those lines...they're my morning lyrics everyday.
Final Stages
When it came to the performance days, I was nervous...if I forgot one line or even a significant gesture, my witness would not be able to respond, especially someone like Karen Andre. Ultimately, I didn't mess up as bad as I thought I would...I personally think everything went smooth, with the hair, the make up, the costume and all the other little elements added to our success. Mr. Mather did a great job in making this a brilliant production...without him, we would have been 'screwed.'
What now...?
Since Drama is now over, my new activity for 'creativity,' is going to be something new...something actually out of the blue. I have recently got involved with this service known as 'Street Children,' where a group of dedicated people have a home where some of the street kids reside in, have their meals and also get a decent education. I was introduced to the service through my father who arranged a 'Chinese dinner,' for them....For some of the kids, they had never tasted 'Chinese Food,' or even ate in some decent plates. These children come to the home in the morning every week day, wash, eat their breakfast and then are taken to their school; come back for lunch, go to their different classes of dance and music, have dinner, wash...and go back to their real homes which mainly consist of drug-inflicted parents who rape them and sell them to prostitution at time. Other parents do care about their children but don't have the money to feed their children...When they get their dinner on Friday, some don't have any food until their breakfast on Monday morning.
After witnessing this traumatic experience, I just thought...what could I do? Ideas have come into my mind and the most creative is creating a mural for the home. The place where the kids are is quite small, and a bit dull so will a colorful or some sort of mural saying something like, 'Don't give up hope...'etc. it will vibrate the surrounding a bit. I don't want it to be a huge mural but of an appropriate size where the kids would appreciate it. The work now begins to actually figure out...HOW to make this mural.