I FINISHED IT

My play is done!!!

I wrote it over the course of the week. I was going to wait until the break was over or near the end of December, but I couldn't sleep the one night. I got all of these ideas and started writing some down. As I wrote, more came. I did more research on the play, the Greek Gods, the history of Pandora and everything.

Of course, this is a rough draft and the first draft, so it's subject to a lot of change and I have like 50 people that I want to show it to. But so far, it's done. I'm so excited :D

WOW

It's been a WHILE.
Well, things with my grad project are going pretty well. I've been getting more research and I've written my action plan proposal. I've got almost my whole action plan outlined on a schedule. It's organized very well and good enough to give me a lot of time to do and finish what I need to do.

I've gotten a lot of things done and am a litte stressed out right now, but it's going good. It's a lot easier and less stressful because a lot of the things we had to do and be done with by the end of the trimester were either postponed or just cut in half to make everything duable. It helped a lot. And I'll be doing a lot of research over the break on this so everything will be done!

And my outline is set up so I will have EVERYTHING that has to do with writing essays and researching and scripts out of the way. I'm going to need everything I have to work with those kids and get the play done. I just hope I'm ready and prepared for the extent of what I'm supposed to be doing.

Outlines

I've already done a rough draft of my outline. That's what we're working on today. I'm going to finish my parahraphs, too. I think I can definately get that done and ready by friday. The note taking is actually going better. I'm pretty happy about that.

I've already gotten started on some of the action plan. I can't wait for January to start. :]

Proposals

We're writing the 5 paragraph proposals for the action plan. We're also still researching. I got more research done for the grad project and I'm going to try to renew the book I have. So I'm doing better, but I need to get more research done still. Thank God Mrs. King made us a schedule for the papers we have to write. That helps out a lot. I'm staying after school today, too so I can get some more research done on the paper.

I'm getting some kids to think about the whole play idea. I asked some and they said they'd do it. Half of them don't want to speak or be a main character. They want small parts. Hopefully my acting class will be good enought to get the stage fright out of them.

Forgot to post!

Didn't get to post earlier.

Well, the researching is going better. I made a to do list of stuff I really need to get done. I'll be at the library this weekend working on research. Hopefully that goes well. I did get a lot done today. And my books aren't overdue yet. I have another week (about). My outline/schedule for my action plan is pretty done. It's a rough draft because I'm not 100% sure of everything. By the time break comes around I should be, though.

woah baby

I haven't posted in a while...been really sick. :[

Once again, I NEED to get more research done for my paper! I need to start working harder on that. I wasn't able to do research all weekend and I missed monday! I only have 2 weeks! I need to get this stuff done!

I do have a lot more ideas/possibilities for my interview, too. That's been going well at least. I need to also get the action plan stuff done. There's a lot to squeeze in in 2 weeks, but I just need to manage my time better I think. I'll definately be researching this WHOLE week at home and maybe the library. That reminds me I still need to get my book back there today, too. I hope I can get them renewed or something I'm not finished with them.

I have a copy of what I want to do from one of my teacher's friends. He took a one act play and stretched it/produced a musical from it. I'm going to read throuhg it and see how it ended up and then maybe ask him about the editing and stuff he did. Can't wait!

Interview Questions

Here's the questions I have for my interview. I'm hoping to interview someone who has put on a play or has experience with turning ancient things or performances into modernized settings and stuff like that.

1. What's your field/what is it you do exactly?
2. What is most important to focus on if you're trying not to lose the original idea/moral/plot to a story?
3. What are some ways to keep that story or idea while still keeping it appropriate for the audience you want to portray it to?
4. What are important ideas to keep in mind when thinking about the adaptation of the original story (making it appropriate for the audience/children)?
5. What legal actions should I know about when editing the original story?
6. What are some common mistakes I can try to avoid when trying to modernize/childrenize the story?
7. What other advice would you give to someone adapting a story for this purpose?
8. What should someone writing a script keep in mind having to do with the characters?
9. What other stories/myths would you reccomend me looking at or reading that could help me with the project?
10. Do you know of any playwright's or people in the field who did something similiar to this? Maybe I could find out about them or research them.

Those are all the questions I have right now, but I'll work on them tomorrow.

Interview

I still have no clue what I'm going to do for an interveiw. I might ask someone at City Theatre and see what's going on there. I'm still kind of worried about it. I also need to get some more research done before the week's over. I'm trying to have at least one article done and both of my books researched/skimmed through by next week. Then I got to start organizing my notes and questions and stuff. This is really stressing :/

Well, the whole action plan is going way better than the actual research. I already have stuff for the script poppin in my head :]. I'm real excited.

Pandora's Box!

I figured out the myth and I'm excited to write it now! I'm going to write Pandora's Box. I've got so many ideas about the whole thing and I really can't wait. YAY!!

I'm researching from my books now, too. It's a little confusing right now. I really don't like that everywhere I go it's the same information. Yeah, it's reliable then. But it's the same thing everytime! That's part of researching, though I guess.

still researching...

Still getting research done!

I got my books! They're really good, but the one I'm going to have to skim. I don't have time to read 300 something pages. I think my paper's going to go well. A little worried about the interveiw, though. I don't know who to intervew everyone form that time period is dead.

We'll see I guess.

Library....

We're at the library right now...waiting for the library cards.
This sucks. Everytime I try to get a card, something goes wrong. Apparently, we need some kind of signature for it or something. I hope we have time to get all our stuff. We're leaving at 12 and I wanted to check out Dracula. :[

seems like forever

Yesterday I went to my internship early, so I didn't post. I'm doing good on my research and I think I'm going to start staying mondays to get some more done. There's way too much on my plate right now and I can never work at home :/

But, I found the 2 books I'm going to get for tomorrow at the libray:

Ley, Graham. "A Short Introduction to Ancient Greek Theatre." Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.

Nardo, Don. "Greek Drama." San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 2000.

Researching

I've been getting a LOT of research done on my topic. I got all my note setups done (I made myself little template things!) and am taking them now. I have 6 articles in my webliography. I need to finish that tonight though. I have articles ready for evaluating to put in the webliography, but I just need to get it done.

I have a place for the play!!! WE can do it at the Hazelnut so far, but I need to talk to Mrs. King about some things first, though.

My Poster/Collage

I want to make a new poster, but for now this is what I have.

It's supposed to depict the play we're performing and hopefully captures some of the dramatic, tense feeling I felt when reading Perseus and Medusa (or the copies of it I collected) and thought of if I ever decided to write the script for one.

I want to change it around because I don't know if that's the play we're doing. Plus, now that I know I'm working with kids, I want it to be less scary and tense and more fun. At the same time, I want to keep it educational and keep the original feelings and ideas of the myth. I also want to keep it as a possible flyer for our performace dates.

Action Plan!!!

So I've FINALLY decided what to do and everything I need now.
Research is coming along, but I could be doing way better. I'll be on task more this week, though and get a lot of work in for my paper.

I asked my minister and made sure everything was ok with Ms. King and everyone else and I even asked some of my cousins if they'd help. I'm going to try to put on a play at my Chruch's Coffehouse (The Hazelnut). Instead of having the Drama Club perform it, I'm going to use the kids from my neighborhood and kids from my church. I'll have practices and stuff. I've already got a place, so far it's going to be free, but the funds will probably go to the Hazelnut and hopefully I'll get to keep some to donate somewhere. I'm not 100% sure on everything yet, but I'm only supposed to be researching right now anyway.

right now.....

I am compiling my webliography (the rest of it). I decided to just make a new blog for it.

I also found a graphic novel (thanks mr rucker) that would make a REALLY good play. The only thing is it's not greek. It's about a girl who grew up in Iran around the time of the Islamic revolution and stuff that happened. It's really long, but I don't have to use the whole thing. Since it's just about her childhood, I could do part of the book. It would make sense. It's worded simply (since it's a graphic novel) and provides a lot of illustration to help with the ideas.

Mrs. King said I'd have to get the copyright info and stuff and permission from the publishing company and all that jazz. I could still use my research about Greeks and just use some of the methods and styles and ideas they had. That's all my research paper is really on, anyways.

Well, here's the myths that I mentioned earlier that were also an idea:

King Midus and the Golden Touch
http://www.childstoryhour.com/story22.htm

Theseus and the Minotaur
http://historylink102.com/greece2/theseus.htm

The Trojan Horse story
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/religion/myths/trojanhorse.htm

Enjoy! Tell me what you think!

5 minutes...

I FINISHED MY QUESTIONS!!!!

I'm finally done I'm so happy! It was hard. I also have a new inspiration for a script. Medusa is a good story, but some things are a little outrageous to perform. Thanks to Mrs. King, there are a few stories I have now that can be put into a more realistic script and modernized easier. Then again, I'm supposed to challenge myself. We'll see what happens.

I'll post the actual myths later on!

Questions dude

FINALLY FINISHED!!!

What made the Ancient Greeks so successful in the way they wrote and produced successful plays and performances?

• What acting methods (if any) did they invent or use to perform?
• Where did they perform or in what kind of setting to best suit the performance?
• What kind of plays and performances were popular back then?
• Who were some famous writers from then and what are some of the plays/scripts they produced?
• What techniques did they use to make the props and scenery? What materials did they use?
• Were the performances and plays opent to everyone? Were they for royalty or could anyone see them? Who were they held for?
• What people performed in the play? What kind of people (class, race, sex, etc.)?
• What worries did they have for content or controversy dealing with the material of the play?
• Were the plays and legends based on real stories, people or testimonies?
• What were the plays and stories mostly based on?
• What were their purposes and what were they used for?

http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/Theater.html
^^ there's another research link I found. Very helpful; will be in the webliog. soon.

1-10

So, today we're supposed to rate ourselves on how we are working in Research class.

Honestly, I'd give myself a 7 1/2.

I could be doing better. I am getting a lot of research done here and at home. I'm also doing good on finding excellent sources and I've actually got a few books lined up to use as sources. I'm actually a little indifferent about it. I have a lot of research and work done, but I think I could have more. I'm really ahving trouble writing my script and getting the feel for the rigth mood for my play. I don't really know how to explain it; I'm never satisfied with what I have. I'm trying to do the best I can, but nothing's clicking.

I also put the blame on myself for being a little talkative. Our class is pretty socially active at times, so I need to learn to get past that and quit getting so distracted. I might actually move my seat, I don't know yet.

As far as my blog goes, I think I'm doing good with that. I blog pretty much everyday and update on my progress.

Here's my rating!

Can't focus today

I can not focus today...which is bad because this is the "hardest assignment of the whole process." I'm trying really hard to come up with my question. I'm looking over my notes and stuff. Most of my webliography is done (I'll put the rest of that in the little blog thing I posted about it later on.)

I'm still trying really hard to focus on this topic. I think I'll do way better tomorrow on finishing this. I'm along the lines of a few questions right now:

• What is an Ancient Greek Myth that would be good to use to write and possibly perform a good and managable script/play?

So, I'm having problems with my Essential question. I'm trying to brainstorm stuff that would go into the question and what I've done research on.

• Greek mythology - I'm rewriting a Greek myth and making it into a play.
• Theater - I've been working in a theater and need to research more of it to find out how I could possible put on the play or perform it as well as write a good script.
• Ancient Greece - The play's language is going to be in Ancient Greek language and it needs to make sense.
• Greek theater/performing arts - I was thinking using of some of the methods the Greeks would use when they put on plays and wrote them.

not good.

Bad news, people. I don't think my topic for my graduation project is going to be good enough to get a lot of research for a research paper. I'm, honestly, not 100% sure that I could fit two different research topics into one paper. I don't know how it would work out. I hope my whole idea doesn't change because I can't do my research paper.

My webliography (right below this blog) should be finished by, the latest, tomorrow night. I have been using WAY too much stuff and it's gonna be a while before I cite EVERYTHING.

That's pretty much all that's going on right now.

EDIT: I talked to Mrs. King and I figured out a REALLY GOOD research topic, so it's all good now.

Webliography

Today I'm working on my webliography. My letter of intent is finished and I handed it in yesterday. I hope I don't have to deal with that anymore.

I went to Ringold yesterday and talked to him about the play. Basically, he said if the play I write id good, we'll perform it. He also said he'd help me with it and gave me some other ideas for it. When Callan's the student director, we'll go over it and see if we can perform it. That will be next year, though. Hopefully I have enough time for my graduation project to perform it.

So anyways, here's the start of my webliography. I'm using the articles I've already used and citing those. I'll put in new articles later, I guess.

___________________________________________________________________


This article gave a lot of really good information. It told the story of Medusa and Perseus and gave a lot more background information on Medusa and her story/history. It provides you with many links to different sites when it lists resources. It also gives links to multiple articles on wikipedia. The only problems I have wikipedia articles are the reliabilty of them. It is a public site that is edited and gets information from public users and anyone who wants to edit it. I also have problems with the links because most of them are just linking to random articles on wikipedia that might not have anything to do with the subject your resourcing. For these reason, I gave the article a 6.

This article was very useful when it came to the history of theater and the performing arts. It tells about the history of theater in all time periods. This is the article that actually started me on the topic of Greek mythology and performing a play about a Greek myth. It is pretty reliable, but provides very little linkage to other sources. It does have images of early theatres and cathedrals where performances were held. The article actually comes from the website of an actual Theater, so I'm thinking it's pretty reliable (they must have someone running the website. Still, I'm not too sure who the author is since there's no specific name. I've given this article a 9.

This article was very helpful and has a BUNCH of information in it. It has info on the complete history of theatre and the performing arts. It's also very full of information for my research paper, on theater's history and how it's changed since earlier times. Once again, though, this is a wikipedia article. It is publicly edited and there is no specific author, so the information may not be as reliable as I need it to be. But, because of it's great sources on information, I've given this article an 8.

todayyy

I'm going to start my note taking, or at least try to. I still don't have the Oddyssey yet, but the bookstore ran out so I'll have to find it somewhere else. If anyone has a copy, it'd be greatly appreciated if I could borrow it or have it for a little while.

I'm also going to Ringold tomorrow and asking him about preforming my play if it's good enough. I REALLY hope it doesn't suck.

I'll be adding more terms to my list in the blog a little further down, so check that if you're interested. Wish me luck at Drama. :/

Here's my letter. If anyone can edit this or check it for errors and stuff, I'd really appreciate it again.

Mrs. King
City Charter High School
717 Liberty Avenue.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Dear Mrs. King:

For my internship, I've been working and performing tasks at City Theater. For a while I've been interested in theater and the performing arts and find myself fascinated by it. Because of this, I've decided that my research topic for my graduation project will be related to this. I've been researching the Greek myth/play "Perseus and Medusa" and it's history in performing arts.

In other words, I'm looking at the play and it's history of being performed or how the story has been changed for the sake of performance and other details like that. I'm going to have to research a lot about Greece and the history/role it had in performing arts. I'll also have to research the language and how they spoke back then to write a script as well as my research paper. I'll need to also find out about the myth and the background of the story.

I have read about the play and actually read/did a "mini-performance" of it in middle school, but I don't know a whole lot about the background of the myth or the whole story. I also don't know a whole lot about it's history in pop culture. I have researched and learned some things, but I don't think I have enough to be able to put my plan into action. To do this, I will be reading the Oddyssey, research using the internet and libraries and my internship is providing me with good experience for my action plan.

My action plan is not as clear as I would like yet, but it falls along the lines of a performance of my written script for a play based on "Perseud and Medusa." I might make a modernized version. I also might just tape the performance. I might just take the script to the City High Drama Club and see if we can put a performance on. I'm not 100% sure yet.

I do understand that any research I use has to be my own and that I cannot directly copy ideas from anyone without a direct quote. I will not use anyone's work but my own and will not plagorize.

Sincerely,
Christina Provident

catching up...

Since I didn't get to yesterday, I thought I'd catch everybody up.

At Barnes & Nobles, they have these mini $3 dollar books of really old classic books that you can buy. I'm going to get Illiad (sp?) and I'm going to get The Odyssey (they're seperate...) and I'm going to try to read those and use those as guide's for my script.

Still not sure what story I'll actually use yet, but I'm getting a LOT of research for my paper. :]

late!!

http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/imageswomen/papers/kottkegorgon/gorgonmyth.html

I think this might be the myth I'll use. I'm still not sure. It's a pretty popular story that people have probably hear of, so they'll be familiar with it. I'm going to have to read it a couple of times over to see how a script would play out. I'm going to try to keep it one act (at the very most, two) to keep it pretty simple and short.

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/religion/myths/perseus.htm

Here's a REALLY simplified version of the story. I think more people will be able to follow that version.

updating

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to post because I wasn't here. But I was thinking about creating a different play on this story (it's probably going to be familiar to some of you guys):



It's the un-disney version. Anyways, I think I'm deciding against it now because it's a little too complicated and I'd have to change the whole idea of my research paper and that's way too much for now. But we'll see, there's still a chance.


Here's some of my terms having to do with theater or greek mythology that I've collected so far:

Thespian - of or relating to drama; dramatic
Myth - (1) usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon (2) parable or allegory
Heroine - (1) a mythological or legendary woman having the qualities of a hero (2) a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities
Apron - Section of the stage floor which projects towards or into the auditorium. In proscenium theatres, the part of the stage in front of the house tabs, or in front of the proscenium arch.
Blocking - The process of arranging moves to be made by the actors during the play, recorded by stage management in the prompt script. Positions at the start of scenes are noted, as are all movements around the stage.
(more of these will be added soon!)



Meanwhile, I'm still trying to find a good Greek myth or Greek God/Goddess/Hero/Heroine that would help make a good plot or play for me to write. I'm a little worried this won't work out. I got permission from the current student director to write a play for the drama club. Hopefully, I can write it soon and it will be good enough for us to perform it!

Thanks Mrs. King

Mrs. King gave me a play! Even if I write my own, it's good to have to help me with the language and know a little bit about how life was back then and the style the plays were written in. I've read a little bit and so far it's kind of funny. It's not too descriptive and it's REALLY long, so I'm not sure about preforming it yet. I'll talk to Ringold or something later on, though.

http://drama.eserver.org/plays/classical/aristophanes/lysistrata.txt

hulloo

Home and just decided I'd post my new idea while the window thing was still open.

I'm gonna rewrite a Greem myth into a play and do something with it. I have a LOT of ideas and things to do with it, but so far I'm just gonna try to write it first!

That's all!

ah!

so...I was in Mrs. King's class and I didn't know we don't get twelfth grade year to do our projects! There's no way that you can do EVERYTHING you need to do to make a play/performance in the time we have. And my other project idea is taken, so now I have no idea what to do. I don't think I'd want to do a movie anymore, but I'm not sure. So I need to come up with a new idea. My paper will still be the same, though so there's something I can do.

Topic/Research Paper

Hellooo...

I've been doing some research on theater and the performing arts. I think that's what I'm going to write my paper on so far. I only found two websites with actual history on the subject and not listings of theaters and performing arts schools and stuff like that.

I guess I'll save my links here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre

http://www.tctwebstage.com/oftheatre.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performing_arts

Blog Questions

a. I've heard a lot about the graduation projects at City High from students and teachers. I've heard it was something that you have to work hard and not goof off on. My brother said it was fun for him because he enjoyed the subject. He also used his internship as a tool for his graduation project, which is what I'm trying to do. I also heard from a lot of people that the project is fun and interesting if you pick a subject that you like and are interested in.

b. My general idea is something to do with a play or a preformance. I have an internship at City Theater (South Side) to figure out all of the components of a good play/performance. I think it would take a lot of planning and work, but I think it's something I'd really like to do. I want to try to become the student director of the Drama Club if I get another chance to do that, but I think the play would be a better graduation projects.

c. I like to change my mind and switch things up a lot. I'm afraid if I do that and run out of time for something, it will be a bad or messed up looking project. It might come out unfinished. I also am worried I'm going to run out of time to do everything I need to do. One more worry is if I can get enough people to be involved in the play if I decide to do it. There are too many worries to consider, but I'm trying to be confident.

First post from me...?

So...I guess I should start posting about my grad project now.

So far, I don't have an exact topic. I have an idea: a play. That's all I know. I was going to take the place of student director for the Drama Club, but it's taken so there goes that idea! :[

Somehow, I guess I'm going to try to put on a play for some kind of public. I'm not too sure how or what the details are yet, but I'm still starting.

As far as the internship goes, it's actually helping a lot with the whole "play" idea. I'm working in the props department right now. I didn't think I'd spend as much time in the office/on the computer for the props than I am. There's a LOT of research to do. :/

Anyways, that's all for now. I'll update when something new happens.

Brainstorming Topic Ideas

Brainstorming Topic Ideas

Fine & Performing Arts:
City Theater Internship
City High Drama Club
Youth Group vocalist

Health, Physical Fitness, Sports:
Daily Run
Soccer
Volleyball

Business:
Cashier (Hazelnut Coffeehouse)
Job Training


Travel:
Chicago
Disney World
Italy

Social & Environmental Concerns:
Youth home/health care in modern U.S. and other countries
Global Warming
Childhood Obesity

Human Services, Education:
Tutoring
Babysitting/Childcare


Philosophy, Psychology:
Religion
Psychology
Philosophical/Religious Discussion/Debates

Space:
Exploration
Travel


Specialized Hobbies:
Writing
Photography
Web design

Law & Justice:
Local Acts/Laws
Construction issues in Pittsburgh


Other:

Narrowing Your Topic:

Play/Performance of some kind
Directing a Movie/Short Video
Student Director's Video Blog

1. The two that are REALLY appealing are the student director blog and play.
2. I think the play will use all of the skills I've learned from the Internship I'm at right now and use some skills I already know. The student director would, too and add my skills of video recprding and editing that I'd have to learn.
3. I think the video blog would have a lot more resources provided. The Drama Club

Intro to Blogging

1. According to the article, blogging is a pastime or a livelihood. It can also become an unhealthy obsession.
2. Technorati has counted about 2,000,000.5 blogs.
3. About 4% of online users actually read other people’s blogs.
4. Mr. Wiggins states that “I’m just getting something off my chest,”
5. According to Scott, it feels like he’s doing something important if everyone’s doing it together. 6. He feels that he has to blog for any of the readers that do see his blog, or maybe that he needs to blog for himself to read.
7. The Web’s illusion of immortality is often more attractive than cash according to Quint.
8. Blogging can become so addicting that it’s all you focus on. People like Jeff Jarvis can delay duties to their job or schoolwork or even family members and loved ones in Wiggins’ case.


I think blogging can be something fun that everybody should do. It's a way to release your feelings and get things off of your chest without having to tell everybody and their mom about it. It's also fun to share your ideas with people and a way to do so if they aren't there next to you or there's no other way to contact them. I do, however, think it's not something to get addicted to. You shouldn't blog every single second of every single day. It's not healthy. When things like that happen, you don't care about or pay much attention to anything or anyone anymore. Then, people in your life feel neglected and you miss so much in life.

To me, something that you don't normally see in a blog really catched my interest. I don't like to read things that are boring and predictable. I'd pay attention to someone with unique or creative outlooks and views on certain subjects rather than someone who just says the same thing that everyone else says or says the same thing all the time.

I honestly don't think that rules should apply to anything when blogging. Blogging is a way to express yourself and show your own opinion without any rules or restrictions. Of course, if you blog for school like I am right now, that's different. There will be rules and restrictions. The only thing I think people should have to worry about is hurting others. As long as they don't do that, then I don't see why there should be restrictions or rules.