Advanced Acting
Course Syllabus 2014/2015
Instructor: Jamie Oettle
Room: J33
Availability: 8:30am—9:30am Daily and by appointment
* Syllabus subject to change.
Course Description: This course helps students learn about themselves and their strengths as
well as weaknesses as actors and communicators in life by:
 challenging the beginning, as well as, the experienced actor.
 written assignments, evaluations, performance assessments, research, group work, and
daily participation in exercises
 experiences that they will not only be able to apply to everyday life, but strengthen the
skills that they will need to be leaders in their community.
 studying dialects, working with partners, researching characters, memorizing and
analyzing scripts, performing in front of an audience, evaluating performances,
improvisation, directing and choreographing their own acting scenes and studying the
world around them.
Course Goal:
 Students will develop the knowledge and implement the methods of several different
acting theories, with the goal of discovering what works best for them as an actor.
 Each student will challenge him or herself to step out of his or her comfort zone and
become more than one type of character through research and empathy of other
people and situations.
 Students will experiment with roles through personal, character, and written exercises to
gain new skills and tools, which they can use on stage or in everyday life as
communicators and leaders.
 Students will recognize and eliminate personal habits that distract from their effectiveness
as a performer.
 Students will demonstrate their knowledge and skills through observed practices, group
exercises, written work such as quizzes, journal writing, and tests, performances, written
analysis, role-play, and improvisations.
Grading and Requirements: Each assignment carries a point value associated with the final
grade. Grading scale follows Goddard High School grading standards. The major
assignments are as follows:
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Formal Monologues
Duet Acting Scene
Daily participation
Dialect practice
Dialect final
Paperwork and analysis
Journal
Worksheets
 Tests
 Memorization checks
 Peer critics
 Resume
 Acting theory project
 One Act work
*More projects and assignments to be
added.
Classroom Policies and Assignment Overview
 Daily Grades: Usually by written assignments or participation exercises or improvisations
for that class period. All written assignments are due at the beginning of the hour the day
after the assignment was given unless otherwise stated. If you chose to come to class
unprepared you will not benefit from the learning process and will not gain daily points.
 Grading: Grades will be based on total points obtained throughout the semester. In
many ways the 9 weeks grade acts like a progress report. Grades do not start over at the
beginning of the 2nd nine weeks. Make every assignment count!!
 Memorization checks: Memorization will be graded on each acting assignment that
requires memorization for the performance. Memorization will be graded prior to the
performance on a designated date as well as during each performance. The sooner the
material is memorized the earlier the actor can begin to create and polish the character.
 Acting Assignments: Formal acting assignments will be given during the course and will
be graded according to the objectives clarified when the acting assignment is assigned.
Performances will be graded not only on the actual performance, but the process,
including time on task and other preparation. Monologue, duet, group, and dialect
assignments will be given. All acting assignments must be taken from a published script
unless otherwise stated.
 Tests: Whereas some material will be objective, most tests will be application-oriented.
This means that the students must synthesize and apply material discussed and studied to
solve problems, or answer questions based on real-life situations (you must be able to use
what you learn in different situations then the context you learned it in).
 Late Policy: All papers, homework, or otherwise are considered late after they have been
collected. Acting assignments are due for everyone on the due date specified unless
arrangements have been made with Mrs. Oettle at lease 24 hours in advance. If you stay
on task in class you should be well prepared to perform on time. Late homework will
receive a 25% reduction on the first day it is late and 10% each day there after. Formal
acting assignments will receive a 20% reduction on the first day they are late and 10%
each day thereafter. Late work will not be accepted for credit if it is turned in after the
nine weeks that the assignment was given. If you are absent for any reason and fail to
hand in or perform an assignment on the day you return--which was due on the day you
were absent--it is automatically considered 2 days late and will be graded accordingly
unless arrangements have been made with the teacher.
 Absences and Make-Up work: Absences will be recorded and turned in to the office. Be
sure you read the attendance policy in the Goddard High School handbook, this will be
strictly enforced. *note: it is your responsibility to obtain make-up work—not the teacher’s
responsibility to make sure you do
 Tardy Policy: The tardy policy, which can be found in the GHS handbook, will be
followed. Be sure you read and understand this procedure. Tardies will be recorded and
you will be held accountable for each one you receive.
 Finished Form: Because good communication skills are important in any career you
chose and written communication is often used, each assignment will also be graded on
presentation, correct mechanics (including complete sentences) and legibility.
Occasionally some assignments will be graded according to 6-trait writing. All homework
should be submitted in blue or black ink on a whole sheet of loose-leaf paper (no spiral),
unless otherwise specified by the teacher. Typed assignments must be submitted in 12pt
New Times Roman font, using 1” or smaller margins. All papers must have your name and
date on the top of the page.
 Grade reporting and Parent Responsibilities: Progress reports will be distributed during
each nine weeks. If a parent is concerned about his or her student’s grade, or if the
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student does not arrive home with a progress report, the parent should make initial
contact. If students are not meeting parental expectations, the parent can call for
weekly reports. Parents are encouraged to participate in the Skyward Gradebook
Program. The student will be responsible for ensuring that they obtain a grade printout
from the instructor during non-class time.
Food Drink and Seating: There is absolutely NO food or drink (unless it is water) in the
drama classroom. There is ABSOULTLY NO food or drink in the auditorium or theatre!!
Students caught with food or drink in either location will be held accountable according
to the discipline guidelines.
Discipline Problems in the Classroom:
If a problem occurs in the classroom (foul language, refusing to work, food/drink,
disrupting other students, harassment, not coming to class prepared to work, etc.) the
student will first receive a verbal warning.
If the problem persists the student will receive a 30min. classroom detention to be served
before or after school, parents will be called if necessary. Students will have 2 days after
the detention is given to complete this time. If the student does not serve his/her
detention he/she will then need to serve a 60-minute detention before or after school,
parents will definitely be contacted. If the student chooses not to serve the detention
he/she will receive a discipline referral, and the matter will be turned over to his/her
principal, parents will be contacted.
If the problem is severe the student will immediately be sent to the office, and
appropriate actions will be taken according to the Goddard High School regulations,
parents will be contacted.
This will be a great year if you put forth your best effort. Remember to support each other.
This class will be fun, but the fun will come from the work!!