Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE TASK
You are a theatre company with only 3 days to create and stage an entire production! You will have a director (an A-Level Theatre Studies student), one or two assistant directors and a mentor (a member of the Drama Department teaching staff). You will be given a story, a Greek Myth, as a starting point and a style to work in. As a group, you are responsible for all aspects of the production. You will be competing against the other groups and the winning group will receive a terric prize. It is up to you and your director to organise your team and to make sure that every aspect of the production is completed. You must: Perform a 10 minute version of your story to an audience in the theatre. Create set, costumes, lighting and sound Design and run an advertising campaign for your production Create a programme for your production Create a display of your work which the audience will look round before the performance Organise and run the Front of House so you can look after your audience Do all this to a budget - your director will have details of the budget.

You will be able to use other members of staff to support you but remember: It is YOUR work and you are responsible for it! Dont let your audience down!
Play in 3 Days - The Dossier 1

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE PERFORMANCE
You will be performing at 6pm on the third day (Wednesday). It is up to you to create the best performance you can, but you should limit the running time to a maximum of 10 minutes. You can choose how many members of your group will perform. You are free to interpret the story as you wish but you do need to perform in the style given to your group and you do need to be true to the story. We expect that your performance will be in the theatre. If you choose to perform elsewhere, you will need to move your audience - and the time needed to move them will be taken from your allotted 10 minutes. The audience will comprise parents, staff and the other Year 9 groups.

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE DESIGN
You have a free hand to design the show as you wish but remember, it has to be practical. You have to make it in time for the performance. There will be staff on hand to support you - Mrs Daw for costume, Mr Yarwood for technical design, the Art Dept and CDT Dept for set and other construction/design but they are NOT there to do it for you. They are there to help you to achieve your ideas. Your director should have prepared the staff for any major design elements in advance - particularly if equipment needs to be bought or hired. The best advice would probably be to make your design striking but simple.

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

As a group, you must design and run an advertising campaign for your production. Think about how you can create a buzz around your show so its the one everyone wants to see. Your campaign MUST include a poster. Youll probably want to use traditional methods like leaets and yers but you could use more modern methods too. You could think about websites, video, interviews on podcast etc. You could think about running small events during the project to get everyone talking about your show. Negative advertising will be forbidden - you may NOT say or present anything negative about the other teams. You will have to pitch your campaign ideas to the judge(s) at 12 oclock on Day 3 (Wednesday). This is your chance to persuade the judge(s) that you have created the most effective campaign. This will be an important factor in deciding the winner. Mrs Christmas will be on hand to advise you about your campaigns.

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE PROGRAMME
You must write and produce a programme to accompany your production. You should assume there will be an audience of about 150 people (though not everyone will want a programme). A programme must include a cast and company list - listing all the parts played by the actors and all the non-performing roles people have taken. Beyond that, use your imagination to try to make your programme the best - it will also be an important factor in judging the winner. You might want to include a summary of the story you are telling. Many programmes have biographies of the actors and designers - saying what plays they have been involved with in the past. Some programmes will include interviews, often with the designers and they may include some of the research. Think about the form your programme will take - will it be a traditional booklet? Will you go for a more innovative form? Again, Mrs Christmas will be on hand to advise you with your programmes.

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

THE DISPLAY
Each group will be given a room to use as Headquarters for the whole of the 3 days. An hour before the nal performance, you must open up your room to the public so the audience can come to see your work displayed. This will include design work, research and anything else you think would be interesting. You will need a Front of House team to host this event, welcoming guests to the room and showing them around. You might think about how you can make your event stand out from the others. Will you have music playing, projections etc? You might want to provide your guests with some refreshments? Your Front of House team will also be responsible for making sure the audience gets back to the theatre in time for the performances. Of course, some audience members will go straight to the theatre so youll need to think about how to direct them to your room.

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier

Summer 2012

Play in Three Days

DEADLINES
Getting a play to the stage on time is a big undertaking - so its VITAL you meet the following deadlines. You are free to organise your team and your time as you think best - but these deadlines ARE COMPULSORY.

Day 1 (Monday)
10am - Roles within the group decided, list given to mentor 1pm - Storyline agreed and initial design ideas discussed with mentor 2.30pm - 10 minute presentations of design ideas to Mrs Daw, Mr Yarwood and the Art Dept (timetable of presentations to be published on the day) 4.30pm - First performance to mentors Advertising campaign and programme ideas presented to Mrs Christmas

Day 2 (Tuesday)
1pm - Final technical requirements to Mr Yarwood. 4pm - Run-through in costume to mentors.

Day 3 (Wednesday)
9am - Mock presentation of advertising campaign to Year 9 tutors 11am - Prompt copies to be completed 12pm - Final presentation of advertising campaign and programme 2pm - 5pm Tech/Dress rehearsals (order to be announced) 5pm - Rooms open for public 6pm - Performances

Play in 3 Days - The Dossier