The Soul of the American Actor newspaper

CELEBRATING ITS 20TH YEAR!
25 COUNTRIES! 20 STATES!
RONALD RAND starring as HAROLD CLURMAN
in RONALD RAND’s acclaimed Solo Performance Play

For Teachers

Harold Clurman and The Group Theatre:
A Celebration and a Call to Action

Educational Guide - Student & Teacher Feedback

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE FORM

Dear Instructor:

Thank you for the time you have spent reviewing and/ or utilizing these materials in your classroom. Your feedback is very important to us and will be extremely useful as we continue to expand and improve our outreach efforts. Please take a few moments to answer the questions below and encourage your students to do the same, using the Student Response Form provided. As you will notice, several of the questions on the student form echo those asked in the list at the end of the packet. We hope the questions helped to stimulate an exciting classroom discussion and that your students will take this opportunity to attempt to synthesize and articulate their discoveries.

To save you time and trouble, we have enclosed an addressed stamped envelope with this packet so you can return the forms to us once they have been completed. If you did not receive these materials by mail, you may visit our website at www.clurmantheplay.com and submit your feedback online.

Thank you so much for your support of this important project. To effectively reach out to students, we need to know more about what touches them, what interests them, and what they already know. Your input, along with theirs, will be absolutely instrumental in shaping our future efforts, along with the form and content of this packet.

Sincerely yours,

Laura Gale, packet author and production dramaturg

Ronald Rand, actor/ playwright of LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman's Life of Passion

QUESTIONS:

1. Is there a class at your school that examines the history and impact of The Group Theatre and the teachings of Harold Clurman?

2. Why do you think that these topics are so rarely taught and that, consequently, many young theatre professionals are unaware of The Group Theatre’s history, philosophies, and contributions to their craft?

3. What, in your opinion, are the most important components of a curriculum that prepares theatre students for the artistic and business-related challenges of the theatre profession today? Do you think this ideal curriculum resembles what is typically taught in training programs?

4. How important and useful do you feel a knowledge of theatrical history and tradition is for young theatre professionals? Please discuss.

5. Which aspects of the material did your students respond most enthusiastically to? Which sections of the packet did you find the clearest, most interesting, and/or easiest to present?

6. Which sections could be improved? How could the form and/or content of the Clurman packet be altered to make it more teacher-friendly or more accessible and engaging for your students?

7. If you attended a performance of LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman's Life of Passion, please discuss your response to the play and your impression of how it affected your students. Please feel free to include any other comments about the play and the post-show discussion.

STUDENT RESPONSE FORM

Dear Student:

These materials were created especially for you. Our goal is to introduce you to some of the most influential and inspirational figures of the 20th century American theatre; these are the men and women whose ideas and teachings have defined your notions of what acting is and your understanding of theatrical process. We would find it absurd if music students had never heard of Bach or Beethoven; in much the same way, it is vital for theatre artists to know of Harold Clurman and the actors, directors, and playwrights of The Group Theatre, who led the way in our discipline. Their determination, idealism and passion can inspire us all as we move forward to create the theatre of tomorrow, which it is up to you and your generation to lead.

Please take a few moments to respond to the questions below, including any feedback that you feel might improve these materials on The Group Theatre and Harold Clurman. We also want to know what has peaked your interest and what you’d like to learn more about. It is your input and your interests that will directly shape our future efforts and help us to improve these materials.

Thank you so much for your time and honesty.

Sincerely yours,

Laura Gale, packet author and production dramaturg

Ronald Rand, actor/ playwright of LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman's Life of Passion

QUESTIONS

1. Before seeing LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman's Life of Passion and/ or discussing these materials class, what did you know about Harold Clurman, The Group Theatre, and The Group’s impact on the American theatre? What was the source of your previous knowledge (i.e., Had you learned about it in class? Through independent research?)? Please explain.

2. Which aspects of this material have caught your interest? In light of what you’ve learned about The Group Theatre, who or what would you like to learn more about? Why?

3. Do you feel you know how to go about finding more information on the topics you’d like to further investigate? What books might you read? What films are you interested in seeing or watching again more closely?

4. Which sections of the material did you find the most interesting? Which sections interested you the least?

5. What would be the most interesting way teachers could present this material to make it clear, interesting, and engaging for theatre students?

6. Has anything you’ve learned widened your sense of possibility as a theatre artist or added to your sense of connection to a theatrical heritage? Please discuss.

7. If you attended a performance of LET IT BE ART! Harold Clurman's Life of Passion, please discuss your response to the play and post-show discussion. Was your experience a valuable one? Please let us know.

Download Educational Guide

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Harold Clurman and The Group Theatre: A Celebration and a Call to Action