IB Theatre HL Timeline

[Bootsie]

Today is January 8, 2012, and I've actually started to get nervous about my IB Theatre HL. My teacher has not given us any deadlines or a time frame to go by. We have only briefly discussed an idea for my research investigation. Is my class extremely behind? Is it too late to catch up? Can anyone walk me through the next year and a half and give me an idea of when I should be getting different things done? I have no idea and any help from other IB Theatre HL kids would really, really, really be appreciated. Thank you so much

[Rosiepose]

I saw that your exams aren't this May, but next May. So, I wouldn't say you're behind at all!

My class, I know we're behind - what we focused on in the first year was ensuring we'd done all 3 roles (which not all of us managed to complete, me include, fun times...) and then this year we should be done with our research investigations by now (by my original teacher's timings she wanted them done by October so I'd do mine over summer if you get the opportunity). Our IPs should be planned at least if not already executed (so that's what we're focusing on at the moment), and as the PPP stimuli were just released a little while ago we've still got to do that too.

The TPPP can only be done at the end of the course when you've completed the other elements and can talk about them all together for 30 minutes

Hope that helped, my class is behind though in deadlines (and I know this, simply because I know that my old teacher would be having heart attacks if she knew how much we still had to do when all our other subject deadlines are popping up).

Do you like Theatre HL so far ?

[mejcoleman]

My exams are next May, too.

Our teacher has no idea what she is doing. The teacher from last year was fired, so this one had to step in without IB training. She just skims over the stuff in the IB curriculum and tells us to do what she thinks is right. We just finished our research investigations right before Christmas break, but I know mine is probably not right at all. And she doesn't know anything about grammar or writing papers, so she can't even edit them.

The IB sponsor doesn't know what she's doing either because she has never done theatre in her life.

I'm so glad I found this website because now I might be able to get a grip on everything.

I wish I had a different teacher, maybe then I could enjoy it.

[Bootsie]

You both have lifted a weight from my chest, so thank you so much. I like the class a lot. I'm very interested in theatre, and I find different world styles very fascinating. I love performing as well, so I'd say I think I have chosen the right HL

I'm so glad I found this website because now I might be able to get a grip on everything.

My feelings exactly. Thank goodness. Also, do you have to keep a journal as well?

[mejcoleman]

My feelings exactly. Thank goodness. Also, do you have to keep a journal as well?

We do. But all we have done so far in them is take notes on History of Theatre. I guess after we get our graded research investigations back I'll have something else to write about. Hopefully.

Which three areas (like acting, directing, set, and something else) are you doing?

[ro_1293x]

My exams are in May and I didn't even know what the RI was until a month ago, let alone have I actually begun AND i'm doing a theatre EE :/ CRAP! Any tips?

[SushiMonstar]

For now, I guess one thing you can do to be 'ahead' in theatre is to think of a question you wanna do for your Research Investigation. :3

[Jayesaphine]

Don't worry, I'm in the exact same position. My teacher is absolutely crap. Luckily my mum's a drama teacher and downloaded the syllabus for me! The difficult thing about IB theatre is that it's mainly coursework based, you shouldn't have any exams until your finals.

You should be writing something like one essay on every practitioner you focus in on. If you're not doing that, you might want to think about doing it for extra credit as it could well bring your grade up!

If you're in premiere (your first year of IB) then your RI isn't due in until next year, but if you're really organized you can start thinking about potential titles, and you should have already done a mock RI.

You should be doing at least 3 practitioners a year and reading at least 3 plays which correspond with styles of acting etc.

If your teacher is as crap as mine, just do what I'm doing and do everything yourself. Download the syllabus, get as much stuff out of the way as you can in your first year and teach yourself drama. Most of your important stuff isn't due in until May of your second year, but at the end of your first year you should have: 1 mock RI, at least 3 essays and marks from practical work as well.

Good luck!

[LAD]

when is the deadline for all coursework then?

[ro_1293x]

when is the deadline for all coursework then?

For may 2012 the deadlines for the IBO start roughly around the 2nd week of April and go on til about the last week of april. I have them all somewhere, just not particularly sure at the moment. But basically the dates for TPP, PPP, RI, and IPP are all within 2 weeks of each other at the endish of April, so there's time... but not that much time!

[Arab Girl]

As i heard the deadline for the TPPP and IPP is the end of this week!!

Us theatre students have it hard core. haha

[ro_1293x]

Nope that's definitely not true, maybe the school is just being really strict? We go by IBO deadlines our teachers suck at making dates for ANYTHING so we are really disorganized and everything gets done last minute. I did my Extended Essay in 5 days.

[LAD]

I haven't finished a single piece of Theatre coursework yet. YOU have little to worry about.

[AnastasiaS]

I'm finishing my IB course in November 2012 (Australia, yay!) and we haven't been told much about deadlines either... has anyone got the deadlines?? Also, what on earth are the 'TTT' things???? We're doing the Portfolio (Option A, Option B) and the Research Investigation... what else is there that we're missing??

[ro_1293x]

I'm finishing my IB course in November 2012 (Australia, yay!) and we haven't been told much about deadlines either... has anyone got the deadlines?? Also, what on earth are the 'TTT' things???? We're doing the Portfolio (Option A, Option B) and the Research Investigation... what else is there that we're missing??

Internal Assesments: Independent Project Portfolio (IPP) & Theatre Performance and Production Presentation (TPPP)

External Assesments: Research Investigation (RI) & Practical Performance Proposal (PPP)

All of these are pretty time taking especially if you want to really do well, I suggest you find out as much as you can about them now, bug your teachers if you have to. Unforunately all we really knew about was our TPP and IPPs so we started work on our IP plays (we all chose option A) and we sort of had practice for the oral presentation before but when it came down to the find submissions we were scrambling to finish so much in such just a few weeks. I think most of us still did relatively good work, but it is really stressful and things like the IPP and PPP are pretty fun actually, they give you a great chance to be creative and show off your skills, but trust me, it's way more fun when you have time and use it wisely!

The IPP is basically like you said, Option A or B (A is way more fun and in my opinion, better) where you devise a production, script, play a certain role or something that gives you a chance to be the theatre-maker. Unforunately you will put tons of hard work into the physical doing of this project but you still have to sit and write it all out and you can either do this very well, or very poorly. It's about 2500 - 3000 words at HL if I remember correctly, (I've sort of jumbled all of the work together in my head, haha). When you write it out it's not exactly meant to be an essay, it is a reflective presentation of how you put somethin together, what came out of it, and what did you learn. You can get creative about it.

The TPPP is an oral presentation for 30 min at HL (20 at SL) where you basically speak and reflect on some main areas of theatre that you learnt over the years (probably mainly in DP1) and you add some images for flavour. It sounds easy... but I have seen samples where people mess it up because they probably just aren't aware of the structure? Luckily this was the only thing that our teacher had us prepare for from the beginning.

The RI is like a mini-EE though possibly more annoying, I would know. You have to research an area that you will/have not studied during your classes IB theatre course, so you can actually start this much earlier, just check with your teacher about the particular practice/practitioner. You analyze a specific question pertaining to your area of theatre in context of a play related to that style/genre, what-have-you and present it from the point of view of a Dramaturg (a term you will learn if you have not yet). And then after some 2500 words at HL, you sit and critique your sources I found this so annoying, but I guess it's because this is like the least creative thing you will do in theatre but the most formal. It is important you start early because it's important for a good grade that you are able to get a hold of a range of sources, not just the internet. Well-known publishes books, interviews, etc.

and finally, the PPP! I loved this part, but unfortunately I put the entire thing together in 3 days (all 30somepages). It's a purely creative project based on the IB-provided stimulis. They are usually pretty abstract and you are more than allowed to get carried away with some or the other idea that comes to mind when you look/listen to it. The Pitch and Rationale are the two things that must be written formally/essay-style ishhh. The pitch is short, and is what it sounds. A pitch to someone to convince them that your play should be performed. Then section 2 is the long part, you try to get together as much material as possible that will be able to coherently present to someone your vision for the play. In terms of what plot, staging, lighting, characters, music, themes, etc etc etc. There's not really a set structure for this it's just how you feel works best but you can see some of the better samples to get a better picture. You can combine an array of materials in order to fully present your vision. The rationale is last and is a rationale of why you have such a vision. How does it relate to your main theme or agenda or whatever and how do these separate elements of theatre combine to have the desired affect.

Obviously I have given a very very vague outline of all of the work needed to complete your IBDP Theatre course. I suggest you try to get a hold of the Theatre guide or each separate guidelines because they are god-like if you want to score well. Though they are sort of vague at some points.

Good Luck

Edited May 3, 2012 by ro_1293x