Test Guide

Section 4: Subject Matter Requirements
Theatre (223/224)

Subtests I and II:
Content Domains for Subject Matter Understanding and Skill in Theatre

Domain 1—Creating

Candidates have both broad and in-depth conceptual knowledge of the processes and roles involved in drama and theatre production. They understand how to envision/conceptualize and generate works of drama and theatre and how to organize, develop, refine, rehearse, and complete theatrical works. They understand the techniques, skills, and tools used in the creative process, as well as the collaborative nature of theatrical work.

1.1 Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas and Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how guided drama experiences can be used to imagine visual concepts and apply technical theatre elements (e.g., costumes, scenery, props, sets, lighting, sound, flats, drops, platforms, painting, makeup) in a drama/theatre work. [PK.TH:Cr1a, K.TH:Cr1a]
• Demonstrate the ability to research information and synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technical theatre elements to create the visual composition of a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Cr1a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of historical and cultural conventions (e.g., the development and characteristics of significant dramatic forms, dramatic literature, styles, and periods from around the world, from ancient times to present) and their impact on the visual composition of a drama/theatre work. [Acc.TH:Cr1a]
• Demonstrate the ability to articulate visual details and propose design ideas and technical theatre elements that support the story and given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. [5.TH:Cr1c]
• Identify staging challenges and analyze multiple perspectives and solutions to staging problems in drama/theatre works. [6.TH:Cr1a, 7.TH:Cr1a]
• Demonstrate the ability to identify solutions to design challenges in drama/theatre works, analyze the impact of technical theatre elements on design choices, and create a design for a drama/theatre work that incorporates all technical theatre elements. [6.TH:Cr1c–Adv.TH:Cr1c]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CREATING—Anchor Standard 1)

1.2 Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how guided drama experiences can be used to improvise stories, establish plot details, create roles, develop characters, and express original ideas in a drama/theatre work. [3.TH:Cr1a, 4.TH:Cr1a]
• Demonstrate the ability to use script analysis, cultural and historical contexts (e.g., the development of significant theatrical performances and productions from around the world throughout history), and personal experiences to create a character that is believable and authentic in a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Cr3b]
• Analyze ways in which gestures, movement, sound, and voice (e.g., articulation, enunciation, diction, phrasing, pitch, breath control, projection) are used to tell and support stories or to create characters and depict them in given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. [1.TH:Cr1]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to develop and reveal a scripted or improvised character's inner thoughts, traits, objectives, and motivations in given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. [5.TH:Cr1a, 5.TH:Cr1b]
• Apply critical analysis to improve, refine, and evolve original ideas and artistic choices in drama/theatre works. [6.TH:Cr2a]
• Explore the function of history and culture in the development of dramatic concepts in drama/theatre works from western and non-western theatre traditions (e.g., significant movements in theatre and how they relate to their historical and cultural contexts). [Prof.TH:Cr2a]
• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to identify, use, and adapt sounds and movement and to imagine and generate multiple representations of a single object. [2.TH:Cr3b, 2.TH:Cr3c]
• Identify effective physical and vocal traits of characters in an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Cr3b, 7.TH:Cr3b]
• Demonstrate the ability to develop physical and vocal exercises and to use physical and vocal exploration to create and develop characters in devised or scripted drama/theatre works. [3.TH:Cr3b–5.TH:Cr3b]
• Demonstrate the ability to use research and script analysis to synthesize ideas and revise physical, vocal, and physiological choices to create a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant in a drama/theatre work. [Prof.TH:Cr3b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CREATING—Anchor Standards 1–3)

1.3 Refine and Complete Artistic Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to revise, refine, and adapt plot, movement, sounds, and dialogue to fit the given parameters of a drama/theatre work. [3.TH:Cr3a]
• Demonstrate understanding of how to incorporate feedback, apply analysis and reflection, and employ collaborative techniques to revise, refine, transform, and re-imagine a devised or scripted drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Cr3a, Adv.TH:Cr3a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to use the rehearsal process to analyze the dramatic concept, story, design elements, or emotional impact of a devised or scripted drama/theatre work and to invent or re-imagine style, genre, form, and theatrical conventions. [7.TH:Cr3a, Acc.TH:Cr3a, Adv.TH:Cr3a]
• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate on creative solutions to design problems and technical theatre element problems (e.g., health and safety guidelines related to technical theatre) that arise in rehearsal and to use the rehearsal process to revise design choices and technical theatre elements to support a devised or scripted drama/theatre work. [4.TH:Cr3c, 5.TH:Cr3c]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CREATING—Anchor Standard 3)

1.4 Collaboration

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to foster collaboration, express original ideas, create a sequential plot, devise meaningful dialogue, advance a story, and make decisions as a group. [1.TH:Cr2a,b–4.TH:Cr2a,b]
• Demonstrate understanding of the collaborative nature of theatrical works and analyze the interdependent roles of the actors, director (e.g., casting; scheduling, budgeting, planning, promoting, and managing theatrical productions; managing personnel; applying basic principles of stage composition and blocking; working with producers), playwright, and designers. [Prof.TH:Cr2b]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to establish collaborative goals, demonstrate mutual respect, share leadership and responsibilities, and make decisions and of how to use collaborative structures to encourage collective inquiry, generate and incorporate original ideas, develop plot, devise dialogue, and make revisions in preparing or devising drama/theatre works (e.g., techniques for coaching actors; techniques for creating a safe and positive working environment that promotes inclusion, collaboration, trust, and creativity; methods of holding auditions). [8.TH:Cr2b, 5.TH:Cr2a]
• Analyze how collaboration can be used to discover artistic solutions and make interpretive choices in drama/theatre works. [Adv.TH:Cr2b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CREATING—Anchor Standard 2)

Domain 2—Performing

Candidates have both broad and in-depth conceptual knowledge of theatrical performance. They understand how to select, analyze, interpret, develop, and refine artistic work for presentation and are able to convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. They understand the components of dramatic structure and technical theatre elements, the ways in which actors use a variety of exercises and techniques to create and refine character and create meaning, and the factors involved in presenting drama/theatre works to specific audiences.

2.1 Directing and Design

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to explore and experiment with various technical theatre elements. [PK.TH:Pr5b–2.TH:Pr5b]
• Demonstrate the ability to apply reliable research to form unique choices for a directorial or design concept in a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Pr4a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how setting, characters, character relationships, story elements, dialogue, and action create the dramatic structure in a drama/theatre work. [Prof.TH:Pr4a]
• Examine character relationships as expressed through dialogue and actions in order to make strong choices to convey meaning in a drama/theatre work. [Prof.TH:Pr4a]
• Demonstrate understanding of staging (e.g., proscenium stage, black box, thrust, arena, local theatre, dinner theatre) and pacing (e.g., stage movement, blocking, focus, levels, balance) in drama/theatre works, and analyze how various staging and acting choices can enhance the story and better communicate meaning in a drama/theatre work. [7.TH:Pr4a]
• Identify the basic technical theatre elements that can be used in a drama/theatre work, demonstrate knowledge of how technical theatre elements are integrated into a drama/theatre work, and analyze how a variety of technical theatre elements can increase the impact of a design or communicate the concept of a drama/theatre production. [3.TH:Pr5b, Prof.TH:Pr5b]
• Analyze how unique choices shape drama/theatre works, and justify the selection of technical theatre elements used to build a design that communicates the concept of a drama/theatre production. [Adv.TH:Pr5b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: PERFORMING—Anchor Standards 4–5)

2.2 Acting

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to explore how body, face, gestures (e.g., posture, isolation, focus, sitting, standing), movement, and voice can be incorporated into and create meaning in drama/theatre works. [1.TH:Pr4b, 2.TH:Pr4b]
• Demonstrate understanding of the roles that imagination, voice, sound, and physical movement play in acting, and analyze the relationship between and among body, voice, and mind in acting performances (e.g., methods and characteristics associated with classical and contemporary forms of actor training). [PK.TH:Pr5a–3.TH:Pr5a]
• Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of physical, vocal, and cognitive acting exercises and techniques and the ability to use those exercises and techniques to increase and expand acting skills in a rehearsal or drama/theatre performance. [3.TH:Pr5a]
• Demonstrate the ability to use a collection of acting exercises and refine a range of acting skills to build a drama/theatre performance. [Acc.TH:Pr5a–Adv.TH:Pr5a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of the way in which body, face, gestures, voice, and movement communicate character traits and emotions and expand and articulate nuances of character, and analyze how physical choices can be used to develop and communicate character and create meaning in a drama/theatre work. [1.TH:Pr4b]
• Demonstrate understanding of character objectives, analyze how character objectives and tactics can be used in drama/theatre work to overcome obstacles, and demonstrate the ability to shape character choices using given circumstances (e.g., subtext, action, beats) in a drama/theatre work. [7.TH:Pr4b, 8.TH:Pr4b]
• Identify essential text information, research from various sources, and the director's concept that influence character choices, and demonstrate the ability to apply a variety of researched acting techniques as an approach to character choices in a drama/theatre work. [Acc.TH:Pr4b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: PERFORMING—Anchor Standards 4–5)

2.3 Presentation and Production

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to present stories, ideas, and envisioned worlds to audiences and participants. [PK.TH:Pr5a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of a variety of factors involved in presenting a drama/theatre work to an audience: the adaptation of literature into a dramatic form and/or the use of improvisation, and/or the presentation of drama/theatre works for specific audiences. [6.TH:Pr6–Prof.TH:Pr6]
• Demonstrate the ability to present a drama/theatre production for a specific audience that employs research and analysis grounded in the creative perspectives of the playwright (e.g., methods of formatting a script), director, designer, and dramaturgy. [Adv.TH:Pr6]
• Demonstrate knowledge of methods for evaluating and reflecting upon the presentation of a drama/theatre work and the creative processes that shape a production for a specific audience (e.g., the effects of publicity, study guides, programs, workshops, talkbacks, and the physical environment on an audience's response to and appreciation of a theatrical production). [Acc.TH:Pr6]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: PERFORMING—Anchor Standards 5–6)

Domain 3—Responding

Candidates have both broad and in-depth conceptual knowledge of the process of responding to drama/theatre works. They understand how to perceive and analyze artistic work and are skilled at interpreting intent and meaning in individual works of drama/theatre. They appreciate the importance of reflection in understanding the impact of drama processes and theatre experiences; consider the role of emotions in connecting with and responding to drama/theatre works; recognize that interpretations of drama/theatre work are influenced by personal experiences, cultural contexts, and aesthetics; and apply considered criteria to evaluate drama/theatre work.

3.1 Perceive and Analyze Artistic Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to recognize and explore artistic choices in drama/theatre works. [2.TH:Re7]
• Demonstrate understanding that multiple interpretations of artistic criteria can influence future artistic choices in a drama/theatre work. [Acc.TH:Re7]
• Demonstrate understanding of how artistic choices are made in drama/theatre works, and analyze artistic choices made in a given drama/theatre work. [3.TH:Re7]
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and apply appropriate criteria to the evaluation of artistic choices that enable the observer to respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theatre work. [8.TH:Re7]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: RESPONDING—Anchor Standard 7)

3.2 Interpret Intent and Meaning in Artistic Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to recognize and explore how connections are made between one's personal emotions and choices and a character's emotions and choices and of how personal preferences and emotions affect audience and participant response to drama/theatre works. [3.TH:Re8c]
• Demonstrate the ability to describe how characters respond to challenges in a guided drama experience. [2.TH:Re9b]
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and use detailed supporting evidence and appropriate criteria to reinforce personal choices, revise personal work, and interpret the work of others when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Re9a–8.TH:Re9a]
• Demonstrate understanding of how personal experiences influence artistic choices in a drama/theatre work, compare artistic choices developed from personal experiences in multiple drama/theatre works, and analyze how personal reactions to artistic choices influence the evaluation of a drama/theatre work. [4.TH:Re8a, 6.TH:Re8a, 7.TH:Re8a]
• Demonstrate understanding of how personal aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs shape participation in and observation of drama/theatre work, and explain how multiple aesthetics, preferences, and beliefs create a context for evaluation and inform artistic decisions in a drama/theatre work. [Prof.TH:Re8c–Adv.TH:Re8c]
• Demonstrate the ability to use historical and cultural context to structure and justify personal responses to a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Re7]
• Demonstrate understanding of physiological changes connected to emotions in drama/theatre work, and analyze the effects of emotions on posture, gesture, breathing, and vocal intonation in a drama/theatre work. [4.TH:Re8c, 5.TH:Re8c]
• Identify cultural contexts that may influence the evaluation of a drama/theatre work, including responses to characters based on physical characteristics and prop or costume design choices that reflect cultural contexts, and analyze and compare how cultural contexts influence the evaluation of a specific drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Re8b–Adv.TH:Re8b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: RESPONDING—Anchor Standards 7–9)

3.3 Apply Criteria to Evaluate Artistic Work

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play or guided drama experiences can be used to recognize the experiences and challenges of characters and the role of technical theatre elements in drama/theatre works; consider the effects of drama/theatre works on audiences and participants; and discuss, make decisions, and collaborate with others in a drama/theatre setting. [8.TH:Re9b, 2.TH:Re9]
• Demonstrate understanding of the purpose of evaluating drama/theatre works; develop multiple criteria to evaluate a drama/theatre work, including personal aesthetic criteria; and analyze and assess a drama/theatre work by connecting it to art forms, history, culture, and other disciplines using supporting evidence and personal aesthetic criteria. [3.TH:Re9a–7.TH:Re9a, Adv.TH:Re9a]
• Identify a specific audience or purpose for a drama/theatre work; consider how the intended purpose of a drama/theatre work appeals and communicates to a specific audience; evaluate problems, situations, and characters' choices and circumstances from an audience perspective in a given drama/theatre work; assess the impact of a drama/theatre work on a specific audience; and compare the connection between a drama/theatre work and contemporary issues that may impact audiences. [3.TH:Re9b–Adv.TH:Re9b]
• Identify, analyze, and evaluate the aesthetics of the technical theatre elements in a drama/theatre work, analyze technical theatre elements from multiple drama/theatre works, assess how technical theatre elements support and represent themes and ideas in a drama/theatre work, differentiate the effect of technical theatre elements to assess aesthetic choices, and analyze and evaluate varied aesthetic interpretations of technical theatre elements for the same drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Re9c–Adv.TH:Re9c]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: RESPONDING—Anchor Standard 9)

Domain 4—Connecting

Candidates have both broad and in-depth conceptual knowledge of the societal, cultural, and historical contexts of drama/theatre. They demonstrate basic knowledge of western and non-western theatre traditions, of the history and diversity of theatre, and of the roles and forms of theatre in societies past and present. Candidates demonstrate understanding of how empathy and the interrelationships between self and others influence and inform drama/theatre works. They have both broad and in-depth conceptual knowledge of ways in which theatre is connected to other art forms. They demonstrate knowledge of the important role that research plays in theatre.

4.1 Self, Community, and Culture

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play and guided drama experiences can be used to identify similarities between a story and personal experience and between characters and oneself, as well as how character emotions and experiences can relate to personal experiences. [PK.TH:Cn10–1.TH:Cn10]
• Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which a drama/theatre work reflects the perspectives of a community or culture. [4.TH:Cn10]
• Analyze how character actions and motivations in a drama/theatre work impact the perspectives of a community or culture. [6.TH:Cn10]
• Explore ways in which community issues are incorporated and examined through multiple perspectives in a drama/theatre work. [7.TH:Cn10, 8.TH:Cn10]
• Analyze the impact of cultural contexts, community ideas, and personal beliefs on a drama/theatre work. [Prof.TH:Cn10, Acc.TH:Cn10]
• Analyze ways in which critical global issues can be incorporated and examined through multiple personal, community, and cultural contexts to create a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Cn10]
• Demonstrate the ability to use personal experiences, knowledge, and research to make connections to community and culture in a drama/theatre work, and explore how a drama/theatre work questions and promotes reflection on one's personal beliefs. [3.TH:Cn10–5.TH:Cn10]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CONNECTING—Anchor Standard 10)

4.2 History, Society, and Ethics

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play and guided drama experiences can be used to apply knowledge from different art forms and content areas (e.g., how other art forms are used in theatrical productions) and to encourage active listening skills and ethically appropriate responses and reactions. [1.TH:Cn11.1a, 2.TH:Cn11.1a]
• Apply knowledge of the ethical responsibilities (e.g., related to royalties, copyrights, liability, and contracts) to oneself and others when observing and performing; during the production process; and when recording, posting, and sharing through the internet, social media, and other communication formats. [5.TH:Cn11.1b–8.TH:Cn11.1b]
• Demonstrate knowledge of responsible and ethical practices related to adaptation, appropriation, fair use, copyright, open source, and creative commons as they apply to creating drama/theatre works. [Prof.TH:Cn11.1b–Adv.TH:Cn11.1b]
• Identify and analyze connections to community, universal themes, social issues, and other content areas expressed in a drama/theatre work. [6.TH:Cn11.1a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of ways to incorporate music, dance, art, media arts, and/or other content areas to strengthen meaning and conflict in a drama/theatre work with a particular cultural, global, or historical context, and analyze a drama/theatre work to determine how cultural, global, and historical belief systems affect creative choices. [7.TH:Cn11.1a–Prof.TH:Cn11.1a]
• Demonstrate knowledge of ways to use different forms, styles, and genres of drama/theatre work to examine contemporary social, cultural, or global issues and to develop a cross-cultural drama/theatre work that identifies and questions cultural, global, and historical issues and belief systems (e.g., compare how universal characters, situations, and themes are treated in dramatic works from various cultures and historical periods). [Prof.TH:Cn11.1a–Adv.TH:Cn11.1a]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CONNECTING—Anchor Standard 11)

4.3 Literary Adaptation and Cross-Cultural Storytelling

• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play and guided drama experiences can be used to tell a story in a dramatic form. [PK.TH:Cn11.2b, K.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play and guided drama experiences can be used to create a short scene based on a fiction literary source and a short scene based on a nonfiction literary source. [1.TH:Cn11.2b, 2.TH:Cn11.2]
• Demonstrate understanding of how dramatic play and guided drama experiences can be used to analyze similarities and differences in stories. [PK.TH:Cn11.2a–2.TH:Cn11.2a]
• Analyze how stories are adapted from literature to theatre, and demonstrate knowledge of cross-cultural approaches to storytelling in theatre. [3.TH:Cn11.2a, 4.TH:Cn11.2a]
• Demonstrate understanding of how collaboration can be used to create scenes in dramatic play and guided drama experiences based on fiction and nonfiction literary sources. [1.TH:Cn11.2b, 2.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how artists have historically presented the same stories using different art forms, genres, and theatre conventions to determine differences and similarities in the designed world of each story (e.g., major playwrights and their works). [3.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Compare stories set in different cultures in preparation for a drama/theatre work and compare the drama/theatre conventions of a given time period with those of the present. [4.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Identify historical origins that explain theatre terminology and conventions (e.g., the purposes of theatre throughout history). [5.TH:Cn11.2b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CONNECTING—Anchor Standard 11)

4.4 Research

• Demonstrate the ability to research the story elements of a staged drama/theatre work and to use research to determine how a playwright might have intended a theatre work to be produced. [7.TH:Cn11.2a]
• Formulate creative choices for a devised or scripted drama/theatre work based on research about the topic, and justify creative choices made in a production based on a critical interpretation of specific data from research. [Acc.TH:Cn11.2a, Adv.TH:Cn11.2a]
• Conduct research to understand the social and cultural background of a drama/theatre work, and examine artifacts from a time period and setting in order to develop performance and design choices. [7.TH:Cn11.2b–Prof.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Demonstrate knowledge of how personal beliefs and biases can affect the interpretation of research data applied in a drama/theatre work. [Acc.TH:Cn11.2b]
• Demonstrate knowledge of ways that critical research can be used to support an opinion about the social, cultural, and historical understandings of a drama/theatre work. [Adv.TH:Cn11.2b]

(California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve: Theatre [2018]: CONNECTING—Anchor Standard 11)

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