Directing, Rehearsal, & Production

It can be tough at times to get students excited about Shakespeare but that was before Cobweb Dreams by Lindsay Price. This fun-filled fantasy parallels the events of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer...

So, you’ve decided to produce a play at your school this year. You’ve considered all the possibilities of shows to produce and have made a great selection. You have a vision for the show and have...

Coming to the end of a show’s run is an incredibly emotional experience. You’ve put hours and hours of work into a project that, in the end, has ceased to exist. Yes, you have the memories you’ve...

Directing a show for your students can be a daunting task. Teachers are busy people! On top of in-class time, lesson planning, marking, administrative tasks, and all the other jobs that arise,...

Ensemble Definition A unit or group of complementary parts that contributes to a single effect; all the parts of something considered together and in relation to the whole; the general or total...

Teachers, when working in rehearsals with your students, are you more of a planner type or a go-with-the-flow type? Do you map out all the blocking and movements in advance, or do you allow...

Directing a musical is a daunting feat. We spoke with three teachers about their experience directing musicals at the school level. From their experiences, we’ve got 5 tips to share that will help...

When directing a show, it can be very useful to “pre-block” a scene ahead of time. “Pre-blocking” means to plan all basic character movements in advance of the rehearsal. This can save a lot of...

Rehearsal time is precious–there’s usually never enough of it–so when rehearsing a school production, you and your students will want to use your time together as effectively as possible....

For many drama teachers, a dwindling production budget is an ongoing struggle. How do you put up a full production with limited funds? Beth Goodwin portrays the double whammy she works in a small...

All right! You’ve decided on the show your school is going to produce this year. You’ve obtained the performance rights and paid for the royalties. You’ve got the show dates in place, and you’ve...

We recorded a podcast featuring 9 teachers from all over the country, in both middle school and high school programs, to find out what makes them able to do it all when directing a play. Here are...

Choosing a show for your school to produce can be challenging. But once you have selected the show, the hard part is done, right? Well, it’s one thing crossed off your list, but your list is about...

Directors need to have a vision for the play. That means ALL directors: professional, community, high school, and middle school. Why is it important to have a vision? • A vision gives the play a...

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays About…Dramas. Issue plays that don’t talk down to your students. Theatrical explorations of serious topics. Read one, read them all! Click the link and you’ll be...

The experience of working on a show is a multifaceted experience, but I think it can really be broken down into two main parts: the product and the process. The product is the final theatrical...

So, your school is mounting a production this year? Fantastic! Mounting a school production is a wonderful learning opportunity for students and staff alike. It’s also a big challenge. Teachers:...

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays for…Comedies. Read one, read them all! Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the...