Directing, Rehearsal, & Production

Teachers and directors – have you ever watched a run of your show, noticed a particular student, and wondered, “Now where did that performance come from?!” I’m talking about the student who plods...

There are so many approaches to developing a character and making them fascinating and engaging. Some methods are more analytical, some are emotional, and some are physical. In this case, think of...

After a show closes, there is often a ton of stuff left over – set pieces and flats, furniture, costume items, props, makeup and hair products… the list goes on and on! Ideally, your school would...

We asked drama teachers: How do you make your rehearsals run efficiently and effectively? Let’s hear from teachers on the front lines. Punctuality and Preparedness• Communicate the schedule • Be on...

Once a show has finished, the “post-show blues” often hit students. This can have a number of symptoms, including obsessively quoting lines and song lyrics from the show, starting every story with...

Once the final performance of a show is completed, what comes next? It’s time to tear down the set, clean the theatre from top to bottom, and return the space back to its regular, unadorned, clean...

Episode 196: Fundraising idea: Do your own coffee house Listen in for the details of an awesome fundraiser event. Low cost, easy to plan, all you need is a space and your students. You too can...

I’m a stickler for theatre etiquette, and that includes being great audience members. No matter what performance you are watching, whether it be a classroom presentation, a school show, or a...

In my nearly ten years as a youth theatre director, I have experienced what seems like every emergency situation under the sun. From misplaced costume items and broken props, to skipping CDs and...

Performing onstage with friends, family, peers, and even strangers watching can be extremely nerve-wracking. Putting yourself out there, being vulnerable, and taking risks onstage takes a lot of...

Creating pre-show rituals and routines is so helpful for students. It clears their minds and gets them into their “theatre brains” – the mindset needed to leave their personal issues at the door...

We all know a picture is worth a thousand words – so make sure it’s saying the right things about your productions. Your actors’ performances aren’t afterthoughts. Capturing their moments in the...

An organized backstage is a calm backstage, and a running list can help keep things running smoothly during a production. What is a running list? It’s a scene-by-scene breakdown of scene changes...

Tech week…the phrase alone can send shivers down the spine of the most calm and unflappable theatre professionals. Tech week has the reputation of being long and taxing. But it doesn’t have to...

Have you ever considered including musical theatre in the drama classroom? Does the thought of singing in front of others scare your students to death? Does it scare you to death? If you’re going...

Cleaning up anybody else’s mess is no fun. Cleaning up a messy backstage after a show is especially disheartening – it takes away any good feelings that were cultivated during a good performance,...

Episode 192: Marketing The Arts You are overwhelmed with production tasks and the last thing you want to do is add marketing to your overloaded plate. But marketing is important, even in a school...

We asked drama teachers: What is your advice to an actor who forgets their lines during a performance? Let’s hear from teachers on the front lines. It’s more than memorizationParker M. says...