Production

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten For…Our Most Popular Plays! Sometimes you want a sure thing. So this week we offer our most popular plays. These are the works that get done time and time again whether...

We were lucky enough to speak with two teachers at Northwest Middle School in Flowood, MS – Emily Wright and Genifer Freeman – about how the entire school (even the Principal) got involved in a...

Since Shakespearean plays have been around for hundreds of years, we need to shake things up by trying new ideas in order to make these shows different and exciting. One of the most wonderful...

In Ancient Greek Theatre, there is an interesting similarity among the plays written during that time: there is always a chorus included. Nowadays most people would associate a chorus with...

What is ambiance?Ambiance is the feel of your production, or the mood and tone of it. One way you can shape the mood of a show is with lighting and sound. They are your best tools to portray the...

Kristi Ross-Clausen, Production Stage Manager at the University of Wisconsin – Madison is constantly thinking about theatre safety. She’s taught drama and been behind the scenes for both local and...

Many modern teen plays can be easily costumed from the closets of the cast or (even more simply than that) jeans and show t-shirts. But if you’re moving into the realm of period pieces, musicals...

When it comes time to perform and students have their amazing new costumes on, they will need some extra tools to finish their “look” – and that means hairstyles and makeup! The right hairstyle and...

Teachers often have the task of producing a school show with grand ideas but with little to no budget. Before you start organizing a fundraiser, digging into your own pockets (because who wants to...

If you are working on a play or musical with a large ensemble, those actors can sometimes feel “less than” the named characters or the leads. I’m just in the ensemble. I don’t matter. You want to...

Student actors are frequently cast into a role that is totally outside their comfort zone. They might have to portray someone completely different than themselves, with radically different beliefs...

As an actor, character research is part of your job. Doing research gives you the foundation and background to help make your character believable to an audience. Research helps you understand a...

When you’re rehearsing a musical close to performance week, the last thing you want to hear is that one of your students can’t sing. Promoting vocal health in young singers is crucial. Here’s how...

We’ve all seen those reviews. The ones that rip the theatre production up one side and down the other. They criticize the scenery and the script. They suggest that the leads take up basket weaving,...

Many productions are based on a pyramid structure : Stars at the top, supporting cast in the middle, chorus at the bottom. Even though there are more actors involved at the bottom of the pyramid,...

Some drama teachers have their whole production year figured out before the first day of school. If you’re doing a big musical, you need to get that paperwork started way in advance. Or maybe you...

Do you use student stage managers? Introduce your students to a skillset that not only benefits your productions but will also strengthen their analytical thinking, organization, teamwork, and...

Awhile back, The Guardian compiled five of “the best video talks on theatre” and I wanted to share them with you as well. The article asks the question: “How can the performing arts compete against...