Tableau

Tell a story without saying a word.

Tableau work helps students create clear stage pictures, sharpen focus, collaborate as an ensemble, and communicate meaning through stillness.

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Acting Technique Tableau

Challenge Exercise: Abstract Tableau Scenes

Abstract theatre focuses on representing themes, ideas, situations, and emotions in a visual, stylized, symbolic way, rather than acting them out realistically. Using stylized physicality, students...

Acting Technique Tableau

Exercise: Full-Class Tableau

If you’ve got a large group of drama students but not a lot of time, try these two quick full-class tableau exercises. Students will work together to create full-class tableau scenes as fast as...

Games, Exercises, & Activities Warm-ups

Warm-Up Game: Tableau Mixer

This warm-up game is a variation of the game “Numbered Tableaux”. It’s similar to the camp game “Chicken in the Hen House,” but adjusted to be safer for the drama classroom, and focused on creating...

Acting Technique Tableau

Introduction to Tableau for Middle Schoolers

Tableau is a fantastic introductory theatre topic for middle schoolers. The word “tableau” comes from the phrase tableau vivant, or “living picture.” In tableau, students use their bodies and...

Acting Technique Tableau

Emotional Sound Design & Tableau Group Exercise

This group exercise has layers. It combines planning, teamwork, performance skills, and introductory sound design. Students will create three tableau scenes to tell stories that evoke various...

Acting Technique Tableau

Tableau Scenes from a Book Come to Life

This exercise was inspired by one of my favourite theatre games, Tableau Scenes from a Book. If you haven’t tried that game with your students yet, do that first! In the original version of the...