End of Year: Play Adaptation Project

The play adaptation project, where students adapt a text into a play, is a great end-of-year project for advanced drama students. It involves every aspect of the theatre process, from playwriting to performing. Students get to apply everything they’ve learned and they don’t have to worry about coming up with a story from scratch; they just have to focus on how they’re going to bring it to life onstage.

Review the project steps and see if this is something that would work for your students and situation.
Introduce the task and project criteria.

1. Introduce the task and project criteria.

Students will work together to choose a text, write the adaptation, organize and execute technical elements, and perform it for a specific audience, for example, fourth and fifth graders from a nearby feeder school. The chosen text has to allow for a cast of a certain size (which will be specific to your own situations) and be appropriate for the specific audience. It also must be something that can be performed on a school stage and can be technically achieved by the class. Students are responsible for the entire process and are the actors, producers, directors, playwrights, and technicians.

2. Pick the source material.

This is an area where you can give students ownership of the project from the very beginning, including picking the source material that they will adapt into a play. Once you have discussed the criteria, students should come to the next class with text suggestions. As a class, brainstorm title suggestions, discuss how each fits the criteria, make a final list, and then each student should be allowed a vote. The final text will then be chosen and students will read it as a class.

3. Cast the production.

This may be a different step than you’re used to: casting the show before it’s even been written. In this process, the story is divided into scenes and the actors script their own scene during rehearsals. Do what works best for your situation and your students.

Here’s how you cast early in the process:

• Identify all the necessary characters.
• Every student has to complete an audition “activity.” For example, they do a short improv scene related to the story.
• Those watching take notes: What are the strengths of the actors in the scene? What are some areas of improvement? What character would be a good fit?
• Students can identify a part they’d like to play.
• All students then vote on who will play which part. All of the ownership for casting is on the students.
• Consider having a conversation with students about how they may not get the role they want, or they may get a smaller role than they want. That is how casting works. Also, those who have smaller roles are given larger technical roles.

4. Assign technical roles.

All students are assigned a technical role in the show. As stated above, if a student has a smaller acting role, they will have a larger technical responsibility.

Students can choose what crew area they would like to work in (costumes, sets, props, sound, stage management, assistant direction), or if you feel it works better for your situation, you can assign roles.

The role with the most responsibility is the stage manager. They will monitor progress across the different technical crews, and start writing daily rehearsal reports to identify what was done and what needs to be done.

5. Make a plan.

Decide on and share a regular routine for rehearsals and technical work. For example, every Monday discuss with students the plan for the week when it comes to adaptation and technical work. Decide how students will divide their time between adaptation and tech responsibilities.

During the week the stage manager will check in with each crew to see what they’re working on, what they need, and fill out the rehearsal report. These reports can let you know which groups need support or time management suggestions.

Then Friday is the Production Meeting. Each technical crew will present what they have worked on and groups will share their scenes. More on the production meeting in a moment.

6. Begin scene-by-scene adaptation.

Break the text into sections or chapters. The actors who are in each section are responsible for coming up with dialogue and determining action. To continue with the concept of student ownership, consider having a student director, or if you’re directing, assistant directors. Their task is to check in with each group, support consistency between the groups, and act as a coach. After scenes are presented on Fridays, the class will discuss and offer feedback. Groups will then rehearse scenes as they are finalized.

The length of the play is going to depend on your situation, your selected audience, and how much experience you’ve had with this type of work with your students. Perhaps the first time you do it, it’s a 15-minute play. If you return to the project year after year, you can work up to something closer to an hour. Keep in mind that the longer the final product, the more time you will have to dedicate to the adaptation.

7. Have weekly production meetings.

As mentioned above, every Friday is sharing day: a weekly production meeting. Each acting group will present the scenes they have worked on during the week, and each technical group will share their completed work and upcoming goals.

As a class, students will discuss:

• Continuity of story telling
• Design cohesion
• What is working and what needs adjustment
• Any decisions they need to make

Your directors, assistant directors, and stage managers will work as a team to take notes on these discussions and execute during the next rehearsals.

8. Facilitate rehearsals.

The above routine should carry your students throughout the rehearsal process. Groups will continue building individual scenes, discussing and deciding on script choices, and directors/assistant directors will focus on consistency and cohesion of the overall product.

As students finalize the script, they will then need to transition to traditional rehearsal activities, memorizing lines, solidifying blocking, practicing transitions between scenes.

Your stage manager should keep an eye on how the different technical teams are progressing and if more time needs to be allotted during rehearsals to build technical elements.

Your job is to remain as much of a facilitator during this process as possible, rather than a decision-maker.

9. Do final run-through and performance.

Then it’s time for the final run-through and performance! Conduct dress rehearsals with a complete script and all the technical elements in place. Have students discuss what final changes need to be made.

After students perform, emphasize how they did all the work themselves. Celebrate the ownership, collaboration, and final product!

Final Thoughts for Teachers
The first time you take on this project, you’ll probably experience a lot of trial and error. Let it happen and note any changes you’ll need to make for next time. Be open to flexible outcomes (like shortening the piece if needed).

It takes time to build accountability and ownership. Students don’t always all of a sudden become self-managing and task-focused. Having a structure in place is helpful.

Observe how students in leadership positions (like a director or stage manager) talk to their peers.

Enjoy the process! It’s a great way to allow students to demonstrate what they’ve learned as well as practice important life skills like collaboration and communication.