Classroom Exercise

These games and exercises are my go-to activities for teaching beginning drama students. They’re fun, engaging, effective, and give students a well-rounded overview of topics such as drama classroom and theatrical etiquette, various nonverbal and scripted performance techniques, introduction to scene and character analysis, and more. First Week Essentials• You and your students can learn each others’ names using the Silent Line-Up game, the ABC Name Game, and the Action Name Game from 3 Tips to Learn Students’ Names Quickly, and get to know a bit more about them by playing Move Yer Butt and Mixer from Getting to Know You Games. • Practice and reinforce classroom rules and theatre etiquette guidelines with the Act It Out game. • Creating a set of Community Agreements is an essential first week activity for you and your students. • And here’s even more First Week Activities for you to use. Ensemble-building and trust-building are key topics to cover through warm-ups, games, and classroom exercises. Nonverbal Theatrical Techniques: Mime, Tableau, Dance & Creative Movement• Elephant Walk is one of my favourite nonverbal warm-up games. • Start by teaching students about neutral position (from 3 Tips to Help Student Actors Stop Fidgeting), which helps them learn focus and body awareness. • Our Middle School Miming series has great tips for teaching students about miming technique. Try Preparatory Skills; Big, Small, Heavy, Light; and Interacting with a Wall to start. And of course, the Mirror Exercise is a classic mime exercise that everyone should use. • We’ve got lots of tableau exercises here at the Theatrefolk blog, but my go-to is Tableau Scenes from a Book. • Dancing in the Drama Classroom is another way to explore nonverbal storytelling and creative movement. Group Scene and Monologue Preparation & Practice• Always be sure to warm up the voice for speaking and singing, including breath control and enunciation exercises. • Scene analysis exercises help students gain a deeper understanding of the character they’re playing and the scene as part of the whole play. Don’t start rehearsing without doing some preparatory work first! • Teaching Students How to Rehearse in the Drama Classroom helps them use their in-class rehearsal time effectively. • Students also need to know the basics of stage directions. Try playing Trapdoor to learn the difference between upstage, downstage, stage left and stage right. • Once students have a good foundation, they can start working on partner and group scenes (which are generally less nerve-wracking than jumping right into monologues). If you need some great scripts for students to study in class, check out Theatrefolk’s Top 10 Plays for Scene Work. Work on analyzing, rehearsing and then presenting their scenes for the rest of the class. • Then, move on to monologues, both for performance and as part of an audition. I always have my students do mock auditions, so they get to practice going through the audition process before actually auditioning for a show. Specialty Topics• Improvisation is a vital skill for beginning drama students to help them think on their feet and work as a team. Here are the Top 10 Tips for Teaching Improv. Some of my favourite improv games include Scenario Generator, Props and Word at a Time Story, Commercials, and “Yes And…” and “No, But…”. • Puppetry is a great topic for students of all ages and levels of ability. Puppet Dance Parties are a fun starting point for introducing puppetry to your class. • Stage combat should only be taught by a qualified and experienced fight director, but you can introduce stage combat safety, responsibility, and fight analysis without even throwing a punch or picking up a sword. • You can teach introductory technical theatre topics to your beginning students, even if you aren’t the most technically inclined teacher. Costumes, props, makeup, sets, lighting, sound, special effects — there’s a technical area for just about everyone. We’ve got a collection of 15 Tech Exercises for the Non-Technical Teacher that don’t require a lot of equipment or extensive technical theatre knowledge. • You can bring together and show off all the skills your students have learned and developed over your time together with a class showcase. It could be a private performance for just your class or a public presentation with an invited audience — whatever works for you and your students. You can end each class with a quick verbal check-in with your students, or give them a few minutes to respond in writing to an exit slip prompt. Check out the giveaway below for a collection of exit slip prompts that you can adapt to many different lessons. Related Reading: Curriculum Planning: Introductory Skill Building

Looking to bring some seasonal fun into your drama classroom? We’ve rounded up quick and creative activities — improv games, writing prompts, and ensemble exercises — that will keep your students engaged and energized during the holiday season. Warm-ups & Movement ExercisesThe Winter Weather Walk Guide your students through a physical exploration of the season. Have them move around the space as if they are: • Trudging through knee-deep snow. • Slipping and sliding on a patch of ice. • Trying to catch a single, perfect snowflake on their tongue. • Warming their freezing hands over a crackling fire. • Huddling together for warmth like penguins. The Holiday Machine The goal is for students to work together to create a machine that will make a holiday task easier. Have students choose a holiday activity (drinking hot cocoa, wrapping a gift, bringing home a tree and decorating it) and break it down into individual steps (choosing a cup, heating water, putting the cocoa in, stirring the cocoa, picking up a marshmallow, putting it in the cup). One student will start a repetitive sound and motion that represents one of the actions. One by one, other students will add their own connected sound and motion until the whole class becomes one clanking, whirring, festive machine. Then, divide the class into groups, have each group go through the process, and present their machine in front of the class. The class has to identify what the machine is used for and what steps are being visualized. Improv GamesThe Gift Exchange Get everyone to pair up and decide who's A and who's B. A will mime handing B an imaginary box. Based on the size/weight/shape of the 'box', B will open the box and pull out the gift, stating what it is (e.g., "A goldfish bowl!”). B will then put the gift on an imaginary shelf behind them before handing A a box to open. Continue going back and forth. After a while, they may start getting more scenic: talking about why they got someone a particular gift or playing with the object. Then change the situation so the gifts are unusual (a snow globe full of bees). How does the person receiving the gift react? Winter Weather Report One student is the “weather reporter” describing extreme seasonal weather while others act it out behind them onstage. Holiday Travel Chaos Have students improvise a scene set in a crowded airport, bus station, or train terminal during the busy season. Add escalating obstacles (delayed flights, lost luggage, mistaken identities). Gift-Giving Experts One student is a customer at a bizarre specialty store. They must describe an impossibly difficult person they need a gift for (e.g., “My aunt who is a retired astronaut and only likes the color beige”). The other players are the “experts” at the shop who must invent, demonstrate, and justify the perfect absurd gift. The Uninvited Guest Have each student create a character who is crashing a holiday party. They need to decide: 1. Who they are. 2. What their relationship is to the host. 3. Why are they crashing the party? What do they want (to get warm, steal the best snacks, profess their undying love, etc.)? Then, in pairs or small groups, have them improvise their arrival and attempt to blend in. Writing PromptsA Gift They Didn’t Expect Write a monologue from the perspective of someone who receives the strangest gift ever. How do they react to the gift? Season of Secrets Write a short scene in which two characters each try to hide a seasonal surprise from the other. New Year, New Me? Have students create a character who makes a bold resolution… then act out what happens when they try (and fail, hilariously) to stick with it. Festive Scene Starters Give these opening lines to pairs or groups and see what kind of scene they create: • "Did you regift that sweater I gave you?” • "I’m telling you, the snowman winked at me." • "This is the last one in the entire store. We have to work together." • "Okay, on the count of three, we all start singing and hope they let us in." Ensemble ActivitiesSnowball Scene Starter Have students write short scene prompts on slips of paper, crumple them up like snowballs, then toss them around the room. Each group will pick one “snowball” to perform. Winter Tableau Challenge Have small groups create frozen pictures (tableaux) of seasonal scenes (sledding, decorating, winter markets, etc.) with exaggerated emotion and physicality. Seasonal Soundscape Divide students into groups to create layered soundscapes of wintery settings (a bustling market, a forest in a snowstorm, a fireplace gathering). The Perfect Gathering… GONE WRONG In small groups, have students create a two-part tableau: • Picture 1: The perfect, postcard-worthy image of a holiday gathering (a family dinner, friends opening gifts, carolers singing in harmony). • Picture 2: On your signal, they instantly switch to a second tableau showing the moment it all falls apart in a hilarious or dramatic way. Encourage big, bold physical choices! The Assembly Line Divide the class into groups representing workers in a magical workshop. Give them an impossible toy to build (e.g., a "self-walking, cheese-making unicycle"). In a silent scene, they must use physical comedy and teamwork to assemble, test, and package this ridiculous invention. Just-for-Fun ActivitiesFestive Commercial Parody Students will create short parody commercials for outrageous “seasonal” products (e.g., glow-in-the-dark snow boots, self-singing mittens). Twelve Days of Drama Instead of “12 Days of Christmas,” brainstorm “12 Days of Drama” (e.g., “On the first day of drama, my teacher gave to me… one stressed-out stage manager!”). Students will then act out their version. The Great Cookie Debate Students take sides in an improvised debate: Which cookie reigns supreme this season? (Chocolate chip, gingerbread, sugar cookies, etc.) Each side must argue passionately in character. NOTE: Be sure to frame these activities as “seasonal” or “end-of-year” fun, so they’re inclusive for everyone while still capturing the festive spirit.

The Halloween season brings a special kind of chaotic energy to the classroom. It’s the perfect opportunity to move beyond the usual games and lean into the spooky, mysterious, and transformative spirit of the holiday. Instead of just putting a pumpkin-spice filter on our regular warm-ups, let's try some activities designed specifically to explore the things that make this time of year so much fun: building suspense, creating atmosphere, and telling a good ghost story. 1. The Soundscape of FearThis exercise is all about creating an entire story and atmosphere using only sound. It’s a fantastic ensemble builder that forces students to listen intently to one another. • The Setup: Divide the class into two halves. One half are the Listeners, who will sit or lie down with their eyes closed. The other half are the Makers. • The Task: Give the Makers a simple, spooky scenario, such as: • Exploring a creepy, abandoned house. • Walking through a haunted forest. • Someone is hiding, and something is looking for them. • The Makers then have 2–3 minutes to create a soundscape that tells that story. They can only use their voices, bodies, and objects in the room. No words allowed! They must create the environment (creaking doors, wind, rustling leaves) and the emotional journey (rising tension, a jump scare, a moment of quiet fear). • The Payoff: Swap groups. Afterwards, discuss what the Listeners "saw" in their minds. What sounds were most effective at building suspense and telling the story? 2. The Creature in the DarkThis improv exercise focuses on reacting authentically to an unseen terror. It’s less about jokes and more about genuine, in-the-moment responses. • The Setup: One student is chosen to be the Explorer. • The Task: The rest of the class becomes a single Creature. Their goal is to surround and create a world for the Explorer based solely on feeling and sound. • The Explorer should step out of the classroom so the rest of the class can discuss and decide upon three sounds they will make that define their creature. Who will make the sounds? Will it be in unison (a soft hiss, a low growl, the sound of a nail scraping the floor)? They can also discuss how they’re going to surround the Explorer without touching them. • The Explorer will then return to the classroom and stand in the center of a cleared space. The Explorer's eyes must be closed for the entire exercise. • The group will move in and surround the Explorer without touching them. The Creature is investigating the Explorer. • On your signal, the Creature will make their three sounds. Have pauses in between the sounds. The Explorer must react, in character, to the unseen presence they can only hear and feel around them. • The Payoff: This is a powerful exercise in building and releasing tension. Debrief with the Explorer about what they felt. What sounds were the most unnerving? How did their imagination fill in the blanks? 3. Shadow Puppet Ghost StoryThis activity uses light and shadow - the building blocks of horror - to tell a story. It's a great low-stakes introduction to design and non-verbal storytelling. • The Setup: You'll need a light source (like an overhead projector or a strong lamp) and a screen (a white sheet or a bare wall). Divide students into small groups. • The Task: Each group must create a 60-second, silent ghost story using only shadow puppets. They can use their hands, their bodies, and simple cardboard cutouts. The story must have a clear beginning, a moment of rising tension, and a spooky conclusion. • The Payoff: This activity forces students to think visually. How can you show fear, surprise, or a ghostly presence using only a silhouette? It’s a fun, hands-on way to explore the theatrical power of "less is more." 4. The Urban Legend CircleThis is a collaborative writing and storytelling exercise that focuses on the specific structure of a good scary story. • The Setup: Arrange the class in a circle, as if around a campfire. • The Task: You will collaboratively build an urban legend from scratch. Each person will add one sentence to the story, but they must follow specific prompts that you call out. Start the story with a classic opening like, "You know that old abandoned diner on the edge of town? Well, they say..." • Prompts to call out: • "Add a specific, strange detail." (E.g., "...and the clocks are all stuck at 3:13 AM.") • "Introduce a sound." (E.g., "That's when you hear a single fork tap against a plate.") • "Reveal a warning." (E.g., "The locals say you should never, ever order the chili.") • "End on a question." (E.g., "But if no one's been inside for 40 years... who's cooking?") • The Payoff: This exercise teaches the craft of building suspense and structuring a narrative, all while creating a brand-new, custom-made ghost story for your class.

Are you curious to know what your students know about a particular topic? Or do you wonder about what they actually retained from your last lesson? The following activity is a good way to find out quickly. The goal is simple: find out everything your students know about a particular topic in five minutes or less. It’s a great time-filler activity, or it can be used as an opening bellwork activity. You can do it as a full class activity, in small groups, or as an individual activity, and only a couple of supplies are required. Materials Needed• Stopwatch • Writing implements — pencil and paper or cell phones/tablets/Chromebooks (if you’re doing this individually or in small groups), or a blackboard/smart board (if you’re working with a full class) Instructions1. Choose a time frame to work in. Use smaller increments for smaller groups — for example, 1–2 minutes for individuals, 3–4 minutes for small groups, and 5 minutes for a full class. Adjust as necessary, depending on how much time you have to fill. 2. If you are working in small groups or as a full class, select one person to be the note-taker (one per group). Choose the student who is the fastest writer/typist. 3. When the teacher says “GO,” students will write down everything they know about a particular theatrical topic. If they’re working individually, they’ll write out everything they know about the topic by hand or digitally. For some students, it might be faster to use talk-to-text technology or do a voice recording, and that’s ok too. If they’re working as a full group, you can have students shout out their answers, rapid-fire style, or have them raise their hands. Just be quick! Point form notes are fine, but each point needs to be a complete thought and make sense. Students can always add extra notes or develop points further as necessary. Some topics might include “Everything you know about…” • Theatre etiquette • Stage makeup • The play the class is currently studying • Stage combat • Commedia dell’arte • The lesson that we just finished today/yesterday • A particular actor/playwright/theatrical historical figure • Warm-ups • What should be included in a show programme • Improvisation 4. When writing “everything you know about…” students can write literally anything they can think of relating to the show. For example, if the topic is the play the class is currently studying, students could start with things like: • Play title: The House • Playwright: Lindsay Price • There are 28 characters. • It’s set in the present day, in October. • There are four separate stories within the show. • Liath appears in all four stories. • Liath is pronounced “LEE-EH” (not “lee-ath”). For “Everything you know about stage combat,” lists might include: • If it isn’t safe, don’t do it. • Stage combat = the illusion of violence. • Stage combat must always be done under the supervision of a fight director. • Never do a real slap. • Always do a warm-up and fight call during pre-show. • Run each fight twice during fight call: once at half speed and once at performance speed. • The sound that a slap/punch/blow makes is called a “knap.” And so on. They can talk about content, themes, characters, rules, definitions, memorable quotes, whatever they know about it. Once they’ve got the basics out of their brains, they can go deeper (within the time limit). The goal is to run out of time before they run out of ideas! 5. Students will write as quickly as possible for the full amount of time you’ve selected. When the timer goes off, students must stop writing immediately. If you’re working as a full class or small group, have students include their initials next to their answers, so you know who contributed what. 6. If time permits, you can have your students share their answers verbally, or have them submit the answers to you. When you’re selecting a topic, you might choose one that you’ve recently studied in class to see what information your students have retained and can quickly recall. It’s an immediate assessment of what your students took away from the lesson. If there are noticeable sections missing in students’ notes, that gives you an idea of what needs to be reviewed. Remember that some students may not work well under pressure, and might be able to recall more information in a different setting. In that case, if time permits, follow up the activity with a class discussion. Conversely, you might choose a topic that you haven’t yet focused on to gauge what knowledge your students currently possess. This way you can see what you could focus your lessons on, where your students’ interests lie, and where their knowledge gaps are. Let us know how your students respond to this activity!

Sometimes you have a few minutes at the end of class where you need to keep your students occupied, but you don’t want to start a new exercise or let the class devolve into mindless chatter. Enter time filler activities! This month we’ll be sharing some great games and simple activities that you can whip out whenever you’ve got some spare minutes to fill. And you can always extend the gameplay out longer next class if you find that your students are really connecting with it. Symbol Stories is a simple game that challenges students to invent a story using prompts from symbols on a set of three dice. It helps students to practice quick and creative thinking, as well as verbal communication skills. Materials Needed:• Set of three oversized dice • Paint or markers or cutouts of symbols to attach to the dice • Scissors • Glue/tape • Small shallow box or bag (for storage) Preparation:1. Select 18 different, easily identifiable symbol images (one for each side of the three dice) that you will draw, paint, or cut out to put on the dice. Some symbols might include a tree, a crown, a book, a squirrel, a pencil, a house, a key, a flower, a fish, a cake… there are lots of options. See the giveaway below for a list of symbol prompt ideas. 2. Draw, paint, or cut out and glue a different symbol on each side of the dice. 3. Once the dice are dry and complete, place them into a small shallow box or a bag for safekeeping. Activity Instructions:1. One student will roll the three dice. 2. Have them announce to the class the three symbols they’ve rolled, for example, a guitar, a bicycle, and an apple, or a chicken, a lollipop, and a mug. 3. The student will then make up and tell a story that includes all three items in some way. 4. The story can be in any style (funny, scary, dramatic, etc.) as long as it’s appropriate for the classroom. It doesn’t have to be long! It could be as simple as, “I was riding my bicycle down the street when I noticed a man sitting under an apple tree playing a guitar,” or “My sister’s pet chicken broke my favourite mug. I was so upset that I dropped my lollipop.” Or, the story can be as detailed as the student wishes, as time permits. 5. Have as many students tell stories as you have time to fill. You can have students each roll the dice and have different symbols for each story, or roll the dice once and have each student tell a different story using the same symbols. For example, if the dice roll is a crown, a squirrel, and a pencil, one student might tell a story about a royal squirrel wearing a crown writing a letter with a pencil, while another student tells a story about a person stealing a crown from a pencil-wielding squirrel. Or perhaps a queen with a crown writes a decree with a pencil that all squirrels have been banned from the country. See what interesting stories your students come up with! Alternate Ideas:• If you don’t have oversized dice, you can use a set of index cards or plastic poker chips with one symbol per card or chip. For the chips, you can have students draw them out of a box or bag. For the index cards, turn them upside down (so the blank side is facing the student), shuffle the cards, and have students select three cards at random. Aim to have between 18–20 cards or chips. • You could also simply print the prompt idea grid from the giveaway below, cut out the squares, and toss them into a hat or paper bag. Laminate the cutouts for extra sturdiness. • Have one student tell the story while two additional students act out or mime the story at the same time, listening and reacting to what the storyteller says. • Have a minimum or maximum amount of time that the story must fill. For example, the story must be shorter than 30 seconds, or the story has to be longer than a minute. Or, you could limit the number of sentences or words the storyteller can use. • Instead of verbal storytelling, use the dice rolls as a scene or monologue writing prompt. • Have students come up with as many different scenarios as they can (using all three dice rolls) in three minutes. • Have students roll the dice or choose symbols for each other. • Have students improvise a sales pitch for each symbol they roll. • Create a single item or product using all three symbols, for example, a chicken-flavoured lollipop in a mug, or a lollipop-print mug for chickens.

In Part 1 of our How to Use a Small Cast Play in Your Drama Classroom article, we shared two different analysis-based exercises that focus specifically on small cast shows. Now we’re going to focus on acting in and directing small cast shows. These shows allow students to work together in a more intimate setting with fewer peers. Both beginner and advanced acting students can do the acting challenge below. The directing challenge is great for an advanced-level drama class, or for a split-grade class, with the senior students taking on the director roles and the younger students as actors. If you’re teaching a director’s craft or similar class, directing a short small cast play (or scene from the play) could be your students’ culminating project. Students would be responsible for selecting, casting, rehearsing, and presenting their scene for an audience. In preparation for the acting and/or directing challenges, you may wish to have students complete one (or both) of our analysis-based exercises for small cast plays prior to casting and rehearsing the scenes. This will give them additional time with the script for a more thorough understanding of the text. If you need some small cast scripts for your drama class library, check out Theatrefolk’s top 10 plays for small casts or the Small Cast Script Bundle for some great options. 1. Acting ChallengeWith a small cast show, everyone gets featured and there’s nowhere to hide, so it can be an exciting challenge for student actors. In these shows students work closely with one another and get to know each other more deeply. There’s a lot riding on each actor to pull their weight in the show. It’s a lot of responsibility but also a lot of fun. Unless you have a very small drama class to begin with, you’ll need to divide students into small groups. If the show has multiple scenes, assign one scene from the play per group. If there aren’t scene cuts, you will have to assign a specific page or cut of the script to each group. Keep it to 1–2 pages if you’re doing this challenge in one or two class periods. (You will need to allot more class time if you want the students to perform the scenes off-book; otherwise, students will perform with script in hand.) If the play you’re studying has one common set throughout the show, let students know where the common entrances and exits are for continuity purposes. Have the groups cast their scenes with the students they have in their group, and rehearse and present the scenes. Perform the scenes in the order that they appear in the play. You may wish to film the performances so the groups can watch their performances back. Afterwards, have students compare and contrast the actors’ approaches to each character, the evolution of the characters from scene to scene, and how the show flows from scene to scene with the different actors playing each role. If you have an uneven students-to-characters-to-scenes ratio, you could have some students act as directors for some or all of the scenes. Which leads to… 2. Directing ChallengeSmall cast shows are a great opportunity for a student director to tackle, as there are fewer actors and characters to wrangle. Tagging on from the acting challenge, have a group of students act as directors for the various scenes from the small cast show. Decide if you want your directors to work independently or cooperatively. For staging, you can have each director create their scene as they wish in terms of blocking, stage layout, and performance style, or have the directors get together in advance and come up with a universal plan for the setup of the stage and how they’ll guide their actors. For casting, you can pre-assign casts for each director, or have the directors do a casting session, metaphorically duking it out to determine which director will work with which actors. Once the groups have been set, the directors will cast the scene with the actors they have, and block and rehearse the scenes. Then, the student actors will present the scenes in the order they appear in the show. You may wish to film the performances so the groups can watch their performances back. If you’re doing both the acting and directing challenges and have some scenes with a student director and some that are self-directed by the groups, have your students discuss how the rehearsal process worked for both types of groups. What were the advantages and disadvantages of having a director versus being self-directed? How might the processes be different with a larger cast show?

Many drama teachers look for large cast plays with huge ensembles so they can include every student who wants to participate. But sometimes you don’t need something that big. Maybe you have a new or fledgling drama program with only a few students. Maybe you’d like to feature your graduating seniors, or challenge your advanced acting students. Or maybe you just want something on a smaller scale. Whatever the reason, a small cast show is a necessity! With a small cast show, you can get laser-focused. Because there are fewer characters, students must go deeper and really get to the heart and soul of the characters and their journeys. Here are two analysis-based exercises focusing on small cast shows. These exercises can be done individually or in small groups. If you need some small cast scripts for your drama class library, Theatrefolk’s top 10 plays for small casts is a great place to start. 1. Small Cast Character AnalysisWith many analysis assignments, students are challenged to choose one character from a large dramatis personae list, and do an analysis of that character. With a smaller cast show, have students do an analysis of each character, not only examining each character and their personalities and choices, but also looking deeper at how they relate to the others in the show, as well as their journey through the play as a whole. Have students read through the play and create a character relationship map. Sketch or choose an image of each character and arrange them on a blank board or blank document. Identify the different kinds of relationships between the characters and use different coloured lines to connect the characters (red for love interest, green for friends, blue for relatives, etc.). Have students think of creative ways to indicate complicated relationships, such as “enemies to lovers” or “one-sided friendship.” Since the show is a small cast, each character should be connected to all the other characters in some way. If you’re working on a vignette-style small cast play, the character relationships might not be as evident, because the characters might not interact with each other directly. In this case, they can still make a character relationship map, they just have to approach it a little differently. Have students look for threads that tie the characters together: How are they similar in terms of how they think, what they’re going through, how they approach a problem or challenge? There also might be subtle hints in the text that aren’t immediately evident; for example, perhaps two characters mention that they have the same math teacher, or one character might be the sister of another character’s friend. For each connection, have students write a small explanation of how the characters relate to one another. 2. Small Cast Producer’s ChallengeAsk your students why they think a theatre company might want to do a small cast show. Have students think like producers and brainstorm reasons having a small cast show could be advantageous. For example: • Smaller cast generally means a smaller budget (and with producers, it always comes down to the bottom line of money) • Fewer actors to pay • Fewer costumes required • Less rehearsal time needed (possibly) • Often one unit set is all that’s needed • A more intimate and focused story • Plenty of stage time for each performer Then brainstorm reasons why having a small cast could be challenging: • Fewer roles to go around so fewer actors can be involved • You could double cast the show so more actors could be involved but that would take more rehearsal time • Could be more challenging to get audience members to come • Fewer characters means more lines, which will take longer to memorize Have students select a small cast show (or assign one for the entire class to focus on). Students will read the play and do a SWOT analysis illustrating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the small cast show. Next, have students create an estimated budget for the small cast show. It might help students to compare a small cast show budget to a large cast show budget. You might have them do an online search for production costs for theatrical productions. Broadway Tour has a great article breaking down how much it costs to put on a Broadway show — it definitely isn’t cheap, even if the show has a small cast! Students will present their analysis and budget to the rest of the class. Make note of common ideas that come up and look deeper into unique ideas that other students may not have thought of. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming article about acting and directing exercises for small cast shows!

Live special effects are exciting! They create memorable moments onstage that audience members will talk about long afterwards. But how is this theatre magic created? What elements go into bringing special effects to life onstage? Let’s have your students give it a go. And of course, since it’s fall, we’re going to add a scary element to this challenge. This exercise can be written, practical, or both. Students will first design their special effect, describing in detail how they would create the effect and what they would need to make it happen. If your resources allow, students will then build their special effect and present it for the rest of the class. Which student will creep out their classmates the most? Let’s find out! Instructions:1. Compile a collection of shows and scenes that feature a spooky special effect. This might include written scenes in established plays or video clips of theatrical productions. You can also brainstorm with your students about scary onstage moments they’ve seen or would like to see brought to life. You could even incorporate student-written scenes into this exercise. Here are some ideas to get you started: • A witch's bubbling cauldron • Ichabod Crane being pursued by the Headless Horseman, both on horseback • Beheading or dismembering a victim (this can be comedic as well, like in Monty Python’s Spamalot) • Dr. Jekyll transforming into Mr. Hyde • A witch or wizard casting a spell • Turning a human into a zombie (like in Evil Dead: The Musical) • Bringing Frankenstein’s monster to life on an electric table • Pushing a character into a coffin • Tossing a character through a window • Dumping pig’s blood on an innocent victim (like in Carrie: The Musical) • Characters discovering and walking through a secret passage • A jumpscare 2. Decide whether you would like students to work individually, in pairs, or in small groups. Have each student/group select a special effect to work on. 3. Next, students will figure out how they might bring their scary moment to life onstage. There are many components that go into making a special effect happen in live theatre. Think about lighting, makeup, creative movement and choreography, angling the action onstage a certain way (to hide things, magician-style), stage combat, sound effects, makeup, projections, special props, and so on. Each special effect for this challenge should include at least three different components mentioned above to bring it to life onstage. Special effects can be simple or elaborate. For example, a witch’s bubbling cauldron might involve putting a flashlight covered with coloured gels or tissue paper inside the cauldron so it glows, as well as a dry ice machine or bubble machine to create smoke or bubbles (or both!), with a sound effect of liquids bubbling and boiling playing over the sound system. If they don’t have a bubble machine, a student could sit behind the cauldron and blow bubbles with a bubble wand. If they don’t have a flashlight handy, a student could use the flashlight on their phone. For the moment where Dr. Jekyll becomes Mr. Hyde, the director may instruct the actor to writhe, bend, and vocalise in a dramatic fashion. (Depending on their directorial abilities, would students want to employ a choreographer or movement coach or choreograph it themselves?) Combine that with a haunting underscoring song, dramatic lighting, or possibly a tearaway costume piece (perhaps Jekyll’s jacket gets torn away with snaps or Velcro to reveal a brand-new coat in a different colour?) and they’ve got an exciting stage magic moment. 4. Students will create a write-up describing exactly how they would create their scary special effect, what technical elements they would need, and the approximate cost of materials. Let’s say students want to purchase a life-sized mannequin to chop the head off of. They’d need to search online to find out how much a mannequin would cost to purchase — a rental company wouldn’t likely rent them an item that they’re going to take apart. Students will need to think of any potential hidden costs, such as having to launder a stage bloody costume night after night. Students also should consider possible safety concerns with their chosen special effect. For example, if students choose to use buckets of stage blood in the scene from Carrie: The Musical, how will the blood be contained onstage? How will they prevent actors from slipping and falling in the liquid? How will they keep the stage clean in between scenes/shows? Will they wash Carrie’s prom dress every night (in between shows) or have a series of backup dresses? Which is more expensive: the materials used to make the dress or the cost of laundering a prom dress night after night? These potential safety concerns and additional notes should be included in the students’ write-up. Students may wish to incorporate a sketch or computer rendering of the special effect in addition to their write-up, if they feel it’s useful. For a greater challenge, have students come up with two designs: a low/no-cost version and a dream version with an unlimited budget. 5. Written work reflection question: How could your special effect help a (theoretical) project that you/your class/a neighbouring school is doing with this show or scene? Students should submit their completed reflections with the written work. 6. If you have the time and resources, the second part of the challenge is to bring the design to life onstage. Students will gather the materials they need, assemble the elements, rehearse the moment, and present it to the class. You can choose whether to have students complete this part of the process in class or assign it as homework. 7. For the practical portion, students will answer the following questions: • What was the easiest part of the practical portion? What was the most challenging? Why? • What changes or modifications, if any, did you have to make to your original design? • If your special effect was included in a show, what considerations would you need to address before, during, and after the special effect was used in the show? (For example, if you needed to bring a coffin on and offstage, would you have actors or stagehands carry it onstage, or would you put casters on the bottom so it could be rolled on and offstage?)

If you have a smartphone, it’s a guarantee that you’ve used emojis. Emojis are more than cute graphics on your phone — they’ve evolved into a unique visual language. While emojis themselves are a fairly new development (the first official emojis were invented in 1999 by Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita), people have been using symbols to communicate for thousands of years. Students often have full conversations entirely with emojis. Emojis can give additional context and understanding to written language where tone isn’t always easily conveyed. In this exercise, students will pair up and analyse a short scene or musical theatre song using emojis. This exercise includes a warm-up, a full class introduction and discussion, partner work, and a full class analysis and discussion. Materials Needed Copies of a one-page scene from a play or lyrics to a musical theatre song, with each line/phrase/lyric numbered down the left. If possible, leave a fairly wide margin down the right-hand side of the paper, so students can write or draw emojis on that side. Alternatively, students can complete the assignment on their phone by making a numbered list (corresponding with the numbered line from the text) and putting their emojis next to the appropriate number for each line/lyric. Warm-Up or Bell Work Using emojis, make a timeline of what you’ve done today so far, hour by hour. For example, if you woke up at 7 am and drama class is at 11 am, you will choose five emojis, one to represent each hour of the day that you’ve been awake. Introduction As a full class, have students add emojis to the following sentences: • I’m sorry. • What do you think? • I’m not really sure. • I can’t believe he said that. • I can’t wait! Feel free to add additional sentences. Which emojis did your students choose for each one? Why? Did the emoji choice change the meaning of the sentence? If so, how? Exercise Instructions 1. Divide students into pairs. 2. Give each pair a one-page scene from a play or the lyrics to a musical theatre song. All groups will get the same scene/song. 3. Give a time limit to complete the assignment (or as much of it as they can complete within the timeframe). 4. Each pair will use emojis to represent the words, phrases, or emotions of the scene/song, line by line. Groups can use as many or as few emojis they wish, but they should aim for two to three minimum per line (unless it's a one-word line). Students can write or draw emojis on the right-hand margin of the scene/lyric page, next to the appropriate line. Alternatively, students can complete the assignment on their phone by making a numbered list (corresponding with the numbered line from the text) and putting their emojis next to the appropriate number for each line/lyric. 5. At the end of the time limit, discuss students' different interpretations of the emojis used, one line at a time. Here are some questions you might wish to ask: • Why did you use so many/few emojis for a particular sentence or phrase? • Did your emoji choice represent a literal word/phrase in the song, or did it have a more removed meaning? • For a particular sentence or phrase, did most students agree or disagree on an overall feeling/emoji choice? • Did any sentences or phrases have a large amount of disagreement on what emojis should be used? Which ones? What is causing the disagreement? Can students explain why they disagree and/or why they think their interpretation is correct? • How would you rate your understanding and/or enjoyment of the class work using emojis? 6. Each student will complete and submit an individual exit slip (found below). If you want students to submit their class work as well, have them either hand in the paper with the drawn/written emojis on the side, or take a screenshot of their work from their phone and email it to you (or upload it to your classroom webpage if you have one). Make sure students include both partners’ names on the emoji work, even though they will complete exit slips individually.

This costume challenge builds on the costume design skills that students practiced in two recent blog posts: Rehearsal Blacks, Elevated and One Item, Three Ways. Students will work in pairs to create a costume design using only found materials, such as construction paper, newspaper, toilet paper or toilet paper rolls, fabric scraps, duct tape, and so on — anything you might find in a craft supply box or recycling bin. They’ll create a detailed, labelled costume sketch, and use the found materials to add colour, texture, and interesting features. Then, if you have an abundance of materials and would like to take this challenge to the next level, pairs will use the found materials to make a human-sized costume. Some of the problems they’ll need to solve include figuring out how much of a material they’ll need to complete the costume, how to use the found items in a way that covers the body appropriately while still looking stylish, and how to make their costume actually stay together on a body. Materials Needed:• Plain paper • Pencils • Scissors • Glue • A box of various found materials, such as construction paper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, toilet paper and/or toilet paper rolls, fabric scraps, straws, yarn, tin foil, bottle caps, cotton balls, duct tape, leaves, and so on. If students will only be designing, you’ll need a smaller container of materials. If students will also create real costumes from their designs, you will need as many materials as you can get your hands on! You might want to reach out to other school departments, local crafting communities, and/or students and their families to help acquire supplies. • If students are constructing real costumes, they may need to access a basic neutral base garment to attach their materials to. (They also might come up with their own interesting way of constructing the garment and not need the base item.) Instructions1. Divide students into pairs. 2. Each pair will select a person or character to design a costume for. The subject can be a character from a play or musical, or a character from popular culture (a book, movie, television show, comic book, etc.). 3. Each pair will create one original sketch of their character’s costume. Students who aren’t the most confident artists can do a search for “design figure template” or “blank costume template.” 4. Students will cut and glue the items from the found materials box to the sketch they made to show colour, texture, material choice, details, and/or accessories. Perhaps they’ll design a fluffy robe using cotton balls, a dress made of leaves and tree bark, or a suit made of wrapping paper, with a matching top hat and lapel flower decorated with gift bows. 5. Students will label all the parts of the design, indicating the different aspects of the costume and what the materials are. Be sure to note all details that are included, such as acorn buttons on the leaf dress, or glasses made out of pipe cleaners to go along with the cotton-ball robe. As well, students must title their sketch with the character’s name and what they’re from (e.g., “Annabeth Chase from The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”) and include a brief description of the outfit and its purpose (e.g., Cinderella’s ball gown for Act 2 Scene 1, Harry Potter’s Quidditch uniform from The Chamber of Secrets, Lumiere’s human transformation outfit from the final scene of Beauty and the Beast). 6. Each pair will submit their completed costume design. Each student in the pair will complete and submit an individual exit slip response (found in the download below). 7. Optional Next-Level Challenge: Students will build a life-sized version of their costume design, using the same found materials indicated and used in their design. Both students in the pair will work on the design and construction of the costume. Students may want to use a neutral base garment (such as a plain t-shirt and pants) and attach the items to it, or they might come up with their own creative method of constructing the costume. Once they have constructed their costume, they’ll present it to the class, either live or by recording a video. One student will model the costume while the other student verbally presents and describes the design, the inspiration, and a breakdown of the materials used. (What kind and why? How much/many used?)

In our last post, we challenged students to create elevated costume looks using only black clothing and accessories. This time, we’ll have one costume item and challenge students to style it differently to create various looks. In short, how can students use one item in many different ways? This exercise is useful to show students how they can create different, interesting looks using very little. Going forward, students can use this experience to help them costume a show on a budget, because when you use multi-purpose items, you don’t have to spend as much money. This exercise works best with groups of three. Each student will get the chance to be the costume head, the assistant, and the model. The exercise is done in three rounds. You’ll need enough costume items so each group has an item to work with. The colour and pattern of the items doesn’t matter. For the first round, each group will need a large piece of rectangular or square fabric, such as an oversized scarf, a sari, a bedsheet, or a towel. For the second round, each group will need a large piece of clothing, such as an oversized hoodie, a long dress (preferably made of an easy-moving fabric such as cotton or jersey), or a similar oversized, billowy clothing item. For the third round, each group will need a pair of shoes with laces. It’s up to you whether you keep the costume items a surprise or reveal them to the groups in advance. Instructions1. Have each group determine who is Partner A, Partner B, and Partner C. 2. For the first round, Partner A is the costume head, Partner B is the assistant, and Partner C is the model. 3. Partner A will receive the first round costume item — a large piece of fabric. Over the top of Partner C’s clothes, Partner A needs to manipulate and style the fabric to create three different costume looks. They can fold, scrunch, wrap, twist, and otherwise manipulate the fabric to make different styles or items — just don’t rip or cut the fabric. For example, the fabric might be tied around the model’s waist to create a wrap skirt or beach coverup, tied around the model’s neck to use as a cape, or wrapped around their arm or leg to use as a sling. As the assistant, Partner B is there to provide help and take a digital photograph of each look to submit to the teacher. 4. Once they have styled the fabric in three unique ways and taken the photographs, the group can neatly fold the fabric and return it to the teacher, and then move on to the second round. 5. For the second round, Partner B is the costume head, Partner C is the assistant, and Partner A is the model. 6. Repeat Step 3 with the second round costume item — an oversized hoodie, long dress, or similar large, billowy item. Again, no cutting or ripping the item. This round will be a bit different because, in contrast to the plain piece of fabric, the hoodie or dress will have a definite shape and different features, such as sleeves and pockets. For example, the hoodie could be worn as it usually is (as a shirt), tied around the waist for a casual look, and then tied around the neck for a preppy look. Students might fold the hoodie into a hat, using the sleeves to tie it to the model’s head or create interesting details. The long dress might be shortened by tying knots around the edge of the fabric, or worn as a skirt or an off-shoulder dress with the bodice tucked down at various points on the body. 7. Once Partner B creates three different looks and Partner C photographs, the items are to be neatly folded or hung up, and returned to the teacher for the third and final round. 8. For the third round, Partner C is the costume head, Partner A is the assistant, and Partner B is the model. 9. Repeat Step 3 with the third round costume item — a pair of shoes with laces. This item poses a challenge because it’s unexpected and doesn’t provide much coverage. If your students have played the theatre game Props, have them think about the shoes in the same way. Where on the body could the shoes be worn, other than on the feet? The shoes could be tied to the model’s head like a hat or fascinator, worn on their hands like puppets, or worn as a scarf or necklace by tying the laces together and draping them over their shoulders. If students are stumped, how could they style the shoelaces in three different ways? 10. Once Partner C creates three different looks and Partner A photographs, they can return the items to the teacher. All group members will complete and submit an individual reflection (found below) as well as submit their three photos.

Drama class is a fantastic place to learn transferrable skills and work towards applying them to real-life situations. No matter what the exercise is, there is always a transferable skill to discover, such as effective communication, teamwork, problem solving, creative thinking, and mindfulness. Here are 10 of our best articles that focus on how drama class and theatrical skills can be applied to the real world. Even the most reluctant drama student will find a useful concept to apply to their daily life within these articles and exercises. How Do You Measure Success in the Drama Classroom?While of course grades are important and required for students to advance, students and educators should look beyond A’s and B’s. From problem solving to confidence building, in this article we look at various ways of measuring success beyond grades. 21st Century Skills in the Drama ClassroomThe skills of the 21st century are not about technology, even though every teenager is fully wired. They’re about teaching students to think in a new way. This post includes classroom exercises and articles about the four C’s of 21st century skills: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration. Finding Theatrical Opportunities Outside the Drama ClassroomDrama class teaches transferable skills that can be used in the “real world.” Encourage your students to think beyond just performing. Being well rounded and having a variety of transferable theatrical skills will help your students go far. How can what students learn in drama class be used outside of drama class? Communication in the Drama ClassroomCommunication is vital to a successful theatrical experience. In fact, it might be the most important 21st century skill students can learn in the drama classroom. We communicate with each other in the real world every day — verbally, nonverbally, and physically. This article gives lots of suggestions for exercises and lessons to practice communication in your classroom. Collaboration Games: Job InterviewAt first glance, the Job Interview game sounds easy: practice interviewing for a job (a real-world skill). However, the twist is that students must work together to allow the interviewer to guide their new hire to discover what job they’re applying for. 20 Icebreaker Questions for Drama Students To Get To Know Each Other“What did you do on your holiday?” is boring. The 20 open-ended, inclusive questions in this post will help your students get to know each other, as well as give you deeper insight into their lives and personalities. Use these questions for the traditional “pair up and interview your partner” exercise, as full-class group discussion questions, or as written journal prompts. 3 Mindfulness Techniques to Combat Pre-Show NervesPracticing mindfulness is helpful for drama students, because it can help them combat pre-show jitters. You can add mindfulness techniques to your pre-show warm-up routines and teach these techniques for students to use on their own. Best of all, they don’t take much time and they can use these techniques virtually anywhere. Problem Solving: When Students Don’t Work Well TogetherTheatre and drama class are collaborative. However, it’s impossible for every student to get along with every other student. What can we do when these students are then expected to work together in a group setting? Have them practice the exercises in this post! Exercise: Problem-Solving for Student DirectorsGiving students the opportunity to direct is a great thing; it helps them develop so many skills and abilities. However, being in a leadership position can be nerve-wracking for students. This exercise gives students the opportunity to explore and practice various problem-solving situations before they get into rehearsal. Acting in Everyday LifeMany students take drama class not because they want to, but because they have to. This article takes another look at the transferable skills learned in drama class and how to apply them to everyday life, particularly in the working world.

In this small group exercise, students will write a creative summary of the plot of a play using the ABCB, or “simple 4-line” rhyme scheme. This exercise focuses on creative thinking and teamwork. If you wish to expand this exercise, you can add a performance component, where the group members will perform the piece they created as a dramatic reading. You may wish to provide your students with a rhyming dictionary and/or a thesaurus to assist them with creating their written pieces. There are also many free online resources available to assist students with finding rhymes and synonyms. Written ComponentThe ABCB rhyme scheme is common in English-language verse. The second and fourth lines rhyme, while the first and third do not. For example: Roses are red, (A) Violets are blue, (B) Sugar is sweet, (C) And so are you. (B) Let’s say your students are studying Romeo and Juliet. As a class, create a timeline of the major events that occur within the play. For example, Romeo and Juliet meet, they wed in secret, Tybalt is angered and kills Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt, Romeo is banished, and so on. From there, divide the class into groups of two to four. Each group will create their own rhyming summary of the play, using the ABCB rhyme scheme. Each group will decide what important events they wish to include in the piece, and what the overall tone of the piece should be. The piece will have a minimum of four verses (no maximum unless the teacher decides to have one). Here’s a sample piece: Romeo loved Rosaline Or so he claimed to do. But once he noticed Juliet, From Rosaline he flew. This made Tybalt angry, Revenge is what he sought, He challenged Romeo to a duel, And with swords they fought. Romeo was banished. Friar Lawrence tried to assist. Juliet would fake her death But the message to Romeo was missed. Romeo drank poison When he saw his unmoving wife, When Juliet arose and saw he was dead She also took her own life. Each group will submit a written copy of the piece, with all group members’ names on the paper. Additionally, each group member will submit an individual reflection, responding to the following: • Rate your contribution to today’s group exercise out of 10 (10 being an excellent contributor, 1 being not contributing to the project at all). Why did you give yourself the rating you did? Describe your contributions to the group. Performance ComponentEach group member will perform at least one verse. Give groups some time in class to assign their verses and rehearse. Depending on your preferences, group members can perform “on book” with script in hand, or you may wish to have students memorize their verses at home and perform later in the week, off book. Each group member should use gestures, vocal inflections, and facial expressions to create an engaging performance. Clear enunciation and good volume are always a requirement for a good performance. As well, the overall tone of the piece should be consistent from performer to performer. Even though students are each performing separate verses, they should think of themselves as presenting a single unified piece.

What better way to welcome students into the drama department than allowing them to make a grand entrance through a decorated door? Many teachers enjoy door decorating for holiday contests, spirit week celebrations, or just to make their classroom look more welcoming. It’s fun for students too. So why not get them involved in decorating your drama classroom door? The following individual exercise is like a mini set design challenge. Students will create a door design and complete an accompanying worksheet where they’ll discuss their inspiration for the design, as well as other production-related questions. You can then use the door designs to decorate your classroom, and even use a student’s design to decorate the door. It’s a great exercise for the end of the semester when you just can’t think, and it can be as low- or high-tech as you wish. Materials Needed • Door template (or a blank piece of paper) • Pencils and coloured pencils • Rulers • Optional: collage items such as fabric scraps, magazine tear outs, ribbons, pipe cleaners, coloured tissue, and wrapping paper • If you want to make this a high-tech project, you could use computer design software such as AutoCAD if it’s available at your school. 1. Give each student a door template (a blank piece of paper will do in a pinch). If possible, tailor the door template to your own classroom door, noting the style and direction of the handle as well as any windows and nearby signage. Note whether it is a push or pull door from the hallway. It may also be useful to include any important nearby features, such as a display window or electrical outlet. Note: If you plan to decorate your door, you may want to check with your administration and/or custodial staff ahead of time to ensure that there are no safety hazards (e.g., tripping hazards or flammable materials). 2. Students will design their doors. If you wish, have them brainstorm a list of door décor topics. Then have students colour their designs. They may use collage materials if desired/available. Door designs should be creative and reflective of what you do and learn in drama class. They could be entertaining, educational, thought provoking, inspiring, attention grabbing, or use interesting materials or techniques. Students could create something seasonal, or related to the play you’re currently studying in class, or themed for an upcoming production, or that demonstrates a recently learned scenic painting technique. The options are only limited by your students’ imaginations. 3. Students will complete the accompanying worksheet, responding to the following questions: • What’s the title of your design? (“A Winter Wonderland,” “Ode to Romeo & Juliet,” “Lost in Rundoon,” etc.) • What inspired your design? • What materials would we need to create the design for real on the door? • What is an estimated budget for materials? Where/how will we acquire the materials? (For example, will the student use items they bring from home or pull out of the recycling bin, or will they need to purchase them?) • If you’re going to have a voting portion: Why should your classmates vote for your design to be the winner? 4. Post each door design and accompanying worksheet in the classroom. _Optional: Voting _ 5. Fold over or cover the names of each student on their paperwork so they’re not tempted to vote for their friends. 6. Students will vote for their top two door designs. You can either do a secret ballot or simply have students raise their hands. If you’d like to add an additional writing component, have students complete an exit slip explaining why they voted for the design they did. 7. You will create the design with the most votes. Be sure to credit the student designer on the door! You may want to offer extra credit or volunteer hours to the students who do the work of bringing the design to life.

One of the (many!) wonderful things about theatre is that magic becomes real on the stage. Fantastical stories are brought to life in the most inventive and interesting ways to keep audiences enchanted. Many theatrical shows involve magical creatures such as giants, and they’re all created differently. So today’s challenge for your students is… how would they create a giant onstage? This exercise combines teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, technical challenges, writing, and acting. It’s a true artistic challenge! InstructionIntroduction: Share examples of stories with giants, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, David’s Father (Robert Munsch), The Selfish Giant (Oscar Wilde), Clifford the Big Red Dog (Norman Bridwell), The Iron Giant (Ted Hughes), and The BFG (Roald Dahl). Show clips of theatrical shows that include giants and gigantic creatures, such as Giants in the Sky, Into the Woods, King Kong, Beetlejuice, and Peter and the Starcatcher. What other books, comics, television shows or films have your students seen that involve giants? 1. Divide students into groups of four to six. 2. Have each group select a short scene from a story where a character encounters a giant, and write an adaptation of that scene for the stage. (Adaptation is the process of translating a literary source, such as a short story or poem, into another genre or medium — in this case, a theatrical scene to be performed on the stage.) Aim for two to three pages. 3. Once they have written their scene, students must cast the show from within their group and figure out the staging. Each student must be involved in the performance in some capacity (whether onstage or in a technical area). 4. Students must determine how they will stage the giant in the scene. Some ideas might include: • Puppets • Lighting (shadows, shadow puppets, etc.) • Props and/or scenery (oversized or miniature) • Sound effects • Projections • Staging choices (for example, pretending the giant is offstage and having actors look up at where the giant is) • A combination of many of these ideas! You might need to remind students that television shows and movies often employ CGI (computer-generated imagery) to create giants in those mediums, and that isn’t available for a live performance. 5. Students must rehearse and memorize their lines and staging. They should include some basic costumes and props. Groups will then present their scenes for the rest of the class. 6. After all the groups have performed, each student will complete and submit an individual reflection.

The following exercise gives students the opportunity to practice active listening, teamwork, taking direction, and problem solving as a group. Acting as an ensemble with a student director, group members will create a tableau scene illustrating three moments from a familiar story, using every member of the group in some way. The word “tableau” comes from the phrase tableau vivant, or “living picture.” Students will use their bodies and imaginations to create frozen pictures to tell the story — no words or sounds allowed. Blinking and breathing are always acceptable — and necessary! You may laugh, but every time I play this game with students, there is always one person who asks, “Can I still blink when I’m frozen?” You’ll need a stopwatch or clock to indicate how much planning and rehearsal time is available. Optional: A smartphone or digital camera to take a photo of each tableau scene, so students can see their work Warm-UpTo get students in the tableau mindset, use Tableau Scenes from a Book or Numbered Tableaux as a warm-up exercise. Instruction1. Divide students into large groups of 8–10. Adjust as necessary depending on how many students you have, but try to have at least 2 separate groups. 2. Select one director per group. This student will be in charge of the final look of the scene but is welcome to take suggestions from the group members. They must also participate as a member of the tableau scene. 3. Give each group a familiar nursery rhyme or story prompt with a limited number of named characters, such as The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or Sleeping Beauty. Groups will choose three memorable moments in the story to portray in three frozen onstage pictures. Let students know how much time they have to plan and rehearse. 4. Each group member must be included in the tableau scene in some way, despite there being fewer named characters than students. What else can the other students portray? They might be props (such as the spinning wheel in Sleeping Beauty or a bowl of porridge in Goldilocks), set pieces (such as one of the Three Little Pigs’ houses), atmosphere (sun or moon, trees, background creatures), or whatever else makes sense for the scene. Encourage students to make creative, thoughtful choices that add to the overall picture, but don’t forget that the director is to make the final decisions for the look of the picture. 5. Another thing students will have to think about is the transition between the pictures. How will the group move from each tableau? 6. Students will present their tableau scenes to the rest of the class. 7. Optional: Take a photo of each tableau scene so students can see what they look like in the frozen picture. Ask your students: what worked well in this scene? What didn’t work so well? If you’re showing the photos to students, ask them: when you look at the photos, does the scene look like you imagined it would look? What might you change if you were to attempt the exercise again? 8. A reflection is provided (see below) to allow students to think about their participation in the exercise. Additional Options: • Have students plan their tableau scenes silently. How will they communicate non-verbally? • Tell each group secretly what story they are portraying, and have the other groups guess what the story is. • Tell only the director what story their group is portraying. The director must instruct the rest of the group without revealing what the story is. • Try the exercise again, switching some of the group members, with less planning time.

The following exercise gives students the opportunity to explore different ways of approaching and performing a two-person scene, using two different levels of volume: only whispering and shouting. It challenges students to act outside their comfort zones, employ safe vocal projection techniques, and analyze a character’s lines. Note: You may want to warn any teachers whose classrooms are near to yours ahead of time that you’re doing this exercise with your students — it can get noisy! Additionally, be aware if you have any students with sensory concerns who may find this exercise overwhelming — you might want to give them a quiet place to do the analysis in Prompt E and excuse them from the rehearsal process. Materials Needed: • A copy of a short, two-person scene for each student (such as a section from “The Big Lie” from Ten/Two) • A pencil for each student (to make notes on the script paper) • Water • Optional: a whistle or noisemaker to get students’ attention between rehearsal prompts, in case they’re all shouting at once Instructions: 1. Start with a vocal warm-up. Try one of the warm-up exercises found in our article Fun Rehearsal Warm-Ups to Get Everyone Ready. 2. Divide students into pairs. 3. Give each pair a short scene to analyze and rehearse. Students will play the same character in the scene for the entire class. 4. Over the course of the class, each pair will analyze and rehearse the scene six different ways (the prompts are described below). In between prompt rehearsals, select a pair of students to present the scene in front of the rest of the class using the prompt they’re currently working on. Depending on the amount of class time you have, it’s likely that all students will not be able to perform each version of the scene. However, if you know your students and their strengths/weaknesses well, select student performers who will be challenged by the prompts (for example, choose a quieter student to shout and an outgoing or chatty student to whisper). Encourage students to drink lots of water throughout the process. 5. Rehearse and present (on book) the six prompts in the following order: • Both characters whisper (while still ensuring the audience hears them). • Both characters shout (while protecting their voices). • Character A shouts all their lines; Character B whispers all their lines. • Reverse the shouting/whispering (Character B shouts; Character A whispers). • Analyze line by line: Characters can ONLY whisper or shout. Choose what you think is most appropriate for each line. Mark it on your script with a W for whisper or an S for shout. • Reverse the shouting/whispering from Prompt E. 6. After each prompt performance, discuss: • What was your initial impression of the presentation? • What worked well? • What didn’t work so well? • After Prompt E: What lines, if any, would you have changed from a whisper to a shout or vice versa? Why? 7. After all the prompts have been performed, discuss: • How does your voice feel? (Have them drink more water at this point.) • Which prompt worked the best overall? Why? • Name something funny or memorable that happened during today’s performances. • What was the most challenging aspect of only being able to whisper or shout? • How can this exercise help you to become a better actor? 8. Students will complete and submit an exit slip (link below). Additional Resources:• 3 Tips for Keeping Your Voice Healthy and 3 More Tips for Keeping Your Voice Healthy • Rehearsal Exercise: Turn Up the Volume • Can You Hear Me Now? A Peer-Led Volume Exercise • Why Isn’t My Actor Projecting Their Voice? • How Do You Promote Vocal Safety?

Can you tell a great story in six minutes? How about in six seconds? You definitely can. Prior to TikTok, there was Vine — a short-form video hosting app where users created and shared six-second-long looping videos. Even within the limit of six seconds, creators were able to make fascinating and funny content to entertain and educate their viewers. The following exercise challenges students to make a scene and tell a story in only six seconds. They have to make quick, precise decisions and get to the point right away. And of course, they have to be clear and easily understood by the audience. Your students can choose to either create and perform a live six-second scene, or create, film, and edit a six-second video. Whichever medium they choose must be exactly six seconds — no more, no less — and it will be timed. Materials Needed: • Timing device • Paper and writing utensils for brainstorming, scripting, and storyboarding • Smartphone and editing software (if students are making a video) Time Frame: • 4–5 classes (1 class for introduction/planning, 1 class for scripting, 1–2 classes for rehearsal/filming, 1 class for presentations) Instructions: 1. Divide students into small groups (3–4 students per group). 2. Using a timer, demonstrate exactly how long six seconds is. You can do a lot in six seconds! Have your students try some simple actions, such as writing a sentence or tying their shoe, and see if they can do them in six seconds. 3. Groups will plan and write an outline for their six-second scene, answering the questions below. Their scene can be about anything they wish. It can be funny, tragic, educational, moody, thought-provoking — it just has to fit within the time frame exactly. • What is the story of the scene? Describe it in one sentence. Be precise and specific. • What is the mood of the scene? • Will the scene be performed live or on video? • What is each person’s role in the scene? (Each student must participate onstage/onscreen somehow as well as contribute to the script, staging, mise en scene, etc.) • What physically happens in the scene? Describe it sentence by sentence. (For example: John enters stage right. He picks up a banana and eats it. He throws the peel on the ground. Rosa enters and slips on the banana peel.) • Where is the scene set? • What costumes and props are needed for the scene? • Note any additional details. 4. Groups will submit their outlines for approval. 5. Once each group’s outline has been approved, groups will write their scripts and rehearse their scenes (and films, as necessary). Groups must use a timer to ensure that their creations are exactly six seconds long. Check in with each group to ensure that they aren’t speaking too quickly in order to cram more content in. 6. Each group will present their live scene or video. 7. Each group member will submit a one-page reflection response to the following questions: • How were you an effective group member throughout this process? • What was one thing you learned doing this exercise? • How would your scene have been different if you had chosen the other medium for presentation? (I.e., if you did a live performance, how would your scene have been different if you had done a video and vice versa.)

The following is a choice boardexercise about making tough decisions, within a theatrical context. Students will select one of the six activities below to complete. Some of the options are written and some are performance based. There are individual, partner, and small group options as well. It’s all about choice! Ask students to consider the following when they are working on their creation: • What is the decision your character has to make? Is it clear? • How can you raise the stakes of the decision? • Are there any consequences for making the decision? • How does the character make their choice? • How can you show all of that and stick within the word/time limit? Feel free to adjust or omit options as appropriate for your students. You can put them in a grid, in choice board fashion, or present them in a list. Students will write and submit a reflection afterwards (found at the link at the bottom of the article). Here are the options: • Write a monologue (half a page or approximately 250 words) where the character has to make a tough decision. • Create and perform an individual mimed scene (one minute) showing a character making a tough decision. • Find, memorize, and perform a monologue from a play or musical (one minute) where the character is making a tough decision. • Read the following scenarios. Choose one and write a one-page response about how you would solve the problem: • You are the stage manager for a show that will be performed that evening at 7 pm. At 10 am, you receive a text from the lead actor, who tells you that they (literally) broke their leg last night. What would you do? • You are running the soundboard for a show and doing your pre-show check of your equipment. For some reason, the soundboard will not turn on. What would you do? • You are the assistant director for a show and are helping with casting. The director wants to cast your best friend as one of the leads in the show, but also wants to cast your friend’s ex-partner as the other lead. What would you do? • With a partner, create and perform a series of five tableau scenes, showing one character making a tough choice and the other character reacting to it (either positively or negatively). • In a group of four, write and perform a scene with four or more characters (maximum two pages) where two of the characters are presented with a tough choice. One character makes a choice and the other character makes the opposite choice. Use the other characters as appropriate.

Giving and receiving feedback are skills that take practice. Students may worry that they will offend their peers or hurt their feelings while giving feedback. It also takes practice for students to give useful feedback, rather than simply stating whether or not they liked what they saw. When receiving feedback, students may misinterpret or internalize it and think that they’re being criticized. Or they may take it personally, rather than viewing it as an opportunity to learn and grow. In this exercise, students will practice giving and receiving feedback with their peers, and explore the process verbally and in writing. It’s useful for drama teachers to know how students prefer to receive feedback, so they can help them learn and grow using their preferred methods when possible. Pre-Exercise Work: Review our Effective Peer Feedback article and have your students determine what effective peer feedback is and isn’t. Depending on the needs and personalities of your students, you may also want to work through the action steps presented in our article, How to Deal With Students Who Can’t Handle Feedback. Instructions:1. Divide students into pairs. Then have each pair join another pair to create a group of four. Have the students decide which pair will be Pair A and Pair B. Pair A will be the first performers, and Pair B will be the first to give feedback. 2. Pair A will have ten minutes to prepare a brief scene — an improvisation, a mime scene, a tableau scene, or a short scene (this can be with script in hand). They will perform the scene for Pair B. 3. Pair B will come up with two pieces of feedback about the performance and write each piece on a separate sheet of paper. 4. Pair B will deliver one piece of feedback verbally to Pair A. 5. Then, Pair B will give Pair A the other piece of feedback written on paper. Pair B will then move away from Pair A and have ten minutes to prepare their own scene while Pair A reads their feedback. 6. Repeat the exercise, with Pair B performing and Pair A giving one piece of verbal and one piece of written feedback. 7. Have students reflect on the following questions (individually, in their groups of four, or as a full class): • Do students prefer to receive verbal or written feedback? Why? • Do students prefer to give verbal or written feedback? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving verbal feedback? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving written feedback? • Do you think it is better to give verbal or written feedback in class? In rehearsal for a show? Why?