Exercise Articles for Drama Teachers

Breathing is more than just the inhale and the exhale. This is especially true for actors. As a beginning actor, the relationship between you and your breath might be exactly the same as in...

The first day of a playwriting unit should not be the first day your students start writing. There are so many barriers and pre-conceived notions when it comes to writing that to dive in on day one...

Let’s talk about resistant students. They don’t want to be in your class, they don’t want to participate, they don’t want to do anything, except… write a play. Great! But is it? A resistant student...

I love starting the rehearsal process on a new show! There is so much promise and energy in the room when the performers come together for the first time. And of course, I want to focus that energy...

Listening is an important skill in any classroom, but it’s especially important in the drama classroom. From classroom instruction, to game directions, to focusing on their fellow performers on...

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...

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...

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...

This month, we’re going to be using the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch) as the basis for exercises and theatre games. This week, we’re looking at the sense of touch, through...

This month, we’re going to be using the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch) as the basis for exercises and theatre games. This week, we’re looking at exercises inspired by taste...

This month, we’re going to be using the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch) as the basis for exercises and theatre games. This week, we’re looking at auditory-based exercises:...

Sometimes you just need exercises that are quick, easy, and don't require you to do extensive prep work. Maybe you’ve got a substitute teacher covering for you, maybe you’re just trying to survive...

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...

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...

Blocking is fundamental to acting. Whether staging a two-person scene or 30-person musical number, how you arrange the actors onstage is an important part of the storytelling. Unfortunately,...

A prop, or theatrical property, is any object used or carried onstage by an actor that isn’t a part of the set or worn. Props can be made, built, bought, or borrowed, and the golden rule of props...

Switching up the genre of an existing play can be a lot of fun. Take Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet — there have been lots of theatrical and film adaptations of that play, such as West Side Story...

If you need something fast and simple to fill those final 10 minutes of drama class, we’ve got you covered! Try these 10 time-filler activities to keep your students occupied until the bell rings....