Online

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Commence by Christian Kiley is a gift to the Class of 2020. It is intended to be performed in a video conference call or meeting, and is specifically geared toward actors who are not in the same physical space. A group of students have an online meeting with their principal while they’re all under quarantine. They want to regain normalcy and recoup what they’ve lost as seniors: prom, school play, graduation. But nothing is normal. Everyone is losing things. It’s a scary and uncertain time, like a fire has destroyed memories that haven’t happened yet. Why did we publish this play? Christian sent us Commence as a response to his experiences teaching in the virtual world/classroom and the response(s) from his students. It’s a play about trying to find normalcy when nothing is normal. My favourite image in the play is “It’s like a fire has destroyed memories that haven’t happened yet.” This play is specifically written to be performed on an online platform, so teachers don’t have to worry about adapting the script. It’s ready to be virtually performed as is. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? This play is a gift to the Class of 2020. I know that a one-act play will never make up for what this talented group of students lost during the COVID-19 quarantine but I felt compelled to do something for them. In many ways, this is a farewell to many of the seniors I have taught for three, four years. I still haven’t had the chance to see them, have a proper goodbye, and cheer them into their bright futures. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Commence is about appreciating life’s culminating moments and not complacently allowing them to slip away. When you have earned something and don’t get it, you have a right to seek it out. Commence! 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The series of moments that take place during the makeshift graduation ceremony. These moments allow for coordinated and organic blocking and physicality. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Be fully in the moment, even when you aren’t speaking. Many low status characters, especially in video conference plays, seem to be adrift, rather than being connected. Listening, reacting, and letting moments impact you, your character are critical parts of the experience. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It looks at students coming to terms with losing something they have spent most of their lives working toward. As a teacher, it is the energy I felt on March 13 (when we were told we would be engaging in distance learning). It is my perspective on the journey I was on with the seniors I mentor and teach. 6. Do you have any tips for those who are performing this play online? Don’t be afraid to connect to the real feeling of this play. When it was first announced that we were transitioning to distance learning, there were a wide range of responses. Tap into the range of emotions that you are feeling, they are all useful in this play (and in your work as an artist and actor). Because it is a video conference call, that most likely will be produced as a video conference play, the circumstances of the play line up with the circumstances of the life situation perfectly (or imperfectly but in a relevant way). Get your copy of Commence right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Choosing a play for your group can be tough enough. Figuring out the best way to perform it given the current environment can seem overwhelming. We want to keep things as simple as possible for you – you’ve got enough on your plate! Over 90% of our play catalogue is available to perform as a Live Stage performance, a Virtual performance or a Livestream performance. No stress required! Our performance license covers all three options – your license remains the same even if your platform changes. What are my options?Live Stage PerformanceA Live Stage Performance is a traditional theatrical performance in which the play is performed on stage or similar performance venue for a live audience of any size. Virtual PerformanceA Virtual Performance is a performance on an online web conferencing platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Google Meets where performers are geographically isolated from one another and not together on a stage. Livestream PerformanceA Livestream Performance is a traditional performance that is livestreamed to the Internet as the actors are performing. Instead of watching the show live in the theatre, the audience watches virtually from their home or other location.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * The vignette-style play, Scenes from a Quarantine by Lindsay Price, can be easily performed using an online platform and has a variety of scenes to address all student skill levels. Did you know COVID-19 likes to be known as Co? And what if Romeo and Juliet missed their marriage by one day because of a stay-at-home order? Would they still make it? You know all the people in Scenes From a Quarantine. The person who thinks quarantine is going to be easy. The person whose life changed overnight. The person who thinks hairdressers are an essential service. The person who just wants to use class meetings to talk. Why did we publish this play? As everyone knows, in-person productions stopped in the middle of March. It’s impossible to predict when they’ll start again. At the time, we didn’t think we’d move into this genre, but as more and more teachers talked about their online performances and were looking for shows that could be produced online, we knew we had to provide some options. The first thing we wanted to do was provide plays that were specifically written for an online platform. That way, teachers don’t have to figure out how to adapt something – they can present the play as is. We also wanted something that addressed our present situation in a theatrical manner: What if COVID was a character in a scene? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to write an online specific play, and they always say write what you know! It’s all pandemic, all the time. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Pandemic Theatre. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? My favourite visual is seeing the four horsemen of the apocalypse having a Zoom meaning. Because meetings are hell, especially Zoom meetings! 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don’t neglect physical character work. Just because your actors may be sitting in a chair staring at a camera, doesn’t mean they can’t act with their upper body. Focus on the facial expressions of their character. How does this character do their hair? 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The characters are both familiar (they’re going through what students are going through) and theatrical (What if COVID-19 was personified as a character?). 6. Why is this play great for online platforms? This play is written to be performed on an online platform. No need to figure out how to adapt scenes to fit, it’s all done for you. Get your copy of Scenes from a Quarantine_ _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Wellness Check by Christian Kiley is an flexible-gender, issue-based drama intended to be performed in a video conference call or online meeting. Three characters struggle with wellness in uncertain times. A teacher tries too hard by calling themselves “Friendly.” A high achieving student has memorized the wellness check questions but isn’t doing so well. An underachiever needs to improve their grade, which is kind of hard with nine suspensions. Why did we publish this play? Christian sent us Wellness Check as a response to his experiences teaching in the virtual world/classroom and the response(s) from his students. It’s character driven and a window into our current world – always a great combination for theatre, whether it’s online or in person. This play is specifically written to be performed on an online platform, so teachers don’t have to worry about adapting the script. It’s ready to be virtually performed as is. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Thankfully, we have started using phrases in our schools like “engaging in self-care”, “mental health awareness”, and even the title of this play as a way to make sure heart, body, and mind are all ready to learn by having periodic wellness checks. We have ignored our wellness for far too long. I want to support students as they find meaningful, positive ways to take care of themselves and then exude that energy, benefiting the world around them. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. We all need to be mindful of our wellness. In a world that is often in a state of chaos and a myriad of uncontrollable factors, we need to focus on our ability to function and thrive. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The characters as they struggle, wrestle with their anxiety, anger, and depression. This can be expressed in each actor’s physical choices and help to avoid the talking heads that could be the default in a video conference style play. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? To be in a small cast play, with people you trust, exploring the vast expanse of the human psyche can be an amazing experience. Let go, have fun, connect with yourself and the other actors. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? As an adult I have made the mistake of thinking that students don’t have real problems. The longer I have taught, connected with students, observed them in their day-to-day lives, the more appreciation I have for the real struggles students grapple with each day. They are brave, strong, and resilient. This is a chance to illustrate that to the adults who have not seen that side of our youth yet. They will! 6. Do you have any tips for those who are performing this play online? It boils down to the challenges of a virtual play. How do you add in the magic of live theatre for something that feels artificial? Move, connect with your breathing, your physicality, react to what is being said (Are you shocked, enamored, angered, curious, entertained? Let it pour out of you.). Get your copy of _Wellness Check _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

One of the biggest challenges and disappointments of the current pandemic situation is the loss of live theatre production opportunities. Shows have been cancelled and postponed and we don’t have a clear idea of when they will be able to resume. Students miss their friends and “show families,” teachers miss their students, and everyone misses the opportunity to be creative and have fun performing. However, we theatre types are enterprising people, and we will not be stopped in the pursuit of performances! Virtual productions are popping up everywhere now, specifically designed to be performed online, and they are a wonderful way to keep your students together and keep their love of theatre alive. If you’re thinking about doing a virtual production, here are a few tips. 1. Choose your content.Show selection is always one of the first things you must consider, regardless of whether the performance will be online or in person. Will you choose an existing script, or create a new, original piece with your students? Will you do a vignette play, a series of monologues, or a standard script adapted for social distancing? Will your play be full-length or one-act? (For a first-time virtual production, it’s better to err on the shorter side.) Are you moving to an online version of your cut-short school production, or starting from scratch? Many playwrights are adapting or creating new pieces to be performed online. Check out Theatrefolk’s collection of virtual plays here. Remember, when producing an existing script, you must always purchase the rights to perform the play, regardless of whether it’s a virtual production or not. If you’re creating your own original piece, you won’t need to budget money towards the script, but you will need to budget time to write and edit the material, on top of rehearsals. Musicals are more challenging to produce virtually than plays, due to differences in technology quality and the high likelihood of video and audio lag. If you do decide to tackle a musical, you will need to record and edit the music together. You will need a guide vocal or click track to keep your students in unison, as well as lots of rehearsal time. 2. Choose your cast.You’ll need to make some decisions regarding casting. Will you assign roles based on your knowledge of your students, or have them audition? Or will the group determine who should play what role together? If you choose to have auditions, you will need to decide whether to have students perform their auditions live using a video conferencing program, or have them record audition pieces and submit them to you. If you go the live route, you will also need to decide whether to have your students audition “in front of each other” during a group video conference, or sign up for a time slot and audition “one on one” with you. Is this a class production, or an extracurricular activity? Will rehearsals occur during school hours, or on evenings and weekends? Will students be graded on their participation and performances, or is it just for fun? Either way, like an “in-person” production, cast members must commit to being available to attend virtual rehearsals, as well as film and submit lines, scenes, and any other material as needed, by their assigned due dates. They must have access to the required technology – while most tablets and phones have webcams built into them, some older computers do not – as well as a stable internet connection. Students may need to create their own costume or prop items. If necessary, have students and their families sign a contract that lays out all the commitments for the virtual production in advance. 3. Get your tech in order.Will you stream your production live, or will you film the scenes and edit them together? Streaming your production live is exciting and gives students a feeling of being in the moment for their performance. Filming and editing allows you to redo mistakes, as well as add special effects and music during the editing process. Editing videos together takes a lot of RAM on your computer, and you may need to enlist the help of a videographer or editor if you aren’t particularly tech-savvy. Using headphones while rehearsing/performing can help to avoid echo, but if your students are using Bluetooth or AirPod earphones, ensure all other Bluetooth devices are turned off in the house to avoid sound mix-ups. Be aware that some audio will sound tinny no matter what you do. If students are performing live, remind them and their families that they can’t watch the live stream on a device in the same room that they are performing in! Always do a technology test before starting the performance, especially if you are performing live. 4. Rehearse your material.Students will need to work with their teacher/director to consider how to frame their webcam (horizontal or “landscape” orientation is best, rather than vertical or “portrait,” unless specifically requested), where to position themselves within the frame, how to light the scene, and how to ensure they’ll be heard. You’ll need to schedule full-cast rehearsals as well as small group/individual rehearsals. The full-cast rehearsals will be challenging, as students will want to socialize (just like at “in-person” rehearsals!), and it might be hard to keep everyone quiet. However, these rehearsals are important for creating camaraderie and a sense of community while physically separate. If you choose to have students film their scenes/monologues themselves and submit the footage, be sure to give them clear submission deadlines, to ensure that you receive them on time and in the correct format. You don’t want to have to chase down missing scenes or re-film scenes that are pixelated or inaudible. If you are adapting a production that was originally going to be performed in person, you may also need to schedule some time with your students to grieve for the production that was, and adjust to what the production will end up being. It’s not the same, and it won’t be the same. But it will still be a special experience. Special thanks to Alyssa Elaine, Kris Garrett, Allison Green, Jess McGettrick, Brice Williams, Stephanie Wendell and Melanie Slabaugh Clay for submitting their real-life tips, experiences, and advice via social media.

Drama isn’t always the easiest subject to adapt to distance learning. So much of what makes drama fun and worthwhile involves human interaction. Seeing students engage with one another, create connections, and interact as a group while exploring different ways to use their bodies, minds, and imaginations is what drama class is all about. But don’t despair – we’re here to help with some tips to make your life easier when adapting your lesson plans to the virtual classroom. 1. Start with what you have.You don’t need to reinvent the wheel and create a whole set of new lessons for the virtual classroom. Look at your current lesson plans and think about whether your students could do the assignments in their homes, with limited resources. Consider how you could present your material in different ways. Can you present the lesson verbally via a video conferencing app? Could you record yourself giving the lesson and make it into a private YouTube video for your students? Do you have lectures or notes that you could convert to articles, worksheets, or PowerPoint presentations, so students can study the material on their own time and at their own pace? Do you have homework assignments or ISPs that you could turn into lessons? The good thing is that once you have adapted the lessons you already have, you can use them again with future classes. 2. Begin with projects that students can do individually.Go easy on yourself and start by considering lessons, exercises, and assignments that lend themselves to individual work and study. Playwriting, monologues (reading, writing, performing), theatre history, research projects, analysis (scene, line, song, character), design work, business of theatre exercises, theatre trivia, compare and contrast exercises, journaling and reflections can all be completed individually and submitted via email or your school’s virtual classroom program. These projects can be written assignments, video assignments (either performed live or recorded), or a combination of both. 3. Group work is definitely doable!While individual studies are useful, we don’t want to limit ourselves and our students to only independent study. Reading scripts aloud as a full group can be a lot of fun. Full class breathwork, mindfulness activities, and visualization exercises are all beneficial for students both during drama class and in their outside lives. If your platform supports breakout rooms, you can divide students into smaller groups. You can do class brainstorming and discussion over video conferencing, but you’ll need to come up with a signal to ensure students don’t interrupt each other. You can do full group improvisation exercises such as Word at a Time Story by assigning the order of participation in advance (e.g., in alphabetical order – this also is a great way for students to practice coming in for their cues!). You can do improv exercises that require pairs, such as Job Interview and Scenes from a Bag, by having two students do the exercise while other students observe – just like in the physical classroom. Note: some students are more self-conscious on camera than they are in person. One option is to have those watching turn off their cameras during presentations. Choral work or group singing exercises can be challenging due to microphone and video lag, but depending on your technical abilities, you may be able to have students use a click track or backing track to keep them at the same tempo, and have them record their parts for you to edit together. Live choral work over video conferencing technology is difficult due to differences in internet, video, and audio speeds. When planning smaller group work, try to avoid assignments that require a specific number of students. It can be difficult to know whether students will show up for virtual classes, so whenever possible, ensure that the number of students required for the exercise is flexible. 4. Use new challenges to your advantage.A great problem-solving exercise can come from figuring out solutions to new theatrical challenges in the current global situation, or problems that may arise post-pandemic. For example, how could a director stage the spit-take scene in The Drowsy Chaperone without actually having a student spit water in another student’s face? How could someone directing a fairy tale play stage a scene that requires “true love’s kiss to break the spell” while having to follow physical distancing requirements? What would you do during a Zoom production if someone’s internet connection breaks mid-scene, or someone’s microphone stops working? Have students brainstorm a list of new theatrical production challenges, and then come up with ideas on how to solve them. 5. When in doubt, simplify.As much as possible, avoid assignments that require a lot of extra materials – art supplies, props, costume items, stationary, etc. Not all students have access to lots of different supplies in their homes, or the ability to go out and buy supplies. You’ll need to provide access to readings, scripts, and audio/video examples if you use them. Remember that some students may have to share devices with siblings or parents or have old or outdated technology that lags, so as much as possible, leave some wiggle room for technical issues. For example, be aware of whether aural clarity issues are due to a student actually having trouble with their volume and diction, or they’re just dealing with a crappy microphone that sounds tinny in their living room. Try to look at lesson adaptation as an opportunity to refresh your materials, challenge yourself to come up with creative staging solutions (only this time your stage is your virtual classroom), and focus on the topics you really enjoy teaching. Focusing on the topics that bring you the most joy will make the adaptation process easier, because you will be more engaged and determined to make it work. You can do this! And don’t forget, there are lots of resources available at the Theatrefolk distance learning page. We’re here to help!

At the beginning of a new term of drama classes, you need to inform students about classroom rules and expectations to start on a positive note. However, when teaching drama via distance learning, it’s hard enough to keep students engaged through a computer screen, let alone while having them sit around and read yet another list of classroom rules. The “Act It Out” game was introduced on the Theatrefolk blog as an active means of introducing classroom rules or theatrical guidelines. Rather than passively listening, students can absorb the classroom rules by presenting them in an active, theatrical manner. This game can be adapted for use in the virtual classroom as well. 1. Brainstorm & discuss.Many virtual classroom rules are similar to the rules you’d have in a physical classroom, like: • Arrive to class on time. • Treat classmates and teachers the way you wish to be treated. • If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get caught up. • Participate in all group activities to the best of your ability. However, you must make some rule adaptations when working virtually, like: • Mute your microphone when you aren’t speaking. • Aim your video monitor at your face. • Video monitors must remain on unless you need to leave (and if you need to turn off your monitor, let the teacher know why). • Have students use a class signal to indicate that they would like to respond or ask a question. • Do your best to reduce background noise and outside distractions during class time. Have your students brainstorm a list of rules that they think are important for the virtual classroom, and identify which rules would also be appropriate for a physical classroom. Discuss how they think rules should be adjusted for the virtual classroom, why they are important, and what the consequence might be for ignoring or breaking a rule. Encourage students to phrase rules in positive terms: “Arrive on time” rather than “Don’t be late to class.” If students suggest negative rules, discuss how they can be rephrased as positive. 2. Get into groups.Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group) and secretly give each group a classroom rule to act out. You’ll need to assign students to breakout rooms and drop in to each room to give them the rule. Alternatively, you may wish to have students attempt this game right away as an improv exercise, in which case, you don’t need to keep the rule a secret. 3. Rehearse.Groups can either act out the rule as stated OR act out the opposite of the rule and show the class what not to do. Alternatively, groups can do a two-scene performance: first, the group will act out breaking the rule and what happens (consequences); second, the group will act out following the rule and what happens (success!). Give the groups a time limit to plan and rehearse their scene, then have each group perform for the rest of the class. Students can make their scenes serious or comedic, as long as they appropriately demonstrate their assigned rule. 4. Perform & analyze.Once the group has performed, have the rest of the class guess which rule they acted out. Usually, it is just as helpful to talk about the guesses as the actual rule. This game can lead to interesting discussions about the rules of the classroom, as well as students’ thoughts and expectations. It’s a good way to gauge what students know and expect of themselves and their peers, and where your expectations and theirs agree or differ. Including students in the process of creating classroom rules helps them take ownership of their behaviour. It also allows you to observe how students work together in groups, and how adept they are with working with video conferencing technology in a classroom setting.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Something Bad is Happening by Bradley Walton was specifically written to be performed on an online platform, and discusses the importance of honesty and communication among friends. Four friends meet up online over summer vacation. When one walks away from their screen and doesn’t come back, the others imagine the worst. But what if the worst isn’t a horror movie but learning the truth from your friends? Why did we publish this play? We are in the middle of a situation no teachers has been through before with in-person productions canceled and everyone trying to figure out how to master zoom. Bradley stepped up to write something specific for the platform, and more than that, has written something character driven, conflict driven, and will find an audience after COVID-19 is in the past. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? This was written during this past spring’s COVID-19 lockdown. The theatre world was beginning to explore scripts intended specifically for online performance, so I took a stab at writing a few things, and this was one of the results. The scenario came from brainstorming specific reasons a group of friends would be meeting online (they’re scattered around the country on family trips over summer vacation) and what kind of conflict or tension could be introduced (one of them leaves the screen and the others become worried when she doesn’t return). 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Honesty and open communication are important tools in maintaining a friendship. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Talking heads on a computer screen. The play was designed to turn that limitation into an asset. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Well, we’re in relatively uncharted waters here, but I think, given the nature of the play, that there might be a temptation to not fully memorize it and read from a script just off-camera. And maybe that could work, I don’t know. But I honestly believe that to fully engage the audience, the actors need to be looking directly into their cameras the whole time. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The characters are very honest, down-to-earth, normal teenagers, who, I think, react in a very honest and realistic way when they are confronted by an uncertain and worrying situation. 6. Do you have any tips for those performing this play online? Again…relatively uncharted waters…but I think actors should keep in mind that even though the audience can’t see their whole bodies, they should still be acting with their whole bodies. If you cross or uncross your legs, for example, the audience can’t see that directly, but it will shift your upper body slightly, and the audience will still pick up on it as part of the physical performance.

There are many things to think about when it comes to designing your virtual classroom. BackgroundWhen teaching classes via video conferencing, it’s good to think about what’s going on behind you. This doesn’t mean pets walking through your virtual classroom or visible piles of laundry in view of your camera, although those should probably be kept out of view as much as possible! Having an interesting and creative background can grab students’ attention, be a conversation starter, or make them laugh. It’s also fun to switch things up and create a fresh atmosphere for your virtual classroom. We’re talking old school and low tech here. Virtual backgrounds are always an option, but sometimes they can be visually distracting. Think about creating your own teaching set. In terms of materials, pretty much anything goes. This is very much an exercise in “use what you have!” • Blank canvas: Start with a plain wall, or hang a large bed sheet, blanket, or large pieces of paper (butcher paper, Bristol board, wrapping paper) on your wall. If you don’t want to attach things to your wall, you can use a curtain and pin items to it, or use a bookshelf and display items on it. • Adhesives: Use tape meant for walls to hang paper (make sure it doesn’t damage your walls). Safety pins for fabric, binder clips, or command hooks can all work well. • Loose parts: Your imagination is the limit here. Ribbons, magazine cutouts, post-it notes, clothing or costume items, pieces of fabric, books, props, household items… if you can hang it, attach it, or display it, use it! Here are some ideas for your virtual classroom background: Warm-Ups to Wake Up the Brain:• I Spy: Put a variety of small items in the background and have students search for specific ones. • Memory: Put a variety of small items in the background and have students study it for one minute. Turn off your screen. Remove one item. Turn your screen back on and have students figure out which item is missing. • Taboo: Put a variety of small items in the background. Have students describe the items without using the actual words for the items. For example, if one of the items is an apple, students can say “fruit,” “juicy,” “grows on a tree,” “round,” or “red,” but not the word “apple.” See if students can get you to guess the item they chose in fewer than five descriptors. Creative Challenges:• Colour Scheme: Create a background using only household objects all in one colour. For example, if your colour is red, you could display a red t-shirt, an apple, a toy fire engine, a rose, and some strawberries (or pictures/photos of these items). • Set Design: Make a background that looks like a set from a famous theatrical production, using only items from around your house. • Funny Frames: Attach cutouts to the wall that frame your head and shoulders when you sit in front of them, such as a hat, halo, wings, a speech bubble, or an animal sitting on your shoulder. Feel-Good Moments:• Student Stars: Cut out colourful or sparkly stars, write your students’ names on them, and stick them up. You could add small sticker stars on each student’s name star for answering questions, participating in discussions, or submitting assignments. • Inspirational Messages: Have students submit various positive messages or favourite quotes from plays, musicals, or performers. Make them into posters and display them on your background. • Virtual Scrapbook: Hang photos of your students, as well as rehearsal and production photos, posters, and playbills from past shows on the wall.

Keeping students actively engaged while teaching via distance learning can be frustrating at times. It can be more difficult for students to focus in a distance learning situation than in a physical classroom, as there are so many distractions at home. But as we know, students will get way more out of their virtual classes when they are actively listening and participating. Here are some tips and suggestions to encourage active listening and participation from your students during their distance learning drama classes. 1. Keep video screens on.All students should keep their video screens on and focused on their faces, so you can see what they’re doing. If a student needs to turn off their screen, they need to let you know why. You don’t need to demand that they all be looking at their screens all the time (some students might need to look away to focus), but you should be able to see them. 2. Try wearing headphones.Headphones can reduce household distractions and allow your students to hear you better. 3. Ask your students questions.Let your students know that you’ll be calling on them to answer questions to see if they’re absorbing the material. Don’t let them know who you will call on in advance. Keep students on their toes. Try this: Write each student’s name on an index card. When you ask a question, hold up the index card to indicate which student you are calling on to answer the question. See if that student sees that they’re being called on. 4. Keep lessons active.When possible, let your students do the majority of the talking. Ask students to share their thoughts and opinions. Have them give demonstrations. Have them re-state important points in their own words. Encourage them to give feedback to their peers. Have them verbally summarize exercise directions. It will be useful to establish a signal, gesture, or notification for who talks when, otherwise students might just talk over each other. 5. Use a written response sheet.At the end of each class, have students fill out and submit a response sheet about that day’s lesson topic. Similar to a reflection, this will give you an idea of what students absorbed from that lesson, and what interested them. Give them a time limit (e.g., within 30 minutes of the end of the virtual class). See below for a free sample response sheet. 6. Adjust class sizes.If scheduling permits it, you might try holding one large class for the full group of students, and then smaller group tutorial-style meetings to discuss topics and concerns. It can be difficult to monitor large groups on online platforms. Smaller groups lend themselves better to direct feedback and teacher-student interaction. 7. Include a participation mark.This depends on whether your administrators are having you grade your students, but having a participation mark can often affect students’ decision to actively listen to lessons. 8. Be gentle with yourself and your students.Distance learning is still new for most of us, and it can be a challenge to get students to even show up to online classes, let alone actively listen and participate. Praise and thank your students who attend your lessons, and pat yourself on the back for the work you are doing. It isn’t easy, and you are working hard to give your students a great educational experience. For more tips on active listening, check out the following posts: • Active Listening in the Drama Classroom • Round-Up: Warm-Up Activities that Encourage Communication • How to Get Students to Answer Questions in Class

With schools being closed, social distancing, and live productions being cancelled, how do you put together an online performance? What does it look like? Read on for an overview of Lindsay Price’s video on How to Do an Online Performance of a Play, which can be found at the end of this blog. It’s a different world right now, but if theatre teaches us anything it’s how to be flexible, resilient, and to think on your feet. A Zoom performance encompasses all of these things. Zoom is an online tool that allows for video conferencing. Many teachers have been using Zoom to hold online live classes and synchronous class activities. Whether you’re using Zoom or another online platform, these tips will help you and your students gather online together where everyone can see and hear each other. This will not take the place of an in-person live production. It’s not the same at all. And it’s not just plays. I can’t imagine a musical in this context, either. If you’ve had success, hats off to you. My family tried to sing Happy Birthday on Zoom and the lag was intense. So keep that in mind when you choose a play to attempt in this format. Unison speaking will not work on Zoom. It’ll just frustrate you. Tip #1: Students will not show up. You will need a procedure in place to deal with this situation.You have likely been dealing with students who are not engaging in online live classes, for whatever reason. It may not necessarily be that they don’t care. It could be because all the computers in their house are taken. It could be depression. It could be that they cannot engage in drama class in this way and don’t know how else to respond. So don’t be surprised if you’re planning a performance and three actors aren’t there. Have a plan for when that happens. Talk to your students about stepping up and being ready to take on additional roles. Maybe even have students practice taking on other parts so that it’s comfortable for them. Theatre requires flexibility and this is an excellent opportunity to discuss the “show must go on” mindset. This is also an opportunity to talk about ensemble, being there for your fellow actors and classmates, and how theatre is a team effort. These are things that you have likely been talking about since day one of your drama classes and now they are more relevant than ever. Tip #2: There is a place for tech. It’s different, but don’t push tech to the side.If you can, have a stage manager who gives silent gesture cues (e.g., thumbs up means ‘go’). Have someone who runs sound. Have your stage manager lead sessions for actors to practice mic and camera procedures. Have a costume design student talk to each actor about what they have in their home that they can wear. (Note: They may have nothing.) But let your tech students have the conversations, and encourage them to be flexible, to problem solve, and to get creative. Now more than ever, your students can put their critical thinking and creative thinking skills to the test. Tip #3: Have mic and camera procedures.Practice having everyone mute themselves and turn off their camera if they’re not in the scene or when they exit the scene, and then turn them both back on right before they enter. It takes timing, just as entrances and exits do in live performances. Connect the actions students do in this online performance to their live performances. Then practice them, just as you would practice entrances and exits in a live performance. Tip #4: Technology is not your friend.This might sound weird since that’s all this is, but here’s what I mean. Zoom can be inconsistent. Sometimes there’s an echo. Sometimes someone will freeze, or get kicked out of the call. Things will not be perfect. But just like live theatre, you can encourage students to think on their feet. You can also prepare for these situations. For example, have an emergency person who follows the script and steps in to say any lines if there’s a gap (because someone didn’t show up and a part isn’t accounted for, the new person forgot, they’ve been kicked off the call, etc.) It’s all about keeping the flow of dialogue going. This might be a good job for an assistant stage manager. Another reason technology is not your friend is that there will be varying degrees of quality in picture and mics from your students. The show will not be perfect. It’s just the way it is. What else?Short scenes will likely work best when you’re first testing out an online platform, rather than longer and more involved text. Students will just get frustrated. Start small, practice, establish procedures, try, fail, try again, and then dive into more complicated scenes. Again, it’s not what we’re used to, but there are plenty of skills that your students can maintain and develop during this time. Memorization. Annunciation. Character development. Character physicalization. A small space or a small screen does not limit character development. We hope these tips will help as you explore online platforms, such as Zoom, with your students. These are uncertain times, but theatre is resilient and theatre people know how to problem solve. So all the best, take care, and stay safe. *Watch the full video of Lindsay discussing these online performance tips below:

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Letters by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt is an excellent and challenging Reader’s Theatre script for high school and middle school student performers. For many wars, letters home were the only form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones. Letters is thought-provoking and character-driven. It’s not hard to see Marie, Jim, Caleb, Sarah, Harriet and Robert reaching out with pen and paper. Why did we publish this play? What’s great about the script is its focus on the characters. Each character expresses specific emotions about their place in their particular war. The play also has oral elements such as overlapping speech, unison speech, and repeated patterns. The words speak for themselves. A thought-provoking piece. Why is this play great for online platforms? Because this play is set up as Reader’s Theatre, it’s easy to transfer to an online platform. The montage sections can be presented in a gallery setting and will take a little practice to get the timing – but they would in a traditional production too. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted a way to allow students to remember the past in a theatrical way. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Remember the human face of war. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The letters. Even though it’s readers theater, try to have the type of letter each of these characters would have as a prop. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Reader’s Theatre doesn’t mean you can’t act – each character should be brought to life as much as possible, even though you have a script in your hand. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s a chance for students to put a face to the past and also connect to history. Experiencing history is always better than just reading about it.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Puzzle Pieces by Krista Boehnert is a monologue-based play that is a fantastic vehicle to introducing monologues to your student performers. Puzzle Pieces explores teen issues through a series of monologues. The characters speak frankly about their fears, their futures, and their day to day life. The serious dramatic scenes are balanced with humour, and the play is ultimately uplifting. The characters choose to embrace life and all its struggles, rather than shy away from it. Why did we publish this play? Monologues are a challenge. They are also inherently theatrical – they don’t often happen in real life. This is exactly why you should be tackling monologues in the classroom and in your theatre. Puzzle Pieces is an excellent play to introduce monologues to your student because the entire play is made up of monologues. Characters talk frankly about their fears, their futures and their day-to-day lives. I’ve loved this piece since I first read it for it’s characters, it’s structure, and it’s message. Why is this play good for online platforms? Because this play is written in monologue form, it adapts really well to a virtual performance format. Characters connect directly to the audience, and this will work whether they are on stage, or they are staring right into their computer camera. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to experiment with format and write a monologue-based play. The characters in Puzzle Pieces each share their own story – the plotlines of the characters don’t intersect. This is both challenging and liberating for the director and actors when producing the play. Puzzle Pieces is instead woven around a common theme all characters are grappling with, which allowed me to explore a multitude of storylines rather than diving into just one topic. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Growing up is complicated. You can try to be picture perfect, but real life is messier than that. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Each character brings their own experience and story to the play. They each embody a puzzle piece for how a life can take shape, and for how to navigate life. The variety in their approaches is my favourite visual in the play. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Although the play is monologue-based, it should be a collaborative experience both in the rehearsal and performance. Because the characters’ worlds don’t intersect, there is lots of rooms for character development that can be tackled by the individual actors, or as a collective. The staging can also be more collaborative than solitary. Actors can support each other with the monologue performances whether that be direct contact, like holding their hand or comforting them while they speak, or acting out scenes they describe in their speech. It’s very open to experimentation and interpretation, so don’t be shy about trying different ways to bring the play to life. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s a great opportunity for practising character development, for learning how to prepare and perform monologues, and for experimenting with creative staging – both with their own monologues, and in supporting their fellow cast members as they perform their pieces. 6. Do you have any tips for those looking to perform this play online? Both Have you Heard? and Puzzle Pieces? lend themselves nicely for online performance. As a monologue-based play, it allows for that intimate connection between the audience and a single performer. Settings in the performance space provider (such as Zoom) can be set to highlight the speaker, which results in the performer filling the whole screen, rather than the audience seeing all actors at once, if the director wishes to present it this way. The plays are flexible, however, and do lend themselves to an ensemble performance as well. While actors are performing their monologues, the remaining actors can support the performances in a variety of ways. The director and cast can choose if all actors participate, or if only a select number do. If not all actors are participating in the scene, the director can ask them to simple turn and face their back to their camera, or walk out of frame thus “leaving the stage.” Using the example of Jamie from Puzzle Pieces, talking about playing football, some staging options for supporting cast in a virtual environment include: • Mime – actors can silently act out playing football, crowd members cheering, etc. • Tableaux – actors can strike various poses that indicate a football game or game attendees • Props – actors can hold up football themed props – jerseys, pompoms, football, foam fingers, cowbells, popcorn buckets, etc. • Costume add-ons – team jackets, jerseys, ball caps – to help set the “game day” scene • Virtual Backgrounds – actors can turn on virtual backgrounds that mimic signs people hold up at football games to cheer the team on • Reaction Buttons – actors can engage their “applause” or “Thumbs up” reaction buttons to indicate crowd cheering the football team on The staging for Have you Heard? and Puzzle Pieces is flexible regardless of the staging environment – live, virtual, live-streamed. In their simplest form, each scene can be performed with only the actor(s) in the scene who are speaking being “on stage” (or on screen depending on the scenario). The bulk of both plays are monologues, so for the majority of the play, you could have a single actor on stage/screen. To enrich the performance experience for the audience, I would recommend engaging cast members to enhance the monologues by employing tactics such as mime, tableaux, use of props and costume add-ons, virtual backgrounds and reaction buttons. This creates a space where the audience and the cast are all part of each “monologue moment” and heightens the impact of each characters’ story/experience by bringing it more fully to life.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Stressed by Alan Haehnel is a symphony of sound and character that is a true theatrical experience. A challenging but incredibly fun piece, this vivid character play is an excellent competition piece. For Alex, it’s school. For Josh, it’s his girlfriend. For Carmen, it’s dealing with her coach. And Mindy’s frustrated with her parents. Stress is driving this quartet crazy – so much so they can’t stop talking about it. Why did we publish this play? Alan describes Stressed as a Teen Symphony. I love this description and it’s so accurate! Characters blend and crash, emotions swell like strings. It’s a fantastic piece to teach students not only how to create a character but how to listen to each other. Add to that, the structure is monologue-based, so you’re also teaching students the craft of preparing multiple monologues. This play has gone on to great success in competitions and I’m thrilled we were able to publish it. Why is this play great for online platforms? This play is written in monologue format, and each character is in their own space – so it easily transfers to an online format. There is some unison speaking and some sound exploration under text, so that will take some creative thinking and problem solving. But if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s drama teachers and students! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Because stress has been increasing lately for everyone, and I wanted to give students a humorous way to express their feelings about it. 2. Decribe the theme in one or two sentences. Well, the theme is in the title. But an important sub-theme is that we are all in this stress-filled world together. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? This is more an exploration of rhythm and vocal variety than it is a visual play, but I think a creative director could have a lot of fun with costuming and lighting to enhance the different characters and the quick pace of the piece. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Remember the sub-title of the play: “A Teen Symphony.” The vocal work has to be tight and musical. The voices should truly interplay like instruments in a quartet. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Besides relatable subject matter, this play gives four student performers a ton of juicy lines, lots of stage time, a full range of emotional states, and great chance to put together a tour de force entry for any drama contest.

A “digital footprint” is the information about a particular person or company that exists on the Internet as a result of their online activity. This goes hand-in-hand with the concept of “digital permanence,” which has to do with the ways that digital information is stored. In short, whatever you post on the Internet is there for good, in some format or another. This means that you must always be aware of what you are posting, sharing, uploading, and consuming online – particularly when it comes to your drama classroom. We want to ensure that the drama community is a positive, uplifting, and safe place for our students and for us to be, right? But how do we go about doing that? Here are some tips to help you create and develop a positive digital footprint. • Before you even begin, find out what the rules, regulations, and policies are for technology and the use of digital resources at your school. There is no excuse for “I didn’t know.” Find out what your school policies are and follow them. It’s especially important to know these rules because the vast majority of your students are minors. Policies may include whether or not you are permitted to identify students by name in posts, or whether or not you are even permitted to share photographs or videos of your students’ faces. • Assess your digital landscape, starting with your home base. Do you have a teacher or departmental website/blog? If so, do you use it? What do you use it for? How often do you update it? If you haven’t been using your site, start! If you don’t know how to update your site – start learning! • Next, assess your social media landscape. Currently, the most commonly used social media apps with some longevity are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If your school permits departments to have social media profiles, create an account for your chosen platform(s). Use the same username and profile photo for each social media account or platform. Take a look at the Theatrefolk Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. Notice that the username (Theatrefolk) and profile photos are all the same across each platform. • Don’t be stressed out by the term “content.” It sounds fancy, but it just means what you are sharing online: photos, videos, articles, and the written text that accompanies what you’re sharing. If you’ve heard the term “digital content creator,” what that really means is simply “someone who makes stuff to post online.” That’s you and your students – or it will be soon enough! • Think about what you post, when you post it, and the frequency of posts. Post too often, and not only do you push your own information out of peoples’ news feeds, but you risk annoying your audience. Post too irregularly, and people might forget your page exists. Try to create a manageable, regular posting schedule. If you can post on the first day of each month, do that. If you can do weekly posts each Tuesday morning at 11 am, even better. • Try to mix up what you are sharing. Text is the most basic method of sharing, but photos and videos grab much more attention and get the most likes and shares, particularly if they are photos and videos of your students. Sharing articles can be useful when they relate to what you’re working on in class. And of course, when you have a production coming up, you’ll definitely want to share fun content online to encourage ticket sales. You can (and should) also share student-created content. Show off what your students have been working on and learning in the drama classroom. • If you are sharing content that you yourself did not create (for example, a photo or video that someone else took/made), be sure to credit the source. It’s really easy just to hit the “Share” button, but it’s so important to give credit to the original creator of the content. If you are sharing student work, again, find out how to credit them safely and accurately. If your student Mary Green took a rehearsal photo that you’re sharing online, do you credit them as Mary Green, Mary, Mary G., M. Green, or simply “one of our grade 10 drama students”? • Before you share anything, do a double-check before you hit that Submit button. Make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes in any written material (including if the image or video includes text). Ensure that all pertinent information is included and accurate (for example, show dates and times, ticket prices, creator credits, etc.). • Finally, think about why you are posting what you are posting. What is the purpose? To inform, entertain, educate, promote, uplift? What is the tone of the post – positive or negative? If it is negative, is there a way to present it in a positive manner? Remember, when you are sharing content under your drama department account, you are representing your school. Keep it fun but still professional and appropriate.

In our last blog post, we talked about what digital citizenship in the drama classroom is. Teachers, let’s now take a look at your own digital citizenship skills and knowledge with this quiz. 1. What is your current relationship with digital media relating to your drama classroom? • (A) Little to nonexistent. I’m busy enough with my classroom responsibilities to have time to update a bunch of social media. • (B) Average. We have a drama department Facebook page or Twitter handle that I update every so often, when I remember. • (C) Good. I enjoy sharing classroom photos and articles that I think my students would enjoy to our social media pages on a regular basis. 2. How often do you post to your drama department’s social media channels? • (A) Hardly ever. I don’t even know if we have any. • (B) Whenever I feel like it. Sometimes it’s later in the day when I remember; sometimes I go a few weeks between posts. Other times I’ll share multiple posts per day. • (C) I have a regular posting schedule. I post at approximately around the same time each day/week for consistency. 3. Are you up on the latest social media trends and apps? • (A) Sort of. I’ve heard of them, but I don’t really use them myself. I don’t know how my students keep up with the constant changes. • (B) Mostly. I’ve got Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram down. But beyond that it’s a lot to figure out. • (C) You bet. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert in all things social media, but I do speak with my students about what’s going on in the digital world to keep myself somewhat up to date. 4. Have you ever used digital media and/or technology in your drama classroom (outside of productions)? • (A) Yes – Well, if the overhead projector counts. • (B) Yes – I share and retweet my students’ posts to our drama department’s website and Facebook page. I’ve also found some free classroom materials online. (link to our blog) • (C) Yes – We’ve explored options like using apps such as Instagram Stories or Facebook Live to share projects and exercises online. I like to challenge my students to figure out ways of including digital sources in our drama classes. 5. How are your students using digital media in the drama classroom? • (A) I have no idea. My classroom is a phone-free zone. • (B) I have some idea. They’re always on their phones, sometimes for useful reasons, other times to just chat with friends. • (C) I’m on it. My students use their devices for a variety of purposes – research, learning about new theatrical shows, etc. But if the devices are a distraction, they have to be put away. 6. How did you use digital technology to publicize your last theatrical production? • (A) Sort of. I created a Facebook event and invited everyone on my friends list. • (B) Mostly. I created a Facebook event, and shared rehearsal photos and video clips to our social media channels every so often. • (C) You bet. I created a Facebook event, shared rehearsal photos and video clips on a regular basis throughout the process, and my students organized an Instagram takeover during show week. Take a look at your answers, and count your As, Bs, and Cs: A: ______ B: ______ C: ______ If you got mostly As:Your relationship with digital media could use some work. You might be too busy to maintain a drama department social media account, or you might be doubting your technology skills. Try to take some small steps towards growing your digital citizenship skills – talk with your colleagues and students, read some articles, explore different apps. Your students will undoubtedly benefit from seeing you learn more, and you can even work together with your students to improve your skills together. If you got mostly Bs:You’re on the right track. While you’re certainly not a digital slouch, you could use some tips on using social media consistently, getting the most out of digital resources, or incorporating digital media into the drama classroom. Try starting by asking your students how they use digital media and how they think it could be used in the drama classroom. If you got mostly Cs:You have a great handle on digital citizenship! You’re up to date on social media trends, you work to integrate technology into the drama classroom, and you have a healthy relationship with devices in the classroom. Your students are definitely learning a lot from your useful and positive digital skills. Keep working to stay current on digital trends, and keep up the great work!

Digital citizenship is all about the confident, positive, and safe use of digital technology both within and outside of the classroom for communication, collaboration, education, and entertainment. This encompasses a lot of different topics including (but not limited to): • Internet safety • Privacy and security • Safe and positive communication and etiquette • Online relationships and cyberbullying • Different methods of creating and consuming information • Authenticity of information • Credit and copyright issues In the drama classroom, teachers and students can use digital resources for a huge variety of tasks such as: • Sharing what you’re doing in drama class (classroom updates, photos, videos, and so on) • Promoting your upcoming productions • Communicating with group members and colleagues • Sharing information such as schedules, notes, and rehearsal videos • Doing research on theatrical topics • Finding classroom resources • Reading scripts online • Watching theatrical videos • Listening to musical soundtracks • And more! The Internet is ever-present in our daily lives and so incredibly easy to access – most students have smartphones and are constantly chatting, consuming, liking, sharing, subscribing, and even creating online. Ask your students if any of them currently have a creative online outlet, such as a YouTube channel, specialized Instagram profile, SoundCloud account, or other creative content that they’re willing to share. Find out what apps they’re using, and what’s the new “thing” currently. With the Internet, this is constantly changing and evolving. At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, I remember when Facebook was known as “The Facebook” and you had to have a university or college email address to join. Nowadays, Facebook is for everyone, but most high school students don’t bother getting accounts anymore – it’s all about Instagram, VSCO, and Snapchat. Come back to this post in a month or so and those apps will probably be outdated already! Along with the constant changes to the digital landscape, common digital citizenship issues within the drama classroom include: • Finding and using resources ethically and legally. It’s so easy to bootleg music, watch illegal recordings of Broadway shows, download and share scripts and scores without paying for rights, and so on. Are you going through the correct channels to obtain classroom materials, purchase scripts and scores, and access the videos and songs you wish to consume? Theft is theft, whether it is physical or digital. • Locating and citing sources accurately. Plagiarism is really easy to do with online sources, and it’s also easy to find sources that turn out to be inaccurate. Websites like Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, which means that the information found there can be incomplete, biased, or entirely wrong. And with free and simple website-building sites, anyone can buy a domain, throw some HTML together, upload some content, and claim to be an expert. It’s very important to ensure that the information students are consuming (and you, as teachers, are sharing) is legitimate. • How and when to share classroom and production content. Does your drama department have an online presence? Do you share useful articles and videos with your students? Does your local community know about your upcoming productions? Do you have a departmental website? Is your online footprint non-existent or do you bombard your followers with multiple posts per day? Do you need to brush up on your own digital skills? • How your students are using digital technology. Look at the five W’s when considering how your students use and approach digital citizenship in the drama classroom. • Where and When are students using their devices? Is it interfering with class work or rehearsal time? Are they using classroom-approved devices, or are they hiding their smartphones on their laps? • What are they using their devices for? Is it legitimate classroom work or are they just sending silly photos to their friends? • Who are they chatting with online? Are they talking with people they’ve only met online, or are these “IRL” (in real life) friends? Are the people that students are interacting with actually who they say they are? • Why are they interacting with technology the way they are? Do they have a positive digital footprint? Are they using apps and digital media for good purposes or for negativity? Why are they choosing to share what they share? (Students may not realize that everything you share online is there for good – even if you think you’ve deleted it. This is part of the concept of digital permanence.) • School-wide digital policies. What are the rules, regulations, and policies for your school? Where are they found? Do they differ from other schools in the area? What are the consequences of breaking digital rules and regulations? Are the consequences plainly described, or do you only find out after a rule is broken? Does your school have specific communication methods or apps that may or may not be used (such as teacher websites, specific digital classrooms, Facebook and/or Twitter pages, and so on)? How are students and teachers held accountable for their use of digital resources? When approaching digital citizenship with your drama students, it’s important to first assess and reflect upon your own thoughts about and uses of digital technology. Use the included Reflection to assist with this.