Scenes

In this exercise, students will pair up to write and perform two short scenarios in which a conflict occurs, exploring how kindness can change the dynamics of the conflict. For this exercise, students will need paper and writing utensils or a chromebook, and a small area in which to perform the scenes. Instructions1. Preparation: As a full class, have students brainstorm scenarios in which a conflict occurs. The list below can get you started: • Two students both want to be the leader on a group project. • A person borrows their sibling’s sweater without permission. • Two siblings have to navigate sharing a bathroom before school. • A student is feeling stressed and takes it out on their friend who is trying to help. • A person finds out their friend went to the movies without them. • Two siblings argue about who gets the last snack. • Two students are partnered together for a project, but one partner doesn’t do their part of the assignment on time. • A student feels jealous that their friend got the lead in the school play and they didn’t, and talks about it behind their back. • An unhappy customer demands to speak to the store manager. • A student takes an unflattering photo of their friend without their permission and posts it online. 2. Divide students into pairs. Have each pair select a scenario. Assign one student to write and play the “angry” character and the other student to write and play the “calm” character. 3. Have students write two different versions of the scenario. The minimum length is one page per scenario; the maximum length is two pages per scenario. The student assigned the “angry” character will write the lines for their own character, while the student assigned the “calm” character will write the lines for their own character. Throughout the writing process, students should work on actively listening to their partner and creating lines that make sense with what their partner has written. In the first version of the scenario, the angry character speaks harshly to the calm character, who remains composed and speaks with kindness throughout the interaction. The second version of the scenario is a “do-over” of the first scenario. Using the same initial conflict as the first scene, the angry character starts out angry but eventually replies in a kinder manner. The calm character may respond well to the kindness displayed, or they might respond entirely differently. Each scenario must have a beginning, middle, and end. Please note: For this exercise, keep scenes hands-off, even if your students have been trained in stage combat. 4. Once students have finished writing, have each pair rehearse the scenes they’ve prepared; then have them perform the two scenes for the rest of the class. The scenes may be performed on-book, with script in hand. 5. After the pairs have performed, discuss the difference in outcomes for each version of the scene. If you don’t have time for a class discussion, have students respond to one or more of the questions in their journals. Some discussion questions you might include are: • How did the conflict change when kindness was introduced? • What might the characters have done differently in the scenarios, if they had a chance at a do-over? • If two or more pairs wrote about similar scenarios, how did the pairs approach conflict and kindness differently? • How does kindness make us feel in difficult situations? • Why is it sometimes hard to choose kindness in moments of conflict? • How could you apply what you observed or learned today in real life? Alternate exercises: Instead of writing out scenes in advance, students could try improvising the scenarios. Or, have students use the scripts they’ve written, but have them perform the scenes as mimes, doing their best to portray the scenes of conflict and kindness without spoken words.

When you can improvise a scene about anything, why not focus on kindness? Incorporating kindness into drama class activities helps students develop the ensemble mindset and creates a more positive, joyful environment. Here is a selection of 20 two-person improv scene prompts related to kindness. Have students pair up and let them select one of the prompts to perform. Or, have them pick a random number from 1 to 20 to determine what prompt they’ll present. Feel free to expand the prompts with more details or add more students to the scenes. Give students a time limit for the improvised scene, or allow it to unfold until it comes to a natural ending. You can also use these prompts for playwriting or devising scripted scenes. 1. A person does something kind for someone else without their knowledge. 2. Two friends try to one-up each other with kind acts. 3. A person helps a friend with a difficult task. 4. Someone discovers the consequences of being unkind. 5. Two friends have a disagreement but are able to de-escalate and forgive each other. 6. A person shows kindness to an animal. 7. Two friends complete a volunteer project to help others. 8. How to show kindness at school. 9. How to show kindness to your family. 10. How to show kindness in your community. 11. One friend encourages another friend to pursue a dream. 12. A student is tempted to be unkind, but decides to be kind instead. 13. Two friends perform a random act of kindness. 14. Two friends participate in a “compliment-off.” 15. Superheroes whose power is spreading kindness. 16. A person welcomes and guides another person in a new environment. 17. A person takes care of a friend who is sick. 18. A person surprises a friend with an unexpected gift. 19. A person receives an award for outstanding acts of kindness. 20. A friend encourages another friend to take a risk and it pays off.

It’s always exciting to have action-packed sequences in your show, and chase scenes are both great fun and challenging to stage. Whether a character is being chased by a villain, chasing after a lost love, or participating in any kind of chase in between, you’ll want to ensure your choreography is exciting and engaging while also being repeatable and safe. First, consider what tempo your student actors will be moving at. Are they running full out, are they doing a slow-motion sequence, somewhere in between, or a combination of both? They can all be used in comedic or dramatic shows, depending on how you block the actors’ body movements and facial expressions. As well, consider where in the performance/audience space your actors are. Are they actually moving throughout the staging area (which could potentially involve the stage itself, as well as the surrounding area such as through the audience) or are they moving in place? What concerns, risks, or safety issues might arise? Be sure to check out our safety considerations document in the giveaway below. Here are several ideas for staging chase scenes creatively. If you’ve got more ideas, please share them with us! • For chase scenes that are staged by having actors run or jog in place, create the illusion of movement through imaginative lighting, projections, sound effects, and/or special effects, such as a fan or wind machine. Slow-motion chase scenes can be extra funny with the addition of exaggerated movements, facial expressions, and slowed-down vocalizations. • Create a side-scrolling video game effect by having actors face directly to one side of the stage and run in place. Have ensemble members or stagehands “scroll” by in the background — crossing the stage with set pieces or puppet-style props, running backstage or behind a curtain, and coming through the stage again as many times as you wish. Great for comedies. Explore different tempos with both the chasing characters and background performers to find a speed that works well. • You can create car or motorcycle chase scenes by having actors sit on rehearsal blocks with prop steering wheels (plates also work well for this!), with the target placed further downstage and the chasers placed further upstage. You could also try having students sit or kneel on small, wheeled platforms or hand carts, and have stagehands dressed in black move them around the space. • For chase scenes where the actors actually move throughout the space, you must ensure that every moment of the chase sequence is choreographed and well rehearsed. Draw a bird’s eye or top down map of your space and make a diagram of the movement path(s). You may want to use transparency sheets if you have multiple actors travelling in different directions to ensure there are no collisions. If the chase scene is part of a musical, you may wish to indicate on the sheet music exactly where students should be at a particular moment in the scene, circling or highlighting the lyrics or notes where students move. • Consider how you could use every inch of your space. How can you use your performing area(s) to its best advantage? Can you have actors go through or around the audience? Are there different entrance/exit points in your space, and how can you access them? Can you create additional entrance and exit points with flats, curtains, or other set pieces? Are there areas that students can climb around, go over, or sneak under? • Use puppets, dolls, stuffed animals, or shadow puppets to create a funny chase sequence. This can be useful if your chase sequence has magical moments, stunts, or any other risky movements involved, such as big leaps, tackles, or flying — it’s better to toss a doll across the stage than to risk a student’s safety. • Create the illusion of a super-fast movement by having multiple actors appear as the same character. Dress three or more actors in the same costume and have them pop in and out from different places on the stage at specific times, while the other actor(s) in the scene moves their head and body to indicate that the fast character is moving in a particular direction. For example, you could have Actor A pop out from stage right, and Actor B look at them. Actor A quickly moves backstage while Actor B makes a big movement to look out behind the audience, where Actor C has popped up from behind a door or an audience seat at the back of the auditorium. Continue for as long as you wish and for as many actors as you want to have involved in the sequence. As mentioned above, be sure to do a thorough safety assessment of your blocking, set, costumes, footwear, and props to ensure that your students can maneuver through their chase sequences as safely as possible. Check out the free simple safety considerations resource in the giveaway below.

There are many different ways to analyze a scene for classroom study or performance: verbing, marking up the script, identifying subtext, making lists, and more. Some of these methods are easy and fast-paced, while some are more challenging or tedious. For younger or newer drama students, try introducing the concept of scene analysis by thinking like a detective solving a mystery. Look for clues and piece them together to solve the puzzle of the scene. Using the characters’ lines, stage directions, and text, students will figure out the who, what, where, when, and why of the scene. They’ll demonstrate how they discovered the information by using specific moments in the text as proof. First, read the scene at least twice, first as a pleasure read. You can have students read quietly by themselves, out loud in partners/small groups, or as a full class. Next, read the scene a second time to start delving into the details, looking to answer the questions below. Remember, they use the 5 W’s — who, what, where, when, why — as a questioning framework. Feel free to add additional 5W questions to your students’ analysis if you wish — these questions are a starting point. 1. Where does the scene take place? • A geographic location – New Jersey, Brisbane, Tokyo, New York City… • A general location – The jungle, an enchanted forest, a desert… • A specific location – Grandma’s kitchen, Mr. Kinkade’s classroom, Doune castle… 2. When is the scene happening? • A specific date, year, era, or time period. (Some shows are very specific. For example, the opening line of “Tune Up #1” from the musical Rent is “December 24th, 9 pm, Eastern Standard Time. From here on in, I shoot without a script.” Heathers: The Musical starts on “September 1st, 1989” in the song “Beautiful.”) • The time of day – Morning, afternoon, evening, night? • In relation to the rest of the show – Is this scene at the beginning or end of the show? • In relation to other scenes – What happened immediately before and/or after the scene? (This will be helpful when students get to the “why” questions.) 3. Who are the characters? • Basic information that we know about them – name, age, occupation, etc. • What do we know about them? Likes, dislikes, personality traits? • What is their relationship to the other character in the scene? Friends, family, a couple, enemies, coworkers, strangers? 4. What are the characters doing in the scene? (And why?) What are the characters feeling in the scene? (And why?) • In terms of what the characters are doing, start with what they are literally doing — washing the dishes, doing homework, going for a walk. What is the purpose of these actions? Do they relate to the scene somehow? • From there, consider what the characters are “doing” in a more interpretive sense. one character might be trying to convince another to do something, or a character might be saying one thing but meaning another. This is where proof from the text really helps! • The characters might come out and say something specific about how they’re feeling (“I feel sad”), or they might have [sadly] or [sniffling] as a stage direction to illustrate their emotions. Conversely, the characters might not be so direct in expressing their emotional state, so compare and contrast how your students interpret the characters’ feelings. 5. Why is this scene happening? Why is it important? • Something needs to happen. Some new information has to be shared or something has to change from the beginning of the scene to the end of the scene, otherwise it doesn’t move the plot forward. What moments in the scene stick out to your students? • Look back to the “when” questions and think about what happened before and after the scene. How does the action of this scene progress the plot of the show? 6. How do we know all this? Give proof, quotes, and examples from the text. After answering the questions, have students complete an exit slip: Describe the purpose of scene analysis in your own words. Take it to the next level:Character Analysis Exercise Script Analysis for Actors Script Analysis: Six Ways to Fill the Gaps Scene & Song Analysis Using Emojis

Eating and drinking are necessary for existence on this planet. So much of our life is centred around food: making it together, serving it for a special occasion, trying new dishes, challenges acquiring it, not having enough of it, and more. Food and drinks nourish and sustain us, so it’s only natural that playwrights would create scenes and songs that feature meals, snacks, and beverages. From Mrs. Tottendale doing a spit-take with “ice water” in The Drowsy Chaperone to Bruce Bogtrotter eating Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake in Matilda, food and drink scenes abound in plays and musicals. When it comes to staging scenes with food and beverages, the question is whether you will use real, fake, or “invisible” (mimed) food and drink onstage. Start by reading the text and determining what the purpose of the food or drink is. Are actors actually consuming the food, or is it used as set décor or props? Does the food or drink need to be used somehow? For example, is someone carving a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, pouring drinks for a toast, or starting a food fight? (Don’t forget the famous “pie in the face” gag that is found in tons of shows, including Singin’ in the Rain and Disney’s High School Musical.) Get super clear about what sort of food or drink is needed and the precise purpose of it. Then, consider the following: • The clearest pro to using real food onstage is, well, realism. Everyone knows how to eat food and drink a beverage. It looks real to the audience, feels real to the actors, and leaves no confusion anywhere: these characters are eating and drinking. Easy peasy. • A bonus pro is that actors get to eat a little snack onstage, which is always fun, and helps to keep their energy levels up. • A major con for using real food onstage is the mess potential. Crumbs left behind can invite unwanted critters like bugs or mice into your backstage area. Food and drinks can easily be spilled on a costume and create a stain, or dropped on the floor, which creates a slipping hazard. Which leads us to… • Safety concerns: Real food and drinks can pose choking hazards, especially if a student is trying to do something else while they’re eating, such as walking or speaking. As well, you will need to be considerate of students with food allergies, sensitivities, and restrictions. Depending on the rules of your school, you may also need to have someone with a safe food handling designation assist with the food to ensure that it is prepared and/or stored hygienically. • Real food and drink props are called “consumable” props, because they’re used up each show. (There are other consumable props (link: www.theatrefolk.com/blog/how-to-create-a-master-props-list) that have nothing to do with food, such as letters that get ripped up, blood packets, and cap guns.) If you’re using real food, you’ll have to ensure that there is enough supply to get you through each performance, which could mean additional production costs. • One pro of using “fake” or prop food is that it provides a great opportunity for your students to learn the ins and outs of prop creation. There are lots of fantastic tutorials online, demonstrating creative techniques for making realistic-looking prop food. For example, students could learn how to paint the inside of plastic glasses with different types of materials to create full-looking drinks, or build and decorate a prop wedding cake using hat boxes and trim. (You can even add a “cutting slice” — a thin slot in the back of the cake — to insert a knife into to make it look like the newlyweds are cutting a piece of cake!) • Using fake or invisible (mimed) food and drinks is a great acting challenge for your students. You can use empty plastic cups for a variety of acting challenges — how can students hold the cups to indicate that the contents are hot, cold, or filled to the brim? How can students gesture without looking like they’re flinging liquid all over themselves? Have them try to slowly lift the cup to their mouth, take a “sip” of the drink, swallow, and lower the cup, all without “pouring” the drink down their fronts. Try having students pretend to take a bite of invisible food, or chew invisible gum realistically. It’s harder than you think. • Depending on the scene, you may be able to get away with using a combination of fake and real food onstage. Let’s say you’re staging the “Be Our Guest” song from Disney’s* Beauty and the Beast*, and you want Belle to sample some of the desserts. You could have an ensemble member bring a plate of fake cookies onstage, with one real cookie placed strategically in the pile for Belle to pick up and take a bite of. Whether you end up using real, fake, or invisible food and drinks onstage will also depend on your unique group of students. You may find that one class benefits from using real food while another class finds real food too distracting and simply mimes the food. There are no right or wrong answers; use whatever works best for you and your students.

Taylor Swift famously described categorizing her songs as having "fountain pen," "quill pen," or "glitter gel pen" lyrics, referring to how the songs were written and the feelings they were meant to evoke. According to Taylor, fountain pen songs are modern, emotional, and deeply personal. Quill pen songs are old-fashioned-sounding, historical, and finely detailed. Glitter gel pen songs are upbeat, light, and youthful. Her songs are always written and performed in her unique voice, but the tone, structure, and artistic approach are different. It makes for an interesting writing challenge, but also creates a sense of variety and fun from song to song. Let's take that concept and apply it to writing a scene for performance. In this exercise, students will come up with a premise featuring one or two characters, to be the basis of a short scene or monologue. The scene or monologue will be between half a page to one page in length. Students will write the scene three different ways, using Taylor’s three song categories as the basis for tone, style, and word choice. Start by coming up with a premise for the scene. Some ideas might be: • Someone preparing a favourite meal • Someone cleaning their room and finding a long-lost item • A parent and child going shopping for a particular item • A baseball player about to go up to bat • Someone sharing a secret with a friend Create a brief outline for the scene, decide on the name(s) of the character(s), and note any pertinent personality traits or necessary details. The outline can be as simple as “Susan (parent) and Demi (child, age 13) need to get a new pair of pants for Demi.” Then, students will write the scene three different ways: fountain pen style, quill pen style, and glitter gel pen style. As a reminder: fountain pen songs are modern, emotional, and personal; quill pen songs are old fashioned, historical, and detailed; and glitter gel pen songs are upbeat, light, and youthful. So for example, in the scene about the clothing store, in a fountain pen scene, Susan and Demi might disagree about what pants to get, and Demi has a monologue about how their parent doesn’t understand how the pants they want to wear represent their personality and how they’re viewed in the world. In the quill pen scene, Susan and Demi might have to purchase the materials and notions and sew the pants themselves, and have deep conversations while they work together to make the pants for Demi. In the glitter gel pen scene, Demi might break into song about all the different pants and how surprised they are to discover that they’re actually having fun with Susan, trying on the pants. In all three scenes, Demi is getting a pair of pants, but each scene is totally different in tone and structure. Now you may have students saying, “Three different ways? I can barely write a scene one way!” Not to worry, we have lots of ways to help students figure out how to approach the different styles of writing. Have students consider the following when they’re planning their writing: • Perspective: Think of writing from the perspective of an adult, an elderly person, or a child. • Time period: Write from the time of the present, the past, or the future. • Slang words or phrases: How would words like rizz, groovy, awesome, balderdash, or forsooth affect the scene? • Cultural references: Do the characters communicate using telephones, letters, or social media? Are they fans of lute music, The Who, or robo-trance music of the year 2347? • Amount of words used: “Why yes, of course mother” has a much different tone than “Yeah ma,” as does “Alas, I wish to possess that item” versus “I want that.” • Contractions: “Do not” versus “don't” sounds very different. • Types of words used: Think about simple words and phrasing versus complex language, and who is using the words. For example, a five year old wouldn't likely use the word "conversely" when they’re talking. • Amount of details you include, and which details. • Style of scene: dramatic, comedic, historical, musical… Once students have completed their writing, have them read their scenes aloud to a partner or small group (or have other group members read the scenes aloud to them). Listen for things like consistent details, tone differences, anachronisms, and whether or not the scenes flow well. If any edits or revisions are needed, students should make those changes, then submit their three scenes to the teacher. Alternate Exercise: If students are overwhelmed by the thought of writing one story three different ways, have them work in groups of three. The groups will come up with one scene premise, and each student in the group will write the scene in one of the three styles (fountain pen, quill pen, or glitter gel pen style). Groups must ensure that the details of all the scenes are consistent between group members; only the style of writing will change. Groups will submit all three scenes together as a package.

When students are presenting scenes in drama class, the most typical setup is actors on one side of the room with the audience facing them on the opposite side, like a typical proscenium arch stage. However, there are other exciting stage setups to explore, which provide different staging opportunities and challenges. In this exercise, students will have the opportunity to block and perform a scene in three different stage setups: proscenium stage, traverse stage, and theatre in the round. As a refresher, here’s a quick description of the three stage setups referenced above: • Proscenium stage: stage facing the audience, straight on • Traverse stage: stage is surrounded on two sides by the audience • Theatre in the round or arena stage: stage is surrounded by audience on all sides Start by presenting sample images of the three listed stage setups, or have students do an online image search of them. Discuss the visual differences between the different stages, as well as potential opportunities and challenges each stage presents for the actors, directors, and audience. For example, on a traverse stage you could choreograph some amazing battle sequences or have two distinct sets on either end of the playing space, but you may be limited in the number of entrance and exit routes available. Theatre in the round creates a very cool, intimate atmosphere for the audience, as they’re typically quite close to the playing space, but it can be challenging to block actors so they don’t always have their backs to the audience. There are three different ways you can approach the practical portion of this exercise. How many students you’ll need to be actors and directors will depend on which method you select. 1. Two-day, one-scene option: This option takes fewer class days and gives a good general overview of how scenes have to be adapted to accommodate the different stage setups. Divide the class into multiples of three groups labelled A, B, and C. (For example, if you have 18 students, you might wish to have three groups of six students or six groups of three students. If you go with six groups, there will be two Group As, two Group Bs, and 2 Group Cs.) All groups will perform the same scene but on different stages. Groups A will perform their scene in a proscenium setup; Groups B will perform in the traverse stage setup, and Groups C will perform in the round. Depending on the number of students and the number of roles in the scene, you may wish to assign student directors within the groups or have the students block the scenes themselves. When students aren’t performing, they will act as the audience/analysts. 2. Six-day, multiple-scene, deep dive option: This option requires at least six classes, depending on the number of students you have (if you have a large class, you may need more performance days), but each group gets the opportunity to perform their scene in each of the three different stage setups. Divide students into small groups. Have each group select one scene. Each group should have a different scene and they will each perform their scene three times. On Day 1, each group will block and rehearse their scene for a proscenium stage. On Day 2, each group will present their scene. On Day 3, each group will block and rehearse their scene on a traverse stage setup, and they will perform on Day 4. On Day 5, each group will block and rehearse their scene in the round, and they will perform on Day 6. When groups aren’t performing, they will act as the audience/analysts. 3. Focused group option: If you have students who wish to do a deep focus on just acting, directing, or analysis, this can be a good option. It’s also an option if you have drama students who do not wish to perform. Select one group of actors (depending on how many roles are in the scene) and three directors. Each of the three directors will be assigned one stage setup (proscenium, traverse, in the round) and will block the actors to fit the stage setup. The actors will perform the scene three times, once in each stage setup. The rest of the group will be the audience/analysts. Once all the groups have performed, have the groups reconvene for a discussion and/or have students respond to any or all of the following questions individually: • For each scene: What worked well? What didn’t work well? Why? • In your opinion, which stage setup was most effective for the scene? Why? • If you had the chance to redo your scene with a different stage setup, which one would you choose? Why?OR (for Option 2) Which of the stage setups did you think worked best for your scene? Why? • For each group: What were the advantages or opportunities of your particular stage setup? What were the disadvantages or challenges? How could you overcome these challenges if you were to stage the scene again? • If you were to stage a full production of the play that this scene came from, which stage setup would you choose? Why? • What other stage setups or venues would you like to explore or try staging your scene in? (For example, a thrust stage, outdoors, the library, the school basement, etc.) In the last five minutes of class, have students respond to and submit one of the exit slip questions, found in the giveaway below. Additional Resources: Staging Your Show: “Same Show, Different Stages” Exercise “Cheating Out”: Two Games for Middle School Drama Students Free two-person and group scenes from Theatrefolk

It’s exciting when well-known books, films, and television shows get turned into stage productions. Plays and musicals like The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, The SpongeBob Musical, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child feature favourite characters and epic moments, real and in person! These types of shows are a great way to engage your students in the drama classroom and capture their imaginations, bringing many different possibilities for storytelling onstage. Students can find inspiration in these types of shows and have great fun in creating their own interpretations and adaptations of the different scenes and moments onstage. However, younger students are often quite literal and don’t always know how to translate large, fantastical scenes from the script to the stage, or more often, the screen to the stage. They see giant battle sequences, characters flying or falling, car chases, magical transformations, or large sporting events and expect them to look exactly like they do on the screen or on the page. They don’t think of things like green screens, stunt people, post-production editing, or the thousands of dollars it takes to achieve these effects in a film or television show. These moments aren’t impossible to translate to the stage; we just need to look at them differently. We bring them to life through theatricalization, meaning “in a dramatic and representative manner.” It’s not exact; rather, a theatricalized moment represents the image and story, with the audience suspending their disbelief. They know the moment they’re watching onstage isn’t going to be perfectly realistic, yet what they’re seeing is still believable and evokes emotion. How can we challenge our middle school drama students to bring the unreal to life onstage? Let’s explore the process of coming up with simple yet creative solutions for staging these types of scenes. Start by having students share video clips of action-packed moments from their favourite movies or shows, live or animated. Have them point out moments that are exciting and ones they would like to create onstage. Then, either as a full class or in small groups, come up with ideas on how to bring the scene to life onstage. For example, let’s say the scene features a character driving a car. Your students likely will not be able to bring a full-sized functional car onstage. However, there are lots of ways to make a car “appear” onstage, using items they might find in the drama classroom or in their backpacks. For example: • Have students mime or create tableau scenes unlocking the car door, entering the car, steering, etc. • Have an actor sit on a rehearsal block or stationary chair and hold a circular object, such as a paper plate or a Frisbee, as the steering wheel. • Have one student push another around the room in a rolling desk chair or wheeled stool. • Use a toy car as a puppet and have another classmate narrate what’s happening. In these instances, the audience knows there isn’t an actual car onstage, but they understand that the action and selected props are used in a way that represents the car. Once students have brainstormed some ideas about how they could stage these scenes, have them get up on their feet and try creating the scenes. Give them a set amount of rehearsal time and then have them present their work in front of the rest of the class. Below you’ll find some examples of scenarios your students can work on in the classroom if they need ideas. Be sure to remind them to treat their bodies and those of their friends’ gently and safely, especially if they’re creating battle scenes or similarly physically risky scenes. If available, students can use items from the classroom and their own possessions, but if there aren’t any items available, mime, tableau, and slow-motion movements are all fun and effective! • A large sporting event — anything from a hockey game to a Quidditch match • Peter Pan and Wendy flying to Neverland • A battle sequence, such as the Battle of Helm’s Deep from Lord of the Rings or the battle between the White Witch’s army and Aslan’s army in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe • The Evil Queen transforming into the Witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Casting a spell in the Harry Potter universe • An underwater sequence, such as Ariel and Flounder exploring her grotto in The Little Mermaid • A horse race or trail ride • Tarzan and Jane swinging on vines through the jungle • Winnie the Pooh getting stuck in Rabbit’s hole and his friends trying to help him get unstuck • Heroes trying to find their way through a giant hedge maze How will your students tackle these epic scenes in a creative way? For a greater challenge, have your class figure out two ways to stage each scene! Related Articles: Create a World Create a Giant Onstage Putting Together a Drama Class Adaptation Project Playwriting Exercise: Exploring Adaptation Scene Self-Staging: Teaching Students to Block Theatrically and Independently

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.

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.)

If you’re riding the struggle bus at rehearsals and scenes are looking stagnant, dull, or flat-out boring, you and your students may be suffering from a case of rehearsal rut. Rehearsal rut tends to occur in the mid-to-late stages of the rehearsal process, when the newness and excitement have worn off, the costumes, props, and sets aren’t done yet, and your students are not quite ready for an audience. Students may feel like they’re going through the motions while working on their scenes, and you might be wondering if the show is ever going to come together. Sometimes, the best way to solidify a scene is to approach it in a new manner, outside the standard rehearsal process. Here are a few exercises to try: Emotional sceneDivide the scene you are working on into four sections. Give each section a defined emotion. Don’t worry about making sure it matches the dialogue, just come up with four different emotions. You may even draw them out of a hat. Then play the scene switching from emotion to emotion. How does the scene change when a specific emotion is forced upon it? Part switchPlay your scene but switch parts. What do you learn about the other character? What do you learn about your character when you see them played by another actor? Action onlyDo the scene without speaking. What happens? Is the blocking easy or difficult to remember? Do you find yourself sitting in the same spot for a long time? Does the blocking help tell the story? Do this exercise in front of an audience. What does the audience get out of the scene when they don’t have the dialogue to rely on? How do your characters come across? Game playPlay the scene, but instead of doing the blocking, play a game. It has to be a game that doesn’t require a lot of talking (e.g., Plinko, Jenga, Snakes and Ladders). Stay in character and keep the conflict and tension in the scene as you play. If you end the scene before you end the game, just start back from the beginning. Back to backPlay the scene with the actors standing back to back. How does the scene change without eye contact?

You need your students to work independently on a scene but when it’s time to present they seem to have forgotten everything you’ve taught them. Scene Self-Staging: Teaching Students to Block Theatrically and Independently gives students a process to follow to help them produce a fully staged scene with specific dynamic blocking and three-dimensional characters. Scene Self-Staging provides an in-depth step-by-step process to help students master their scenes – from choosing a scene to script analysis to presentation. All material is geared toward independent, student-driven staging – and you can be as involved or as hands-off as you wish. Assessment suggestions are provided for each step, or you can just use the Performance Rubric. Help your students stage their scenes to the best of their ability – and do it all without you!

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Are you looking for scene work that works within a socially distanced environment? Lindsay Price’s collection of scenes, 6 ft Scenes, fits the bill! A collection of 15 scenes in which no two characters get within 6 ft of each other. Use them to explore the physical and emotional distance between people – what causes us to stay apart? Great for class work and competition. Why did we publish this play? How do we do scene work in a social distance situation? The idea with this scene book was to collect and write scenes that are specific to that exact scenario: characters who cannot, for some reason, ever get within 6 ft of each other. For some scenes the reason is physical, for others it’s a vast emotional difference. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write these scenes? Some of the scenes are collected from existing plays (all of these plays can be found at theatrefolk.com) and then five of the scenes were written specifically for the scene book. In all cases, characters remain 6 ft apart so that hopefully, they can be used for scene work in a socially distanced classroom. 2. What are the most important visuals for you in these scenes? The distance. It’s a great visual. Focus on why these characters are apart, what keeps them apart, and how the distance affects the staging. How can you create a connection between characters when they can’t physically connect? 3. If you could give one piece of advice for those performing these scenes, what would it be? Have pairs direct each other. Because they are never close, each actor can step out of the scene, observe their partner and make suggestions. Focus on character physicality: how does each stand, move, and gesture in their own space? How do they look at or look away from the other character? How does distance show which character is higher status than the other? There are a lot of choices to play with. 4. Why are these scenes great for student performers? They are all collected and written for student performers in mind. Hopefully they’ll think so too! *5. Why are these scenes great for online study/performances? * While these scenes are collected and written for a social distanced situation – they would also work in a virtual environment, like Zoom. In that case, all your blocking is going to be in the upper body; so how do the characters sit, use their shoulders, and facial expressions? Get your copy of 6 ft Scenes right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Looking for a new idea for some scene starters? Why not try using statistics? Using statistics offers a whole host of cross-curricular connections with drama class. Statistics are used in math, history, geography, political studies, sociology, and more. It gives students the chance to think differently about how scenes can be developed, and shows that ideas can come from just about anywhere. Here are two ways you can use statistics as scene starters: Silly Statistics and Serious Statistics. Silly Statistics – An Improv GameUse the Silly Statistics suggestions below as scene starters, or have students brainstorm their own ridiculous statistics. Students will use a statistic selected for them to improvise a debate. • Select two students to perform. One student will take the “pro” or agreeing side, while the other will take the “con” or disagreeing side. • Students will take on the persona of a knowledgeable, pompous debater, whether they are on the “pro” side or the “con” side. It doesn’t matter if they actually know anything about the topic or statistic – their job is to make it seem like they do. • Give the pair a silly statistic to argue. It doesn’t have to be realistic; in fact, it’s usually funnier if it isn’t. For example: “According to a recent study, only 57% of brown cows give chocolate milk.” • Flip a coin to decide which student will go first. • Both students will make an opening statement, introducing their side of the debate on the statistic presented. Going with the example above, the “con” side may say, “I cannot in good faith believe that only 57% of brown cows give chocolate milk. According to my research, this number should be much higher.” The “pro” side might then say, “Of course 57% of brown cows give chocolate milk; in fact, studies show that the darker shade of brown the cow is, the more chocolatey the milk.” • After each student gives their opening statement, they have one minute to improvise their debate. Students don’t have to use the full minute but they will be cut off after the minute is up. Serious Statistics – A PSA ProjectStatistics can be a great way for students to create a PSA (public service announcement) that can be performed in various ways. This exercise could be used as a cross-cultural or cross-curricular project if you wished. Have students select a topic that is important or interesting to them that they could search on their smartphones or classroom computer to find a statistic about. Here are some ideas to get them started: • Literacy • Gender issues • LGBTQ+ issues • Racism • Youth and politics • Issues in other countries • Environment/global warming • Screen time vs. physical activity • Local community concerns From there, students find a statistic on their topic and use it as a jumping-off point for a playwriting exercise They will write a monologue or scene that brings attention to or dramatizes the issue in some way. For example, if a student is interested in literacy, they might use this statistic: “According to First Book Canada, a quarter of Canadian households don’t own a single book.” (Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/3748748/rising-concerns-over-literacy-rates-in-canada/) They might decide to write a monologue about a child who doesn’t own a book, or a scene demonstrating how not owning books can affect a student at school. Your students can take this further and either perform the monologues or scenes as a live performance for their classmates, or create a video that can then be screened for the rest of the class. Students may wish to include different styles of performance within their scenes, such as movement/dance, mime, tableau, or poetry/verse/song.

Character study. Scene work. Performances. IE competitions. Substitute teachers… You need scenes. We’ve got them! With 30 scenes and over 200 pages, our brand new resource, Scenes for Classroom Study, gives students relevant material at their fingertips, to help them take their work to the next level. But that’s not all! Each scene comes from a published Theatrefolk play and includes: • Close Reading Questions – Use each scene as a close reading exercise with these text-dependent questions. • Staging Suggestions – If groups are self-directing, or you have student directors, these notes will help them effectively stage the scenes. • Character Development – This section includes character-specific questions and suggestions for your student actors. If your students perform Individual Events or compete with scenes, they’re going to want their characters to be at their best!

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays For….Scene Work. You want interesting scenes for your students. You want a variety of scenes for your students. You don’t want to do the same scenes over and over and over and over with your students. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the best with your search! Sixteen in Ten Minutes or Less This collection of 10 plays can be performed as an evening of theatre. Or it offers the perfect scene work collection for a class. Each short stands perfectly well on it’s own without any prior knowledge of the characters. Ten/Two Ten plays for two actors. All the plays are easy for students to self direct and self block. Have a group larger than twenty, double up on the scenes and seen how different groups interpret the same material. Chemo Girl and Other Plays A collection of plays that examine the impact of cancer as seen through the eyes of teenagers. Each scene can stand alone which means you can have a full class all working on their scenes at the same time. An excellent project if you want to present a cross-curricular aspect to a scene unit. How can cancer be theatricalized? Close Encounters of the Undead Kind This collection has three short plays filled with unique characters. Most of which are vampires, zombies, and others of the undead variety. Have a class of beginners? Divide the plays up so that groups are dealing with smaller chunks within the larger piece. Ten Minute Play Series: All Girls Need scenes with all girls? We’ve got you covered. One of our most popular scenes comes from this collection. It shows Juliet and Ophelia in the afterlife. And they are NOT happy. C’mon and Dance What about students that struggle with lines or perhaps are learning English as a second language. Give them a non-verbal scene to work on. This piece fits the bill perfectly. Will and Whimsy: Sixteen Dramatically Illustrated Sonnets of Shakespeare Want to combine scene work with Shakespeare, but you’re not ready to tackle the bard in the original language? This is a wonderful collection of scenes that illustrates the themes in 16 of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Scene-Speare: Shakespearean Scenes for Student Actors But what if you are ready to tackle Shakespeare? This scenes are already cut down for class use and offer vocabulary help, character questions, and story specifics. A perfect place to start with students. Competition Scenes: Duets Want a collection of duet scenes that come from published plays? Use them for individual event competitions, use them in your classroom. The Middle School Scene Book And just to take care of our middle school folks. Here’s a collection of scenes that come from published plays just for middle school students. We got you covered. Image credit: Rockdale County High School (Conyers, Georgia) production of Will and Whimsy by Alan Haehnel. Directed by Dave DiPietro.

The phrase “a picture tells a thousand words” is pretty well-worn, yet the concept has proven true time and time again. Look at any picture that captures a moment in action – the words needed to explain it could go on for days. Some pictures hold many stories. Three children sit in front of a pile of rubble. Who are they? Are they related? Where are their parents? What was the building before it was destroyed? What are they looking at? What happens next? This concept makes pictures an excellent jumping off point for a cross-curricular drama classroom project. Cross-Curricular Project: History Comes to LifeObjective: To apply dramatic techniques to a moment in history Description: Students will work in groups to create a short scene. The jumping off point for the scene will be a photo that shows an unexpected moment in history. Materials: Students will need access to the internet to find photos on their own, or you will have to find a variety of photos and present them to the class. Instructions: 1. Divide Students into Groups Depending on your class size, keep the groups small (3-4 people). 2. Choose a Picture You can either have students choose their own photo or (if they aren’t allowed internet access) you’ll have to choose pictures for them and print them off. The requirement for the picture is that it has to take place during a historical event (a war, an invention, a significant era like the Depression, a significant person like a world leader). A few interesting sites that showcase unique historical pictures: - 40 Must See Historic Moments - 40 Rare Historical Photos 3. Brainstorm on the Picture Have each group write down their impressions, ideas, comments, and questions about their chosen picture. Remind students not to think ahead to the final project just yet. Focus on responding to the picture. Also, reject nothing. Accept everyone’s thoughts on the picture and write them down. Brainstorming sessions go awry when students start to censor or judge ideas as they come in. The best method is to write everything down without judgement. 4. Write an Inner Monologue Before they start working on their scene, give students a short monologue exercise. Have them choose a person in the photo, or (if there are no people) choose the photographer. Write a short, half-page inner monologue. What is this person thinking in this moment? What do they see? Who could they be talking to in their mind (a parent who’s not there, a loved one, an enemy, another person in the picture)? It’s always better when a monologue has a listener, even if that listener can’t hear what’s going on inside a character’s head! This is an individual exercise. Once completed, have students share their monologues in their groups. 5. Decide the WHO, WHAT, and WHERE Now that groups have a picture, brainstorm suggestions and a number of monologues. The first step in creating the scene is to come up with the who, what, and where. The criteria is as follows: • Decide the WHO. Who are the characters in the scene? • Everyone in the group has to be in the scene. • The characters in the scene could be from the picture, but they don’t have to be. They could be watching the scene from behind “the photographer.” • Identify the WHAT. What is happening in the scene? Remind students that they are illuminating the picture. What are the words that bring the picture to life? • Identify the WHERE. Where does the scene take place? It might not be clear in the picture. Make sure the scene has a specific WHERE. 6. Write the Scene Have students work together to write a 1-2 minute scene based on their WHO, WHAT, and WHERE. Students might need to do some additional research if the historical moment is unfamiliar to them. 7. Rehearse Give students time to rehearse. Depending on the length of the project, this could simply be a well prepared staged reading, or it could be a memorized and assessed performance. 8. Perform After each group performs their scene, show the rest of the class the picture they used. Ask students what they see in the picture and how the scene illuminated the historical moment.

If you want students to learn the elements of a theatre history era, there’s no better way than to study a scene from a play that exemplifies that era. For example, look at the principles of the Realism period: • Writers wanted to make theatre more “useful” and focus on social issues, to represent real life. • Stories focused on character struggles, something that the audience could relate to. • Locations were real places (rather than imaginary or abstract ones). • The common man was represented on stage. One of the definitions of realism is that it portrays the everyday and the ordinary on stage. There is also an emphasis on showing family life. • There is the use of the “fourth wall” with no acknowledgment of the audience. • Character development became the centre of these works. The plot was secondary to the inner workings of the characters. There was a connection between the audience and the characters on stage. • Dialogue became more natural and everyday – it moved away from melodrama. • Dialogue employed realistic elements – pauses, interruptions, and sentence fragments. Have students read a scene aloud. Anton Chekov’s works are good examples of realism (The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard). Read the scene in a round robin fashion. Instead of assigning roles, sit in a circle and have each person say a line in turn. If you have a big monologue, have one student read three sentences and then have the next person pick up the next three sentences, and so on. Once you’ve read the scene, divide the class into groups. The task is to identify the principles of realism in the scene. They will have to assume some (like the fourth wall) but can they see ordinary characters having everyday problems? Are the problems relatable? Who are the characters? Does the dialogue sound like normal speech? For example, The Three Sisters takes place in a small town. One of the sisters is a school teacher and another is married to a school teacher. Their lives are not exciting and despite a series of events, the ending leaves us with the impression that life for the three will continue in the same way. This is not a grand, epic, adventure, but an ordinary, real life story. As the youngest sister Irina puts it: “But now we must live… we must work, just work! To-morrow, I’ll go away alone, and I’ll teach and give my whole life to those who, perhaps, need it. It’s autumn now, soon it will be winter, the snow will cover everything, and I shall be working, working….” This handout identifies principles of realism and includes a blank version to hand out to your class. After students read through the scene and identify the realism qualities, discuss the result. How does the scene illuminate realism? What is Chekhov trying to present with this scene? Do they like the scene? Why or why not? Would they like to see more of this play? Why or why not? Do student prefer to see characters like themselves on stage, or do they want to be taken to another world? If they were going to rewrite the scene, how would they do it?

When working with historical theatre pieces by playwrights like Shakespeare and Marlowe, a common complaint is that their diction is difficult for students to understand. One way to help students connect with the material and understand it is to modernize the scene that they’re working on by placing it in the context of social media, television, or other media forms that they’re familiar with. Here is an exercise for students to increase their comprehension of the scene by translating it into modern language and mediums. Divide students into groups and assign each pair a scene from the play that the class is currently working on. First, have students summarize the scene in five sentences or less. Then, have the students “translate” the scene line by line, from classical language to modern language. That way, they can decide on the most important and interesting parts of the scene. From there, have students devise a performance that presents their translation to the rest of the class in a creative and modern way. These performances could be presented via live performance or a pre-recorded video project. Here are some ideas on how students can present their translations: • Two students narrate the scene as news reporters while the rest of the group performs. For example, here’s a take on a scene from Romeo & Juliet: “Well Todd, the Capulets have really outdone themselves tonight with this great ball. Lady Capulet is ravishing in a gown by Valentino.” “This just in: Sources are reporting that Romeo Montague and a number of his friends have crashed the party. No signs of any Montagues yet, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled. Back to you, Sarah.” • Two students narrate the scene as sports commentators while the rest of the group performs. This is a great choice for active scenes or fight scenes. Here’s a sample that could work for Macbeth: “And Macduff with a might swing of the sword; he nearly took off Macbeth’s arm with that one! But wait a minute… he’s saying something… WHAT?! He’s saying he was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped!!! Can you believe it?!” “Yes fans, we have just learned that Macduff was born by Caesarean section, and I tell you, Macbeth is STUNNED. He certainly wasn’t expecting that from his opponent! But he’s continuing to fight! What is gonna happen next?!” • Create a reality show , performing as the characters and using the modern lines translation of the scene. Include to-the-camera confessionals. For example, confessionals from A Midsummer Night’s Dream might sound like this: HERMIA: “Can you believe that Helena said I’m “little and fierce”? I can’t help it that she’s taller than me! And then Demetrius and Lysander start FIGHTING over her?! I don’t get it! It’s like they’re under a spell or something!!!” HELENA: “I did say that Hermia is “little and fierce” because she’s scary when she gets mad! However, I have NO idea why Demetrius and Lysander are acting so weird. Up until now, they were both in love with Hermia! Don’t get me wrong, it’s kind of nice to have the attention for once, but honestly it’s starting to freak me out!” • Create a series of social media shares to document the scene, like faux Facebook posts, Twitter updates, Snapchat stories, or Instagram photos. These could be presented in video or Powerpoint form, or the shares could be made poster-sized and presented as a live performance. Here’s an example of a Twitter feed that might be created for The Taming of the Shrew: @BiancaXO dad says I can’t date till my sister does SO UNFAIR! #gonnabeanoldmaid @KatMinola .@BiancaXO give it a rest you’re such a brat #dramaqueen @MusicHrtnsio Got a plan on how I’m gonna see my girl @BiancaXO today LOL #litio #lute @VeronaPetruchio @MusicHrtnsio this plan of yours better work I’m here to make cash money in Padua #dollabillsyo Encourage students to push themselves outside their comfort zone and have some fun exploring classical scenes in a new and different way. Have fun!

“Body language accounts for 60% of our understanding of emotions, our reception of subliminal messages and our grasp of relationships.” - Ron Cameron-Lewis, Acting Skills for Life Student actors often spend a lot of time developing the nonphysical part of a character: character profiles, reflection, analyzing the text. Sometimes the physicality piece is left until the last minute or it’s not addressed at all. The result is that the character ends up standing, moving, sitting, and gesturing exactly like the student actor. How do I encourage students to physicalize their characters?• Have the actors play the scene you’re working on without dialogue. They have to communicate their lines nonverbally. What do they do to replace what they say? Remind students to stay in character as they try to communicate. Is this character patient or impatient as they physicalize their lines? Do they make small or large gestures? • Before every blocking move, have the actor say “I am moving because I am….” They can only move if they can come up with a character-driven reason to move. This will eliminate the problem of actors who move only because a director told them to. • Do a scene with just the blocking and no dialogue. Have actors say their lines in their heads and do any blocking they’ve been given. Discuss the experience afterward. What does it feel like to focus on the movement? Did you ever feel like you were in one place for a really long time? Do you feel your blocking is character-driven? • Create a character zero for each character. Character zero is used in commedia dell’arte. It is the defining pose that a character presents every time they enter or stand still in the space. If you’re doing a realistic piece, it won’t be practical to have a character pose every time they enter a room, but it is something you can play with during rehearsal. You can also pick and choose your character zero moments. Character zero also helps your actors identify what makes their character physically distinct from them. That is what is most important. • To encourage levels in a scene, do the “sit, stand, kneel” improv game. If you have only two actors, then do “sit, stand.” If you have more, you can do “sit, stand, kneel, lie down, stand on a chair.” As actors perform the scene, have only one person be in one physical state at a time. For example, two actors can’t stand at the same time. If someone is sitting, then have everyone else be in one of the other states. Actors are allowed to stay in one state for only five seconds. • Have actors come up with an action for each line in a scene. It could be moving from sitting to standing. It could be moving a pillow from a chair to the couch, or clearing the table. The aim is to experiment with possible actions for a scene. Certainly you don’t want your actors moving constantly during a performance, but too often actors sit down and never move. They become motionless, talking heads. This exercise will help actors identify what they are doing in a scene. What if the character is trying to share a secret while cleaning a table at the same time? Or folding laundry? How does the action complement or contrast with the text? • Videotape a scene. When you watch the scene back, focus on the actor-driven movement. When do the actors shuffle from foot to foot? When do they brush their hair from their face or adjust their clothes? When do they raise a hand and plop it down on their thigh? These are all nervous gestures that actors do, not characters. It takes the audience out of the world of the play. Identify these moments and work to remove them from the action of the scene. • Have actors play the scene with a specific body lead. What if a character leads through the nose? Or through the belly? Or through the knees? How does the character change with this physicality? It might work or it might not, but it’s important to try. It’s another fun thing to play with during rehearsals. • Have actors play the scene with a specific foot plant. First do the scene with everyone walking normally: a “heel, toe” foot placement. Next, do the scene with everyone walking with a “toe, heel” foot placement. Be specific and careful, focusing on each step being “toe, heel.” The third time, do the scene with everyone walking on the inside edges of their feet. The fourth time, have everyone walk on the outside edges of their feet. All of these foot placements will change the personality as well as the physicality of the character. If actors get frustrated, tell them to let their frustration out through their characters!