Time Management

Sometimes you just need exercises that are quick, easy, and don't require you to do extensive prep work. Maybe you’ve got a substitute teacher covering for you, maybe you’re just trying to survive tech week, or maybe it’s one of those days where you just can’t even. For those times, we’ve got you covered with the following low- or no-prep theatre exercises! 1. Middle School Miming: Great for high school students too, and requires no equipment other than your body and imagination. Start with Preparatory Skills, and then move on to Interacting with a Wall, and Interacting with a Door as your students gain confidence and skills. 2. "Ruin a Play": All you need is a list of titles of existing plays and/or musicals. Ruin the play, have a laugh, then have students invent a synopsis of the new show, create a cast of characters, and do a “dream casting” of the characters, using their friends and/or celebrities to play the roles. Bonus points for students explaining why they chose those particular people to play the roles. 3. Two Prompts: If you can print two lists of prompts from our website, you can play this game with your students! If you can’t print the lists, you can still play — just look at the lists on a Chromebook or on your phone. 4. Got a big group of students? Try a large group tableau exercise or even one of these two full-class tableau exercises. It’s helpful if you have a classroom with a large mirror or a digital camera to take photos so students can see themselves, but it’s not necessary to do the activity. 5. Character Analysis Exercise: Three exercises in one. Students can use it to analyze a character in a play the class is studying, a character they’re playing in a production, or a character in a play they’re writing themselves. Plus, the questions are right there in the article and ready to print. 6. If your students need inspiration for playwriting, look no further than the clothes they’re wearing. All students need to complete the Clothing Prompt playwriting exercise is a writing device and a piece of clothing or an accessory that they have on their person. 7. For more experienced drama students in a director’s craft class, challenge them with this problem solving exercise, which includes 10 scenarios, an exit slip, and an evaluation rubric. Students can complete the exercise individually, in pairs, or in small groups. 8. Choice board activities are great for self-directed learning. Here are two great choice board exercises ready to go for you: Portraying Emotions and Switching Genres. Both exercises even have rubrics included as a bonus. 9. If your students seem down or blue, have them complete a series of positive self-talk exercises. All they need is a writing device and/or a partner, depending on which of the exercises you choose to do. You give them the prompt and they respond to it, and hopefully completing the exercises helps students feel better about themselves. 10. Got 10 minutes to fill? Try one of these 10-Minute Time-Filler Activities when you’re short on time and need zero-prep activities. These activities range from improv to writing to cleaning out the drama classroom, and are quick and easy to implement. You’ve got this!

If you need something fast and simple to fill those final 10 minutes of drama class, we’ve got you covered! Try these 10 time-filler activities to keep your students occupied until the bell rings. If you need even more ideas, there are 10 more suggestions in the giveaway at the bottom of this article. 1. Brainstorm a list of prompts for improv scenes or playwriting. (We’ve got lots of lists to inspire you. See if you can come up with more ideas.) 2. Play “Would You Rather…” in different ways: writing down the answers, raising your hand to vote, moving to one side of the room or the other, or as a problem-solving challenge. 3. Try one of the 3 Quick and Easy Warm-Up Games With a Drama Class Twist. Another drama class twist game option is Giants, Elves, Wizards, a human-sized version of Rock, Paper, Scissors. 4. You can’t go wrong with Scenes from a Bag or Lines from a Bag. Have a paper bag full of prompts at the ready whenever you need to fill up a few minutes. 5. Similarly, have a small box of random items handy to pull out for a game of Speed Props. You can also have students grab items from their backpacks, or use items found around the classroom. 6. Give students a problem-solving scenario and have them figure out what they’d do in that situation. 7. Have students write tag team scenes in pairs. Make it quick and easy by giving the whole class the same prompts for character identifiers, location, and starting line. 8. Tell a word-at-a-time story as a class. This is a great exercise for both in-person and online learning situations. 9. Have students complete a journal entry. Here are some great self-reflection prompts to get your students started. 10. When all else fails, tidy the drama classroom! Pick up garbage, alphabetize the script library, dust behind and in between all those nooks and crannies. Make the space sparkle.

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

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

MAP OUT THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FROM AUDITIONS TO AUDIENCE! It takes a lot of time and effort to put on a show. From initial planning to final bows, it can take months or even years to prepare a theatrical production. For new teachers and directors that leads to a lot of questions: • How do I start, and more importantly WHEN do I start? • What is the timeline for producing a show in a school setting? • What is the timeline for rehearsals? • What steps are necessary to bring a show to the stage, and when should each of those steps happen? Navigate the theatrical journey from concept to curtain with our Theatrical Timelines toolkit! Delve into timelines tailored for one-acts, full-length plays, and musicals, providing clarity on when to kick off, rehearsal schedules, and crucial steps for bringing your production to life.

Time is one of the biggest challenges for a drama teacher trying to put on a production. There’s never enough rehearsal time. Some rehearsals drag on forever, while others speed by in the blink of an eye. We agonize over our schedules, trying to use every minute as efficiently as possible, only for it to go out the window when an issue arises out of nowhere. But we can work towards using our time effectively by planning ahead, creating useful rehearsal schedules, and helping students develop their own time management and accountability skills. Time management takes practice, and you’ll get tons of practice by doing shows with your students. Here are some of our best articles about time management and scheduling: Creating A Rehearsal ScheduleFirst things first — creating an efficient rehearsal schedule is essential for your production. When are your performance dates? How many times per week do your students need to rehearse? How many total hours of rehearsal will you need? Will your rehearsal schedule conflict with the current cafegymatorium bookings? Five Tips for Dealing with Scheduling Policies & Conflicts, For DirectorsYou’ve got your rehearsal schedule planned out. Now, let’s go deeper. How can you use your time most effectively? How can you ensure your time and your students’ time isn’t being wasted? What policies do you need to establish to ensure that students show up to rehearsal? How does your crew fit into this puzzle? The Importance of the Off-Book RehearsalStudents need a hard deadline to have their lines memorized by. Students are busy and it’s easy to procrastinate on learning lines. However, memorizing lines is only the tip of the iceberg with acting. If students are struggling to remember their words, they can’t focus on every other aspect of acting, such as characterization, subtext, physicality and movement, connecting with fellow actors, volume, and diction. Rehearsals You Need to Include In Your Schedule (That You May Not Have Thought Of)Many things need to be rehearsed with your students in addition to the typical acting, singing, and dancing list. This article makes suggestions for additional rehearsals you may wish to add to your schedule, such as a transitions rehearsal, a sitzprobe, and a costume run. Addressing Scheduling Conflicts with Show & Student CommitmentsExperienced teachers share their tips for dealing with conflicts and scheduling issues. Think about the five C’s: being clear about your expectations, having students and parents sign commitment forms, collaborating with other student groups, finding creative solutions, and being upfront about consequences for missing rehearsals. Theatrical Time Management for StudentsParticipating in a school production not only gives students an opportunity to perform or work backstage, it also teaches them about time management, which will serve them well in their lives outside of school. This article features seven tips to help students manage their responsibilities, including school, part-time jobs, social lives, and (of course) theatrical rehearsals and conflicts. Self-Management in the Drama Classroom: Plan, Execute, ReflectThis hands-on exercise helps students practice elements of time management: knowing all their commitments and writing them down, prioritizing their to-do list, breaking tasks into manageable chunks, executing a plan of attack, and reflecting on what went well and what could have gone better. Then, they can consider how to apply this practice to their everyday lives. Accountability: In Rehearsal, the Classroom, and as a CitizenAccountability is important in every area of a student’s life. Start with rehearsal basics: be there, be on time, and be ready to work.

Students are busy people. Drama students are no exception! They’re constantly juggling rehearsals, learning lines, working backstage, preparing for auditions, performing in shows (often all at the same time)–on top of the rest of their daily responsibilities! It’s pretty rare to see a theatre person only working on one project at a time. While multi-tasking can be great, it can also lead to stress, burnout, and schedule clashes. Read on for seven helpful tips to share with students to help them manage their lives–including school, part-time jobs, social lives, and (of course) theatrical rehearsals and conflicts. (This advice is useful for non-theatre students too!) 1. Get a planner and use it Some schools even provide students with planners for free–there’s no excuse. Get a planner, and use it! Don’t assume you will remember everything. Write down all your commitments (and this means EVERYTHING—school, part-time jobs, lessons, rehearsals, show dates, appointments, etc.). Writing things down cements the commitment in your mind. Colour-code each commitment if you have to. Don’t forget to schedule in time for things like homework, chores, and social events. 2. Keep a to-do list in your planner Check things off as you accomplish them. It’s so satisfying to see all those tasks accomplished! 3. Plan ahead If you’ve got rehearsal the night before a big assignment is due, don’t leave that assignment until the last minute. Missing rehearsal to complete an assignment lets down the rest of the cast and crew. For bigger assignments and larger tests, it can help to break down your tasks into smaller chunks and assign yourself due dates. For example, for a large written assignment, you could break down your steps into research, outline, first draft, revise, final draft. Spread those dates out between now and the day the final assignment is due. Put those dates into your planner and stick to the dates–it’ll help you reduce stress in the long run. 4. You will have to make sacrifices. Which is more important—performing in a show or going to a school dance? Do you have enough hours in the day to be head of costumes AND sing in the choir? Will your part-time job allow you to book off all of show week to run lights? Only you can make these tough decisions. You can’t do everything. There are just not enough hours in the day. Decide what the most important thing to you is and focus on that. Know what is an acceptable reason and a bad reason to miss rehearsal. • Acceptable reasons to miss rehearsal: illness or a previously planned (and approved by the teacher/director) commitment or vacation. • Bad reasons to miss rehearsal: last-minute tickets to an event, feeling tired from a previous night’s social outing, getting stuck in traffic (leave earlier!), finishing an assignment you procrastinated on, or you “just didn’t feel like going.” The only acceptable reason to miss a show is because you are sick or injured enough to go to the hospital. Pretty much any other reason is unacceptable. 5. If conflicts do occur, be upfront and honest RIGHT AWAY. Tell your teacher/director about conflicts as soon as they occur—even before auditions happen, if possible. It might affect whether you are cast in the show and what role you get. But it’s not fair to the rest of the cast and crew if you get cast, then inform everyone that you have to miss every single Monday rehearsal because of soccer practice. 6. Whatever you do, don’t lie or vanish. You don’t want to be known as the person who is unreliable. Your present choices can affect future opportunities. For example, if you commit to run the spotlight for the upcoming production, but then drop out a week before tech rehearsal, not only are you letting down the rest of the cast and crew, but your teacher may think twice about letting you work on a future show. Your reputation is important—don’t let it haunt you. Be committed. 7. Remember that you are not the only person in this show. You are part of a team. When you miss rehearsal, it affects everyone else. It’s like the butterfly effect—one change creates a series of changes that alters life as we know it. In this case, “life” is the time spent in rehearsal. If you miss rehearsal, time has to be spent to re-teach you the stuff you missed; you might miss out on important notes or big changes; or you might be removed from the scene altogether.