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Medieval Drama - The Mystery Play

by Lindsay Price

Lessons cover two class periods. Students learn the elements of a Medieval Mystery Play cycle and then create their own Mystery cycle within a modern context. Includes handouts, assignment sheets, and rubrics.

# Theatre History # theatre history

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Objective and Tactics

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will complete four rehearsals of their scenes using Objective and Tactics Rehearsal Checklist, focusing on objective and tactics.

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# Directing # directing # middle school friendly

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Sound Design

by Karen Loftus

To be able to demonstrate knowledge of sound effectiveness.

# Stage Management & Technical Theatre # stagecraft

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Character

by Lindsay Price

In this lesson, students will work on a character profile and apply character development details to a monologue or scene. Students will also receive the criteria for their culminating project and start work on their outlines.

# Playwriting # playwriting # character development

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How to Practice Cold Reading

by Kerry Hishon

The objective of this lesson is to introduce the concept of cold reading to your students, and provide them with an opportunity to practice and perform cold readings within the classroom.

# Acting # acting

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The Masque of Red Death and Coronavirus

by Lindsay Price

In this compare and contrast lesson, students will read a dramatization of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of Red Death. This story is the ultimate example of “social distancing.” Students will compare and contrast the dramatization to the current events surrounding Coronavirus and then write an adaptation focusing on modern viruses.

# Playwriting # Analysis

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Scene Performance Assessment

by Lindsay Johnson

Students will review the various techniques we’ve explored this unit (voice, movement, set design, projection, etc.) to convey meaning in a contentless scene. Students will perform their final partner scene for assessment in front of the class. They will also completed an audience feedback sheet where they give their peers feedback on Rubric skills.

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# Character Development # middle school friendly

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Scripted Scene Performance Assessment

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will perform their final partner scene for assessment in front of the class. They will also complete an audience feedback sheet where they give their peers feedback on rubric skills.

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# Playwriting # playwriting # middle school friendly

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Masterclass with Reay Kaplan Maxwell: Puppeteering

Masterclass is a series of one-on-one interviews with experts, creators and innovators in the world of Theatre that you can study in-depth, or share with your classes. Think of this series as 'Inside the Actor's Studio' for Drama Teachers. In this masterclass, Matt Webster talks to to Reay Kaplan Maxwell, an actress and professional puppeteer. This discussion focuses on her experience as a professional puppeteer.

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# Masterclass # puppetry

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Analyzing a Play Through Socratic Seminar

by Annie Dragoo

In this two-part lesson, students will analyze a script using a specific method and practical critical thinking skills.

# Analysis # analysis

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Introduction to Directors and Close Reading of Scene

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students are introduced to the different tasks the director and the actor take on in a scene, complete an application for which role they would like to take on, and tackle a close reading of the unit scene.

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# Directing # directing # middle school friendly

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Directed Scenes Performance Assessment

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will perform their scene for assessment in front of the class. They will also complete an audience feedback sheet where they give their peers feedback on rubric skills.

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# Directing # directing # middle school friendly

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Performance Assessment

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will perform their final scene for assessment in front of the class. They will also complete an audience feedback sheet where they give their peers feedback on rubric skills.

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Slide Deck

# Directing # directing # middle school friendly

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Image Theatre, Day 1

by Lindsay Johnson

Students will be introduced to Boal’s Image Theatre. They will review the concept of tableau (frozen picture) from Lesson 1, and they will be introduced to the tableau rubric and the three tableau skills (frozen bodies, 3+ levels, and character). In small groups, they will create tableaux that capture an image of “Family” (whatever that word means to them).

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# The Basics # middle school friendly

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Preparing a Scene

by Lindsay Price

What tools do students need to properly prepare a scene? What exercises? This multi-class lesson plan models and practices those tools and exercises with the full class before they have to take on a scene for assessment.

# Character Development # Acting # acting # character development

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Group Musical Poster

by Matthew Banaszynski

Students will read the description of a musical then break into groups to create a poster for the show. Each group will present their poster to the class and explain their representation. Note: This lesson works well if students have had a basic introduction to musical theatre.

# Group Activities # Comprehension # Musical Theatre # poster # musical theatre

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Transitions

by Kerry Hishon

To practice planning and performing transitions between scenes in a smooth and well-prepared manner, with increasingly shorter time frames and other challenges.

# Acting # Directing # acting # directing

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Auditions

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, students will run auditions, or participate in them, for the scene, and directors will cast their scenes.

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# Directing # directing # middle school friendly

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Planning and Memorization

by Lindsay Johnson

In this lesson, actors will have their lines completely memorized using a cheat sheet, and directors will complete their scene prep (props, set design, blocking).

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