Facebook Pixel Skip to main content
Unit in Drama One Curriculum

Commedia Dell'Arte

Created by Karen Loftus

5 lessons

Students will discover, analyze, and explore the history, characters, and style of commedia dell’arte.

Commedia dell’arte is a theatre history unit mixed with improvisation, physicalization, and exploring specific characters. In this unit, we’re going to focus on three main aspects:
1. Causes and Effects of Commedia (History)
2. Stock Characters
3. Commedia Performance Practices

Start here
The overview lays out the structure of the unit, including objectives, materials list, lesson structure and assessment and time management tools.
  1. 1
    Lesson 1
    Introduction
    Students begin their exploration of commedia dell’arte with some facts about the era and participate in some exercises that realize the concepts of the era.
  2. 2
    Lesson 2
    Stock Characters
    Students continue their exploration of commedia dell’arte with an introduction to “stock characters” and learning how to implement a character walk.
  3. 3
    Lesson 3
    Stock Character Walks
    Students continue their exploration of commedia dell’arte by practicing the specific character walks of Arlecchino, Pantalone, and Capitano.
  4. 4
    Lesson 4
    Lazzi
    Students learn about different commedia lazzi and create their own.
  5. 5
    Lesson 5
    Unit Project
    Students will be able to take everything they’ve explored about commedia and create a simple scene.

Standards Addressed

Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation - Grade 6

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art - Grade HS Proficient

Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation - Grade 6

Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation - Grade 8

Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation - Grade HS Proficient

Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade HS Accomplished

Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 6

Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work - Grade 7

Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade 8

Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work - Grade 8

Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work - Grade HS Accomplished

Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and experimentation - Grade HS Advanced

Get instant access to this and everything else in the Drama Teacher Academy