Adapt Now: Adapting Drama Classroom Materials to Different Distance Environments

by Lindsay Price, Matthew Webster, and Karen Loftus

Learn how to adapt things that were originally written for traditional classrooms to different environments.

Is your classroom shifting from a traditional in-person environment to a distance learning environment? Are you being asked to submit plans for social distancing? Are most of your students at home without regular access to the Internet or a computer? Whatever the scenario, adaptation is going to be key.

In this resource we will provide a number of adaptation examples for warm-ups, instruction methods, activities and exercises. Our goal is to adapt things that were originally written for traditional classrooms to different environments. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with your curriculum. You can adapt, shift the focus, and continue to work on skills whether your students are virtual or socially distanced.

Lindsay Price

Lindsay Price is the Vice President of Theatrefolk Inc. and the co-creator of the Drama Teacher Academy. She has been involved with theatre education for over 25 years as a playwright, adjudicator, workshop instructor, resource writer, curriculum supervisor, professional development creator and keynote speaker. Her plays have been performed in schools all over the world with over 1000 productions a year.

Matthew Webster

Matt Webster is a Theatre Educator and former tenured professor who has taught at universities, public schools and professional theatre companies around the country. Matt is also a playwright and author. His works are available through Theatrefolk.

In addition, Matt is a director and actor who has worked with both adults and children for community and professional theatre companies from coast to coast; including the Silver Bear Theatre in Albuquerque, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Seattle Children's Theatre, Davidson Community Players, Theatre Charlotte, Matthews Playhouse and Children's Theatre of Charlotte. As a director, Matt has staged dozens of plays and musicals including Annie, Sleeping Beauty, One Bad Apple, Einstein is a Dummy, Tartuffe, Sleuth, The Tempest and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).

Matt is also the Curriculum Consultant for the Drama Teacher Academy, the host of the monthly DTA Professional Learning Community (PLC), and a frequent contributor to the site. He also servers as an adjunct professor at Winthrop University.

Matt lives in North Carolina with his beautiful and supportive wife Karen.

Karen Loftus

Karen Loftus is currently the Senior Manager of the Theatrical Workforce Development Program at Roundabout Theatre Company, the theatre industry’s first workforce development program to train and place young adults in professional technical theatre careers.

She has worked as a Production Manager, professional Stage Manager, and fine arts department head. She received her BA in Acting and Directing from DeSales University and her MFA in Design and Production with an emphasis in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine.