From the Blog Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Classical Adaptations by Lindsay Price Themed Play Lists Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays About… Classical Adaptations! Who’s looking for a little arts integration? How about some cross-curriculum? Or how about a great story turned into a great play. It’s time for ten classical adaptations. Adaptations are my favourite type of play to write. It’s an intriguing challenge to take a story […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Warm-up Exercises for Trust Building by Kerry Hishon Warm-ups It’s not unusual to feel slightly disconnected from students while teaching virtually (and we don’t mean when the internet stops working!). Drama classes are all about human connection and trust, and that can be hard to develop when you’re not physically together with your students. It’s not impossible though — it just takes some time. […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Getting Other Departments Involved in Your Production by Kerry Hishon Directing, Rehearsal, & Production Curriculum & Lesson Planning Creating a theatrical production is a group effort. For every student who appears onstage, there are even more students, staff members, and volunteers who help breathe life into the production. Those people are the unsung heroes – they may only appear to the audience as a name in the program, but their contributions are absolutely […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Theatrefolk Featured Play: The Magic Diary of Mozambique Featured Plays A character-driven play for middle schoolers tired of fairy tales. A girl's magic diary grants her wishes, leading to killer roses and a raccoon invasion. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Top 8 Tips for Producing Shows On a Small Budget Budgeting Produce impactful shows by prioritizing actors over sets and using affordable fabric to transform non-traditional performance spaces. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Keeping Up Morale (or, Dealing With “Rehearsal Blahs”) by Kerry Hishon Rehearsal Process There comes a point in every rehearsal process when the dreaded “rehearsal blahs” start to set in. This tends to be mid-way through the rehearsal process, when the initial excitement of casting and read-throughs has become a thing of the past, off-book day has just happened (and the resulting stumble-through of the show was not […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
Podcast Episode Production Case Study: The Laramie Project by Lindsay Price Podcast Episode 194: Production Case Study: The Laramie Project In 2014 drama teacher Zach Schneider produced The Laramie Project in Casper, Wyoming. Not only is Zach from Casper, he grew up with Matthew Shepard. When he asked his students how many of them had heard of Matthew Shepard, almost none of them raise their hands. Listen […] 23 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Finding Theatrical Opportunities Outside the Drama Classroom by Kerry Hishon Curriculum & Lesson Planning When you’ve reached the end of the semester or completed your school show, it’s likely your students will be dealing with some post-show blues or wondering – what is the next step? Hopefully they will have been bitten by the theatre bug and will want to continue on studying drama! (If so, get them signed […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Creating and Maintaining an Organized Props Area by Kerry Hishon Props The backstage area can be chaotic enough without having to worry about all the props for the show. Help to reduce backstage stress by using these seven tips to help keep your props area neat, tidy, and organized. 1. Create a designated props table or shelf backstage, with clearly marked spaces for each prop. Use […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Should You Cancel a Show? by Kerry Hishon Directing, Rehearsal, & Production Cancelling a show is a difficult decision. There isn’t a “one answer fits all” solution – it must be handled on a case-by-case basis. As much as possible, I believe that “the show must go on.” But sometimes, that’s not possible! It’s important to keep calm and consider various solutions before deciding to cancel. Bring […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog 10 Super-Quick Warm-Up Games Warm-ups Get 10 quick, no-prop warm-up games for your drama class, all completable in five minutes or less. Activities cover voice, mime, physical theatre, and mindfulness. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Theatrefolk Featured Play – Chicken. Road. by Lindsay Price by Lindsay Price Featured Plays Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Chicken. Road. by Lindsay Price is an issue-based play for high school performers that is not an answer to the issue, but an amazing forum to start the discussions. Why did the chicken cross the road? Why is the sky blue? What’s two plus two? Why did he kill himself? A […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Dealing With Nerves by Kerry Hishon Directing, Rehearsal, & Production Curriculum & Lesson Planning Performing onstage with friends, family, peers, and even strangers watching can be extremely nerve-wracking. Putting yourself out there, being vulnerable, and taking risks onstage takes a lot of courage, which is why it’s common for student actors to be nervous before going onstage. They put pressure on themselves to perform perfectly. They don’t want to […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Tech Exercises for the Non-Technical Teacher by Kerry Hishon Games, Exercises, & Activities Technical Theatre The phrase “technical theatre” can be intimidating for some drama teachers. They may feel that they don’t have adequate experience to teach technical theatre, or that they just aren’t “tech-y” enough to succeed in this area. Some teachers may also have a less-than-idea technical theatre situation in their school, due to budget restraints or lack […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog How to Deal With Disruptive Students by Kerry Hishon Behaviour Management Keeping students focused and engaged is challenging enough in the drama classroom. It can be just as challenging trying to deal with disruptions in the virtual classroom, because you’re not physically there with them. We’ve got some tips for you to help navigate student behaviour in the virtual drama classroom and deal with distractions as […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Small Ways to Connect with Your Students During Distance Learning by Kerry Hishon Curriculum & Lesson Planning Let’s not mince words — distance learning is challenging. Teachers and students alike are missing out on that “real life” connection that in-person drama class provides, it’s hard to bond when cameras are off and mics are muted (let alone when someone’s internet connection drops out), and it can be difficult to focus at home. […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog Top 5 Rules for Choosing a Play for Performance Choosing a Show Before picking a script, assess your space, budget, students, and audience. These 5 rules guide you to a play you can successfully produce. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog 10 Tasks for Student Technicians During Pre-Show Pre-Show / Post-Show A printable pre-show checklist for student technicians, covering safety inspections, tech run-throughs, workspace prep, and reviewing stage manager notes. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog More Creative Ways to Announce Your Next Show Production Marketing Go beyond a simple poster. Announce your show with a mystery game, teaser trailer, or escape room reveal to build buzz with your students and school community. 4 min read Read the Full Post
From the Blog How to Recruit Crew Members by Kerry Hishon Directing, Rehearsal, & Production It takes a community to create a great production, and theatrical performances would not exist without the time, skills, and talents of dedicated crew members. From costumes and props to sound and lights to front of house and stage management (and everything in between), crew members are the heart and soul of a production. Their […] 4 min read Read the Full Post
