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    Advice for Drama Teachers - Rehearsal Activities"There Are No Small Parts, Only Small Actors"

    Recently, I received a message in our Plays / Drama forum. I thought I would share it with you because it

    touches upon an issue many directors and drama teachers deal with. Here it is:

    "I am currently working on my major production that my drama class is putting on at the end of next

    month. There are 17 students in the cast, but obviously some have bigger parts than others.

    Any suggestions for what I can get those with smaller parts to do while they are not on stage? They are

    really struggling with just watching the rehearsals (when not involved), and since it's a class, I feel I

    should be making them do something, since they are also getting a credit for the course. I'm just not

    sure how to make the best use of these students."

    I've been in her place before. Whenever I directed youth theater during the summer, many of the

    children had smaller roles. Therefore, I had to make certain those children did not waste their time

    during rehearsals. My goal was not just to put on a great show, but to make certain every performer (nomatter how small the part) improved their acting and their knowledge of the theatrical arts.

    If you are in a similar situation, then yours is a challenging problem that many teachers and youth

    theater directors face. If this were a professional production, you would be able to focus your attention

    on the principal actors. However, as an instructor, you want all of your performers to have a positive

    educational experience.

    Here are some ideas as to what you can do to make the most out of your rehearsals:

    Choose Plays to Fit The Cast Size:

    This first rule is simple -- but it's important. If you know that you will be directing a cast of twenty or

    more kids, make certain that you don't choose a play where only three characters have lines and the

    rest are lingering in the background. Some family-themed shows such as Annie or Oliver have a lot of

    kids in one or two scenes, and that's it. The rest of the show focuses on only a handful of characters.

    Therefore, look for scripts that offer a lot of little but juicy roles in additional to the lead characters. that

    well, most of your students will feel special.\

    Background Extras Enhance the Setting:

    Let's assume it is too late to pick another script. What then? Go through the play and find all of the

    scenes in which actors can liven up the background. Are there any crowd scenes? Are there scenes thattake place in a park? A senior center? A courtroom?

    For over ten years, my wife worked on films as an assistant director. It was her job to place the

    background "extras" -- actors who may simply walk across the scene or play a part in the crowd. Before I

    watched my wife in action, I figured it was a simple job. But watching her work I realized that there's an

    artistry to directing background. Characters in the background can help to establish the setting and the

    energy of the play. If your show has a large cast with several crowd scenes, make the most of it. Create a

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    whole world on the stage. Even if the young actors don't have a single line they can convey a character

    and enhance the play.

    Create Character Outlines:

    No matter how big or small the role, every young actor can benefit from character outlines. If you are

    directing the principals and the ensemble cast members have some downtime, ask them to write about

    their characters. Ask them to respond to some of these prompts:

    Describe your character's personality.

    What thoughts are going through your character's mind?

    What goals and dreams does your character have?

    What worries or frightens your character?

    Describe your character's most embarrassing moment.

    Describe your character's greatest triumph.

    If time allows, the cast members could develop scenes (either written or improvisational) showing these

    not-so-minor characters in action. And if you have any students that enjoy reading and writing, learn

    more about creative ways to analyze plays.

    Practice Scene Work:

    If the students/actors have a lot of downtime during rehearsal, give them sample scenes from other

    plays to work on. This will allow them to learn more about the diverse world of theater, and it will help

    them become more versatile performers. Also, this is also an easy way for them to sharpen their acting

    skills in order to land a larger role in the next production.

    Toward the end of rehearsal, make certain you set aside time for the students to perform their scene

    work to the rest of the cast. If you are able to do this consistently, the students with the smaller roles

    will still be able to get a great deal of acting experience -- and those who observe the scenes will get a

    taste of the classic and contemporary pieces you present.

    Improv! Improv! Improv!

    Yes, whenever the cast is down in the dumps, cheer up your young performers with a quick

    improvisation exercise. It's a great way to warm up before rehearsal, or a fun way to wrap things up. For

    more ideas, check out our list of improv activities.

    Behind the Scenes:

    Oftentimes students sign up for a drama class as an elective, and even though they love the theater, but

    they aren't yet comfortable being in the spotlight. (Or maybe they just aren't ready yet.) In that case,

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    teach the participants about the technical aspects of theater. They could spend their free time during

    rehearsals learning lighting design, sound effects, costumes, prop management, and marketing

    strategies.

    During my high school days, I was in several of the school plays. But one of my most memorable

    experiences took place off stage. I didn't get a part in our school's murder-mystery comedy, but theteacher asked me if I would be interested in assistant directing. More than any other semester, I learned

    more about the theater (and more about being an actor) just by being behind the scenes.

    But however you involve your young actors, make certain you are giving them creative work -- NOT busy

    work. Give them projects that will challenge them artistically and intellectually. And, above all, show

    them through example how fun the theater can be.

    http://plays.about.com/od/actvities/a/advicefordrama.htm

    http://plays.about.com/od/actvities/a/advicefordrama.htmhttp://plays.about.com/od/actvities/a/advicefordrama.htmhttp://plays.about.com/od/actvities/a/advicefordrama.htm
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    Drama Activities

    Role Playing |Improvisation|Dance|Mime |Sociodrama |Masks

    Role Playing

    Ask children to spend 5 mins thinking about what they would like to be,.e,g prime minister, famous

    character, slave, and ask them to act it out.

    Acting in pairs

    Think up a pair of characters, e.g two nurses, two burglars, two astronauts in space, etc. and they have

    to work out how to work together .

    Top

    Improvisation:

    Examples of activities for under 10's :

    Wind Em Up:

    Pretend game that involves asking children to be "wound up" by the pretend crank on their back. They

    can be any object, e.g. a robot, a kitchen appliance etc. which has been wound up. Then they slowly act

    out becoming unwound, and eventually coming to a stop.

    Life Saving

    Children pretend to be a team of doctors, firemen, paramedics etc. fighting to save a life.

    Um Monologues

    Reference:

    Edwards, L. (1999). Exploring Dance and Drama, Book 4. Primary Arts, South Victoria, Australia.

    Time - 30-40mins

    Grade - 5 / 6

    Skill Development: Oral language, public speaking, voice projection, improvisation

    Procedure

    Ask children to sit back with a partner. Take it in turns to brainstorm different topics, one word at a

    time, e.g. colours, the universe, school, etc.

    First round is practice, second round is scored by counting the number of words they got,

    http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Top%20of%20the%20Pagehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Improvisation:http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Improvisation:http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Improvisation:http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#dancehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#dancehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#dancehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#mimehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#mimehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Sociodramahttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Sociodramahttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Sociodramahttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Maskshttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Maskshttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Maskshttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Top%20of%20the%20Pagehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Top%20of%20the%20Pagehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Top%20of%20the%20Pagehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Maskshttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Sociodramahttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#mimehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#dancehttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Improvisation:http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm#Top%20of%20the%20Page
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    Third round you loose a point every time you make the sound um, er, ah.

    Fourth round, the children can pick one of the topics they brainstormed, and have exactly one minute to

    talk about it. Appoint an Umm counter for the class, equipped with a class list to count off the umms.

    There's no need to count how may umms each child got, just make them aware that they say it.

    Top

    Dance:

    Reference:

    Edwards, L. (1999). Exploring Dance and Drama, Book 4. Primary Arts, South Victoria, Australia.

    Time: 40 mins

    Grade: 4 to 6

    Skill Development: Listening, Movement, Props, Discussion, Cooperation, Performance, Interpretation.

    Picture the story:

    1. Break kids up into groups of six and ask them to sit in a circle on the floor. Place a few props in the

    center of the group, e.g scarves, hats, feathers, ropes, money etc. It is a good idea to have one prop per

    child.

    2. Ask each group to focus on the props put infront of them without discussing them.

    3. Ask the children to close their eyes and try to imagine the story that is being told using these props.

    Play a piece of music while their eyes are closed.

    Music: An instrumental piece is best. Movie soundtracks can be good for creating mood.

    Discuss the story:

    When the music is finished, ask the children to share their stories and images with one another. Ask

    each group to choose one person's idea, or combine several ideas to put a movement piece together to

    tell a story, using the props to perform for the rest of the class.

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    Allow 10 mins to piece it together.

    Story Dance:

    Allow each group to perform their piece using the props while the music is playing, incorporating the

    rhythm into their performance. At the end of each performance, allow the audience to describe what

    they think they saw.

    Remind children that no interpretation of a performance piece can be wrong.

    Top

    Mime:

    Reference:

    Edwards, L. (1999). Exploring Dance and Drama, Book 4. Primary Arts, South Victoria, Australia.

    'Pairs on Chairs'

    Time: 20 mins

    Grade: 4 &endash;6

    Skill Development: Concentration, Mime, Focus, Body awareness, creativity, cooperation.

    Ask the children to find a boy/girl partner, collect a chair and find a place in the room. Each pair needs to

    improvise a scene where one person would be sitting in a chair and the other offering them a service.

    The only catch is that you are not allowed to speak.

    E.g hairdresser, dentist

    Watch each performance quickly, and discuss which ones were effective and why.

    There may be a number of groups who pretend to speak without sound. This is not mime, but

    pretending to speak.

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    Use one example and discuss how you could design a scene where you never had to speak.

    E.g. person sitting on a seat, pretending to be on a moving bus. Old person struggles up the isle, young

    person stands up, smiles, and motions for the older person to sit. Both continue the journey looking

    forward as though on a moving bus.

    Ask each group to design another mime scene using the chair.

    Watch each and discuss the difference.

    Quick Games/Ideas

    'A day in the life of...'

    'Changing Shapes' - children are given a pretend shape to hold, e.g a square, which turns into a cylinder,

    circle, etc.

    'Mirror images'

    Top

    Sociodrama

    Improvisation

    Primitive tribe in a remote area is visited for the first time by an outsider....

    Your town is engulfed by nuclear radiation,.....

    You live in the 'slums' of downtown Big City, you are trying to support your family....

    Top

    Masks

    The power of masks

    This lesson plan was developed by Curriculum Corporation.

    Learning areas

    The Arts

    Level

    http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htmhttp://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2001/drama/activity.htm
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    Middle to lower primary

    Description

    Students move through a series of study centers to examine cultural contexts for masks. They design

    and build a mask for themselves. This activity is a part of the unit Behind the mask'. The unit explores

    the idea of masks, from facial expressions and mime, through face painting and tattooing to more

    formal masks.

    Purpose

    To develop an appreciation of the various purposes for masks and the skill to make a mask for a special

    purpose.

    Duration

    2&endash;3 sessions

    Possible outcomes

    In relation to The arts &emdash; a curriculum profile for Australian schools, work in this activity could

    lead to the achievement of outcomes in the following strands:

    Visual arts

    Creating, making and presenting

    Arts criticism and aesthetics

    Past and present contexts

    This also has links to other learning areas such as Mathematics and Studies of society and environment.

    Materials required

    Each student will need paper, pencil and coloured pencils or textas.

    The class will need:

    face paints cardboard and white paper elastic or tape staples

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    glue or sticky tape strips of newspaper papier-mch glue

    A range of work stations presenting a variety of materials, for instance:

    examples of face decoration; party masks, and pictures of cartoon super heroes in masks masks from other countries such as Europe, Africa and Indonesia pictures and artifacts showing animal masks including those of Ancient Egypt and Indian totems

    Many of these may be brought to class by students as a result of the resource hunt in step 1 below.

    Procedure

    The following focus activities could run concurrently in the classroom, or sequentially, as listed here. If

    organised as a set of learning centers, student tutors and/or parents may facilitate the learning.

    Students make several masks and contribute to a class exhibition.

    1 Introducing masks

    Discuss students' ideas about masks, encouraging a broad range of views. Invite students to participate

    in a resource hunt and contribute to establishing the learning centers. With the class, label, describe and

    categorise the items collected (for example, masks or face designs; masks for fun, for hunting).

    2 Focus on painted faces

    Students examine examples of face decoration and are challenged to think about people who decorate

    their faces, how it is done and why.

    Ask students to draw a picture of their partner's face, design a pattern and draw it on the picture.

    Encourage them to think about patterns, lines and colours and then write about their design, explaining

    their choices of pattern and colours. Students finish by decorating their partner's face. Extra care needs

    to be taken when painting near the eyes.

    3 Focus on disguise and deception

    Students examine masks used for disguise or deception, and discuss why people wear these masks, and

    when. Have students design, make and appraise a party mask for themselves. It should keep their

    identity a secret but still allow them to speak clearly and eat easily.

    When the masks are completed use the following questions to help with appraisal.

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    Did you stick to your plan? Did you have to change anything? What was the most difficult part of making the mask? Were the materials you used right for the task? What would you change if you made another mask?

    4. Focus on masks for magic

    Have students examine pictures, artifacts and/or masks from other countries where masks are designed

    to scare away evil spirits or invoke the power of the spirit world to protect the owners or wearers. Focus

    discussion on the feelings aroused by the mask in the person wearing it and someone looking at it.

    Students design, make and appraise a tube mask. Begin with a piece of cover paper rolled into a cylinder

    big enough to fit snugly over the head, and stapled when it fits. Explain and model techniques such ascurling, pleating and fringing paper. Invite students to write about their masks, giving them names,

    deciding who would wear their masks and when, where and why they might be worn.

    5. Focus on animal masks

    Using stimulus material, explore animal masks. Explain to students that many cultures have made masks

    to represent admired animals, in the hope of taking on some of their attributes, such as strength,

    cunning, swiftness.

    In groups, have students list animals they think represent strength, cleverness, sneakiness

    Individuals then choose an animal with a particular quality they think is sometimes a part of their

    character and design, make and appraise a papier-mch mask of that animal.

    Provide strips of newspaper, white paper and papier-mch glue. Instruct students, as necessary, in the

    techniques of making papier-mch. Depending on the shape of the animal's face, they could put the

    papier-mch over a balloon, or on one side of a blown-up (empty) wine cask.

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    Games are incredibly useful in a theatre classroom; and not just acting or warm-up games all kinds of

    games can be played to increase performance or creative skills. Most theatre games, and the

    recreational games that are best in class have no winners or losers. The participants work individually or

    with others to accomplish the goal of the game, and if the goal is not accomplished at the first try, the

    participants have still learned something from the experience.

    The games here are ones that I have created or that I have learned and could not be traced to a

    particular source.

    A great resource to check out isHugh's List of Improv Handles, maintained byHugh McLeod, which lists

    improvisation games and instructions for playing.

    For more ideas, read some of thesetheatre game books.

    ALI BABA

    Game Type: Concentration

    Age Range: 7-12

    Number of Participants: 8-20

    Materials: None

    Explanation: Ali Baba is sort of a physical version of a song in the round. one person starts with amotion, and the next person comes in one line later with the first motion, while the first person is doing

    the next motion. The game stops when the first motion has successfully made it around the circle to the

    first person.

    How to Play: All participants sit in a circle. The leader begins, saying "Ali Baba and the forty thieves"

    while doing a repeatable motion (Clapping, snapping) with her hands. As soon as the phrase, "Ali Baba

    and the forty thieves" is finished, the second person (person to the right of the leader) picks up the

    leaders first motion, saying the "Ali Baba" phrase. The leader is now saying "Ali Baba" for the second

    time, with a new hand motion, so the second person must still keep an eye on the leader he will have

    to duplicate every new motion as the leader finishes. The motions travel around the circle in thisfashion, with the leader coming up with a new motion every time she says "Ali Baba", until the first

    motion reaches the leader. That is, the leader sees the person to her left making the first motion that

    she made, and so stops her action. Then the non-action follows through the circle until the last person

    has repeated the last motion.

    Notes: It is easier at first for the participants to keep their eyes on the person to their left, so that they

    can see each new motion clearly. As they get better at switching the motions as necessary, the

    http://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/~aa994/handles.htmlhttp://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/~aa994/handles.htmlhttp://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/~aa994/handles.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.creativedrama.com/book.htm#Books%20on%20Improvisation,%20Theatre%20Games,%20and%20Exerciseshttp://www.creativedrama.com/book.htm#Books%20on%20Improvisation,%20Theatre%20Games,%20and%20Exerciseshttp://www.creativedrama.com/book.htm#Books%20on%20Improvisation,%20Theatre%20Games,%20and%20Exerciseshttp://www.creativedrama.com/book.htm#Books%20on%20Improvisation,%20Theatre%20Games,%20and%20Exercisesmailto:[email protected]://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/~aa994/handles.html
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    participants can try following the motions without looking directly at the person to their left. The leader

    should make sure each motion she does is different from the ones before, as a repetition causes

    confusion.

    ANYTHING FABRIC

    Game Type: Warm-up

    Age Range: 5+

    Number of Participants: 5-20

    Materials: A piece of fabric, about a yard square, solid color or pattern

    Explanation: This game stimulates imagination by encouraging multiple answers for the same question.

    How to Play: Participants stand in a circle. The leader shows the fabric to the participants, saying "What

    could this piece of fabric be? Were going to pass it around the circle and each of you will show us

    something that it could become." The leader demonstrates, turning the fabric into something (for

    suggestions, see list below) and stating what it is. The fabric is passed from person to person, with each

    participant sharing an idea. If an idea is repeated, such as "a hat", the leader asks the participant to be

    more specific (a turban, a bonnet), thereby making the participant come up with their own idea. If the

    number of participants is small enough, the fabric can travel around the circle twice. A variation on this

    game is to limit the ideas to a category such as clothing, or things that are the color of the fabric.

    Notes: Here are some of the answers to the question, although the possibilities are endless.

    A Superman cape A Diaper A Magic carpet A Flag A Picnic blanket A Dogs leash A Toga ("One of those things they wore in Greece" was the original description) A Leg cast A Wig

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    BLOB (SIMPLE)

    Game Type: Warm-up

    Age Range: 7+

    Number of Participants: 5-40

    Materials: Enough enclosed space to accommodate the number of participants

    Explanation: The blob tries to assimilate everyone, and everyone tries to avoid assimilation.

    How to Play:Participants spread out in an enclosed area and the Blob is chosen. At the leaders signal,

    the Blob begins trying to tag another participant. When the Blob succeeds in tagging a participant, that

    person latches on to the Blob, becoming part of the Blob. The Blob continues to try to tag others, and as

    they get tagged, they also join the Blob. Eventually, everyone is the Blob, and there is no one left to be

    tagged. Encourage both groups of participants as they try to avoid or assimilate, and remember that the

    last person to be tagged by the Blob is not the "winner" and the first person to be tagged is not the

    "loser". The objectives for the Blob and the non-blobs should prevent the participants from thinking of

    this. The group will probably ask to play again, and because this is a fairly short game, there should be

    time to repeat the game. The second time, encourage the Blob to work together to find better ways to

    tag people, and the non-blobs to discover original ways to avoid the Blob.

    Notes: Make sure that any obstacles that could cause a fall are removed before playing this game.

    BLOB (COMPLEX)

    Game Type: Warm-up

    Age Range: 7+

    Number of Participants: 5-40 Materials: Enough enclosed space for the participants to play this game.

    Explanation: The Blob tries to assimilate everyone, and the other participants try to avoid being

    assimilated, while all are "blind".

    How to Play: The participants spread out in the enclosed playing area, and they close their eyes/put on

    blindfolds. Remind the participants that they will have to move slowly and carefully to avoid crashing

    into anyone. Select a Blob by tapping him on the shoulder, and then signal the participants to begin. At

    the leaders signal, the Blob begins trying to tag another participant. When the Blob succeeds in tagging

    a participant, that person latches on to the Blob, becoming part of the Blob. The Blob continues to try to

    tag others, and as they get tagged, they also join the Blob. Eventually, everyone is the Blob, and there is

    no one left to be tagged. Encourage both groups of participants as they try to avoid or assimilate, ask

    them to use senses other than sight to determine where the Blob is or non-blobs are. The objectives for

    the Blob and the non-blobs should prevent the participants from thinking of this. The group will

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    probably ask to play again, and because this is a fairly short game, there should be time to repeat the

    game. The second time, encourage the Blob to work together to find better ways to tag people, and the

    non-blobs to discover original ways to avoid the Blob.

    Notes: Make sure that any obstacles that could cause a fall are removed before playing this game. The

    leader and assistants should monitor the speed and positions of the participants to help avoid anycollisions with people or things.

    CATEGORIES

    Game Type: Warm-up

    Age Range: 7+

    Number of Participants: 8-20

    Materials: None

    Explanation: Participants try to think of as many things as they can that fit into a particular category.

    How to Play: Participants sit in a circle and begin a one-two rhythm (Clap-snap, or slap(legs)-clap). One

    person says, in rhythm, "I am thinking of .." whatever the category is, and then says something that fits

    the category. On the second beat after the first person, the second person says something that fits the

    category, and so on around the circle.

    Example:

    "I-am-thinking-of-kinds-of-fruits" (Clap) "Apple"

    (Clap) "Orange"

    (Clap) "Strawberries"

    (Clap) "Banana"

    (Clap) "Watermelon"

    It is okay if saying the category items takes longer than one beat, because of multiple syllables, but the

    participants are not allowed to pause for more than one beat between the end of the last persons itemand their item. Everyone continues this process until someone gets stuck or repeats an item. When this

    happens, the participants can either start over with a new category, keeping the person who got stuck in

    the circle, or the person who got stuck could be "out" and the same category could be repeated until

    there is only one person left. If everyone stays in, the leader could time the participants to see for how

    long they can continue.

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    Notes: The category chosen depends on the ages and interests of the participants. A younger, less

    experienced group could play for a while with a category of "Different kinds of candy", while a high

    school drama club might have fun with "names of playwrights". The leader should explain that the

    objective of the game is to keep the category traveling around the circle as long as possible, even if the

    participants who get stuck or repeat are out. This way, the participant choosing the category wont be

    encouraged to come up with an obscure one that only they know several answers to.

    EMOTION PARTY

    Game Type: Improvisation

    Age Range: 10+

    Number of Participants: 5-15

    Materials: None

    Explanation: The host of a party and the guests acquire the emotional state of whoever enters the

    party.

    How to Play: One person begins, as the host, with a neutral emotion. The first guest knocks or rings the

    bell (saying "knock-knock" or "ding-dong"), and enters in highly charged emotional state. Emotions that

    work well with this exercise include, excitement, fear, anger, jealousy, joy, sadness, etc. As soon as the

    host picks up on the emotion, she "catches" it, and interacts with the guest. The next guest enters with a

    different emotion, and the host and guest "catch" it. Things get more chaotic as more guests enter, as

    each new guest causes a different emotion to permeate the party. Once the first guest has entered, the

    participants can interact with different people until they notice a change in the emotion, and then they

    must adapt that emotion. The participants should not watch the new guests for the emotional state,

    rather, they should let the emotion "travel" to them as it will. To make things really tricky, two guests

    could enter at the same time with different emotions. The participants will be really wired after this

    game, so plan accordingly to use that energy.

    Notes: If this has not been discussed before, it might be a good time to discuss with the participants

    how to express negative emotions such as anger without hitting any other participants- what verbal and

    physical things show anger (in performance) without hurting anyone in reality.

    IMPROVISATION STARTERS

    The situations in these starters should be fairly easy for beginning improvisers to put themselves into.

    Each character has a motivation, what that person wants in the scene. The actors should decide the

    "why" behind their desire before they start the scene. This will help them to keep focused during the

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    improvisation. The specifics of the scenes can either be determined ahead of time, or they could be

    made up during the improv.

    For Younger Actors (8-12):

    1. A girl brings a dog (not another actor-imagine it is there) into her house who "followed herhome". She tries to convince her mother to let her keep the dog.

    2. Two siblings play a board game. One accuses the other of cheating. An argument ensues.3. A grandparent and grandchild have a talk about what they did during their day. The child

    expresses a desire to be older, and the grandparent wishes to be younger.

    4. A teacher tries to teach the multiplication table to a student who only wants to talk about TVshows.

    5. One friend tries to convince another friend that she has seen a UFO. The friend is disbelieving.6. A child tries to convince parent to stay home from work and let her stay home form school.

    For Older Actors(10+)

    1. A teacher tells a student that she is going to fail science class. The student tries to convince theteacher that she will improve, and asks her not to put an F on the report card which comes out

    next week.

    2. A mother and son/daughter are shopping for school clothes. The Mother does not think herchilds attire choices are appropriate for his/her age/weight/personality.

    3. One friend tries to convince another that he has seen a UFO. (Is he lying or not?)4. A young child is at the doctors office with his/her mother to get a shot. The child is very

    frightened and the doctor has to use tactics in order to give the shot. The mother is very

    nervous.

    5. Two friends are deciding which clubs/classes to sign up for. One wants to take/join something(i.e. cheerleading, ROTC, Feminist Theory) that the other thinks is an awful choice.

    6. One sibling tries to convince another who is shy to come to a party.7. A boy has been told (falsely) that a girl likes him. Actually, the girls best friend likes the boy. He

    runs into the girl at the library, and she tries to get him to go over to the section of the library

    where the best friend is.

    8. A young person has to do a paper on (pick an historical character), but does not want to have toread a lot. He tries to get a salesperson in a childrens bookstore to show him books on the

    subject that will provide enough information for the report.

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    9. A teacher is trying to teach the multiplication table in a one-on-one situation. The student onlywants to talk about TV shows.

    10.Three friends are in a restaurant. They try to order from the menu, but each has some dietaryrestriction that requires them to change the preparation of each dish. The waiter is new on the

    job.

    11.Two friends are on a talk show. Their problem is that one keeps changing her interests and attireto match the other friend. The talk show host is on the imitators side.

    12.Two people are at an amusement park. One wants to ride the newest roller coaster in the park(choose specifics), and the other one is terrified to do so. He/she tries to convince the other not

    to ride without letting on that he/she is scared.

    13.Girl/boy talks to male/female (opposite gender) friend about new boy/girl she/he is dating. Theperson is a JERK and the friend doesnt think she/he should see him/her.

    14.Babysitter tries to get a child to go to bed. The child will not fall asleep, because he/she is afraidof a monster (pick a kind).

    15.Four people are going to the movies, but two want to see one movie (choose a type) and theother two want to see a different one (choose something radically different from first).

    16.A schoolmate tries to convince another to convert to his new religion, which is based on theidea that computers are omnipotent.

    17.Two strangers are stuck in a room that has a security door. The one is overly concerned withgetting out, the other wants to become friends, and so is in no hurry.

    MIME IT DOWN THE ALLEY

    Game Type: Skills Development

    Age Range: 10+

    Number of Participants: 8-10/line

    Materials: None

    Explanation: A pantomimed version of "Whisper down the alley". Participants try to communicate an

    object or idea to each other so that the last person has the same "message" as the first.

    How to Play: Participants are divided into groups of eight to ten people. Each group sits in a straight

    line, facing backward except for the first person. Participants are not allowed to talk at any point in the

    game. The first person in each line is given an object to mime (i.e., a toaster, a computer, a jack-in-the-

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    box) the only requirement is that it can be shown in pantomime in a seated position. The first person

    taps the second person in line on the shoulder so that they turn to face each other. The first person

    mimes the object, and when the second person thinks he knows what the object is, he nods. Then the

    object is mimed to the next person, traveling down the line to the last person. The objective is for the

    pantomime of the object to be clear enough each time that it stays the same object all the way down

    the line. Usually, the object changes into something entirely different the interesting thing is to see

    how it changed along the line. Each person should tell the others what they thought the object was, and

    discuss what they saw the others demonstrating.

    Notes: There are many variations that can be played with this game, by changing the object to a movie

    or book title, or incorporating concepts from a curricular area into the game. For example, the

    pantomime could be of a preposition or a science concept.

    NAME GAME #1

    Game Type: Group Cohesion

    Age Range: 10+

    Number of Participants: Unlimited

    Materials: None

    Explanation: A game for the first day of class, so that everyone learns each others names.

    How to Play: The participants sit or stand in a circle. The leader says, "We are having a party, and

    everyone has to bring something for the party that begins with the same first letter as their name. My

    name isJANINE, and I am bringing a bag ofJELLYBEANS." The person to the leaders right says his name

    and item, and then repeats the leaders name and item: "My name isERIK, I am going to bring EGG

    SALAD. This isJANINE, who is bringingJELLYBEANS." Each person in turn introduces himself, announces

    their item, and repeats the name and item of everyone who preceded them. This means that the last

    person has to remember everyone in the group, or at least try. The leader should encourage others to

    help out when participants get stuck on someones name or item, with verbal or pantomimed clues.

    NAME GAME #2

    Game Type: Group Cohesion

    Age Range: 8+

    Number of Participants: Unlimited

    Materials: None

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    Explanation: Participants learn each others names with the help of gestures.

    How to Play: Participants stand in a circle, and each person in turn says their name, at the same time

    executing a gesture that expresses their personality. For younger participants, the leader can suggest

    that the gesture shows a favorite hobby, sport or activity. After everyone has shared their name and

    gesture, the participants play "tag" with the names and gestures. While standing still, the participantscan tag each other one at a time by saying a persons name and repeating their gesture. The leader

    should encourage the participants to get to everyones name without repeats, so that all members of

    the group are included.

    Notes: The leader should continue this game until he knows almost all of the participants names.

    Hopefully, this will be before the group is bored with the game.

    OBJECT PERMANENCE

    Game Type: Skill Development

    Age Range: 7+

    Number of Participants: 2-20

    Materials: A melange of 20 to 50 objects, pens/pencils and paper

    Explanation: Participants try to remember things they can no longer see.

    How to Play: Prior to playing, the leader places the group of objects on a table and covers it with a cloth

    or places it in a separate room, so that no one can see it ahead of time. The leader explains that theparticipants have one minute to look at the objects on the table, and then they will be asked to write

    down as many objects as they can remember. The participants are not allowed to touch any of the

    objects, and they cannot talk aloud during the minute of looking. The leader has the participants stand

    around the table, and pulls the cover off, saying "Go." After timing a minute, the leader covers the table,

    and asks the participants to write down as many objects as they can remember. The leader gives the

    participants two minutes to do this, and at the end of this time, the leader lists all of the objects on the

    table.

    Notes: This game helps participants focus on their sense of sight it can be repeated so that they can

    try different methods of remembering all of the objects.

    OPEN SCENES

    The two lines in each scene are to be repeated over and over again in a predetermined situation, i.e., for

    scene one, character A is stuck underneath a fallen tree, and character B is not strong enough to lift the

    tree.

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    One

    A: Help me.

    B: I cant.

    Two

    A: Im sorry.

    B: Its all your fault.

    Three

    A: Stop it.

    B: Make me.

    Four

    A: What are you doing?

    B: What does it look like?

    Five

    A: Its time to go.

    B: Not yet.

    Six

    A: I need you.

    B: Just a minute.

    PARK BENCH

    Game Type: Improvisation

    Age Range: 10+

    Number of Participants: 2

    Materials: A Bench

    Explanation: In this game, one person decides the character for both participants. The other participant

    has to react to this while trying to determine their character.

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    How to Play: One participant sits on a bench. The setting is a park, and the person on the bench has no

    character until the second participant enters. The second participant has decided who she is, and who

    the person sitting on the park bench is. For example, the person entering could decide, "The person on

    the bench is a famous author, and I am a great fan of their work." In this situation, the actor would

    recognize the person on the bench, react to seeing their favorite author in person, ask for an autograph,

    and tell the author about which books she likes best. The actor on the bench, meanwhile, has to adapt

    to the situation, developing their character bit by bit. The improvisation ends when one actor exits,

    hopefully after everyone figures out who they are.

    Notes: With younger or less experienced actors, the leader may want to supply the person entering with

    characters, so that there is no worry about clear characters.

    PEOPLE PICTURES I

    Game Type: Improvisation

    Age Range: 9+

    Number of Participants: 2-20

    Materials: Pictures of people, as many as Participants (see Notes)

    Explanation: Participants will use pictures as inspiration in creating characters, and interact with others

    as their characters. They will try to determine which picture the other participants used for their

    inspiration after interacting with them.

    How to Play: Participants spread themselves out in the room, so that each person has enough space to

    think without distractions. The leader passes out a picture to each participant, explaining, "DO NOT let

    anyone else, even me, see your picture. You have three minutes to look at the person in your picture

    and become that person. Decide what kind of personality he or she has, how old the person is, what

    kind of life they lead, etc. Use the picture to help you decide - are there details about the person's

    clothes, their surroundings, their face which give you ideas? Try to create a "story" for this person, as

    well as a voice, mannerisms, attitude. All of your characters will attend a party at the end of the three

    minutes." The participants should not talk to one another before the three minutes are up. At the end of

    the three minutes, the participants hand in their pictures. As soon as they hand in the picture, they

    transform into their character. The leader should explain that they need to talk to the other characters,

    as if they are at a party. The participants should attempt to talk to everyone else, and try to remember

    things about the other characters. The party lasts five to ten minutes, depending on the number of

    participants. At the end of this time, the leader asks everyone to discard their characters and become

    themselves. The leader then shows the participants the pictures that were used, and asks the group to

    identify whose character matches with the picture. (Don't tell the participants that this will happen

    ahead of time. The temptation of "fooling" everyone is too great to resist for some people, and these

    people will purposefully make their character unlike their picture if they know there will be guessing.)

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    The group should discuss their reactions to their pictures, and to others' as well as how everyone

    developed their character.

    Notes: The pictures can be cut out of magazines, and then pasted onto oak tag or posterboard for

    stability. Try to get a good assortment of people - all ages, races, levels of attractiveness, and don't put

    any famous faces in the bunch. The more interesting the setting and the appearance of the person, themore there is for the participants to use for inspiration. Remember, there are no wrong answers - but

    the participants should be able to answer "why" questions about the character and picture.

    THIS IS A WATCH

    Game Type: Concentration

    Age Range: 7+

    Number of Participants: 5-20

    Materials: As many one syllable objects as participants- pen, book, etc.

    Explanation: The object of the game is to pass the object or objects around the circle without stopping

    or breaking the rhythm of the script eventually, the group should be able to complete a circle in which

    everyone has an object.

    How to Play: The participants sit in a circle. One person has a watch (GIVER), which she will hand over to

    the person on her right (RECEIVER) once the lines are completed. The first time, the watch is passed

    from one person to the next, following the script (see below) until the watch is back at the beginning.

    Once everyone knows the lines exactly as written, the group can try two objects. The person with

    thewatch again passes it to the right, but the person to the left of her hands her a pen AT THE SAME

    TIME that she is handing over the watch. This means that the person with the watch is saying both parts

    of the scriptthe GIVERS and the RECEIVERS part. The chart below will illustrate.

    (The GIVER has a watch, and turns to the person on her right, the RECEIVER)

    GIVER: (Offering Watch)

    This is a Watch.

    RECEIVER:( To GIVER)

    A What?

    GIVER:(Replying)

    A Watch.

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    RECEIVER:(Repeating)

    A What?

    GIVER: (Replying)

    A Watch.

    RECEIVER:

    Oh, A Watch. (Takes Watch)

    The RECEIVER now has the watch, and becomes the GIVER with the person to her right, who

    is now the RECEIVER, and they repeat the same script.

    When there are two objects in the circle, someone is the GIVER and the RECEIVER simultaneously, and

    must say both sets of lines.

    ARROWS indicate to whom the comment is directed

    GIVER GIVER & RECEIVER RECEIVER

    This is a Pen. This is a Watch. (silence)

    (silence) A What? A What?

    A Pen. A Watch. (silence)

    (silence) A What? A What?

    A Pen. A Watch. (silence)

    (silence) Oh, A Pen. Oh, A Watch.

    Notes: It is best to move from one object to two, then to three, and so on from there. Do not add

    another object until the group has successfully completed a circle with the number before. This is not an

    easy game for everyone to master, but nearly everyone can with some perseverance. I have taught this

    game to over two hundred different children, and only one of those did not learn it he quit trying afterthe first time. Most likely, some participants will catch on faster than others, and become frustrated

    with those who are having difficulty with the rhythm. As soon as this occurs, it is time to say "Well, we

    have all been working very hard at this game. The next time we try it, maybe we will be able to give

    everyone an object." Usually, the participants are eager enough to master the game that they will

    practice with others until you see them again. It may help to have the lines written on a large piece of

    paper for visual learners, and if you have an assistant or two, demonstrate the game with them.

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    YOU

    Game Type: Group Cohesion

    Age Range: 10+

    Number of Participants: 4-10

    Materials: None

    Explanation: Participants enhance their communication skills by passing "you" from one person to

    another.

    How to Play: Participants stand in a circle. One person starts by gesturing towards someone else in the

    circle and saying "You." That participant then gestures and says "you" passing it to another person in the

    circle. There is no particular order or sequence for the "you", but as it is passed, the energy of gestureand volume of the "you" increases. This continues until one participant achieves such energy and

    volume that the person to whom she is passing the "you" realizes that he cannot top it. The energy and

    volume then begins to decrease in steps until the gesture disappears and the "you" is not heard, only

    mouthed. From there, the mouthing stops, the "you" is passed with movement of the eyes, and

    eventually nothing happens to indicate who has the "you", but it is still being passed around the circle. It

    will get lost very soon after this point, but the participants will feel as if they have had a psychic

    connection with each other.

    Notes: This game is especially good for small cast plays to try with each other. The more secure and

    closer actors feel with each other, the more risks they will be able to take in rehearsal.

    Last Updated: 05/26/99

    1999, Janine Moyer Buesgen

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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