Directing Exercise: The Sound of Music

Directing Exercise: The Sound of Music

This is a great group exercise for advanced high school students or college students. The exercise refers to each group creating a set. The elements used are whatever happens to be handy such as rehearsal blocks, chairs, benches, some hand props, etc.

The Sound of Music

This group exercise requires that you utilize music to create a dynamic scene.

Requirements:

  1. Instrumental music 60-120 seconds
  2. 3 to 4 actors
  3. Acting space with 3 defined areas
  4. Scene must have a beginning, middle and end
  5. No dialogue
  6. Make the scene realistic

Group Created/Directed

Steps:

Day 1:

  1. Choose music
  2. Outline scenario
  3. Discuss set

Day 2:

  1. Create set
  2. Direct piece
  3. Set piece
  4. Group discusses piece—changes etc.

Day 3:

  1. Adjust and review piece (15 minutes)
  2. Present
  3. Discuss piece

The point of the exercise is to bring together some of the elements and techniques with which you’ve been working the first few weeks in class. This exercise is a next step in investigating how music can influence creativity, emotion and structure. It also represents advanced collaboration.

Have fun!

Exercise Contributed by Paul Mroczka

Paul is Director of Educational Resources for BroadwayEducators.com and is faculty emeritus at Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH.