In the first part of this two part series, we discussed some of the benefits of playwriting in the classroom, how teachers can get basic playwriting training and how to use playwriting exercises when teaching. Plays by their very nature
I am positive that every scenic designer in the U.S. reading this blog understands the drill: Carefully read the script. Discuss it with the director. Do your research. Take time to conceptualize. Repeat. The process involves engaging in these steps
What better way is there to apply the Spanish language and culture in the classroom than through theatre? It definitely helps to have classes where the students engage in traditional learning, such as writing down Spanish vocabulary, watching movies in
While on the road directing and performing with Missoula Children’s Theatre, I had many life-changing moments that provided me with a huge amount of perspective. This story is only one of them. Invisible Rewards We were casting our weekly musical
This second grouping of theatre history Mini-Assignment covers the period staring at the English Restoration and goes through to the present and the future. These exercises from Sharon Paquette are creative, insightful and fun. View or download the exercises here: Theatre History
Theatre history can be a daunting subject to teach due to the fact that it is expansive, often loaded with facts and many of the classic plays can be difficult to comprehend when read. Here are 8 Mini-Assignments for a
This exercise offers students an innovative way to respond to a production they have seen by creating a haiku. It helps them focus on production specifics and create an intelligent reaction. This is appropriate for college and high school students.
This Collage Creative exercise is geared towards college students but it is also appropriate for those in high school. This is an innovative way to elicit responses to a theatre production. It allows students to create focused responses in a creative
Here are about a dozen theatre activities for various ages. They are easy to do, fun and focus on creativity, collaboration, improvozation and self expression. Great for theatre classes, camps and workshops. Download the PDF of these activities here Copy
Using theatre as a means to teach mathematical subjects makes class more interesting and enables greater learning for students. Theatrical approaches can be used for other educational subjects too, but as a former student who struggled in trying to understanding
Many solid acting exercises are simply an extension of or associated with everyday life. That’s certainly the case with the Three Entrances activity in this blog which was inspired by Uta Hagen’s Three Entrances acting exercise. Here’s a considered
Nothing glamorous about this; it’s just a one-page Word Doc calendar. You can print it, photocopy it, and fill it out to suit the current month. Download Blank Calendar Exercise Contributed by Matt Kizer Matt Kizer is the webmaster for
Lighting Design course projects typically need a set design to be provided for the project to go forward. Included in this compressed folder are JPEG rendering of the set. PDF groundplan of the set. PDF section view of the set.
What the Performing Arts Can Achieve Theatre arts can be an immensely beneficial tool for motivating and inspiring adolescent girls living in high risk, inner city communities to become optimistic drivers of change in their own lives as well as
The Magic of Matilda Matilda is a magical musical, mesmerizing imaginative young minds. If you are an educator who has read the original book by Roald Dahl, or seen the 1996 movie directed by Danny DeVito starring the young
In what is the last of 10 exercises on design aesthetics, professor Rostampour allows for a wide range of experimentation. Students “will experiment with deconstructing a natural phenomenon, an insect.” They then utilize the insect’s form and reconstruct it,
There’s a lot of room for creativity in what is the ninth of 10 design aesthetics exercises from lighting and set design professor Fereshteh Rostampour . Students create a three-dimensional storyboard based on the theme “Progression.” Design process, use of material,
In what is the eighth of 10 exercises focusing on design aesthetics from Associate Professor Rostampour, students design a character mask based on one of the following- Kabuki, ancient Greek, African, Commedia dell´Arte, or virtual game character/anime. They must also
This exercise asks students to create a triptych that tells a story with a beginning, middle, and end. The three panels, which are developed as collages, must utilize the principles and elements of design. This is the sixth of 10
In the fifth of 10 design aesthetics exercises from Auburn associate professor Fereshteh Rostampour, students are given the creative task of translating a 3 to 5 minute piece of music into a visual display. This is a wonderful mid-range exercise
This design aesthetics exercise focusing on composition requires that students convey a focal point, asymmetrical balance, and movement. Students write a short story or develop a theme and then illustrate their central idea through collage. The point is to create
This exercise, which is the third of 10 focusing on design aesthetics, demands that students create their own color wheel and tones. Tones are developed by using varying amounts of black and white. This is an exacting exercise from designer
In this innovative exercise from theatre designer Fereshteh Rostampour, students are given 9 adjectives and they must draw lines to illustrate the emotion each evokes. Creativity, execution and presentation are all important in what is the second of 10 design
is is the first of 10 exercises from Auburn professor Fereshteh Rostampour focusing on design aesthetics. The exercise involves some basic research, the use of a specific artistic technique and incorporation of fine motor skills as students recreate painting using
It’s not uncommon for writers to observe people in everyday life and get ideas for characters and even entire plays. This playwriting exercise offers 30 pictures of 30 different people. The assignment is to create a play creating and using
Why Dramatic Writing and Reading? Playwriting can be a useful tool in active learning, especially if you take the stance that plays are meant to be heard and seen and not simply read silently by individuals. Just about any subject
This is a simple playwriting exercise designed to get students writing dialogue and creating conflict on stage. As it is with all exercises, there are rules for this one. Sometimes students will protest the fact that there are rules for
Attached is a PDF that outlines basic formatting for a play manuscript. This is the industry standard and it based on the Dramatists Guild formatting guidelines. Sample Format Page
Issues in the Classroom The musical KINKY BOOTS is about discovering your passion, conquering prejudice and surpassing stereotypes. These themes are familiar and certainly still real issues because we still have yet to accept the message and these continue to
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
The Objects in Space exercise is not about creating a playing space for actors. It is about learning to create an interesting, dynamic space that captures and holds the viewer’s attention. Directing students are divided into groups of four or
This acting rubric focuses on six primary areas in which an actor may be evaluated. It considers how the student actor is able to portray a character, how well they prepared and their ability to sustain the character throughout the
Student directors need to document their process, including showing clearly the reasons for the directorial choices they have made. Here’s is an outline for a Student Director’s Book. Along with the materials outlined below, it would also include: A copy
A Bit of History ANNIE is a Broadway musical based upon the newspaper strip Little Orphan Annie, created by Harold Gray in 1924. The plot of the comic strip follows the adventures of Annie (who wanders throughout a world full
Theatre in schools is a valuable tool for students of all ages. Drama does not require a teacher or instructor who has studied theatre in college. A background in community theatre can be helpful, but there are plenty of resources
This acting exercise gets students focused on doing rather than thinking. This is useful and fun for every age, from pre-school through college. Get out of your head and into your body! As an acting teacher, one of the biggest
It is more than just the three R’s of “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic” in this day and age, as the arts are taking on a whole new importance in the cognitive process and social development of children, adolescence, teenagers, and
The wonderful aspect of teaching theatre in the classroom is that teachers do not have to follow a lesson plan where students are stuck sitting at their desks doing bookwork. The class will be able to spend the majority of
Imagine: You, your students, chaperones, perhaps other educators, all eagerly surrendering your tickets and retrieving the stubs, slowly making your way to the assigned seated area. It may be some of your students first time seeing a Broadway production, or
This exercise focuses on developing concentration, communication and creativity. It works well with primary and middle school children and may also be used with high school students. Objectives 1. Students will identify three main skills they use in their daily
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