THEATRE SKILLSA Structural Framework for Learning About DramaBy Prof Kim Morin - Fresno State - 2012

Based on Drama With Children by Geraldine B. Siks

“The art of drama is a way of learning and knowing about the self and the external world . . .

It is the process of imagining and forming characters in action by applying universal principles.”

-Geraldine B. Siks

Theatre Skills

“Drama comes through the door with every child…

- Dorothy Heathcote

Concentration

Build trust in self and others

Concentrate attention on the task

Focus without distractionsMuscle tension and releaseActivities to energize or relax

First Steps... Establish Guidelines

Create a “Safe Environment”Introduce three rules (taken from The New Games Book, 1976, Main Street Press)

 1. Play hard.  (It’s no fun unless you invest some enthusiasm.)

 2.  Play fair.  (Structure encourages creativity.)

  3. Nobody hurt.  (Physically or emotionally)

Concentration Bubble

"Sitting at your desk or on the floor, imagine that there is a bubble around you. When you have objects inside the bubble, you need to CONCENTRATE or FOCUS so you only see what is inside your own bubble. Try to see it, feel the surface - what is the texture? Pick it up. How heavy is it? What does it smell like? 

 Side-coaching Reminders:You cannot see anyone else. Focus on what is inside

your own bubble.Try to believe that you actually see the object within the box.Actors work for many years on the skill of

CONCENTRATION.     

Introduction - Instant Replay

Players stand in a circle. Player 1 takes one step into the circle, says name, and does a gesture (favorite sport or hobby works well). Everyone in the circle does an “instant replay” by repeating the person’s name and gesture. Go around the circle until everyone has a turn.

 Side-coaching Reminders:Watch carefully so you can copy what each person does.Speak your name loudly so everyone can hear it.

    

Imagination

The “Magic If”Imagine using the 5 W’s

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes

Imagine Who, What, When, Where, Why

Develop creative problem-solving

Draw a Picture In Your Mind

Leader describes a scene or setting; players sit with eyes closed and imagine the picture in their mind. Specific descriptions work best.

Imagine a black stallion in a green field of grass with yellow and white flowers. The horse is standing behind a white picket fence. Above is a brilliant blue sky with white wisps of clouds floating by...

A Different Sort of Picture…

Leader describes a scene or setting; players sit with eyes closed and imagine the picture in their mind. Specific descriptions work best.

Imagine a green stallion in a purple field of grass with black and white flowers. The green horse is standing behind a striped picket fence. Above is a brilliant orange sky with green wisps of clouds floating by...

Senses and Feelings

Use of the 5 sensesExpression of moods/feelings

Sensory awareness – seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling

Emotional awarenessSensory recall

Observe or See?

We often see things, but how carefully do we observe them?OPTION 1Students stand or sit facing a partner. Choose Partner A and Partner B. Partner A has 15-30 seconds to observe Partner B. Partner A then closes eyes and turns around. Partner B then has 15-30 seconds to change something about his or her appearance. Partner A opens eyes and tries to guess what is different.

OPTION 2Teacher places objects on a tray and gives students 30 seconds to observe them. Students then close their eyes. Teacher changes or removes something from the tray. When students open their eyes, they try to guess what has changed.

Part 1 - He went down the street.

Teacher writes He went down the street. on the board and has S copy it. Then says, We are going to use our imagination and senses to find out more about this person who went down the street. Close your eyes and silently draw a picture in your mind as I ask you some questions.

We know “He went down the street.” How old was he? (little boy, teenager, grandfather) What time of day was it? (morning, lunchtime, midnight) Where was the street? (city, country, neighborhood?) What kind of street was it? (paved, dirt, gravel, highway) How did he go? Did he walk, ride a bicycle, drive a car? What was the weather like? What was he wearing? Why did he go down the road? Where was he going? How did he feel?

Part 2 - He went down the street.

1. Quick-write including as many details as possible.

2. Quick-sketch of the picture from mind’s eye.

3. Think-pair-share or small groups discuss different versions.

4. Pantomime different versions.5. Write stories based on what they

imagined.6. Great follow-up book – And To Think That

I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

“In a classroom drama, the end point is the discovery of human experience, the reaching of a deeper insight …

- Dorothy Heathcote

Body/Movement

Body awarenessGestures and facial expressions

Spatial relationships with others

Axial and locomotor movementPantomime- action without wordsExtended gestures

What is Pantomime?

Pantomime - Acting without words through facial expression, gesture, and movement.   

Space Bubble1. Players stand in "self space" either by their desks or around the room. 2. Have players create an imaginary bubble around themselves.  The bubble extends all around them as far as their arms can reach. 3. Have students define their  bubbles  by stretching their arms as far as they can all around their bodies, without moving their feet. Stretch as high, low. and to the sides.4. Explain that the "bubble" is like a space suit. You can see out a little - but just enough to keep from running into anything. However. you cannot talk to anyone and if you touch someone else, your bubble will pop.     

Space Bubble - Slow Motion Walk

1. Begin doing movements in slow motion.  Ask students to mirror your movements as you lead them through some simple stretches, again without moving their feet.   Use your own modeling and verbal cues to create a fairly uniform sense of “slow motion”.  

2. Now, have participants move around the room in slow motion, making sure that their bubbles do not touch.

3. Explain that when you say “Freeze”, all participants should stop moving and hold their current position.  Ask them to freeze all parts of their bodies, including their eyes and faces.

4. Ask students to gradually increase their speed until they are walking at a normal pace.  You could give examples if needed.

5. Freeze.  Ask students to gradually increase their speed until they are walking at a fast pace, but not running.  Remind them that their bubbles must not touch.

    

Walk About

Students "walk about" the classroom in their space bubbles. 

Try walking in different environments. They can be real environments-pine needles in a forest; cool water in a brook; hot sand on a beach; deep snow drifts

Or imaginary-Spaghetti, jello, plate of pancakes

Pantomime Partners

1.Leader prepares cards with pairs of words (pictures). 

2.Leader hands out the cards and instructs students not to show them to anyone else.

3.Students pantomime the action until they find their partner.

4.Partners stand together in a circle.5.Partners share their pantomimes as the

rest of the class guesses

Extensions for Pantomime:

Use pantomime to reinforce language arts concepts • Compound words• Sentence structure - subject/predicate• Reading words from left to right• Synonyms• Homonyms• Word differences (big/bit; hopping/hoping)

"Everyone can act. Everyone can improvise. Anyone who wishes to can play in the theatre.”

-- Viola Spolin

Characterization

“Outer” Character (Physical)“Inner” Character (Feelings)

Physical appearance, walk, voice, costume

Inner personality traits, emotions, relationships, point of view

Tableau

A silent and motionless depiction of a scene created by actors, often from a picture. The plural is tableaux.

http://profesorbaker.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/a-dramatic-approach-to-reading-comprehension-tableau-dr-rosalind-flynn/

Tableau Strategies

1. TURN AND FREEZE - Players stand in a circle facing out. On a count of 1-2-3-Freeze – players turn into the circle and freeze in a pose.

2. COUNT AND FREEZE - Count from 1-5. Players begin in neutral and grow from small to bigger to biggest and freeze on 5.

• Don’t think! • Surprise yourself! • Make bold, strong choices!• Be unique! • Be different from everyone else!• Be yourself!

What is Spontaneous?

• How long can you stay in place?• If you find yourself off balance or in

pain, make adjustments.• Make adjustments so you can stay

still for a long time.

Adjust

Language, Voice, SpeechCommunicate verballyDevelop listening and speaking skills

Create language and speechRead/speak with expressionListen and respond to dialogue

Narrative Pantomime

Someone "narrates" the action while the players act it out through pantomime. • Magic Paintbrush• Giant's Breakfast

Narrative Pantomime

Narrative Pantomime can be read directly from a story. Example: Runaway Bunny - Margaret Wise BrownPlayers line up to face partners. One line plays "Mama Bunny" and one line plays "Baby Bunny."

Generate Dialogue

Interview a character from a story. Example: Runaway Bunny - Margaret Wise Brown

Whole Group – Teacher (in-role) interviews Little Bunny – “How will you hide from Mama Bunny?”

Partners – Aunt (or Uncle) Bunny/Mama Bunny – “Little Bunny is missing. Where should we look for LB?”

Adding Dialogue to a Tableau

Simple Techniques for adding dialogue 1.Freeze and Justify 2.Tapping Out3. Add a Line

To Summarize…

Theatre Skills

• Improvisation - A spontaneous style of theatre in which scenes are created without advance rehearsing or scripting.

• Pantomime- Acting without words through facial expression, gesture, and movement.

• Tableau- A silent and motionless depiction of a scene created by actors, often from a picture. The plural is tableaux.

Terms To Keep In Mind

Taken from CA State Content Standards Glossary http://www.cde.ca.gov/BE/ST/SS/thglossary.asp

• Unison- Simultaneous play. Everyone plays at the same time

• Solo- Everyone plays as an individual. No interaction between the participants.

Terms To Keep In Mind

Taken from CA State Content Standards Glossary http://www.cde.ca.gov/BE/ST/SS/thglossary.asp

Give them ROOTS and WINGS…ROOTS - a sense of where we

come from

WINGS - to set us free.