Theater Exercises

7/31/2019 Theater Exercises

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More Theatre Games and Exercises

S e c t i o n 3



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3 More Theatre Games and Exercises

Trust that still, small voice that says, ‘This might work, I’ll try it.’ – D. Mariechild

It is important to ave a variety o games an exercises rom w ic to raw or

training an re earsa s. New games an exercises eep training res an provi e

more options or so ving acting pro ems as t ey arise. T is section inc u es

a itiona games an exercises t at i not appear in Section 2.

T ese games an exercises are just some o t e un re s o t eatre exercises t at

are use a over t e wor . T ey vary in t eir s i s- ui ing o jectives. Some are

esigne to improve acting s i s an tec niques, w i e some e p actors onet eir a i ities as improvisers. Ot er exercises e p wit ot acting s i s an

improvisation techniques.

There are five categories of exercises in this section:

■ trust ui ing

■ ensem e ui ing

■ o servation an movement

■ improvisation

■

emotional availability

Trust Building

The Li t

A p ayer ies on t e oor wit t e group surroun ing er or im. Eac mem er o

the group is responsible for lifting a part of that player’s body. The rou lifts the

p ayer gra ua y up over t eir ea s an aroun t e room. Rotate p ayers unti a

have participated.

The Jump

T e group stan s in two ines acing eac ot er, approximate y 30 centimetresapart wit arms exten e an sprea to create a ‘ an ing e ’. One at a time,

players jump from a chair or a table (approximately one metre off the ground)

into t e arms o t e group. Caution: t e group must e sure to cus ion t e

jumper’s an ing. Rotate unti a ave participate as jumpers.

Section 3. More Theatre Games and Exercises



68 Theatre-Based Techniques for Youth Peer Education: A Training Manual

The B in Run

T e group ines up across one en o a arge room. One in o e p ayer runs

towar s t e ine o peop e. T e ot ers gent y catc an stop t e p ayer as s e or

e gets to t em. Rotate unti a ave participate as runners.

The B in Circ e The group forms a tight circle around a player in the centre, whose eyes are

c ose an eet are toget er. Participants in t e circ e pass t e p ayer in t e centre

aroun w i e s e or e comp ete y re axes an a ows t e group to move er or

im. Rotate unti a ave participate in t e centre.

Ensemble Building

One Voice

Teams of two to four people line up one by one on the stage. Their arms should

e over t eir teammate’s s ou ers, an t ey ace t e ot er p ayers an t e

aci itator. A o t e mem ers o a team wi spea toget er as one voice, witno set script. T e team s ou spea s ow y an try to maintain eye contact wit

eac ot er. No one p ayer s ou try to ea – t is is a out ensem e an trust.

There are several ways to play this game. One way is for the facilitator to ask the

to te a story (t e aci itator can etermine t e topic), spea as an expert on

r answer questions rom t e group. Anot er way is to ave two teams on

rovise a scene as two c aracters.

elling I

Wit t e p ayers in a circ e, t e aci itator ca s out t e tit e or a story. T e p ayers

in t e circ e te t at story, wit eac p ayer saying one wor at a time as t e story

trave s aroun t e circ e.

Story Te ing II

Procee as a ove, on y a p ayer te s t e story up to certain point an passes it to

the player to the right, who continues the story until passing it again.

Gibberish Story Te ing

Procee as a ove, on y give no tit e to t e story. A p ayer egins an passes t e

story as e ore, on y it is spo en in gi eris – no rea anguage is use . At t eend, everyone can write down what they think the story was about and compare

t eir i eas.

ovement

A p ayer in t e circ e s ows a p ysica movement to t e p ayer on t e rig t. One

y one, eac p ayer copies it an sen s it on unti it gets ac to its originator, at



69

w ic point t e p ayer on t e rig t egins a new movement an sen s it aroun

t e circ e. Variation: A soun wit movement.

Zip, Zap, Zop

T e group stan s in a circ e. T e p ayer w o starts points across t e circ e to

anot er p ayer, ma es eye contact, an says, ‘Zip’. T e receiving p ayer pointsto another person, makes eye contact, and says, ‘Zap’. The new receiving player

points across t e circ e an says, ‘Zop’. T e game continues wit t e wor s

passe in t is or er. P ayers s ou try to pass t e proper wor smoot y. T is can

a so e p aye as an e imination game (i.e., i t e receiver spea s incorrect y, e

or s e is out o t e game).

Hot Seat

Three players sit side by side. The players on the left and right are instructed

to compete or t e attention o t e p ayer in t e mi e y w atever means

necessary (wit in reason an wit out p ysica y touc ing t e p ayer in t e mi eat any time .

The Huddle

Have t e p ayers stan c ose toget er, wit t eir arms aroun eac ot er’s

s ou ers (ca e a u e). As t em to c ose t eir eyes an e si ent w i e

you ea t em t roug a minute o eep in a es an ex a es. W en everyone is

re axe , as t e p ayers to move out rom t e u e, continuing to c ose t eir

eyes and staying physically connected, if they can. Ask them to get a sense of

t e room. W ere are t e ot er p ayers? W ere are t ey in re ation to everyone

else? Tell them to explore the stillness and the energy of the group. After a few

minutes, remove a ew p ayers, w o can t en open t eir eyes an o serve w at is

appening. To en , ave everyone open t eir eyes an iscuss t e exercise.

Observation and Movement

Awakening

T e p ayers ie on t e groun wit t eir eyes c ose . P ayers are to to open

t eir eyes an see t e wor wit new eyes, exp oring t eir own o ies an

environment as i or t e rst time. Gra ua y, p ayers sit up, stan , etc. T is

exercise s ou ast at east 30 to 45 minutes.

Anima Exercise

Divide into groups of four or five players. Each player in the group picks

an anima t ey want to ecome. In t is exercise, groups are con ne to

speci c oun aries an , or a esignate time, exp ore t eir anima an t eir

re ations ips to ot er anima s in t eir group. Discuss t e exercise an its

app ication to wor ing wit c aracters, etc.





Moving through Space

Participants egin to wa aroun t e room. T e aci itator ca s out p ysica states –

suc as a s i t in tempo, eaviness, ig tness, arger, sma er, tig tness, jer iness,

u es, trave ing t roug a c ou , etc. – an t e p ayers respon wit t eir

o ies as t ey move aroun t e space.

Stillness to Speed

As t e p ayers to run aroun t e room at u spee . At a cue rom t e aci itator,

everyone reezes an ecomes a so ute y sti an si ent. At t e next cue rom t e

aci itator, t e group runs again.

Tempo Changes

Divi e into groups o ve to six p ayers. In c ear y e ne areas, eac group

moves continually at the tempo called out by facilitator. ‘One’ is barely moving.

‘Ten’ is as ast as p ayers can move. ‘Five’ is in t e mi e. T e group must n

t e su t e tempo c anges as t e exercise progresses.

oving to usic

The players spread around the room. The facilitator plays different pieces of music

w i e t e p ayers exp ore ow t at music a ects t eir o ies. A ter a ew minutes,

ma e t ose movements arger or sma er. Ta a out ow ‘ ee ing’ t e tempo is

re ate to scene wor .

Neutrality

T e p ayers sprea out aroun t e room an try to n comp ete y neutra

positions for their bodies. The facilitator works with the players to find true

neutra positions. Discuss ow anyt ing not neutra ma es a statement.

C ay Game

T ree p ayers come orwar an ace t e group in a neutra position. T ree

other players are ‘sculptors’ who take one player each and sculpt their bodies

an aces. A ter a ew minutes, t e aci itator as s t e statues to come a ive as

c aracters re ecting t eir new o y c anges.

Fi in the Space The players are assigned the numbers one, two, or three. Working in a defined

space an stan ing in a neutra position, t e p ayers in t e space aroun t em

when their number is called. For example, the facilitator will call out, ‘Twos’ and

everyone wit t e num er two steps in to t e empty areas etween t emse ves

an ot er p ayers. A vance version: T e p ayers wor on t ree eve s: ow,

mi e, or ig . T e aci itator ca s out, ‘Twos go ow,’ ‘Ones go ig ,’ etc. an

t e p ayers t ose spaces.



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Improvisation

Frozen One-Liners

The players move freely around room. The facilitator calls out, ‘Free .’ The

aci itator goes aroun room an points to p ayers at a time, a p ayers

describe their frozen positions in one sentence.

Statues

T e p ayers wor in pairs, positione ac to ac . T e aci ita r ca s out a

wor , ee ing, issue, etc. (e.g., ove, ate, joy, or sex). T en aci itator counts

to three. On three, the partners tur e a statue that expresses

t at wor an reeze.

ame Dance

T e p ayers ave 20 min s to create a ance piece t at uses t eir entire o y to

spell their name.

Orchestra I

One p ayer is t e con uctor. Eac o t s personi es an instrument

(e.g., trumpet or vio in) wit soun an on uctor ea s t e orc estra,

using a p ayers in t e group.

Orchestra II

One p ayer is t e con uctor, as a ove. T e p ayers ivi e into groups o t ree

or our to create an origina musica p rase (two or t ree measures is enoug ).

First, t e groups present t eir ‘song’ to t e w o e group, one at a time. Next, t econ uctor ea s t e group as a w o e, a ing groups in an out, going ou er an

softer, etc. The groups can add movement in the second round.

Group Expression

T e aci itator ca s out i erent states o eing or t e entire group to express

t emse ves (eit er as a group statue or a moving mass). Some examp es o states

o eing inc u e: power u , ig t, expansive, eavy, angry, sa , appy, nervous, or

run .

Three Wor s T e p ayers ivi e into pairs. T e aci itator ca s out t ree wor s or p rases t at

o not re ate (e.g., tree, rice, an sc oo oo s). P ayer A as to te P ayer B a

story using a t ree wor s. A t e pairings o t is exercise at t e same time an

within a limited timeframe. After the first round, the facilitator calls out three

more wor s, an it is P ayer B’s turn to te a story, an so on.


t

ns ant

te




Wor at a Time

T e p ayers wor in pairs. T e aci itator gives t e p ayers a tit e o a story. Eac

pair creates t e story toget er, one wor at a time ( or examp e, P ayer A: ‘Once’,

P ayer B: ‘upon’, A: ‘a’, B: ‘time’, A: ‘t ere’, B: ‘was’, an so on).

Thir Person Enters the Room Two players are asked to improvise a scene and are given a relationship, conflict,

ocation, an time o ay. Meanw i e, a t ir p ayer waits outsi e t e room. S e

or e as on y een to w o t ey are an w at in ormation or act t ey wi

ring into t e scene. W en t e aci itator ets t e t ir p ayer in, t e p ayers in t e

mi e o t eir improvisation wi ave to a just. Lea a iscussion a out ow

the third player affected the scene.

Scene in Reverse

Two p ayers are as e to improvise a scene an are given a re ations ip, con ict,

ocation, an time o ay. T e p ayers must p ay t e scene in reverse – startingwit t e ast ine, t en t e next-to- ast ine an continuing to t e eginning

o t e story.

Giving Scene Events

Two p ayers are as e to improvise a scene an are given a re ations ip, con ict,

ocation, an time o ay. T ey are a so given an ‘event’. (For examp e, t e scene

is a out two si ings w ose at er is sic wit AIDS. One c aracter gets a ca

from the hospital saying, ‘Come to the hospital, your father is very ill.’) By adding

an event, t e scene ta es on a e urgency.

Freedom and Fun

Foster an environment of freedom and fun in your training sessions, especially when playing theatre

games. For a variety of reasons, some of these games are initially intimidating for participants. The

level (or even existence) of intimidation will vary by the individual and by game or exercise and

could surprise the participants, even after playing the game for some time. If it has been established

t at in t e wor s op or training it is impossi e to ‘ o it wrong’, t e participant’s ear is muc more

manageable and can be instructive.

Remember to be sensitive to cultural norms regarding touch and other issues, and adjust

exercises as needed.



73

The Fairy Ta e

T e entire group pic s out seven or eig t ‘e ements’ to inc u e in a airy ta e or

tra itiona story (e.g., rain, win , ig tening, stampe ing orses, a ing trees,

etc.). Eac e ement s ou a so e given a soun (e.g., c apping an s or rain).

Next, t e group s ou e ivi e in a , wit one a p anning t e story (w ic

s ou inc u e a t e e ements), an t e ot er a a ing movements or eacelement (e.g., for the lightening flashing everyone jumps in the air with their arms

straig t up). A ter t e groups ave a a c ance to p an an c oreograp , ring

t e groups ac toget er an ave t e story per orme y t e rst group w i e

t e secon group acts out t e e ements.

Foreign Movie

Two p ayers wor as ‘actors’ in a oreign movie w i e two p ayers act as

‘dubbers’. The actors act a scene and the dubbers speak for them.

Te ing a Lie Two p ayers ace t e group: T ey are c i ren (si ings or est rien s). T e

aci itator as s a question (e.g., ‘Jo n, Susan, ow i t e og get painte re ?’)

and the two children share the explanation. One starts, then turns to the other,

w o continues t e story an passes it ac , etc. T e au ience can as questions

at any time. T e more out an is t e story, t e more un.

Emotional Availability

HASH (Happy – Angry – Sad – Happy

Eac p ayer counts to ten. As t ey count, t ey move t roug t e emotions: appy –

angry – sa – appy. (For examp e, on 1-2-3 t ey mig t e appy, on 4-5 t ey

mig t e angry, on 6-7-8 t ey mig t e sa , an on 9-10 t ey are appy again.)

T is exercise a ows p ayers to exp ore ee ings an emotions. It can e mo i e

to eit er ve or 20 counts, or it can e su stitute wit ines o mono ogue

instea o counting.

Physica Impairment

T is exercise is use u w en a p ayer experiences a ‘ oc ’ in t e eve opment

o a scene or a particu ar c aracter. T e p ayer is instructe to e iver is or er

ines rom t e scene wit some sort o p ysica restriction (e.g., two cast mem ershold down the player’s feet while she or he attempts to walk and deliver the

ines, or severa p ayers orm a uman wa t at t e p ayer attempts to get t roug

w i e e ivering t e ines). aution: T is exercise s ou on y e use in a group

situation w ere cast mem ers ave eve ope a sense of trust. T e oun aries o

t e restriction must e simp e, non-vio ent, an c ear to t e group. T e aci itator

must monitor t em.





A ect the P ayer

T e p ayers ivi e into pairs. Eac p ayer is irecte to e icit a speci c ee ing or

set o ee ings rom is or er partner, ut neit er p ayer is aware o t e o jective

o t e ot er (e.g., P ayer A ma es Partner B ee con use , P ayer B ma es Partner

A ee e ate ). P ayers may e irecte to e icit two i erent emotions rom

t eir partner. T is exercise is most o ten one wit out ta ing, a t oug actions,sounds, or gibberish may be used. The players are instructed to strongly and

active y pursue t eir o jective, w i e a owing t emse ves to e a ecte y t e

actions o t eir partner.



Advanced Peer Theatre Programmes:

Forming and Building a Theatre Company

S e c t i o n 4



75

4Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power,and magic in it.

– Goethe

T is section is esigne as an intro uction an overview o ow to ui a t eatre

company. T e asic s i s covere in Sections 1 an 2 – suc as eve oping

e ucationa o jectives, creating scenes, an per orming t em – are pre-requisites

for using this section. The section addresses identification of goals and priorities,

casting an au itioning, training, re earsa s, scene re nement, ogistics an

management, an ot er issues. T is section is written or t ose consi ering t e

eve opment o a t eatre company, ut many o t e i eas can a so ene t apeer e ucation programmes using t eatre tec niques.

Forming a Theatre Group

Identifying Goals and Priorities

Be ore you egin casting an au itioning, you wi want to re ne your vision o

t e t eatre group you want to eve op an t e e ucationa goa s you ave or

specific pieces. Think about what you want your show to look like and how youcan ac ieve t at goa . Remem er t at t is vision may c ange an evo ve as you

wor , so remain open an exi e as t ings un o . Art ten s to ta e on a i e o

its own as you surren er to t e creative process.

At the outset, it is helpful to be specific.

■ W at in s o topics wi you cover wit your t eatre piece?

■ Will your cast have input into the content, or does your funding source

man ate t at you a ress a speci c concern?

■ Wi you e creating origina materia or wi you ave a script provi e or

ou? (T e aut ors o t is manua ig y recommen using improvisation as ameans to eve op scripts.)

T ese actors a ect s ort- an ong-term goa s, as we as re earsa p anning. For

examp e, i you ave no pre-written script – t e actors t emse ves wi e creating

t e materia in re earsa – your initia goa s mig t e to:

■ enti y t e ea t issue(s) to e covere in t e s ow

■ rainstorm t e issue(s) using t e ‘w o, w at, an w ere’ tec nique

Advanced Peer Theatre Programmes:Forming and Building a Theatre Company

Section 4. Advanced Peer Theatre Programmes




■ improvise an re ne t e scenarios

■ wor on connecting an strengt ening t e pieces t at resu t rom t e

improvisation (e.g., a ing music, an , in genera , giving t e s ow a s ape)

■ wor on ac stories an post-per ormance iscussion

Accomp is ing t ese goa s wi ta e in- ept p anning, organization, an manyhours of work over several weeks or months. Also, consider the goals below,

w ic are ess concrete ut important or a t eatre company to wor at t e

ig est possi e eve :

■ ui ing trust an unity wit in t e ensem e

■ wor ing on p ysica , emotiona , an voca exi i ity

■ improving acting skills and techniques

■ improving musica an voca s i s

Casting Actor/Peer Educators

Recruiting, au itioning, an casting appropriate actor/peer e ucators is a majoractivity or an organization t at inten s to eve op a u - engt t eatre piece or

use t eatre as a primary component o a peer e ucation programme.

Programme managers nee to consi er an array o casting issues ase on t e

eman s o t e per ormance piece. For examp e, wi t e piece incorporate

music or ance? Wi per ormers nee to p ay an instrument? It is important to

n an appropriate a ance etween t e nee or ta ente actors an ta ente

peer educators. Remember, cast members will need training in both areas.

T in a out t e peer e ucation s i s t e programme requires. Must peer

e ucators e a e to write at a certain eve ? W at types o activities wi t ey e

require to o in a ition to acting?

Auditioning Actor/Peer Educators

If possible and practical, audition young people from the target audience for

ro es in t e t eatre piece. Au itioning actor/e ucators wi e p you i enti y t ose

w o are most committe to acting an peer e ucation an give you an i ea o

t e range o ta ent upon w ic you can raw. Here are a ew au ition tips to

eep in min :■ Announce the audition in the community (among the target audience) in

various ways, suc as y atten ing community meetings, visiting sc oo s, an

handing out flyers in the market.

■ Be sure t e au ition space as room or young peop e to move ree y an t at

it as a ta e an c airs or sta .

■ I you nee musica instruments, ma e certain t at t ey are avai a e an in

t e room.



77

■ I you can, provi e a reception area (pre era y wit a oor t at c oses) t at

s separate rom t e actua au ition space. T is wi a ow sta an actors to

nteract wit out a ot o ac groun noise.

■ Assign an au ition monitor to register peop e w en t ey arrive an to co ect

contact information. To save time, you may also want to assign an assistant to

t e monitor to escort in ivi ua s in an out o t e au ition room.

Be respect u o t e young peop e w o au ition or you, as t ey mig t e your

uture actor/peer e ucators. Noti y t em prompt y a out w et er t ey wi e

ca e ac or a secon au ition or i t ey were c osen or t e cast.

Audition Checklist

▼ Be clear about what you are looking for.

▼ T in a out w y you are o ing t e au ition.

▼ Determine how many roles are available and how many guys or girls you want to cast. Be open-

minded and open to surprises at the actual audition.

▼ Find your space, and coordinate your audition dates and times based on space availability.

▼ Rent a piano or keyboard, when necessary, if one is not provided at the audition space.

▼ ire an accompanist, i necessary.

▼ Publicise the audition with newspaper ads, flyers, and personal visits.

▼ Be sure t at a pu icity materia s are t oroug .

▼ Recruit an audition monitor and assistant monitor well in advance of audition dates. Be sure that they are well trained.

▼ Prepare information sheets, audition applications, sign-up sheets, a waiting list, callback slips

(optional, but decide ahead of time on your method of asking people to return for additional

auditions), signage, and company photos for display. Gather tape, pens, staplers and staples, and

anything else you might need for audition day.

▼ Decide ahead of time how your staff will communicate with each other during the audition.

▼ Take two minutes after each audition to discuss the applicant.

▼ Determine how will you communicate with the monitors.

▼ Discuss everyt ing in a vance in or er to a eviate miscommunication an tensions among sta .

▼ Be sure that all participating staff are clear on arrival and departure times, meal breaks, and any

ot er proce ura etai s.

ow, have a great time. You’re ready!





Training the Cast in Peer Education/Health Education

Ma e certain your cast mem ers receive training on t e ea t topics t ey wi e

addressing. Although this manual does not contain a training module for youth

peer e ucation in repro uctive ea t an HIV/AIDS, t ere are many t at are

avai a e, inc u ing t e Training of Trainers Manual in this toolkit series. If your

organization oes not ave expert ea t an peer e ucation trainers on sta ,see e p rom organizations in your community t at o.

Train the Cast in Peer Theatre

Section 2 is designed to help you and your actor/peer educators attain your goals.

T e exercises assist wit ong-term s i s ui ing, an many o t e activities

s ou e regu ar y incorporate into your re earsa s, specia training sessions,

retreats, an ot er sc e u e training events.

Your actor/peer educators will have different levels of experience, skill, openness,

an wi ingness to ta e ris s. T is variety among t e actor/e ucators is actua y a

gift, as they will mentor one another and learn from what each has to offer.

Building a Theatre Company

Assuming you ave a great cast, you now nee to etermine s ort- an ong-term

goals to make your vision a reality. Thinking in short- and long-term time frames

can e p you to manage t ings in a ogica or er an not ecome overw e me

wit an urge to o everyt ing at once. Remem er, creating an re ning materia

is a process t at appens over time. Some tas s nee to e accomp is e nowan ot ers wi not e one or six mont s or even a year.

Rehearsal Overview

Perhaps the most important aspect of building a theatre company is your

approac to goo , so i re earsa p anning an preparation. In or er or

re earsa s to e e ective, it is important to create a sa e, ynamic, energize ,

an un space. Let it e t e actor/peer e ucators’ space, ecause t e more

com orta e t ey ee t ere, t e more open t ey wi e to creativity.

It is t e responsi i ity o t e irector an ot er sta to set t e tone or re earsa s.T e irector s ou e p everyone to ee sa e to try new t ings, to ai , to

succee , an to p ay. Humour is an essentia too . T e irector must create an

atmosp ere w ere t ere is no rig t or wrong, no pass or ai . T e irector must

also help the group find the balance between a fun, open atmosphere and a rigid,

over y iscip ine one. Peop e s ou arrive on time, eave on time, get t e wor

done efficiently, and still have a good time.



79

Re earsa ogistics

Keeping in min t at actor/peer e ucators ave ot er responsi i ities – jo s,

school, families, and extracurricular activities – reflect upon the following

questions:

■ How much rehearsal time can you realistically expect from the cast each

wee ?■ How muc re earsa is too muc re earsa ?

■ How muc is too itt e?

Before making major decisions, you should consult the cast. Generally, two

re earsa sessions per wee is a out rig t in terms o time commitment, a ance

wit actor/peer e ucators’ sc e u es, an t e time nee e to get t e wor one.

It may ta e a coup e o mont s to etermine i t is is enoug or too muc time.

The key to success is structure. Young people need and thrive on structure as

muc as t ey may seem to resist it. I you esta is a structure or re earsa s

t at is consistent, a most ritua istic, you wi e amaze at ow muc is

accomp is e .

Rehearsal Warm-up, Games, and Exercises

A warm-up activity ocuses energy an motivates actor/peer e ucators to wor .

T ere are many ways to o t is – consu t Sections 2 an 3 or exercises t at wi

e p get t e actor/peer e ucators moving. T e important t ing is to start eac

rehearsal with a group activity that warms up the body and voice, energizes the

cast, gets t em ocuse , an serves as a ritua . T e ritua e ps to e ne t e spaceas ‘group space’. It wi a so et everyone now t at t e re earsa as egun.

A ter t e warm-up, s i t into a series o t eatre games an exercises. A ow 30

to 45 minutes per rehearsal for this type of work, enough to play at least three or

our i erent games. A ternate etween exercises t at are p ysica an t ose t at

Compensate, If Possible

onsi er paying your actor peer e ucators or re earsa time an t eir transportation to an rom

rehearsals, if it is possible. Or, find another way to compensate them. You are expecting them to arriveat a specific time and perform a specific task – they should be paid for it, if the budget allows.





are more cere ra . Liste e ow is a samp e p an or one 45-minute session o

games an exercises (t e games are escri e in Sections 2 an 3).

Zip, Zap, Zop 5 minutes

Pass t e Beat (3 minutes)

Gri Wa – Mas Remova (10 minutes)

irror Exercise 10 minutesMachines (12 minutes)

Scene Creation and Development

T e argest part o t e re earsa time s ou e evote to eve oping an

re ning t e per ormance piece(s). Creating a new scene rom improvisation

and taking it to performance level requires concentrated work and must

progress in stages.

A ter t e actor/peer e ucators create new scenes, ave t e group re ect on

t e scenes. Wit out t is re ection, a scene may never improve. Answering t equestions e ow can e p eva uate t e e ectiveness o a scene.

■ How we oes t e scene a ress ( u ) t e e ucationa o jectives?

■ Is the scene (including characters and conflict) relevant to the target

au ience?

■ Is t e scene age appropriate?

■ Is t e anguage appropriate or t e au ience age an cu ture?

■ Is t e anguage too ‘tren y’? Wi t e s ang e out ate soon?

■ Is the language gender biased?

■ Does t e scene contain a en o umour an con ict?

■ Does t e scene convey a message wit out eing preac y or ju gementa ?

■ Is t e scene interesting an engaging to watc ?

■ Does t e scene raise awareness, in orm, e ucate, ui s i s, an ca or

new e aviours?

Keep asking these questions as the scene evolves. Do not be afraid to stop a

scene t at is not wor ing, even i you ave wor e on it or a ong time.

Now invite some peop e outsi e your group to watc t e piece an te you w at

t ey t in o it. T is is an exce ent way to now i w at you create meets yourgoals. Feedback and modification are very useful, so do not be afraid of criticism.

Once you ave create your scenes, eva uate t em, an improvise again an

again, it wi e time to ‘set’ t em, w ic means to write t em own as scripts.

Once you ave per orme t em or a mont or so, you wi ave a etter sense o

w at nee s to e c ange to ma e t em more re evant or your au iences.



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umour an Dramatic Tension – Fin ing t e Rig t Ba ance

Fin t e appropriate a ance o umour an ramatic tension, w et er presentinga sing e scene or an entire s ow ma e up o severa scenes. Humour is an

e ective too or many reasons. It can e p t e au ience re ax, an as t ey re ax,

they will be more open to your message. Humour, especially if used early in a

presentation, can improve an au ience’s ocus an attention, as we as prepare

t em or more ramatic interactions ater. I you ave use umour e ective y,

you wi ave ‘earne ’ a ramatic moment ater, an most au iences wi

respon more avoura y to t e rama t an i no umour a een use at a .

But, umour must a so e use se ective y. A t oug umour mig t e e ective in

a scene about sexually transmitted infections, it is not appropriate to use humour

w en ea ing wit an issue suc as ate rape. Eac group an its ea ers nee

to oo care u y at t e presentation as it eve ops. Continue to eva uate t e

emotiona a ance o your wor .

Creating the Flow of the Show

T e ‘ ow’ or ‘arc’ o t e s ow re ers to its ig s an ows, tempos, an emotiona

pea s an va eys. In simp e terms, an arc is a eginning (t e c aracters start at

point A), a mi e (t ey go on some in o journey in t e scene, w ic creates

some in o c ange), an an en ing. W i e t e en nee not reso ve t e scene,something needs to have happened that has changed or will change the lives of

t e c aracters.

Some Things to Watch

▼ Be care u not to put too many c aracters in one scene. cenes can easi y ose ocus i t ey are

overcrowded.▼ Watch out for ‘fight scenes’ or other confrontational scenes. They can easily turn into shouting

matc es, w ic imits t eir e ucationa va ue.

▼ Check the length of your scenes. Usually, less is more.

▼ voi aving c aracters spea too many wor s. n rea i e, we use ew wor s. Be aviour te s t e

story – sometimes a much more interesting story.

▼ Do not be afraid of humour.





Company Business and Closing Circle

You cou use approximate y 15 minutes at t e en o t e re earsa to con uct

any business. This could be asking for announcements from the cast, discussing

t e re earsa sc e u e, or provi ing in ormation a out upcoming per ormances

or trips. This company meeting time is important, even if it is devoted to an

in orma c ec -in. It is part o t e on ing process.

To c ose t e re earsa , ave t e group orm a circ e an nis wit a c osing

circ e ritua . A c osing circ e s ou e somet ing very simp e, suc as aving

everyone do two foot stomps and a clap or three finger snaps and a breath, sing

a song, or even o me itation. T e c osing circ e can c ange wit eac re earsa

an e e y a i erent actor/peer e ucator eac time. T e important t ing

is to o somet ing t at rings t e session to a c ose so t at everyone oes not

just ri t away.

DirectionThis manual does not discuss how to direct theatre. If you do not have theatre

experts on sta , try to get some w o wi e p your group. T is nee not e

expensive; many oca universities or co eges ave irecting stu ents w o wi

appreciate t e opportunity to wor on an outsi e project. A oca or regiona

t eatre company may ave someone wit irecting experience w o wi eit er

volunteer or agree to help for a small fee. The ideal, of course, is to have a

ri iant, creative, inspiring u -time artistic irector w o wi wor tire ess y an

se ess y or t e programme. However, w i e you are searc ing or t is person,

ire consu tant irectors an re er to t e section e ow or a ew asic, yete p u , tips to e p you re ne your materia .

Basic Directing Tips

■ One of the functions of the director is to help with the focus of the scene,

t at is, to e p etermine w ic c aracter(s) s ou ave t e au ience’s

attention at any particu ar moment. An e ective met o or esta is ing ocus

is t roug staging, or ‘ oc ing’. B oc ing is w ere an ow actors move

on stage. By using movement, sti ness, positions on stage, an re ations ips

between characters, you can create not only focus but also dramatic tension.

As yourse , i you were orce to use no ia ogue, ow wou you te t estory using on y visua e ements?

■ Anot er ro e o t e irector is to ma e sure t at t e scenes (an , in ee , t e

entire show) have an arc (as described previously). The director is the critical

t ir eye, watc ing t e arc, ma ing sure t at t e journey is c ear, ocuse ,

logical, and believable. Related directly to the arc is the central event of every

scene – t e ey action o t e scene. Everyt ing in t e scene ea s to t is ey



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moment. Everyt ing a ter t is ey moment is c ange ecause o it. T ere are,

o course, many ot er ‘moments’ wit in a scene; a irector is t ere to e p

ocus t e scene.

■ A irector ensures t at t e piece as a goo a ance in t e use o umour

an ramatic tension an ma es na ecisions regar ing ow umour ordrama work with various topics.

■ T e irector must wor wit t e cast to ensure t at t e piece is e ieva e

an repeata e. Pieces s ou not e improvise on stage in ront o an

au ience. T ey are meant to e per orme over an over again. W i e t ere

will be subtle differences in every performance, what makes theatre art is that

t imitates i e. It is re earse ia ogue t at as een so ne y cra te t at we

perceive it to e rea .

Long-Term Goals

After you have begun performing your show and feel it is effective for your audience, you can begin

accomp is ing some ong-term goa s. T ese goa s wi vary wit every company, ut somet ing

worthy of consideration is double (even triple) casting your actors. This means that your actors can

cover or eac ot er in i erent parts in t e event o i ness or ot er con icts. Time must e evote

to rehearsing actors in various roles. Eventually, you can teach your actors that no one actor ‘owns’

any one role. An actor may create a character or a scene, but this type of theatre emphasizes theensemble, in which the entire group owns all of it.

Other long-term goals may include scene revisions and re-writes, adding new scenes for topics not

yet covered, improving facilitation techniques, revising dance numbers, or adding new songs. Each

company wi ave i erent ong-term goa s. t is important to eep re earsing. Meeting regu ar y as a

group will keep you tightly knit both as a theatre company and as a ‘family unit’.

Above all else, be flexible with your plans. Yes, have goals and objectives, both short- and long-term.

Yes, have a plan. But be willing to discard that plan, especially if something amazing is happening. If a

scene is rea y succee ing, o not stop it ecause your agen a says you ave to wor on somet ing

else. Later on, you will be glad you did.




Music and Dance

T e use o origina music an ance can e very e ective in yout peer

e ucation t eatre. Music can e uti ize in many innovative ways: to create

an emotiona y engaging opening num er, to connect scenes, an to en ance

t e message an emotiona eve uring t e per ormance. W en using music,

sc e u e regu ar music re earsa s wit in t e arger re earsa time.

Like music, dance can add to your scenes. Dance can be a powerful tool, but

creating meaning u pieces requires muc re earsa time an pro essiona e p

rom consu tants.

Maintaining Quality

t is tempting to t in t at once you ave a scene or per ormance piece rea y, re earse , an set

to go that you can relax and all will go as planned every time. Unfortunately, this is never the case.Actors change, staffing changes, information included in the scenes is updated or changed to

reflect new and emerging issues and statistics, scripts get lost, or updates are not recorded. The

executive director, the artistic director, or the person in charge of the overall vision and quality of your

t eatre company or peer e ucation programme s ou regu ar y an rigorous y review t e scenes,

performances, and facilitated workshops. Quality can deteriorate over time if someone is not directly

responsible for it.

Theater Exercises

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Transcript of Theater Exercises