Twelve Best Theater Class Apps. in 2023

Okay, I’ll admit it. I wanted to research the twelve best theater class apps. in 2023 for selfish reasons. I’m sitting here working with a bunch of apps., sites, software and whatever else I need. I learn new skills nearly everyday from blogging to product creation to social media marketing.

They say I’m “old school.” I chuckle when I hear this, because it reminds me of the school “marm” of the 1800s. My defense is that old school works. However, I’m aware of the fact that some teachers want to use technology in their classrooms as much as possible. Let’s face it–that’s where the students are most engaged.

Friends, this post took a lot of research and reading to find apps. which can assist the theater class teacher. Honestly, there aren’t many apps. specifically for a theater class. (Hmmmm. That gives me an idea.) I scoured the web and found around twelve apps. and websites which I think will be useful to you. See what you think and if you want something a little more “O.G.”, check out my Set Design with Fairy Tales Unit.

Line Memorization Help

My Lines lets you have your script with you on a mobile device anytime, anywhere. You can rehearse and memorize your lines without a scene partner, by either looking at or listening to your lines. You can also see or hear cue lines when you’re ready to be off-book.
Rehearsal Pro is perhaps the most well-known of all the apps to help you learn your lines. You can record your lines and play them back, watching the script scroll by like a teleprompter, or you can even put your lines in “blackout mode” to test yourself. The app works with short audition sides and feature-length scripts and is useful for actors in theater, commercials, voiceover, television, and film.

Line Learner This app is a great way to learn lines for a play or speech. You simply speak each line into the iPhone (or iPod with microphone), pressing a button to specify whether it is another character’s line or one that you will speak. Once you have read a few lines you can start practicing. Simply switch to playback and you can hear the other characters’ lines to cue you in. . You can record each scene separately and have as many different scripts as you like. It is easy to edit or re-record lines if you need to.

Playwriting Software

Probably one of the most useful apps a theater person would appreciate is playwriting software! When I began writing plays, there was none (that’s how long ago I started writing). Without them, you nearly lose your mind trying to use the expected play form. However, here are several which I think are good.

Trelby is a free playwriting software program. It is basically a screenwriting software using which you can create theater plays, scripts, movie screenplays, etc. In it, you can find all necessary tools which ease out the process of writing a play. Let’s see what are the features you must look forward in this playwriting software.
Celtx is a free playwriting software program, too. Celtx is a media pre-production tool designed to ease the work of those who work in the media production industry by providing a simple desktop utility for organizing the project information and making stories come alive. The application comes with all the necessary tools for writing scripts, plays, novels without using the pen and the paper.

Sound Effects and Costume Design Apps.

FashionDesignFlatSketch–This app. is a great place to start if you don’t have time for students to design costumes, but you want them to go through the process.
Freeform–Create quick sketches, mockups, or diagrams with this powerful tool. Export your drawings via email in JPG, PNG, or PDF formats, or save to your photo library. Create new designs whenever or wherever inspiration strikes!There is nothing quite like the experience of interacting with your drawings with your fingers.
Belfry is an iPad sound effects player for schools, small scale theatre venues and small touring companies. It allows for the simultaneous playback of up to sixty sound effects stored in iTunes. This means a whole production can be run through the app. The interface is easy to use – just add tracks in the order that you want them. There are separate tabs for each act and you can save up to 60 cues as a film.
Index Card is great for scriptwriting, workshop planning, researching or for any creative task which requires organization. This works just as well as real index cards with the advantage that they look neat and can be exported to edit in a word processor. It is incredibly easy to use – just touch the cards to move them around or edit them. You can see a screenshot for a workshop that I am planning (above). It means you can concentrate on coming up with ideas then easily organize them. You can create as many different projects as you like and swap cards between them. This is one of those apps that does one thing, really well.

For Our Younger Students

Sock Puppet–How fun is this? Students can re-create a scene from history by scripting a play and recording their voice! This app allows students to make the actions with the characters they have chosen – record and play back, save their play or performance. It’s a fun way to evaluate their understanding of a concept! You can also have students give their book report using the sock puppets!
ToontastickjrPirates–This is a fun app which allows children to create an animated story based on the theme of Pirates. Students choose a beginning, middle and end and can then extend the story by moving the characters, adding voices and recording the animation.
Telestory–Children can choose to be a TV Reporter, Weather Presenter, Spy and more and can create and record their own TV clip. Children can choose from a variety of fun backgrounds and costumes and can read from pre-loaded prompt cards which can also be edited to suit the topic where necessary. This app could be used to share Weekend News, to engage in role play and for developing communication skills.

I hope these help you in your classroom. As I mentioned before I’m old school, but this old dog is always willing to learn new tricks! If you know of some apps. I should include, please comment here. Thanks!