If you are reading this blog post, you are probably a. collecting materials for the next school for your theater class or b. sick as a dog and you need help fast! Either way, you have come to the right place. I only offer sound teaching lessons or advice to teachers–no gimmicks! Today, let’s talk about 5 easy drama games for emergency sub plans.
In some ways, I don’t want to divulge this secret I have. The site I’m going to share with you is full of fabulous theater improv. games and exercises. But in the interest and support of theater teachers around the world, I would like to introduce Hoopla to you.
Who is Hoopla?
Hoopla is the United Kingdom’s first improvisation theatre, established for over twelve years.
From their website, “Hoopla is an improv comedy (also known as improvised comedy, impro and improvisation) company based in London, UK. Hoopla were founded in 2006 by Steve Roe and Edgar Fernando.
Hoopla run a selection of improv classes and courses across London and also an improv comedy club in London Bridge featuring a selection of groups from across the UK improv scene. Hoopla are the founders of the UK’s first ever improvised comedy club. Hoopla also do improv based corporate training.
The aim of Hoopla is to make improv fun and accessible for everyone from all backgrounds. We’re especially focused on teaching beginners improv and we love introducing people to improv for the first time in a fun, friendly and safe way.
Also, Hoopla encourages and supports a growing improv community with shows, courses, networking events, socials and more.”
History of Hoopla
From their website, “Hoopla was founded in January 2006 by Steve Roe and Edgar Fernando, two old school friends who have known each other since they were 4 years old. Hoopla was originally based in Balham SW London, near to where Steve and Edgar grew up.
Originally it was just them and some school friends from their old GCSE drama group running a free workshop once a week, to have fun after work and keep the joy of drama and play in adult life. But it rapidly grew to friends of friends and then friends of friends of friends, and with word of mouth Hoopla soon became the UK’s biggest improv company.
Not surprisingly, Hoopla now teach 1000s of improv students a year in various venues around London and run shows five nights a week featuring improv groups from across the world. Don’t know much about improvisation? Check out: What You Know About Improvisation In Theater And What You DON’T Know About Improvisation In Theater
5 Easy Drama Games for Emergency Sub Plans
In 2010 Hoopla’s shows moved to The Miller in London Bridge and with the help of the amazing staff there and a large community of improvisers the venue was converted to the UK’s first ever improv theatre.
The company is honored to have been involved in the huge rise of improv in the UK over the last decade and to be part of such a great improv community.”
The games I’ve included games would be best for middle school students and larger classes. They take little to no set up and are easy to implement. Here are several of their drama games that would work in a pinch if you needed something a substitute teacher could lead.
1. Curveball Story ⚾️⚾️
Directions:
This is played in pairs (trios work too). One person makes up a story. As they tell it, the other will call out random words that need to be incorporated into the story. Wait for the last word to be folded in before giving another.🌟
Variations
Similar to What If? where the other person says something like “what if it started raining?” “What if you jumped on a boat?” and they incorporate that into the story.
🌟Grades 3 and up would have gobs of fun with this warm-up. Use vocabulary words for the random “curve ball” or maybe characters from a book, or particular facts from a science lesson. Looking for additional warm up exercises? Check out: Drama Class Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School
2. Book Club
Directions:
Two improvisers have a book each given to them from the audience and all their lines of dialogue come from those. The third person makes sense of those lines in the context of the scene. A location or relationship call-out helps at the beginning.
NOTE: I took quotes from Charlotte’s Web and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to show you.
Example
Player A (No book): Thanks for helping me out today
Player B (Book): If I can fool a bug… I can surely fool a man. People are not as smart as bugs..
Player A (No book): Perhaps you are right. Go bugs!
Player B (Book): It is deeply satisfying to win a prize in front of a lot of people.
Players A (No book): I bet! So what will you do with the prize?
Third player enters
Player C (Book): It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.
Player A (No book): Oh hi Kim! That’s a nice to thing to say after losing so terribly.
Player C (Book): Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.
Player A (No book): Well, that’s good know.
Player B (Book): Salutations are greetings; it’s my fancy way of saying hello.
Player A (No book): Wow, you win one game and now you think you are special!
Player B (Book): It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.
Teaching Purpose
It’s fun! Students learn how to accept and justify offers given. Got introvertive students? Check out: Drama Games for the Introvertive Student
5 Easy Drama Games for Emergency Sub Plans
3. Car Journey 🚗🚕🚙( I renamed it, Family Vacation)
Everyone has stories of a family vacation or journey. I think this is what makes this exercise so successful–it’s a universal theme!
Directions:
Begin by having five people on stage in a car set-up.
Tell them they are on their way somewhere they don’t normally go (a convention, concert, festival, theme park, etc.).
They must be silent for the first 30 seconds of the scene.
Lastly, inform them that they cannot stop the car or get out.
Ideally they will establish relationship before any dialogue happens.
Variation
After you’ve done a few of these, ask the same casts to return to the stage and perform their return trips. They can swap places in the car.
With elementary students, you may need to get their creative juices flowing by asking them about what people talk about while they are traveling somewhere. 😊
I would think middle and high school students would have no trouble with this exercise.
Variation
After you’ve done a few of these, ask the same casts to return to the stage and perform their return trips. They can swap places in the car. (How fun would that be?)
If you choose to try this with elementary students, you may need to get their creative juices flowing by asking them about what people talk about while they are traveling somewhere. 😊
5 Easy Drama Games for Emergency Sub Plans
4. Columns/Pillars 👉👉
Description:
For this game you need 2 volunteers from the audience. They stand/sit at the front sides of the stage, and act as pillars for the players. 2 players do a scene, and whenever they need a word they tap one of the pillars on the shoulder.
The pillars say whatever comes to them, and the players then justify why that has been said. Some words fit perfectly, others will be completely random!
Example
Gary: Thanks for helping me fix this car, Denise.
Denise: No problem Gary, I’m glad I could (PILLAR) “help”.
Gary: I really appreciate it, you know I’m so nervous about the race tomorrow.
Denise: You shouldn’t be, you’re (PILLAR) “Batman”. The others don’t stand a chance!
Gary: I know, I’m just scared that if I don’t win I’ll also lose my (PILLAR) “cook”. He only wants to work for winners.
Denise: He does make great (PILLAR) “statues” out of chocolate. I’m sure you’ll win. Hand me the (PILLAR) “oats”.
Gary: I would never think to use oats to repair a car. You’re a genius.
⭐️Additional Tips for Playing
Give the pillars a chance to practice (e.g., “this morning for breakfast I had…”)
Repeat the word after the pillar has said it
Listen, and justify what has just been said
Remember to thank your lovely volunteers!
5. Oracle
Directions:
The Oracle involves four people, set behind each other. (It will look a little like the photo above.) First, one person is at the front sitting on the floor, second one behind sits on a chair, the third one behind that standing and lastly, the fourth one stands on a chair. In this way, we can see all their faces. Oracle is a brilliant low stakes word-at-a-time short form game.
To begin, the host simply takes big life questions from the audience, like ‘Is there a God?’ and ‘Why are we here?’ or ‘Will the United States win the World Cup?’ and then asks the Oracle, who answers it a word at a time (per person). When Oracle is in action everyone’s arms wave to the side. If Oracle is in silent contemplation everyone’s hands are together in a kind of ‘prayer’ pose.
It’s funny, simple and daft. And being word at a time you can guess how wise oracle sounds. Sometimes very. Sometimes just plain ridiculous!
Example–
Audience question: What is love?
Player A: Love
Player B: is
Player C: hot
Player D: chocolate
Player A: on
Player B: a
Player C: rainy
Player D: day.
In this game listening and being obvious are important, as you follow what the previous person has said. You don’t have to make complete sense or try to be funny; just say the first thing that comes to you.
5 Easy Drama Games for Emergency Sub Plans
I hope these games/exercises work out well for you. If you’d like more warm up exercises (and you can expect me to have many favorites over the 38 years of teaching and directing), check out my collection of warm ups for middle school students. You can pick it up here.
What do you leave for your substitute to teach while you are absent? I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com.
