youth theatre

The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Selecting Plays For Youth Theater

August 25, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Selecting Plays For Youth Theater

I’m a member of several Facebook groups for theater teachers. Other than enjoying reading their posts (which are hysterical sometimes), I am touched by their many questions and how they help each other. During this time of year teachers are looking for plays for young actors–youth theater plays to produce with their students or study in a class.

I can feel their frustration with selecting or even finding a script. Who better to receive advice from than those who has been in their shoes? That’s me. Here’s the best advice you could ever get about new plays for youth theater

We theater teachers are a different bunch. Selecting a play for students to read which appeals to most of them is a real challenge. A lot of theater teachers have students dropped on to their rosters who are not interested in theater and that’s another issue. Or a teacher finds a script but it’s juvenile or too mature. Or they lack merit, or quite frankly, they are just plain stupid. Plus, reading a play written for adults isn’t always the most appropriate for students. And…not everyone wants to read Shakespeare which seems to be a go-to when a teacher/director just can not think what else to do. That’s an entirely different blog post for another time.

My Background

Since I taught and directed for over thirty-eight years, I’ve had plenty of experience with this problem. If you want to see my employment resume, go to: Teaching Resume. When I began directing and teaching in the late 1980s, I couldn’t find plays for young actors. I’d pad scripts with extra characters to give students a line or two. Was it copyright infringement? Probably, but the play catalogues didn’t carry youth theater scripts at all. If I’m guilty of anything it’s guilty of trying to educate our youth. I rest my case!

The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Selecting Plays For Youth Theater

Finally, out of sheer desperation, I co-developed a national playwriting contest for youth theater plays in 1988. You can read more about it here: Start a Playwriting Contest Using 20 Questions (part one) and Start a Playwriting Contest Using 20 Questions (part two).

It is my opinion that the youth theater play market became popular in the mid 1990s when Music Theater International unveiled its junior musical category. Suddenly, theater and vocal music teachers had musicals to perform instead of having to use full length musicals written primarily for adults. With the rise of MTI’s junior musicals popularity, playwrights could see a reason to create scripts for our youth. Now we have many playwrights writing for our youth.

Having taught and directed for all those years and experienced this issue firsthand, I have a good finger on the pulse of what our theater teachers need or require. I know what works and what doesn’t.

I’m so pleased with the number of people who read my blog each day keeping my little blog in the top 5 of the most popular in theater education. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m here to help.

What’s My Advice?

Although it may easiest just to produce a play you’ve directed in the past, my advice is to try a new playwright. Be daring and select something that is best for your students even if the community isn’t familiar with it. That’s the only way people can learn about–you be the first!

When we began our playwriting contest I mentioned above, we didn’t have many playwrights interested in participating. After several years, the word got out and many plays were entered in the contest. We’d bring the winner to Columbia, MO and they’d have an opportunity to see their new script performed by our theater school. It was a wonderful way for our community to experience new works and help the playwrights as well.

Consequently, I thought it would be useful to give some playwrights a platform in which to share their scripts. Here are several plays which I suggest you give a look and perhaps you will want to produce them:

The Losers’ Club

The Losers’ Club, published by Eldridge Publishing by Jonathan Turner Smith

One Act (High School Level)

Duration: 40 minutes

Cast: 8 m, 6 w

A group of outcast high sclhool students in a small Texas town have formed “The Losers’ Club.” On homecoming evening, these 12 students kidnap the star football player, Joe Taylor, and homecoming queen nominee, Tawny Harris, who have ignored, bullied, and ridiculed members of the club for years. Lead by Trenton, a 17-year-old Goth, the club members put the condescending Joe and Tawny on trial for “crimes committed against their fellow students.”

Each member of the “jury” details how he or she has been harassed by Joe, Tawny, and their friends, and how their lives have been affected by the abuse. What is revealed in the testimonies and the result of the trial is a surprise to all. An excellent play to serve as a catalyst for realistic discussions about bullying in schools across America.

Back to the 80s!

Back to the 80s! published by Playscripts.com publishing by Dean O’Carroll

Parody (High School and above)

Duration: 60 – 70 minutes

15 W, 7 M, (11-116 actors possible: 5-99 W, 1-111 M)

Set: Flexible.

(65 productions)

Hold on to your hoverboards, we’re taking a trip Back to the 80s! When modern teen Mary Fitzfry gets sent back in time by an eccentric professor, she finds herself in the middle of a totally tubular cavalcade of 80s pop culture. There’s a lot of familiar faces, from the teens in breakfast-time detention to the guys chasing ghosts and dancing zombies, but the biggest surprise of all is Mary’s own protective mom as a teen. Turns out she’s actually kind of rad – but thanks to Mary’s time travel, she’s in trouble.

Can Mary make things right? This adventure takes you from the mall where everything happens, to a suburban sitcom street, to a cave under the high school – and you can choose who to feature from a flexible throng of characters to bring your audience maximum nostalgia. A hilarious parody to make all ages cheer “I love the 80s!”

The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Selecting Plays For Youth Theater

The Kingdom of Academia

The Kingdom of Academia published by Brookly Publishers by Autumn Owens

Type: One Act (Middle School and up)

Genres: Comedy, Ensemble Cast

Themes: Science & Math, Personifications, Royalty

Duration: 30 minutes

Speaking Cast: 2 females, 1 male, 14 either (17 total cast)

Flexibility: 0-20 extras, gender flexible

All is well in The Kingdom of Academia – a royal land ruled by the much-loved King and Queen and inhabited by loyal subjects like Art, Geography, History, and Philosophy. But when the Board of Education sends Math to become a new subject of Academia, the Kingdom’s peace and unity are threatened as subjects riot against this new addition. The King and Queen, having failed their own math classes as young students, turn a deaf ear to Math’s pleas to join the Kingdom.

It’s up to Math and his newfound friends, Science and the Princess, to convince Academia that Math isn’t so boring and confusing after all. Just when it seems that Academia might have a change of heart, the notorious Board of Education arrives on the scene, offering to take Math back. Will the King and Queen seize the opportunity to send Math home, or can Math persuade the Kingdom that he counts after all?

The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Selecting Plays For Youth Theater

It’s Her Say

Published by Stage Partners

Type: Drama/Comedy (Middle School and up)

Short Play Collection.

Durations: Each play is 10-20 minutes.

Speaking Cast: 10-20 actors, flexible casting

It’s Her Say, a collection of short plays that focus on the female experience, can be used in the classroom for scene study or licensed for production. Ranging from historical fictionto social consciousness to shifting friendships to horror comedy, each play is written by a female-identifying theatre teacher who knows exactly what young performers are capable of and what kind of work they are eager to perform. This collection includes the following short plays:

Some Things Never Changeby Jane Best
I Said Run.by Rachel Bublitz
The Women’s Land Armyby Stephanie Buckley
Beauty Kweenzby Diana Burbano
Talk to Me About Homeby Eugenie Carabatsos
The Bootby Emily Hageman
Angela and Angie and Cynthiaby Patty MacMullen
The Stakeout by K. Alexa Mavromatis
The Un-Help Desk by Emily McClain
Girl, Period by Stephanie Shearer

(These plays can be licensed together or separately. If you license the whole collection, you have permission to pick and choose which plays to perform.)

I hope you take my advice and check out these plays in the near future. This has been such a successful experience that I plan to blog again about this subject suggesting other plays suitable for our students! Make sure you are following me so you’ll know when I’ve blogged again. Join here:

What is one of your favorite youth theater plays? I’d love to discuss it with you. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

The Five Reasons Your Students Will Love Set Design

August 10, 2022 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

The Five Reasons Your Students Will Love Set Design

One of the things I appreciate about the subject I teach is its varied subjects within it. However as we know, not all students think the same way as I. I thought you might appreciate the five reasons your students will love set design–or at least that’s my hope.

If you are teaching theater and have reluctant students, I’d suggest teaching them about set design. I’ve yet to find a group of students who did not enjoy learning about it.

Many students love theater, but they are unwilling to perform and consequently they quit studying it and take another class instead. The reason? They just can’t find a place for themselves within it. Technical theater is a wonderful place for inclusion!

The Five Reasons Your Students Will Love Set Design

Truthfully, I think teaching set design is crucial for a student’s studies in theater arts. Let’s face it–a set design can make or break a production. Understanding its value and encouraging your students to appreciate it too will not only enrich their learning, but make them a more rounded arts person.

Think about it. The audience sits and looks at the set for the entire performance. Sometimes the set doesn’t change. That’s a loooong time to imagine the place.

I could wax poetic about my love for teaching set design. I am that much of a cheerleader for it. But here are some reasons your middle and high school students will love set design:

It’s highly creative–The sky is the limit when one is learning about set design.
It’s immediately gratifying–When you design a set and create a model of it (either with paper or through a set design software app.) you can watch your idea take shape right in front of you
Themes and motifs can be explored effortlessly–your ELA teacher will appreciate that you teach these concepts to your students
It’s a great way to learn cooperatively–If you have your students work in pair or teams, the design process is eye opening to them. As in life, everyone has an idea. They should all be heard and incorporated into the design if at all possible. Students learn to listen, adjust their opinions and consider others.
Set design skills can carry over into other subjects such as math or social studies. What a terrific way to apply what you learn. Design a set, measuring, ratios, etc. come into use. Researching a local such as France for a set design can be a super integration for a social studies or geography class.

The Challenges of Set Design

For Your Gifted Students

I used to challenge my students who needed something more difficult to design their set using a turntable in the center. Wow, that’s a great challenge! Not only is it tough to build, but will it work sufficiently?

Or what about a staircase? Students quickly learn that designing a staircase to scale is much more complex than just label a rectangle a set of stairs. Once a model is built the student sees the error of their measurements and that’s helpful, too.

How about a bridge? Again, it’s easy to design but difficult to execute.

A Little Trivia Break

Did you know Judy Dench wanted to be a set designer when she was young?
Or that Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are) became a set designer after his career as an author? (Me neither!)
How about the fact that real-life historical locations provided inspiration for the Hamilton musical set design? While the set isn’t literal, it draws inspiration from actual places. “One of the cool things about Hamilton is almost every single location is one that you can research and find actual visual support for, whether it’s on the internet or in history books, or if the actual location still exists,” says David Korins, the set designer. “We did a lot of research in my office, getting everything from what the Schuyler Home actually looked like to what it looked like in New York City in 1781 and 1776. And we put it all up on a big huge board on a wall in my office, and we picked and chose.”
If you want more information about the history of set design, check out this blog post, Past Present and Future Set Design

Teaching students that “less is more” can be easily demonstrated through set design. In the photo above, you see a simple set from the 2018 revival of Carousel. It contains a cyclorama with a cloudy night sky projected upon it and four miniature sail boats are part of the ground row. The rest of the set is wood pallets. Students understand this concept that’s why it’s one of the five reasons students love set design. Isn’t it effective? If you are need advice concerning selecting a production, check out this blog post: Critical Steps in Selecting a Play or Musical: Budget & Royalties

Permit me to brag a little

This is Brandon Davis. He was a student of mine when he was in middle school. He’s really made a great name for himself as a set designer. When I had Brandon in my drama class in sixth grade, he was quiet, creative and loved theater. You can see his work below and at www.brandonptdavis.com

If you aren’t aware, I have a store with Teacherspayteachers.com. In it, I sell drama education resources. In this particular case, let’s discuss my set design unit.

There are two–one for middle school and another a bundle of technical theater units for high school.

The Five Reasons Your Students Will Love Set Design

Here is my middle school design unit description:

During this eight-day unit over set design students learn about the history of set design, famous designers, develop a critical eye about what makes up an award- winning set design, create a ground plan for a fairy tale story of their choosing and draw a rendering. If you’d like a free lesson concerning set design, click here. Set Design, the Rendering

Here’s a added benefit–the students must work with ratios and measuring. (Hello math class!) The first two assignments are completed individually, but then the fun begins! The students are paired up to create a model working together towards the goal. There is even room for parents to celebrate the end of the unit with your students.

Included in the unit:

An overview of the unit for the teacher
Rationale for teaching design
History of scenic design
Set designer’s responsibilities
Teacher’s Script–what I say and how I say it!
Warm-up for day one
Procedures for each day (8)
Lecture notes including links
Information about the message color conveys
Rendering examples
Stage curtain sheets for rendering–one vertical, one horizontal
Step-by-step directions for model building including photo examples
Cheat sheet for various set pieces
Assignment sheet for each step of the design process
Exit slip prompts for 4 days
Grade sheet EDITABLE in a separate folder
Source page

High School Set Design and Others

As you would expect, my high school unit is more challenging. It includes studying three styles of theater–modernism, expressionism, surrealism. After reading a play of their choosing, the students select one style and design the set for that production. They build a model of their design or use software to design it in three dimensions.

Additionally if you want to take this idea even further, I have a theater artist biography and one pager assignment available. I have several planned, but for now I can offer you Ming Cho Lee.

If you are looking for advice a production’s design, check out this blog post: Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Set Design

In particular, I appreciate this quote from George C. Wolfe, playwright and director of Angels in America: Millenium Approaches who said:

“I love working with a set designer because, in many respects, you meet the set designer before you meet the actors. So it’s a chance for me as a director to figure out what I’m thinking and to explore how the space is going to actually be activated.”

I hope I’ve convinced you to teach design to your students. Maybe your students will become a set designer as mine did!

If you want more advice concerning set design, check out: Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Set Design

Need something for a substitute? Check out Exploring Theater Professions Video and Class Discussion Lesson.

What technical theater lessons have your students enjoyed learning? I’d love to know. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

The Easiest Way to Boost Student Engagement

July 28, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Let’s talk about the easiest way to boost student engagement.

When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time playing outside under a forsythia bushes. Usually, I pretended I was an orphan. (I have no idea why.) I’d scrape a place in the dirt for my “kitchen” and another place for my “bed”. Usually, I did this in the freezing cold of early spring. I’d play out there for hours until my toes nearly froze solid finally giving in and heading to the warm confines of our big old house.

As you can tell, I am a naturally imaginative person. Are you? I bet so. In fact, all of us are to some extent. and the only thing that really holds us back is a mindset that we aren’t so.

Although I have one friend who says she has a terrible imagination and thinks would be a terrible actress because she freezes on a stage. (That, for your information, has nothing to do with being imaginative.) She says the same thing about her singing and dancing.

That’s a real pity in my book. Had she learned through drama integration when she was a student, I think she would see how creative she really is.

The Easiest Way to Boost Student Engagement

I feel badly for her when she says this, because she is very creative! She is an excellent cook and has a beautiful decorated home. However even with those talents, she doesn’t think she’s creative.

She asked me what I think about when I perform a character who sings. That’s an easy answer for me, “I pretend I’m the character and I imagine the audience is a place where I could sing without anyone around or anyone who would judge me.” That is one of the reasons I love theater as much as I do–it’s a heady feeling to know people are accepting you as you share a little bit of yourself (your psyche) with them.

What is Drama Integration?

What is drama integration?

As I was crafting this blog, I wanted to use other peoples’ defense about drama integration so you know it’s just not me who thinks this. I ran onto Prague Youth Theater’s site and it says,

“Using drama to teach ‘core’ subjects such as maths, science and English can not only boost students’ speaking, listening and comprehension skills, it can also encourage children to have a more confident and curious approach to learning, which can be especially beneficial to those who may struggle with aspects of the curriculum.

Using drama activities and methods in teaching can contribute to an exciting learning environment, and can make even the scary or boring aspects of learning more approachable and engaging. It might mean that teachers place a larger emphasis upon ‘doing’ rather than memorizing, allowing students to engage with the subject in a more collaborative and hands-on manner through reading scripts, storytelling and acting out historical events or even scientific and geographical processes!”

The Easiest Way to Boost Student Engagement — If nothing else, using drama in one’s teaching can make learning fun and more engaging!
**What skills does drama integration learning nurture in your class?**

Test scores increase

Classroom engagement intensifies

Teacher effectiveness increases

21st century life skills are developed

Students’ innate abilities are unleashed

Creativity permeates each subject

**What else can drama integration do?**

**Engagement:** Drama integration facilitates personal motivation to learn through problem

solving, and strengthens best practices in teaching as a result of increased student

investment.

**Collaboration:** Participation in drama integration practice promotes learning partnerships

that evolve through respectful relationships that value the strengths of each individual.

**Agility:** Learners are engaged in rigorous drama integration practice that teaches flexibility,

embraces change, and invites multiple perspectives.

**Knowledge Construction**: Drama integration is relevant to the learner as it promotes and

supports the use of critical thinking skills and inquiry.

**Congruence:** Effective drama integration practice upholds deliberate alignment between

academic content and the arts.

**Integrity:** Mindful synthesis of arts and content learning promotes best practices in drama

integration, which hold true to the art form(s).

**Insight**: Best practices in drama integration embrace the symbiotic relationships between

ideas, content and the arts.

**Skillful assessment:** Mindfully designed authentic evaluation of content, process and

product in drama integration ensures that all levels of learning are synthesized, transferred

and applied through art to relevant and related academic concepts.

**Resiliency**: Drama integration learning experiences foster healthy risk-taking through personal growth, transformation, and empowerment.

**Visionary Leadership:** Confident leadership, demonstrated through collaboration, communication, and consistency, facilitates arts integration practice that is transformational to a learning community. It teaches growth mindset, too. Check out my blog post about growth mindset **here**.

Drama Integration Ideas in the Core Subjects

“Okay” you say, “but how do I use it in my social studies classroom?”

If it’s drama you want to incorporate, a really easy way is to read a readers theater script of the subject you are teaching. For instance, if you are teaching about Nigeria, you could incorporate a Nigerian folk tale. Or if it’s the Civil War, create a radio play of a particular moment in the Civil War. Talk about immersion!

Maybe it’s a math class and you want to integrate drama into the lesson. Maybe the students are given a particular math concept and they create an improvisation working the definition into the scene?

Not many people think about this–**when you approach the learning through the arts, students are relaxed and don’t feel the pressure of “I have to learn this right now and it has to be perfect.”** By applying arts into the learning, it gives students an opportunity to sort of live with the learning concept. I promise, they will remember the concept much better if you apply the arts. Even the most challenged student will have success because the arts allow for differentiation so easily.

Here’s another way to integrate drama into your classroom. The Reasons Teaching Multiculturalism in the Classroom is Vitally Important

My tips to boost student engagement

After thirty-eight years of teaching theater to thousands of students, grades 2 to 12, I have learned through trial and error how to create a “special sauce” to boost student engagement.

I don’t think anyone who teaches much more than three years doesn’t master how to reach students, but my methods are different and what makes my lessons unique as well.

Here’s a tip when integrating drama. When you are teaching, you need to do more than check off a list of activities which originate from theater. You need to study it!

I can help you with that. I have an on-line course which teaches you how to use drama integration in your classroom. In particular, I share how using a partiular genre of theater can reach many students of any grade level.

You may wonder what makes it magical. I wish I could share that with you here, but that would spoil all the fun. Huh?

Check out this page for more information: 3 Little Known Secrets to Boost Student Engagment in the Classroom When You’re Tried Everything Else.

In this one hour FREE webinar, I’ll share three of my tips and the reasons they work every time. If you didn’t catch that–I said EVERYTIME!

You’re in luck, because I have one webinar left–Wednesday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m. I’m sure I’ll have more in the near future, so check back here or better yet, join my email list!

Want a free drama integration lesson now? Pick up this FREE drama integration here.

Are you considering if you want to integrate drama into your teaching? I’m here to help! Email me to set up a fifteen minute FREE session to ask me questions, problem solve or for me to just listen.

How do you engage your students? I’d love to hear from you. Comment here or email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

Drama Class Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School

July 6, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Drama Exercises for the First Two Weeks of School

I receive quite a few emails asking, “I have a question about drama exercises for the first two weeks of school. What would you suggest?” That’s a really important question. After thirty-eight years of teaching various theater classes, I have a pretty good handle on what works for me.

However, I’ve been where you are–staring at a blank calendar anxiously wondering what is most important and where you should begin with your class. I think it’s only natural that you feel this way. Simply put–get to know your students.

Everything, and I mean, everything will go much better if you get to know your students! I don’t advise jumping on a bunch of rules unless your list is short like mine (Three R’s–respect, responsibility and ready to learn.) Just about every situation can be addressed using the three expectations. But that’s me.

Pick up this ready-to-go 5 Day of Middle School Drama Lessons.

If you need a scope and sequence for middle school students, here is one: Drama Curriculum Scope and Sequence

GROUP HUG AFTER WILLY WONKA (I’M THE BLONDE HEAD IN THE MIDDLE)

Building Teacher/Student Relationships

When I was looking around for information concerning building teacher/student relationships, I stumbled upon this quote from the EducationNorthwest.org:

“When teachers make an intentional effort to get to know each of their students, it can foster in students a sense of belonging and connection to school—which can then build a foundation for academic success. Positive teacher-student relationships lead to increased cooperation and engagement in the classroom.”

Here’s another quip I appreciate from Reach.com: “Understanding your students’ interests will help you to provide them with quality learning opportunities. By giving them the opportunity to explore areas they are interested in – for example, the environment – they will be more likely to engage with the learning process.”

I believe that getting to know your students and vice versa, is imperative to everyone’s success!

Here’s a recent Instagram interview where I speak about particular games. https://www.instagram.com/tv/ChsDNC8MMgh/?igshid=Y2ZmNzg0YzQ=

Elementary School Creative Dramatics Class Warm-Ups

Elementary students are so sweet and enjoy just about everything you share with them. One old standby of mine is Wax Museum. Most people know this game, but if not check it out here: Wax Museum

When I Go to California is a terrific game for a smaller to medium size class. The more outlandish the objects the students “take” on their imaginary trip, the better. It goes like this:

Two of the most important skills an actor needs is the ability to concentrate and memorize. This exercise will do just that!⁣
You need an open area to play this. This game takes no materials and that’s always a nice thing, huh? ⁣
⁣
First, students sit in a circle on the floor. ⁣Person A stands and says, “WHEN I GO TO CALFORNIA, I WILL TAKE MY ____” and pantomimes something unusual he would take on a trip. (i.e. an elephant) Person A should make the sound of the object if it makes one. ⁣Person A sits again. ⁣

Person B stands and says, “When I go to California, I will take my (Person As object) and my________” and pantomimes another unusual object. ⁣
⁣
The game continues until everyone has a chance to participate. ⁣An object can not be copied by another person as their choice for their object. You also may need to help students when they forget objects. (I encourage students to help as well.)

If you are looking for a week’s worth of drama lessons to begin your school year, check out: First Week of School Drama Class

Or check out this one-which is a good one to use the first week of classes in elementary and middle school: Drama Circle
⁣

Middle School Drama Class Warm-Ups

I will admit that I enjoy teaching middle school students the most. Here’s a recent Facebook Live where I speak about teaching theater to students: Facebook Live with Deb the Storyteller

Middle School students can be shy or extrovertive. Every class is different, so adjust your expectations according to what you observe right off the bat. When your students enter your classroom, do they appear to be familiar with anyone (make a B line to sit with them), sit at the back or maybe the front of the room?

Nevertheless, middle school students love games of any sort. Usually, I get them up on their feet and run through the Alliteration Name Game (you may know it by a different name). You can read about this game here: Drama Games for the Introvertive Student

This exercise will take atleast 20 minutes. It’s important to take your time and if you find there is a student who can’t come up with an idea for their name, others may help him. Also, I require that students applaud after each person shares their name. Why? Because it establishes that everyone is equal and we appreciate everyone’s talent in the class.

Drama Exercises for the First Week of School

This exercise that will take several days to finish– 3 Things About Me. It goes like this:

You, the teacher, bring in 3 things which are important to you–maybe a family photo, your first doll, a medal for something you entered and won–that sort of thing. Take about 5 minutes to explain the items. Hand out sign up sheet for several days. Students sign up for a particular day. When I assign this, I encourage the students to have at least one really unusual thing to share with the class. That makes it far more interesting. I give participation points–a blanket 10 points.

I’d advise warming up the class each day. This tag is a really good one for day two or three. You can pick up here for free: Firecracker Tag.

Another warm up which is good is the Three Word Improvisation. I would use this on about day five with older middle school students. Go here to pick up this game: Three Word Improvisation

If you’d like some more warm ups, go to my Instagram guide.

High School Students Theater Class Warm-Ups

High School students are great to teach, too. I’ve had some amazing high school theater classes. Hopefully, students enrolled in your high school theater class are there because they signed up for the class which is not always the case with middle school students. If the students elected to take your class, then I’d start right in with your lessons.

If your students are new to theater (such as a Theater 101 course) a really great warm up for them (and quite difficult) is Name Volleyball. You can pick it up here: NAME VOLLEYBALL PDF

Or another is Curveball Story

Description: (many thanks to Hoopla.com for this one) 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. (Honestly, I think even elementary students can play this game, but I thought it would be really funny with older students.)

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.

Want a game that can last the entire class period? This is the one! For years, I have used this game which was titled, Hang Man Charades. However, that is an offensive name so I call it Dancing Man Charades. Pick it up here: DANCING MAN CHARADES PDF

My Recommendation for Theater Teachers

Recently, in a teachers Facebook group a drama teacher asked, “Do I really have to do warm ups every class period?”

No, you don’t especially if you think you have their attention. However, warm ups usually help everyone–there are lots of laughs (which for some students is the only time they laugh their entire day), acknowledge a person’s skill that no one was aware that they had (like the shy kid who can tell a heck of a story.) They even help you!

I could be shooting myself in the foot here, but for warm ups for elementary and middle school students I recommend Theater Games for the Classroom by Viola Spolin. One of the assets of this book which I like is the use of side coaching. Because of this book, I learned to side coach my students which is inordinately vital with elementary and middle schoolers. For high school, pick up her Improvisation for the Theater. Equally as useful and powerful. Grab a free collection of warm ups for middle school here.

What games and exercises do you like to use at the beginning of the school year? I’d love it if you would share them with me? Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

Play Production for Newbie Theater Teachers: Expectations Versus Reality

June 22, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Play Production for Newbie Theater Teachers: Expectations Versus Reality

Congratulations! You’ve been hired to teach theater and direct several productions a year. You probably have the class curriculum nailed down or you are in the midst of it. However, you realize that although you have some experience on stage as a performer, you may need some help with other facets of a production. This post should help–Play Production for Newbie Theater Teachers: Expectations Versus Reality

When I majored in theater at Stephens College about a 100 years ago, although I was mostly interested in performing we were expected to work backstage for the first semester. I still think that’s an excellent idea. Some students who began as performance majors find they are more suited to stage management, costume or set design for instance. Plus, an actor needs to understand what goes into mounting a production.

Too many people get out there and think they are going to end up on the Broadway stage after their first audition. Many give up too quickly, but perhaps if they’d found another way to be involved with theater they would have stayed with it.

I love theater so much, I didn’t care if all I ever did was sweep the stage–it was that important to me. If you want to know how theater saved my life, go to How Theatre Saved My Life

Newbie Theater Teacher Expectations

It’s only natural to think that when you enter your first teaching position in your career, everything is provided for your classroom and stage. You may have come from a high school or certainly college which fully supported the theater arts department. That’s understandable and certainly the way it should be.

Some high schools even have technical directors who oversee the technical aspects of productions and teach the technical theater classes. That’s terrific!

You expect to have a lot of materials and resources all ready organized–set pieces, costumes, makeup, storage space, etc. If the school and their theater department has been in existence for several years, you should expect to take what was left from the previous teacher and grow from there.

Did you know I have the secret to boosting student engagement? My new book, “We’re Live! Radio Theater #101” explains my journey to implementing this unique tool in the classroom. Check it out here

The Reality

Here is the reality– In many school systems, the theater department and arts in general are looked upon as unimportant. (Because the general public does not understand what it takes to teach theater much less produce a play or musical.) Generally, the arts play second fiddle to sports. It’s not fair and not right but it happens all. the.time

If you find a school, which is not a performing arts school, who supports the arts you are lucky to teach there.

I can’t even count how many times people have said, “This school doesn’t have a budget for me! They don’t have materials or resources for mounting a production. What do I do?”

Tip: One question you need to ask when you interview for any teaching position should be about the budget for your classes and/or productions. If the administrator doesn’t know the budget, this is a red flag. It doesn’t mean you don’t have a budget, but this is easy to ascertain for them and they should be willing to divulge it.

Tip: When you interview, ask to see the stage and check out backstage as well. See if they have any costumes, props or set pieces. Do they have stage lights, light trees and amplification equipment? Does anyone else use the stage other than the theater department? Who and how much time do they use it?

Tip: Find out if there is a parent booster club for the arts. They are invaluable to your success at this particular school. They can help you in many ways–fundraising, building sets and sewing costumes, advertising and box office.

Play Production for Newbie Theater Teachers: Expectations Versus Reality

If the school doesn’t have a production budget, the first thing you will need to do is raise money to pay the expenses of the production. These expenses can range anywhere from $500 to (gulp) $10,000 a piece. Consider ticket prices and talk with other teachers in the district to see what they charge. Check out my fundraising suggestions here: Turn Your Theater Department Fundraising Into A High Performing Machine

If your set inventory doesn’t have much to offer, then you may need to build flats. There are many ways to do so. I’d check out this video for instruction on building a Hollywood flat. Or you can build a muslin flat.

I’d suggest watching the Cal State A & L videos on youtube.com They teach just about everything you’d need to know in a clear and concise method.

If you need help with costume design, check out my post: Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Costumes

One of my lesser strengths is light design. I know what I want, but I don’t know how to make it happen. I defer to my husband about light design because he’s designed for me for years. (See the photo above) In your case, I’d check Cal State for help there.

My Most Important Advice

Many directors of school productions think they have to produce their shows having the quality of a Broadway production. Not only is this unreasonable to expect of yourself, but not necessary. If you do a good job and balance the production so that everything is of equal quality (your show is imbalanced if the only set piece which was completed for your set is the staircase you spent all month building for your play), then you can rest knowing you did your best under the circumstances.

You should not be expected to do more with less. Just do the best you can understand the circumstances. You shouldn’t spend all weekend for several months working on one production. You shouldn’t be doing all the work yourself. Don’t forget that without YOU, none of the magic happens and the students need YOU the most.

What is most important is what your students learn from the experience, right?

Here are a few blog posts that can answer some questions or help you:

Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Stage Makeup

Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Costumes

My Advice for FREE

I am willing to advise you for free. You can find me many places– on instagram @dramamommaspeaks, Facebook @dramamommaspeaks or email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com. I have been where you are now. Luckily, you have someone like me to advise you.

No one learns much of anything completely by themselves. A good teacher asks for advice and help. You will be a better teacher for it, I promise!

If you’ve had any experiences you’d like to share, please hit reply and share them with me. I’d love to hear from you.

You can contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

A Baker’s Dozen of Teaching Ideas for the Frazzled Drama Teacher

June 8, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

A Baker’s Dozen of Teaching Ideas for the Frazzled Drama Teacher

Here are a baker’s dozen of teaching ideas for the frazzled drama teacher which I hope will help you. I know you. I’ve been there, too. There is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed and exhausted with no brain space to plan or organize yet another lesson for your students.

There are one or two weeks in the school year which nearly put a drama teacher over the edge–technical week of a production. Or particular months such as October or December? Those are challenging times, too.

It’s very difficult for people to understand the ammount of details and responsibilities that rest on a theater teacher during this challenging time of a production. Need a director’s helper checklist? Get it here FREE.

It’s a large number, yes? Every part of a production has details, understandably. But the details have details! And on top of that, the teacher must attempt to teacher her classes and deal with student behavior. In other words, you have two jobs–one the classroom and one directing a production

I mean…come on!

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Frazzled Teacher Days Suggestions

For those days when you are frazzled, here are my suggestions of subjects your students can learn about*:

Play analysis–read, analyze, present, create an stage property.
Broadway musicals–study and compare them
Stage properties— learn about and create one for your show (that’s an awesome idea!)
Radio Theater–work in small groups and create their own radio theater performance (pick up FREE this live sound effects checklist)
Costume design–read the production you are rehearsing and design for the production
Set design–-study design and create a model for your production
Famous theater artists–learn about and portray him or her through a short monologue about their life such as James Earl Jones
Devise a theater piece— focus on the themes in the play or musical you are producing but take a different slant structuring an improvisation
Technical theater–view video clips about various Broadway productions. I have a blog post about this at Never Underestimate the Influence of Teaching with Videos
Choice Boards–students study what they are interested in giving them more feeling of ownership. You can use mine at: Bundle of Choice Boards
Playwriting–animate a short story (with dialogue) or scene from a play. Check out this software program at Celaction. (They have educational licenses available.)
Sound Design–develop a sound scene focused on a particular holiday or important day in history
Producing–project an imaginary budget for a production from start to curtain closing–advertising, script rental, royalties, show budget, etc. This is best for high school students. Check out this blog post for more ideas–Drama Lessons for High School from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

Or maybe you need something that could last for two weeks? Check out Theater Class Emergency Sub Plan Bundle

*Most of these suggestions have limited teacher-to-student contact which is what you are looking for, essentially.

I have a bundle with virtually all of these and several more. You can find it here: Bundle Drama Units for High School Tech. Week

OR a larger bundle at: Bundle Drama Units and Lessons for High School

Pre-Planning Your School Year

A word of advice: the minute you select your dates for your production I suggest you count back ten days and begin to plan those days of your instruction to your classes. That way, you have carved out a reasonable amount of days to keep the students occupied and engaged without you losing your mind. Here’s a new lesson which might come in handy on a day you are planning your production. Arianna De Bose Biography

There is a lot of research about the distracted mind and why it’s a problem. I searched about on the internet to find something which applies to this particular case. Here is what I found in an article on www.inc.com:

“Psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert found that the human mind is actually wired for this state of continuous distraction. In a study conducted with 2,250 adults, they concluded that we spend around 47 percent of every waking hour “mind wandering.” Also called “stimulus-independent thought,” mind wandering is an experience that so ordinary, so natural to us, we don’t even notice it.”

A Baker’s Dozen of Teaching Ideas for the Frazzled Drama Teacher

Whoa…

Here is something else, according to an article in www.theGuardian.com,

“The impact of interruptions on individual productivity can also be catastrophic. In 2002, it was reported that, on average, we experience an interruption every eight minutes or about seven or eight per hour. In an eight-hour day, that is about 60 interruptions. The average interruption takes about five minutes, so that is about five hours out of eight. And if it takes around 15 minutes to resume the interrupted activity at a good level of concentration, this means that we are never concentrating very well.”

When you are working on a production, how many distractions take your attention from the show?

I’ve discovered something important about myself. If I have important details on my mind, anything I can do to eliminate less important things from my brain or checklist allows me to better concentrate. By planning ahead, I can help my mind to focus easier and with less struggle.

Are you this way as well?

It’s Tiger Time

One activity you can do for yourself is use “Tiger Time”.

Tiger Time is a habit used in working: turn off all distractions, close your door, put a sign on the door that you are unavailable until a particular time and take on one thing on your list. Yesterday, I used Tiger Time to create a new product for my store.

If you want more information and a free checklist, check out AmyPorterfield.com. Amy has a huge on line business teaching entrepreneurs how to create a webinar for an on-line course. She explains it the best.

The Pomodoro Technique

Another time management method of working is the Pomodoro Technique. I like the Pomodoro Technique because it’s simple. You work on a task for a fixed amount of time (a pomodoro, e.g.: 25 minutes) without any distractions and take a short break after (such as 5 minutes.) Then, after a certain amount of pomodoros (e.g.: 4), you take a longer break.

I think it’s more fun and kind of like a reward!

Here’s a great time from Todoist.com–-Keep an “Overlearning” project in Todoist with a list of tasks you can quickly choose from the next time you find yourself with pomodoro time to spare.

Generally, I’m more the Pomodora method type of girl. Although I’m guilty of making my breaks shorter, because I’m usually inspired and just don’t want to stop. How about you?

Be Careful Not to Over Plan

Be careful that you don’t over plan your day. I like to take care of the most pressing responsibilities I have and then work from there. For instance, today I needed to compose an email for my email list folks and this blog post. These go out on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. This is Monday.

By the end of the week, I need to have a new radio theater play script written. If I get these two bi-weekly responsibilities out of the way today, the rest of the week is more relaxed. Luckily, I don’t procrastinate tough jobs. I put them on paper and give myself time to “percolate on them”. While I’m composing the email message and scheduled and writing this blog post subconscious brain is considering the story I’m going to adapt and how I want to adapt it.

Plus, give yourself some grace if you didn’t make the deadline you’d made for a project. It’s okay. You are human. You just do the best you can at the time–that’s all anyone should ask of themselves.

My Free Director’s Helper Checklist

If you want some help with organizing your backstage crew chiefs or parent volunteers, pick up my checklists at Director’s Helper Checklists

Remember, I’ve been you and I know what’s like to try to juggle a multitude of details all at once. It is my hope all of these suggestions and time management techniques come in handy for you.

What questions or comments do you have? Please feel free to contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com

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