drama education

How to Teach Play Production to Your Students

April 26, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

How to Teach Play Production to Your Students

Let’s consider how to teach play production to your students today. As I’ve mentioned previously, I was thrown into directing my first production when I was quite young–twenty three years old to be exact. This is how to teach play production to your students.

Ten years and an umpteen amount of me directing productions later, I began producing for the theater company. Let me tell you, I had NO idea what I was doing but after having directed and experienced that side of it, producing wasn’t all that difficult for me. You can read about my directing experiences here: Eighteen Ways To Make Your Directing Experience Less Stressful, Part One or Eighteen Ways to Make Your Directing Experience Less Stressful, Part Two

In fact, I discovered I was good at it!

Many times in an educational setting, our students only learn about the “fun stuff”– acting and improvisation. But there is a whole big world of other facets of theater which are not only essential but interesting! Plus, reluctant performers may find themselves in the other aspects of theater.

How to Teach Play Production to Your Students

By teaching play production to your theater class, students are given an opportunity to dip their toes into various responsibilites. One responsibility which is largely overlooked is the job of the producer. Check out this resource if you want your students to have a comprehensive look at play production.

If we can give our students opportunities to learn through play production, then by all means let’s do it!

The Ten Steps in Play Production

So, let’s consider this idea for your class. Here are ten steps for play production.

Class reads several plays (I suggest you check out: Don Zoldis plays. They are terrific for something like this.)
After discussing the pros and cons, the play is selected
Order the scripts
After scripts arrive, read thru again, students volunteer for the responsibility of which they show most interest
Set a budget
Hold auditions and cast production
Begin rehearsals
Hold several run thrus, a cue to cue (if need be) and dress rehearsals
Perform
Process the experience

Tips and Reminders for Play Production

When setting the budget, you may need to teach your students how to approximate their ticket sales if you are charging for the performance. Make sure you include any monies the department has ear marked for the play. You are the authority on what needs to be included such as scripts and royalties. Not all students are aware of these expenditures. Looking for something free to use in your class tomorrow? Check out: Lin Manuel Miranda Biography and One Pager Assignment.

I’d suggest you do everything you can to streamline this learning experience. Nailing down your expectations for each part of the production is key here. Create checklists for each responsibility will help with this challenge.

If the student actors aren’t rehearsing their role, they are helping the design chairs to complete their checklists. Need some checklists to de-stress opening night? Pick up my FREE ones here: Director’s Helper Checklists

If you are presenting a one-act play, I’d suggest two or three week daily rehearsal period. If a full length play, four or five weeks of daily rehearsal will be needed. You may need to be more liberal with this rehearsal period, however.

What is a Play Producer?

Although a production would not follow this pattern in the professional world, allow your producer to lead the production.

This term can have many meanings within theater, but it usually refers to a person who manages all aspects of a production, from overseeing the budget to hiring the director and other artists. Producers have to understand both the creative and business sides of theatre.

Who is best to be a producer? Anyone an learn how, however the students with the leadership qualities are most successful–communicative, diplomatic, fair, “big picture” people. Do allow your producer to watch over everything–provide feedback, communicate with chairs, oversee the budget, etc.

How to Teach Play Production to Your Students

There is such power in cooperative learning. Unfamiliar with this phrase? Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning.

In a recent study through the Journal of Effective Teaching, students taught with cooperative learning strategy performed better than those taught with th individualistic learning strategy. The experimental group obtained a higher mean score of 89.91 as compared with the mean of 79.75 for the control group. The difference between the means scores of both groups is significant.

Please know the first time you attempt this, it could be difficult with lots of starts and stops. However, over time the students will embrace the experience and ask for more. You may end up stepping in as an actor if someone is conveniently “sick” the day of the performance or maybe the costume designer never comes through. Who knows?

If you stay engaged with the students as they experience a class production experience, help them navigate the twists and turns while they learn and act as supervisor, this could be the highlight of your year!

My Producer Unit

You may not be aware, but I have a Producer unit. You can find it here: Drama Producer Unit

This unit includes:

This 7 day unit about the theater producer is suitable for high school students and perhaps gifted middle graders. Students read a play or musical, choose a theater scenario, study the responsibilities of a theater producer, examine style, metaphor, create and set up a budget/income for their production and finish with sharing their ideas on a concept board. Through this unit, students develop a keen eye for what it takes to be a producer and critique their peer’s work as well.

The product includes:

Warm-Up Exercise
The Rationale Teaching the Unit
Teacher Script to Introduce the Unit –what I say and how I say it!
Quora article with questions to answer
Blog Post about Broadway Tricks of the Trade
How to Use Metaphor in Design
Questions to Consider when Producing a Production
Procedure for Each Day
Photocopying List
Musical and Play List Titles of Most Popular Productions in High Schools
Three Theater Scenarios for the Students to Choose From
List of Publishing Companies of Plays and Musicals
Sources & Live Video links list including clip suggestions
Two Assignments–one a short essay and another creating a concept board
Assignment Rubric
Peer evaluation activity

I hope you’ll consider planning a class play production in the near future. I’ve found it to be one of the most gratifying experiences of teaching. Observing my students as they learned how to work with one another, see their exhilaration when they show finally comes together and listening to their “aha” moments is a wonderful thing. Maybe you just want to start small and teach your students about costume design?

What class play productions have you produced? I’d love to hear about them. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com!

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour

March 30, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

I’m worried about our teachers, and you should be too. In my blog post, “Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour,” I talk about how small, manageable strategies can help educators bring creativity into their classrooms without adding to their already overwhelming workload. Recently, I read an article from www.nea.org stating that approximately fifty-five percent of our teachers are seriously considering quitting teaching at the end of this year. That’s up from thirty-seven percent last year. Yikes

You can imagine the reasons they are considering leaving–exhaustion, demoralized, uninspired, understaff and underappreciated. Not to mention, the global pandemic! (That doesn’t even include underpaid which has been an ongoing problem for year and really a sad statement about the country, in my opinion.)

I can’t fix the schools, but I can help teachers.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

A Conversation in the Teacher’s Lounge

Let’s say you and I are eating lunch together in the teacher’s lounge.

I say to you, “How’s the day going?”

“Terrible!” you say.

“What seems to be the problem” I ask.

“The students are not engaged. They are rowdy, disrespectful and negative.”

At this point, that I nod and say, “I can help you.”

You look at me with an expression of disbelief. “How, Deb? You can’t be in there with me.”

I answer, “No, but I can give you some drama integration ideas which will help. In fact, my masters in education is focused on creative arts learning.”

Turning, I dive into my files and pull out several lessons which I tailored specifically for the classroom.

You take one look at them and say, “But I’m not a creative dramatics teacher. I can’t do this.”

“Oh yes, you can. Using creative dramatics to teach your class is nothing more than making a few changes in your perspective and teaching methods. Let me show you how.”

We talk for a few minutes, you smile and say “Okay, I’ll try it!”

As we leave the lounge, we hug. I watch you walk down the hallway with a little spring in your step because you know how to turn your unhappy class into a happy one in an afternoon.

Note: This is an actual conversation I had with a teacher on IG in the last week. Her students were being impossible. I suggested she try doing a lot of physical movement with them and it worked!

The Benefits of Creative Dramatics in the Classroom

I found this wonderful website, The Gaiety School of Acting, which explains the benefits of creative dramatics:

“Of all the arts, drama involves the participant the most fully: intellectually, emotionally, physically, verbally, and socially. As players, children assume the roles of others, and they learn about becoming more sensitive to the problems and values of persons different from themselves. At the same time, they are learning to work cooperatively, for drama is a communal art; each person is necessary to the whole.”

When integrating creative dramatics, we are not concerned with what an audience receives from a performance but what the child does. In fact, it would be best if you and your students are the only people in your classroom when you integrate drama.

This is Easier than You Think

These five lessons will engage them right from the beginning. It’s all in the approach you take to presenting them. (I can help you here. I include a teacher’s script with most of my lessons.)

Warm-ups–warm-up exercises can be adapted to the subject you are teaching or you can use them as they are.
Creative Movement–students need a lot of physical exercise.
Storytelling–if you are teaching a particular book, use Kamishibai storytelling as a way to check your students’ understanding of the plot
Tableau–a frozen stage picture is a fantastic way to demonstrate a math problem, moment in history, show something in science such as a volcano and its stage before errupting, etc.
Readers’ Theater–this is a powerful teaching method which can be adapted for a particular lesson about social studies, science or a story in reading.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

Want a FREE lesson you can use tomorrow? Click here: Creative Dramatics Lesson

Pick up a copy of this blog post at: FarrahHenleyEducation.

Do I need a lot of extra materials?

Most teachers probably have the materials they’d need to integrate drama in your classroom. But beware! Try to avoid being a purist about this–a scarf can work as a belt, a box can be a trunk or three students’ desk chairs can make a bridge. It’s all in how you look at it.

I suggest: construction paper, paper plates, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers, aluminum foil, newspapers, masks (you can purchase them at S and S Art Supply )

Collect clothing such as hats, caps, scarves, capes, eye glasses, pillow cases, masks, etc. A large plastic bin can hold all of these pieces. A trip to a local thrift store will have a lot of these items for an inexpensive price.

How do I Assess my Students’ Learning?

Talk about outcome education! Using creative dramatics in your teaching gives you an opportunity to model for your students and them to demonstrate right back to you.

Here’s an example for you– your objective today is to teach Common Core Standard L4.1e “Form the use of prepositional phrases”.

Easy! Make up a bunch of cards with prepositional phrases on them with phrases such as “on the, over the, around the”. Hand out a card to each student to physically demonstrate the phrase.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour

Maybe you are teaching Next Generation Science stanDard concerning gravitational force. Would it be so difficult as to have two students tell a story about gravitational force and how it affects us on earth? Maybe you’d give them particular facts to use in the story? This blog post might help too! How Do I Use Arts Integration in the Classroom?

As you can see, using drama integration in your class is a no brainer. Word to the wise–refrain from using it every day as it will lose its uniqueness. I know it takes many teaching methods to engage your students. This is just one method.

But it’s a good one. 😉

Want a free drama integration lesson? Check out: Hire Me for Your Classroom Tomorrow!

Have you used drama integration in the past? How did it go for you? Do you have any questions I can answer? Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or check out my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

December 1, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

Recently, I’ve helped several theatre teachers organize their curriculum. Some states have standards which they press upon their school systems and boy, can you feel it. Not so for two wonderful teachers I worked with last week. So, let’s talk about the reasons I offer customized theatre lessons bundles. (Ironically, this is the number one mistake people make with me–they don’t ask for customized bundles!)

There’s Amy

One teacher, we will call her Amy, emailed me desperate for help. Amy was hired (yes, it’s November) to take over for another theatre teacher who had been out most of the school year. The students survived many substitutes and now finally, they’d have a real theatre teacher. She didn’t really know what she was walking into when she arrived her first day.

Amy knew she’d be teaching middle school students and see them every day for the rest of the year. However, she didn’t know the demographics, number of students in each class (or at least didn’t mention them to me) or seem to know just about anything else you’d like to know when you begin teaching a class.

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

To top it all off, she was given no curriculum or materials. Now, you would think this was unusual. It isn’t. You would not believe how many schools I’ve taught for and I began my classes with no school materials having to use only mine instead. (Pssst. That’s why I have so many prepared.)

I offer customized bundles in my teacherspayteachers.com store (DramaMommaSpeaks) and Amy knew that. We chatted several times about what she was needing and I put together a bundle specifically for her and I created a plan of teaching them.

Customized Bundles

Customized Bundles are the way to go, friend, irregardless of how many resources you want. You always receive some sort of discount-10 to 30%. With large bundles, I give you a free resource I pick especially for you, too.

(This is not Amy or Joan.)

Then there’s Joan

Another teacher, we will call her Joan, emailed at just about the same time as Amy. Her scenario was different. She was hired with a provisional license and agreed to take additional college hours to complete the license. Joan was a mother of two small children as well.

Joan asked to Zoom with me as soon as possible. That’s how much she needed the help. She used several of my lessons in her classes all ready and the students liked them.

Joan was a bit older, had previously worked as an actress and youth theatre teacher. She knew her stuff, but in this particular case her materials just weren’t working as well as she’d like them to. She thought of mine. Want a Creative Dramatics lesson for FREE?

Joan’s plight

Joan had the most ridiculously disjointed teaching load of which I’ve ever heard. The core teachers decided how much time their students would spend with the “specials” not the administration. Every teacher wanted a different amount of time. (Can you imagine?)

Her schedule was all over the place. For instance, at the second level one teacher wanted her once a week, another teacher wanted her twice a week and another three times a week. What is that?

I advised her to speak to her principal about this and request that if she stays next year her schedule needs to be be more uniform. Oh and I forgot to tell you–she starts with kindergarten and first next semester (but of course, only next semester.)

Let’s just make this even more difficult for Joan.

Joan needed materials for second through eighth and she really need my help in organizing the rest of the year for her. I organized a customized bundle for her with about twenty lessons. If she follows my plan I included, she can teach all of them the components of theatre before the end of the year and get everyone on the same page. It sounded like she’d been jumping around and trying different things which may have worked but weren’t very comprehensive. That’s okay. It’s not earth shattering.

The students still learn no matter what you teach them. That’s obvious but man, does that drive a teacher to distraction if they are usually an organized person.

I could write an entire blog post about how the arts are treated in schools, but I’m not going to do so today. I can say if you are in a similar situation to Joan, either go to your principal and complain about the teaching load or look for another job. The only way this situation will change is if you are the squeaky wheel. Also by doing so, you may help the other “specials” teachers in your building. Maybe you can meet with the principal as a group?

Some Sage Advice

Amy didn’t know how to begin her first classes. I could help her there, too. There are certain processes you should follow when you begin teaching. In this case, we are obviously teaching theatre so ours are a bit different.

Here are my suggestions for Amy to teach her students:

Write a teacher’s letter introducing yourself to the students and their parents
Quiz your students assessing how much the students all ready knew.
Begin with a week of theatre games to see how comfortable the students are in front of each other
Post your expectations around the room and discuss them with your class (involve them in writing them if you feel comfortable doing so)
Give time each day for the students to share about themselves. Do this while taking roll. I like to ask one question each day. Require a quick answer. For instance, possible questions–what is your favorite candy? your favorite movie?
Be consistent! If you begin the class with a warm-up and end with a cool down, do the same thing every day as much as possible. Students thrive with consistency.
Remember that you know more than the students do just by the fact that you have life experiences to bring to the lessons you teach.

Here are some other teaching tips: You Should Use These Effective Teaching Methods, Part One and Part Two

8. Find out if you have a budget and how much of it is for particular materials if it is allocated (such as textbooks, art supplies, etc.)

9. If you haven’t done so already, ask for any IEPs or 504 plans which are used in core classes with your students. You have a right to know about a student’s learning challenges and behavior modifications just as much as a core class teacher.

10. Locate the copier–find out if you can copy as much as you need or you have a limit

11.Locate the computer room incase you want to take the students there to do on line quizzes or lessons

12. Find a teacher friend–that takes a bit of time but there should be someone there who you can eat lunch with (not by yourself in your room) and vent to. Some of my best friends are my teacher friends even after all these year and now retired.

13. Take time for yourself every day when you arrive home. Take a walk around the block. Nap, read or paint. Do something every day which is just for yourself. Don’t be like my husband (also a teacher) and retire from your career and realize you have no hobbies or leisure skills because you wouldn’t take the time for yourself. That’s one of his biggest regrets I only recently found out.

I hope these two teacher scenarios and tips help you as you plan your class. Remember, you can do this–you just need a process, a procedure, to follow and know the steps to follow.

If you want to check out my customized bundles, go to: DramaMommaSpeaks

Or maybe you just want something pre-selected for you? In that case, pick up: Bundle Set Design and Choice Boards (Theater Around the World) or pick up my newest bundle of middle school drama lessons.

Please feel free to email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com if you have any questions or you, too want a customized bundle.

Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

October 20, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 7 Comments

Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

When becoming a drama teacher, I had high hopes of ending up in a large high school. But life didn’t work that way.Instead, I developed and administrated several youth theater companies for community theaters. Once our daughters were in elementary school and I no longer needed to stay home with them, I went back to teaching. Today, I’m going to discuss Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production.

For many years, I taught at the same time as I ran the youth programs (my last teaching position included teaching students in second through twelfth) with all of these other responsibilities. It was a crazy busy time, but It was necessary and I enjoyed it.

Thirty-eight plus years later, I can see my talents and knowledge were best used with students of every grade level. Surprisingly, I enjoyed teaching middle school students the most, but I liked directing the high school ones. Frankly, it was just easier.

Middle School Students Versus High School Students

Although as I write this, that isn’t really factual either. Let me put it this way–middle school students are fresh, accepting and diligent. High school students are quick, discerning and trusting if they think you know your stuff.

I do.

From time to time, teachers email me asking for advice on selecting a musical for their school or youth theater program. I’ve directed over 250 plays and musicals through the years. I’m glad I can help others.

Do you need some guidance? Here are my thoughts on the subject.

Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

Talent pool--Of course, we’d all like our talent pool to be large. Middle school students voices begin to change (especially boys) and if you cast the show in September it’s likely by the time you open in November your male lead’s voice may have dropped. That’s okay. Teach him how to talk sing his lyrics and he’ll be fine.
Number of Students–More important than the talent pool is the number of students which are interested and the number of roles available if the show you’ve selected. Can you cast everyone? Do you want to involved everyone? I wouldn’t recommend using a particular show as a recruitment tool. Start small if your department is new at your school and over tie you can produce large cast shows. There’s nothing wrong with tempting interested students who have never acted to have to wait until the second production. It makes the experience all the more special.
Funds for producing–Can your budget afford the production you selected? Musicals are notoriously expensive, but they usually bring in the larger audiences.
Costumes and Set Requirements–What about the needs of the costumes and the set? Are the costumes something you can rent or build? Do you have volunteers to sew them? Do characters change costumes many times? Does the set have anything that is crucial to it? Can you design a set which is inexpensive, but gets across the setting? Or do you have a technical theater director and students to build it?

Here’s one show I think is great for middle school–Willy Wonka, Jr.

Ten Important Elements to Consider When Directing a Youth Theater Production

A quick synopsis—Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR. follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory — or suffer the consequences.
Characters–I love the characters in Willy Wonka, Jr. Plus, students enjoy them, too! What’s easiest for students to portray? Characters near their age. There’s Verua Salt, Charlie Bucket, August Gloop, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teevee. Plus, there are the roles of the parents, the Oompa Loompas,Charlie’s grandparents and of course Willy Wonka. (Several times, I’ve cast Willy Wonka with a female.)
Costumes, Sets and Props--I’ve been lucky enough to have parent volunteers who create the stage properties for me. Some of these props can be collected easily, but a few need more attention–the chocolate bars, the fizzing lifting drink, etc. But a warning if you are new to producing a musical: they notoriously have many stage properties.
Audience appeal–Roald Dahl’s book of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or which the musical was adapted is quite popular with children to read and the title has word recognition. Whole families can attend without any worry about subject matter or language. Everyone can relate to the story–from the children contestants to the parents. Some of the best lines are Willy Wonka’s asides to the audience. They come across as private jokes and that’s such fun.
Music–Oh my gosh, it’s so clever! It’s written in key signatures young voices can reach and sing strongly. No trying to reach notes which are completely out of their range. Students pick it up quickly, plus Music Theater International provides rehearsal CDs for your students to use. Personally, I think the rehearsal cd is worth its weight in gold. Students become very confident singing because they learn the music right along with the CD. If you’ve never used the MTI rehearsal cds, you will not believe how much it helps the students.

If you are considering double casting, check out Double Casting a Show?

Having directed Willy Wonka, Jr. four times, I know it very well. It never grows old.

I have one complaint

Length–The show is a little long (In the past, I’ve cut reprises near the end. I even gave one of the Oompa Loompa reprises to the contestants in the Willy Wonka contest.) If you have students which can sustain their energy for ninety minutes, then great! It’s my experience that the length drains their energy. I mean, they are only kids, you know?

If you would like more information about directing a production, check out Critical Steps in Selecting a Play or Musical: Budget & Royalties or Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical: Costumes

Create Your Own Musical Lesson

Are you looking for a lesson to engage your students which teaches about writing a musical? Here is one.

Create Your Own Musical

Teach your students the process of creating a musical of their own! This lesson gives your students an opportunity to work cooperatively and become playwrights and lyricists by adapting a portion of a children’s book. It is most successful with students in sixth through eighth grade, especially students new to theater class or in a Language Arts class. In addition, a teacher could use this lesson with students who are distance learning #DistanceLearningTPT

Please note: To teach this lesson, you will need to check your school library or purchase several children’s books. I used a Berenstain Bears book for the example.

This product includes:

a letter to the teacher
warm up—MY version of this popular exercise
teacher’s script–what I say and how I say it!
procedure for the entire lesson
outline assignment
example of outline
detailed assignment sheet for students
storyboard template
rubric–FULLY EDITABLE
links
sources

I hope this helps you and gives you a nice start to selecting a musical to produce with students. If you need any more help, please feel free to contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Want a FREE guide and lesson plan to help you teach creative dramatics in your classroom? Go to https://dramamommaspeaks.respond.ontraport.net/

How Theatre Shaped My Life Volume Two

September 1, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

How Theatre Shaped My Life Volume Two

This is the second blog post in my series, “How Theatre Shaped My Life.” Here is the first: How Theatre Shaped My Life

I find it quite intriguing that many people who take theatre classes inspire to be or become community servants. What is the connection for them? Or is there one at all?

Upon researching this connection, I found an interesting quote from the abstract, “Toward a Synthesis of Science and Theatre Arts” by Professor, Kay DeMetz, “Science and theatre seek the same goals, in the same way, using the same language. That is, they both seek to understand the natural world through intelligence and insight. Scientists speak of finding“truth”; theatre artists work to present verisimilitude, or similarity to life onstage.” For more information from this abstract, go to https://files.eric.ed.gov

Fascinating, yes?

I asked former students of mine to share how theatre shaped their life. Two of the three women here work as community servants, the third aspires to be one.

Here are their thoughts.

Benefits of Theater Education

Want some more help in the classroom? Check out my FREE Guide and ten page lesson Here

Hannah Matousek

When I meet new people, they’re usually shocked to learn that I’m both a biology major and an actress. However, I don’t find it strange at all. For me, theatre is actually necessary for my sanity; every single character I’ve played has influenced my own character, which I’m constantly trying to improve. I believe that these characters have even become an extension of myself. A good example of this can be seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was devastated when live theatre had to be cancelled, but luckily my school theater was able to resume live shows with limited audiences in fall 2020. The very first show I was in post-lockdown was The Living, a show about the Black Plague that struck London in the 17^th century. My character, Sarah Chandler, dealt with confusion, death, and loss, just as I was trying to deal with the stress surrounding the public health crisis we found (and still find) ourselves in. Throughout the show, though, I began to see bits and pieces of Sarah’s character that I wanted to adopt as my own in order to support my own character.

When I am on the stage, I am both myself and the character. But in real life, I am wholly myself. I adopt the traits of my characters as my own and mold them to fit my own real-life situations.

I am not a professional actress. I am not even a theatre student. But I know that my experience with theatre and character work will be a huge part of each and every one of my successes in my personal and professional life in the future.

Maybe someday I’ll be a doctor in some prestigious hospital. Maybe I’ll be at the bed of a patient who is on their way out of this life. My strength in that moment will come from Sarah Chandler.

Benefits of Theater Education

Katharine Atwood

This is Katharine Atwood, my oldest daughter. If there is anyone who can share her thoughts on this subject, it is she.⁣
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A nurse friend of mine said to me the other day, “We’re like ducks. Most people just see our calm faces and think that’s all that’s happening, but beneath the surface, we’re paddling hard.”⁣
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I first learned to do this on stage. You have to keep track of what’s currently going on in the script while anticipating what comes next. All the while making sure you don’t give it away before it’s time for the laugh, the joke, or song. ⁣

As a nurse, this skill now translates to a mental list of checked boxes related to vital signs, consent forms, alarm sounds, and a myriad of other details pertaining to the current patient or one down the hallway. While all of this buzzes away in my head, I smile as I walk in the door and sweetly say “Hi! My name is Katharine. I’ll be your nurse today.”⁣
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When I was a kid, I was somewhat shy. I didn’t like speaking to strangers. I had trouble with self confidence. Drama helped me to feel comfortable with what I was capable of in a safe place. Playing a character instead of myself, I was able to buffer my shyness. And over time, my extroverted and more confident self began to emerge.⁣
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Thanks to theater, I don’t panic when things get off course or start to downward spiral. “The show must go on,” or so they say. I have looked into the frightened eyes of many patients in critical situations and told them as I’m hiding my own fears or insecurities, “You fight like heck. Don’t give up yet.” ⁣
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I truly believe that if I hadn’t been involved in theater I wouldn’t be the nurse that I am today. I would have never thought that so many skills I learned both on stage and behind would be transferable to healthcare. But they are. ⁣
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So for my pic I chose the perfect mash up of nurse and actor: me in all my PPE just as the world began to go nuts last year. As I say on the floor, “the theater is leaking again.” I bet you can see it too. ⁣

⁣

Benefits of Theater Education

Ruth King

My name is Ruth King. I currently have the honor of serving in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Field Machinist Mate and a Sub Vol. This job is known throughout all branches as being a significantly difficult and rigorous profession.
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The performing arts and, in particular, Musical Theatre, were instrumental in allowing me to experience the mental and emotional healing I needed to pursue my dream of serving in the military. And every day it helps me renew my strength and zest for life while I am here. I thank God for blessing me with the chance to get to know and practice the performing arts. It honestly helped me become a better and happier human and from there influenced everything in my life I did after. ⁣
⁣
Doing a difficult or somewhat distasteful task? ⁣
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Sing! Dance! Afraid of reaching for your dreams? Take a leap of faith! As a very good friend of mine once said, “Everything will still be alright after you audition, even if you fail. There will still be sunshine and trees and oxygen outside. I promise.” ⁣
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Need to make friends or want to touch people’s lives? Reach out and take a risk! Build touch touchstones and draw others in…include them. Feel as though your world has just ended? Sing! Speak! Write! Act! Dance! Play music!

⁣
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Express yourself through art! ⁣
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Art of any kind, especially theater and music, assists the participant in validating and processing through emotion and the human experience. Performing Musical Theater and other art forms is still my ultimate dream. ⁣
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Meanwhile, every day I wake up happier and more thankful knowing that art, the dramatic and otherwise, is out there, readily available for your active participation and/or delighted spectation! To all who read this, be well and safe.⁣
⁣

Thank you Hannah, Katharine and Ruth!

If you’d like to know about my moment when theatre not only shaped but saved me, go to: How Theatre Saved My Life

Did theatre shape your life? Maybe it was another art form? I’d love to hear about and maybe down the road, I’ll feature you too!

Looking for a FREE lessons, posters, etc? Check out my Free Stuff!

Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Three Ways to Memorize Lines for a Play or Musical

May 11, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

Three Ways to Memorize Lines for a Play or Musical

Before you jump into all the fun stuff of participating in a production, we must address the elephant in the room–memorizing lines. For some people this can make or break their experience. Let’s talk about three ways to memorize lines for a play or musical.

Being part of a production can be a very rare life experience filled with exciting moments, making new friends and creating a project with other imaginative beings in the span of about six weeks.

“Really?” You say. “It will happen that quickly?”

Yup.

If you have ever tried to memorize lines, you know the anxiety that comes from trying to do so. I’m here to tell you that memorizing lines does not have to be stressful. In fact it can be fun and more like a game, so read on.

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

What is Memorizing by Rote?

Memorizing by rote is the act of practicing your lines many times in hopes that you will take them into your brain and the lines will be there when you need them.

Is memorizing lines difficult? It can be for some people.
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It isn’t as difficult as you think.

Can a person be too old to memorize? Nope.

According to education.com: “Age can and often does negatively impact memory capacity, but aging doesn’t necessarily always affect memory. An older person who has an active lifestyle, including regular physical activity, mental activity, and social interaction, could have a short-term memory as sharp as someone several decades younger.”

So there! You can’t use your age as an excuse or reason you can’t memorize lines.

Three Ways to Memorize Lines

Method #1 Memorizing Lines

The first method is to walk the blocking and memorize lines as you do so.

“What?” you say, “It’s that easy?”⁣ Yup.

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
⁣
Step 1–Find a place in your home with some furniture pieces to use as stand ins for the set. ⁣
⁣
Step 2–Designate each furniture piece as parts of the set (the table and chair is the kitchen, for example)⁣
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Step 3–Go through your lines reading your script saying the lines aloud.⁣
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Step 4–Your second time through, WALK the first scene in which you speak, slowly memorizing the lines using the blocking to help you. Remember: take this slowly and don’t force it!)⁣
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P.S. A good director will give you blocking and/or help you to find the right blocking for your character. ⁣

Method #2 Memorizing Lines

This method isn’t the one which works best for me, but some people prefer it.

Record your lines with your cues.

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Step 1–Go through your script and record the line(s) of the person right before you

Step 2–Leave some room on your recording for the amount of time if you said your line immediately.

Step 3–Record your line(s) right after the cue.

Step 4–Begin at the top of the show and learn your lines one by one. Listen to the cue, then say the line, then check it!

People who have a commute like this method because they can listen as they drive.

Method #3 (Best Method In My Opinion)

My daughter was an avid performer when she was a young person. Usually, she had no problem memorizing lines, but one year I agreed to allow her to perform in two shows at once. (Yeah, I know, I know…)

Needless to say, her life became very stressful trying to keep the two shows straight. However, she used one of her favorite ways to study for tests to learn her lines–FLASHCARDS!

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO.
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Step 1–purchase a bunch of notecards from someplace like Officedepot.com and number them ⁣
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Step 2–write on the back of the card, write out our lines in LONG HAND ⁣
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Step 3–notate on the front of the card, write out your cue lines in LONG HAND which are just before yours.⁣

Note: The mere action of writing out the cards in long hand helps your brain to remember them. Don’t try to memorize them as you are writing them–relax and just write out the lines focusing on writing them.⁣
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Step 4–put the card in numerical order and read through them. Read the cue line and your line preceding it.⁣
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Step 5–now we begin memorizing the lines. This is a building block method so don’t hurry. ⁣
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Work with a few flashcards at a time, building on the card pile as you go. ⁣

My Experience with Line Memorization

I portrayed Penny in You Can’t Take It With You and she spoke constantly. When it was time to memorize lines, I used the flashcard method to run my lines. However, it was a little tricky to rehearse as I drove down through the mountains from Estes Park to work. Just a little dangerous. (Oops!)

There are other methods to memorize lines, but these three are the ones I am most familiar with and suggest to my actors.

Please Don’t Do this

Several years ago, I directed On Golden Pond an unconfident and novice actor thought he could leave his lines on notecards around the stage and occasionally refer to them.

He never figured that my stage manager checked the set each night prior to the curtain and took off anything which looked like trash. Hmmmm. Guess whose notecards weren’t on stage when he needed them?

Maybe he should have used the flash card method?

If you’d like to learn more about my directing experiences, check out Eighteen Ways to Make Your Directing Experience Less Stressful or you’d like some production advice Critical Steps in Budget and Royalties

Everyone has their own way to memorize lines. My advice? Please don’t learn them numerically! All you need to have happen is one person doesn’t say their line and your whole numbering sequence is off. Yikes.

NEW PRODUCT: There is a new app. for actors to help them with line memorization. Go check it out: LineBuddies

See ya next time!

Deb

I’d love to hear about your acting/directing experiences. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or Deborah Baldwin.net.

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