Many of you will be starting a new semester.  Let me digress for a moment. One of the things that I feel strongly about is that no matter whether you are teaching teenagers, adults, directing a play, or involved in a community theatre production, you need to start out with at least one group activity so everyone can be introduced to one other.  We don’t get to know people by osmosis.  You will be working with each other for the span of 6-8 weeks when doing a play, or 9-36 weeks if we are teaching. Even if you are teaching the same students it would not be a bad idea to take time to play one of these games when you review your class rules again.  You will only get to know your students better.

We all remember the, “What I did last summer” or “What I did during Christmas Vacation” essay — boring!  It does tell us something about our summer/winter activities and also how we use grammar, but it does not get the “who we are” factor. Yes, I know, you may not be a drama teacher but you still want to know your students, whether you are a language arts teacher in junior high or a senior AP teacher. And yes, we have our subject to teach and need all the time we can to give those students every advantage when it comes to No Child Left Behind. However, before all that learning can take place, the students need to feel comfortable in the classroom and comfortable with their fellow students. When that is accomplished, who knows how far students can go and achieve.   

In my August 5 blog, I introduced two games I played at the beginning of the school year, Picnic and Clap Hands.  Refresh your memory by looking them over.  Another easy get-to-know-you game I have played is to divide the class into four groups by the following designations:

- Astrological signs

- Favorite season

- First Name

- First Name spelled backwards

I need to thank Justine Jones for suggesting these.  Do check out her two improvisation books, Improv Ideas and Drama Games and Improvs.

Another fun introduction game is to have the students introduce themselves — with a twist.  In advance, have prepared two introduction sheets on two different colors of paper.  (See Introduction Worksheet Group 1 and Introduction Worksheet Group 2) Have on hand a picture frame. I did not have one so I bought a large mat. 

Pass out the introduction sheets so half the class has one color and the other half has the other color. Then the students are to pair off, one with each color.  Give them three to four minutes to read each other’s sheet. The point is that they are going to introduce their partner, not themselves. They are only to cover three things on the sheet plus the person’s name. The person being introduced holds the frame in front of their face as their partner introduces them.

Next time I am going to talk a bit about play choice and then I want to share some of my character work I did with my beginning students.   

First name and why you were named that.

(Example: I am named for my Grandmother Maggie; my father was named after a cow!)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Your favorite movie, book, or TV series.

 ____________________________________________________________      

Your favorite color or food.

____________________________________________________________

What was the name of your first pet and what was it?

____________________________________________________________

Are you a morning or night person?

____________________________________________________________

The famous line below is from a movie or a play. If you don’t know the line, fill in the words so the line makes sense.  If you do know the line, write something that doesn’t make sense.  (Example: “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a turkey sandwich.”

Toto, I’ve got a ____________________we’re not in___________anymore.

First name and why you were named that.

(Example: I am named for my Grandmother Maggie; my father was named after a cow!)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Your favorite musical group or play.

____________________________________________________________      

Your favorite vacation.

___________________________________________________________

What was the name of your first pet and what was it?

          ____________________________________________________________

What is your favorite children’s book?

____________________________________________________________

The famous line below is from a movie or a play. If you don’t know the line, fill in the words so the line makes sense.  If you do know the line, write something that doesn’t make sense.  (Example: “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a turkey sandwich.”

To ______________or not to _______________ that is the question.

Given Titles

Split your class into groups of five actors. Inform the groups that they must create a scene to fit the title they are given, which you have written beforehand on your 3x5 cards. You could have all the titles in a hat and one person could draw the title — that way your students can’t say that you favored one group over another by giving them the “easy” piece. Not that that would ever happen! They will have exactly 3 minutes to discuss the scene quietly before you say, “Places.” The only rule is that they cannot say the title in the improvisation.

When you say “Places,” actors must take their position for the opening of the scene and freeze. Actors who enter after the scene has begun stand offstage. The scene is to begin when you call “Curtain.” Hopefully everyone in your class will be able to do this activity in one class period. I would not, however, give out the titles to each group at the same time — the groups not performing will want to talk about their presentation as other groups are performing. 

Here are some suggested titles to use in this exercise:

-Custer's Last Stand

-Monsters Have Feelings, Too

-George Washington at Home

-The Yellow Brick Road

-The Big Bully

-Maria's Birthday Party

-The Marriage Proposal

-The Sandbox

-The Pet Shop

-The Operation

-The Will

-The Detective

-Expectant Father

-The Submarine

-Rich People’s First Date

-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

-Substitute Teacher

-The Robot

-Superman's Problem

-Freddy the Frog

-Valentine's Day

-Book Report

-Wedding Anniversary

-The Exterminator

As always, urge the actors to concentrate on telling the story and play it as realistically as possible — no stereotypes. As the scene develops, be alert for overacting or lack of concentration. If necessary, freeze the action to call attention to such faults. Allow a good scene to run no longer than 4 minutes; a poor one should be cut very short. After the scene is over, ask the audience what the title was. This would also be a good time to use the Student Evaluation Form.