lga 3104 drama theatre techniques 2

8/10/2019 LGA 3104 DRAMA Theatre Techniques 2

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TOPIC 3

In this unit, you will learn about:

Theatrical and drama techniques

Stage Directions for childrens drama

Stagecraft/usage

Drama techniques

Drama activities

You will also discuss Drama in the Malaysian Primary School Curriculum in relation to inter/intra personal and language development through plays and drama

linking plays and drama with the different themes

- !orld of "nowledge- !orld of Stories- !orld of Self

Theatre techniquesare procedures that facilitate a successful presentation of a play# $hey also

include any practices that advance and enhance the understanding the audience %rings to the

action and the acting %y the cast on stage#

The playwright's craft

$heatre technique is part of the playwright&s creative writing of drama' as a kind

of mimesisrather than mere illusionorimitationof life' in that the playwright is a%le to present a

reality to the audience that is different' yet recognisa%le to that which they usually identify with in

their everyday lives#

(nother aspect of this is that of creating the kind ofdialogue that makes the playwright&s

characters come alive and allows for their development in the course of his dramati)ation#

$he playwright&s art also consists in the a%ility to convey to the audience the ideas that give

essence to the drama within the frame of its structure# *inally' the feeling for the naturaldivisions of a play+including acts'scenes' and changes of place+its entries and e,its' and the

positioning of the castare integral to playwriting technique#

-ne of the playwrights functions is that concerned withadaptationsof e,isting traditional

drama' such as Charles Marowit)s collagesof HamletandMacbethand other re.interpretations

of Shakespeare&s works' as well as $om Stoppards approaches inRosencrantz & Guildenstern

Are Dead'Dogg's Hamlet' and Cahoot's Macbeth#

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playwrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialoguehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_(theater)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_(fiction)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_memberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Marowitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Stoppardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_%26_Guildenstern_Are_Deadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_%26_Guildenstern_Are_Deadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_%26_Guildenstern_Are_Deadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogg's_Hamlethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogg's_Hamlethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahoot's_Macbethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahoot's_Macbethhttp://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=476&tbm=isch&tbnid=pReTGFFTMQ1XUM:&imgrefurl=http://www.clipartpal.com/clipart_pd/education/dictionary1.html&docid=HG4ykJVU6SdTjM&imgurl=http://www.clipartpal.com/_thumbs/pd/education/look_it_up_T.png&w=500&h=387&ei=6uxxUuyMH4mNrQfV1oHYCQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:86,s:0,i:348&iact=rc&page=7&tbnh=185&tbnw=239&start=85&ndsp=15&tx=154&ty=101http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialoguehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_(theater)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_(fiction)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_memberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Marowitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Stoppardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_%26_Guildenstern_Are_Deadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_%26_Guildenstern_Are_Deadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogg's_Hamlethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahoot's_Macbethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playwright


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The directors craft

$he director these days is responsi%le for the actual production of a play' as opposed to earlier

days when it was the producer who' at least in ritain until the 0123s' had this task# 4n earlier

centuries it was the author' an actor.manager' or a leading actor with whom the responsi%ilities

of staging a drama were invested#$he director produces the play in the way he envisages how it ought to %e seen as he interprets

what the playwright intended within the drama5 he takes care of the effectiveness of the

rehearsals of the actors5 and coordinates the work of designers and technicians in the

production#

6owever' the playwrights work is still reflected in the directors prompt copy' a separate form of

stage instructions worked out in detail %y the director' in which each actor is given details as to

what is happening onstage' where e,actly he has to %e in relation to the %ack' front' left' or right

of the stage' and what he is to do at any one time during the play#

Stage management and stagecraft

$he stage managerhas to work with the director' and ascertain whether %oth the directors

o%7ectives and the perceptions of the stage designersare compati%le and realistic# 6e is usually

the link %etween the director and the rest of the company' and is responsi%le for the directors

visions %eing passed down to each actorand mem%er of therunning crew# 6e is also

responsi%le for safetyand running an orderly %ackstage area# 6e maintains the prompt %ook

and the call %oard' to which rehearsalschedule notes are affi,ed for the cast#

Stagecraftoverall has to address the various shortcomings of the stages spatial and physical

limitations# *or e,ample' the stage alone cannot %e e,pected to provide wide and distant vistas'

or vast spaces where armies gather or huge masses of people congregate# 8atural phenomena

such as thunderstormsor winds' that are often part of the drama' cannot %e recreated in their

original form# *urthermore' %ecause of the distance involved' it is difficult for actors to portray

the feelings' tensions and passions of their characters to the audiencewith much

distinctiveness#

4t is for these reasons that special technologies and techniques have %een developed from

classical times onward to supplement and augment the effects that are to %e realised# $echnical

specialists help to implement these techniques %y providing e,pertise in various areas of the

production# $he stage manager and his team must ultimately draw all these separate

techniques together to create an effective and successful stage production#

Sets and scenerieshave to %e designed and created in the workshop# $hey include

outdoor and indoor scenes' or special types of constructions' and must also usually achieve

the appearance of depth and distance within the spatial limitations of the stage#

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prompt_(theatre)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_managerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_designerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_crewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safetyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_boardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehearsalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecrafthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderstormhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatrical_sceneryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workshophttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_(theatre)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prompt_(theatre)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_managerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_designerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_crewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safetyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_boardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehearsalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecrafthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderstormhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatrical_sceneryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workshophttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_(theatre)


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Stage lightinghas to %e provided to set the moods and sensitivities of the play' and to

permit the showing of the emotional charge in the face of the actors' possi%ly reinforcing the

pallor or vividness of their faces#

Costumeshave to typify characters from the moment they appear on stage and signify

the period or the social milieu in which the characters are to %e seen# $hey can also indicatethe characters& circumstances 9whether they should appear rich or poor: or even whether

they should %e seen ascomicor tragicpersonae#

Sound effectshave to convey natural phenomena' such as wind or storm# 6owever' it is

also their function to call forth moods and feelings the audience will recognise#

Special effectshave to deliver the imitations of physical actions on stage' such as

e,plosions' fireworks' fog' or even earthquakes that are often part of the story#

Riggingis an important aspect that is not often visi%le# (ll sound and lighting features

and their ca%ling and wiring have to %e held in a safe position' a%ove %oth the stage and the

auditorium' and therefore require specialist temporary and permanent fittings to %e installed#

$he technical director' especially in larger theatres' has the responsi%ility of overseeing

the rigging and construction of the stage scenery# 6e creates working drawings from the

scenic designers drawings in order to pass on the designs to the scene shop#

Trends and moements

The three unities

$he Classical unitiesof time' action and place were the main principles of *renchneo.

classicaldramaduring part of the 0;th century#$hey were introduced %y


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Theatre presentation

Some dramatistsand dramaturgists try to achieve particular effects that are not normally sought

in a theatre presentation#

!efamiliari"ation effect

ertolt rechtcoined the term =defamiliari)ation effect= 9sometimes called =estrangement effect=

or =alienation effect=5 >erman Verfremdungseffekt: for an approach to theater that focused on

the central ideas and decisions in the play' and discouraged involving the audience in an illusory

world and in the emotions of the characters# recht thought the audience required an emotional

distance to reflect on what is %eing presented#

Techniques

Some Drama $echniques

.*lashforward/*lash%ack

.Conscience Corridor

.Sound.scaping

.?ole.on.the.wall

.Physical $heatre

.Split focus

.Cross.cutting

.$a%leau, 9a#k#a# *ree)e *rame:

.Mime

.Slow motion

.Choral Speech

.reaking $he *ourth !all

.Choral movement

.Clocking the audience

.Still image

.Slap stick

.$hought tracking

.@,aggerated movement

.Spoofing

$here are many drama techniques# $hese are often used in theatre productions#

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brechthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verfremdungseffekthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brechthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verfremdungseffekt


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Teichoscopy

-ne of the oldest techniques that has %een used often' is that of teichosco!or the =viewing

from the wall=' in which actors o%serve events %eyond the confines of the stage' such as a

distant %attle' and discuss it on stage while the %attle is taking place' as opposed to the event

%eing reported %y messengers at a later time after the event has happened# Shakespeareusesthis technique in the final scenes of "ulius Caesar#

Reference# $dited from %ikiedia the free enc!cloedia

!rama as a teaching tool#

Asing drama to teach @nglish results in real communication' involving ideas' emotions' feelings'appropriateness and adapta%ility# Such activities give the teachers a wider option of learner.

centered activities to choose for classroom teaching' %eing e,tremely efficient in teaching

@nglish#

$eaching @nglish may not fulfill its goals# @ven after years of @nglish teaching' the students do

not gain the confidence of using the language in and outside the class# $he conventional

@nglish class hardly gives the students an opportunity to use language in this manner and

develop fluency in it#

(n attractive alternative is teaching language through drama %ecause it gives a conte,t for

listening and meaningful language production' forcing the students to use their languageresources and' thus' enhancing their linguistic a%ilities# 4t provides situations for reading and

writing# 4t is very useful in teaching literary te,ts as it helps in analy)ing the plot' character and

style# 4t also involves students more positively and actively in the te,t#

Drama is a unique tool' vital for language development as it simulates reality and develops self.

e,pression# Drama techniques are equally successful in making students e,perience language

in operation and provide motivation to use language em%edded in a conte,t and a situation#

y using drama techniques to teach @nglish' the monotony of a conventional @nglish class can

%e %roken and the sylla%us can %e transformed into one which prepares students to face their

immediate world %etter as competent users of the @nglish language %ecause they get an

opportunity to use the language in operation#

Drama is considered %y many students to %e important for the development of social and

communication skills and tolerance when working with others# $hey feel that they get to know

people %etter' especially as they often work with peers with whom they would not normally

associate# eing a%le and confident to perform in front of the class gives them a higher status

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teichoscopyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar_(play)http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=hEl-a45lesgPjM&tbnid=WTCNqQ6-7AM3JM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://jobspapa.com/education-clip-art.html&ei=-rBxUtZixbeuB825gVg&bvm=bv.55819444,d.bmk&psig=AFQjCNFvHqWTl1K8Bicv_vjL6cMnS3kMbA&ust=1383268944037121http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teichoscopyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar_(play)


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with the rest of the group# 4t is accepta%le to show off and %e good at something# $his positive

reaction contrasted strongly with much more negative comments a%out some other su%7ects in

the curriculum where students spoke of keeping their a%ility to themselves for fear of %eing

ridiculed#

Students can use the conventions of drama as a means of e,ploring and discovering what lies%eneath the surface of the te,ts they engage within the @nglish classroom#

4n a very concrete and physical way' students can' through their drama.making' ask questions

a%outB !ho is telling the story 9voice' gender' culture etc#:5 *or whom5 !hat form does the

story take5 !hat is emphasi)ed/ made invisi%le5 6ow else could the story %e told 9from other

perspectives:5 !hat is the real story %eing told 9what are we %eing persuaded to think/feel:#

Students can$

e,plore the issues within the story %efore meeting the te,t5 enact scenes in the original te,t5

take the roles of characters or voices from the te,t and %e questioned a%out motives and

intentions5

use space and o%7ects 9including costume: in a variety of realist and sym%olist ways to

represent meanings in the te,t5 to physically represent the psychic or cultural distance %etween

characters' for instance5

create missing scenes or moments that are suggested %ut not fleshed out in the original te,t5

e,plore how to use gesture to convey su%.te,t5 how inner speech can %e visi%ly played for

instance5

script' or improvise' alternative scenes or endings5

e,tend the story %ack in time or forward into an imagined future5

add or e,pand minor characters and their lives and involvement5

demonstrate to each other that there can %e a variety of possi%les when it comes to the

interpretation and representation of meanings 9different groups will respond to the same task in

different ways:#

Conversation E the informal interchange of thoughts and information %y spoken words . has

many functions# $he purposes of conversation include the e,change of information' the creation

and maintenance of social relationships such as friendship' the negotiation of status and social

roles' as well as deciding on and carrying out 7oint actions#

$here are three ma7or components in conversation#

Fuestions and answers are the %ack%one of directed conversation sessions# Guckily' there are

different ways to vary the question.answer formatB question E single statement' question E

multiple statements' question E deduced from answer' multiple questions drawn from a single

statement#

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4n the first phase' question.answer drill helps the student internali)e the phonetic and syntactic

design of @nglish# $he questions have no necessary relation to the students life or interests'

and he simply responds according to instructions from the teacher#

( useful variation is to give students a factual reply and have them deduce the question orquestions that would have produced such a reply# !hile this technique has the coloration of a

manipulative drill' it is 7ustified in a conversation class' %ecause all the speech elements are

drawn from reality# @*G students spend more of their time answering questions than asking

questions# $hat is why' such techniques as deducing questions from answers or working with

multiple questions from a single statement are recommended in directed conversation practice#

$hese e,ercises correct the im%alance in students syntactic repertoire and promote facility in

question formation E a much needed skill in all conversation#

$he second ma7or element in conversation is comments# 6aving one student comment on what

another student has 7ust said %rings out the matter of re7oinders# ?e7oinders are sprinkled

throughout conversation# $hey are conventional' generally %rief' sentences that e,press

interest' surprise' disagreement' enthusiasm' sympathy' or simply reassurance that the speaker

is %eing listened to# Since each language has esta%lished its own standardi)ed re7oinder

formulae' it is essential that students learning @nglish resist temptation to translate their native

language re7oinders into @nglish# -therwise' students will give a peculiar impression to @nglish

speakers#

@,clamations' the third component in conversation' result from une,pected circumstances in the

linguistic or non.linguistic environment# $he non.native @nglish speaker has to develop a special

feel for these forms and must choose appropriate conte,ts in which to utter them# 4f he is not

careful and says them in an eager attempt to imitate the native speaker' he is apt to soundludicrous#

Dialogues and improvisations are forms of role.playing' which is an engaging device to

stimulate students to use their newly acquired @nglish#

$he dialogue is a short conversation %etween two people presented as a language model#

Some consider dialogues as a manipulative phase of language learning as students spend

much time repeating them for pronunciation and memori)ation practice' or for grammar drills on

selected lines# !hen underlining its communicative function' dialogues glamour seems to

wane#

$he improvisation is a dramatic hypothetical situation in which two speakers interact without any

special preparation' demanding a high degree of language proficiency and imagination# Drama

students learn how to polish their acting a%ilities in improvisations# @nglish students working

with improvisations use the language in an inventive and entertaining form# $he situation has to

%e clearly stated' easy to act out and to have dramatic story twist# !hen students are fairly

fluent in @nglish' they should %e a%le to create a plausi%le conversation around the given

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situation' complete with appropriate facial e,pressions and gestures# $his kind of e,ercise is fun

for the participants and entertains the rest of the class who serve as the audience#

4f students have reached the advanced level in @nglish' they may %e e,pected to give speeches

or they may en7oy participating in de%ates# $he teacher should reserve speech assignments for

students who have good group spirit and who know each other very well# 6e/ she should alsoallow the student enough time to prepare his speech %eforehand and make the time limit for the

speech short E no more than five minutes# 4t would %e %etter for the student not to stand in front

of the group when making his/ her speech' %ut to sit down so that he would feel more at ease#

@*G students will speak more fluently if they can represent their true feelings on an issue# 4n

choosing a de%ate topic for @nglish conversation groups the teacher should find a topic that has

elements of controversy %ut does not arouse uncontrolla%le passions#

(lthough conversational competence can only come from fluency activities or natural language

interaction outside the classroom' there is an argument for the use of controlled activities which

help students develop confidence as well as the a%ility to participate in and maintain simple'

commonly encountered conversations#

(ctivities which are meant to promote e,change of personal information E such as Chain

names' 8ame %ingo' *ind someone who' >uess who . also promote trust and confidence#

$he aim of the activity called Chain names is to introduce students to each other#

Procedure

$he teacher asks the students to sit in a semi.circle' and nominate one student to introduce

himself/ herselfB 4m Mary# $he person ne,t to him/ her must then repeat his/ her name' and thenintroduce himself/ herselfB Mary' 4m uess who is designed for elementary/ intermediate level# $he students are given statements

of personal information a%out other students and they have to ask questions in order to

esta%lish the persons identity#

$he students write four facts a%out themselves on a piece of paperB 4 was %orn in Craiova# 4 ride

my %ike every day# 4 like @nglish# $hey fold their pieces of paper and pass them anonymously to

the front of the class# $he teacher collects them together and then redistri%utes them so thateach student has personal information a%out another student# $he students have to find out

whose information they have %y turning the statements into questions' and then asking other

students those questions# $he activity ends when every%ody has found out whose personal

information they have#

Fuestioning in role/hot seating involves one of the students 9 the teacher could also take on the

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hot seat in case there arent any student volunteers: ### %eing questioned in a role a%out their

motives' character and attitude to a situation or other people and so on#9*leming' M# 011H: 4n

literary te,ts' it can %e used to deepen characteri)ation# 4n case the level of the students

questions remains literal' or %arely relevant' the teacher should intervene and give lead# $his

technique operates in a controlled manner and is' therefore' very useful for the teacher who is

new to drama# $e,ts a%out characters who have done heroic feats' lived an adventurous life or%een in the news for some reason or the other' can %e used for hot seating or questioning in a

role#

$he aims of the activity areB comprehension and interpretation of character' taking down notes'

practice in report writing#

Procedure

$he class is told that they are newspaper reporters at a press conference to interview the

character after his/ her adventures#

$he character 9a student who has volunteered to take on the role: sits in the front' facing the

rest of the class and answers questions posed %y the reporters# 6e is interviewed for no more

than 03 minutes# $he reporters ask not 7ust questions' %ut also take notes in order to write a

news story or a more descriptive feature article for the ne,t edition of their paper# 4n case of a

large num%er of students in the class' a%out three students can team together and pose as

reporters from the same newspapers# $he whole activity can %e made more dramatic %y asking

the students to make their nameplates with newspaper names and display them on their desks#

( learner can %e given the role of a moderator who introduces the character and ensures a

smooth functioning of the conference# (fter the interview is over' the teams of reporters work

together for the write.up# $he learner who has %een questioned in the role of the character can

7oin one of the teams of the reporters#

%ollow&up

$he reports are read aloud in class and the students discuss with the teacher which are the

good ones and why# >ood reports are put up on the class wall maga)ine#

$elephone conversations test the students a%ility to react quickly and' though the students are

free to say whatever they like' they have to %ear in mind whatever is said %y the other speaker

and continue the conversation accordingly# $his technique helps enhancing the speaking.

listening skills of the students#

$he aims of this activity areB %eing a%le to sustain a meaningful telephone conversation'

interpretation of character#

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Procedure

$he class is divided into groups of two students# $he students sit with their %acks to each other

so that they can only hear their telephone conversation partner# $he students in each group are

to imagine that they are two different characters# ( particular situation from the story/ te,t is

taken for which every pair has to %uild up a telephone conversation# $he teacher could ask themto discuss another character or some specific event from the te,t# $he teacher could also go

%eyond the te,t and give them a conflicting situation and ask them to resolve it as the

characters they are role playing#

%ollow up

$he conversations can %e later written down in the note%ooks# @ach student writes down the

entire conversation that he/ she has had with his/ her partner# $hese can %e e,changed and

read %y different pairs#

Soliloquy/ $hought $racking can %e e,ploited for interpreting the literary te,t and' especially' for

understanding a fictitious character# 4n this particular technique' the student gets into the skin of

the character and thinks from his/her point of view# 6e/ she totally empathi)es with the

character# 4t is suggested that literary te,ts having an omniscient narrator would %e more

suita%le in comparison to pieces of writings/ essays giving accounts of personal e,periences#

$he aims of the activity areB reading comprehension' especially interpretation of te,t and

character' writing diary entries' i#e#' %eing a%le to e,press personal feelings and thoughts#

Procedure

$he class is divided into groups of five or si, students# 4n groups' students are to select animportant point of time in the main characters life in their te,t# 4t could %e a time of success'

failure' disappointment' loss' re7ection' isolation or struggle' a time when the teacher has a

monologue with himself#

(fter having selected a crucial point of time' the individual mem%ers of the groups are to

articulate aloud the thoughts of the character to each other# (fter having heard each others

interpretations' the group has to work on a final one which will %e presented in front of the class

%y a student as if he/ she were actually the character going through that moment#

%ollow up

(fter the representatives of all the groups have performed' the class discusses which were the

%etter selections and performances# $his could %e consolidated %y writing the soliloquies in the

form of diary entries in their note%ooks later on#

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References

Davison'


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guesses the location of the conversation and whom the doll or toy represents# Continue untilevery student has a chance to speak#

.# Special /e$ 0 /emori"ation (ame( good memory is essential on the theater stage and in the real world# 6elp students e,ercisetheir memori)ation muscles while also %uilding self.esteem and a sense of identity# $he

following game will also help you gain insight into students personalities#

!ith the class sitting in a circle' have each student share something he/she is proud of' thankfulfor' or happy a%out# Moving clockwise' each student should take turns completing the sentence'L4 am and 4 am special %ecause#N ?emind students *irst 8ame ?easonthat they don&t have to pick an o%7ect that is special5 they could %e special %ecause of ane,perience or feeling# (fter each student shares his/her sentence' the person sitting to the leftmust state why the person who 7ust spoke is special %efore sharing his/her own uniquesentence#

3# Rhythm 0gain and 0gain(nother great memory game highlights rhythm and repetition# 4n addition to improving students&

memory retention' the following game helps students develop an understanding of sequenceand improves their a%ility to focus#

!hile sitting on the floor or at their desks' students take turns making a two.%eat sound withtheir feet' hands' or mouth# Start off the first round %y clapping your hands twice# $he person toyour right makes a sound of his/her choosing' such as finger.snapping twice' then repeats thesound you made# $he ne,t person makes a new two.%eat sound' then repeats the others# $hecreation and recollection of sounds continues around the room while keeping a steady %eat# 4f astudent is stumped' give out a clue then continue# Depending on the grade level' you maychoose to limit how many sounds in a row should %e made in each round# (t the end of eachround' invite the ne,t student to %egin a new sequence of sounds#

(fter everyone has participated' have the students perform+one %y one+only the sound theychose# Discuss the rhythm and musicality of the sounds the class performed

1# /oing ,oca*ulary(ctors must learn to move their %odies as well as their voices to portray a character# $eachstudents how to choreograph a series of movements' reinforce new voca%ulary' and introducetempo and rhythm to students+all in one activity#

efore class' pick a variety of ver%s+some that students are already familiar with and somethat they are learning 9e#g#' 7ump' stum%le' twist' %ounce' skate' fly' glide' skip:# !rite each wordon individual note cards and put all cards in one container# 6ave students form a circle and

invite each to pick a note card# !hile music is playing' students enter the circle' one %y one' anddemonstrate their movement# You will find that students keep time to the music as they aredemonstrating# 8e,t' %reak the class into groups of H or 2 and have them put their movementstogether into a dance# @ach person must incorporate his or her movement once into the groupdance# $he group decides the order of the movements and must figure out a way to smoothlytransition from one movement to the ne,t# 6ave each group perform their dance for the rest ofthe class' making sure that the movements accompany the tempo of the music# You may

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choose to repeat this activity' having each person incorporate his or her movement twice intothe group dance#

2# Charades$ 0 Character StudyDrama and language arts go hand in hand# Students can study characters in a nursery rhyme orstory %y acting out and guessing clues a%out a character&s main traits# 8ot only are students

learning how to recogni)e the details that make individuals unique' %ut they are also developingimportant presentation skills#

egin %y e,plaining the concept of charadesB -ne person uses gestures' movement' and faciale,pressions to get the class to guess a predetermined word+without talking# (s the audiencethrows out guesses' the actor nods yes if the guess is getting close or correct# efore class' pick0.H characters from a story or nursery rhyme and write the character&s traits or characteristicson large note cards# 6ave students study the cards and pick one trait 9or a com%ination of traits:that %est e,emplifies the character they are portraying# 4nvite students to individually act out atrait 9or traits: with movement' without speaking# You can choose to have the class guess thecharacter or the trait#

y enlivening your classroom with these drama games' your students will develop important lifeskills' enhance oral and communication skills' gain confidence' and have fun while learning#

Resource# htt#artsedge(kenned!)center(org

4n groups' discuss B

i# the drama games introduced in the given article#

ii# with reference to the Malaysian schools classrooms' how could the games %e carried

out %y the teacher#

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lga 3104 drama theatre techniques 2

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