Recap: THE STEPS:
2. The distribution of the roles
3. Introducing the play to the students
4. Rehearsals
5. Costumes and decors
6. The night of the event
Step 4- The Rehearsals
I begin the rehearsals about 5 weeks prior to the performances and have students role play;
Warm-up (the mirror game or some other theatrical games);
We do read aloud in the target language;
I teach mini pronunciation lessons;
The students rehearse by scene;
While the students from scene 1 rehearse, the other students study silently their lines or make index cards of the lines and study their scene(s);
At home the students study the pronunciation of their lines with some videos of my reading of the plays that I have sent via e-mail to them and their parents, along with a pdf of the lines in both English and Spanish;
It is up to the teacher to decide whether to have the students memorize the lines or allow them to use index cards and read. However, the expectations should be clearly stated in advance, including in an e-mail to the parents with any important dates. For instance if you expect the students to have memorized their lines by a certain date, you have to send an e-mail to the parents with the date, as well as reminders.
Frequent communication to the parents and reminders ( I send emails every week or every two weeks) is the key to a successful Theater Night event.
Be present!
Eyes toward the audience (look above people’s heads)
Voice- Use a big voice as if the audience cannot hear you well!
Acting- Exaggerate!
The Mirror game- Two partners face each other. One partner does different gestures and movements, the other partner is the mirror, so they mirror the actions of partner one.
"Have you seen Mrs. Mumbly?" Pull both lips over the top of your teeth. Ask this question to the person next to you. They respond however they want.. Stretches the lips, so you speak with more articulation, in a bigger way.
Send your voice to a place. You can aim your voice like you aim water at plants. You can water the plant right in front of your, or you can aim for a wider area.
Pass different sized imaginary balls. The small one is light and delicate. The biggest one is so heavy.
Build a robot machine. One person starts by making a motion and a sound. The next person comes up next to them, and adds in a different sound and a different motion. Keep adding.
Walk the space and then walk with a sense of aggression
Blind fold through obstacles
Hold firm eye-contact fluctuating between first friendly and then hostile moods.
One partner directed and one partner followed. The orders improve and are to be followed instantly; an insightful dynamic
Two-minute silent performance with a partner
Walk around tossing a tennis balls, increasing the tempo and number of balls as you navigate the space of the room
The number game: laying on you backs, count as high as possible without speaking over each other.
Apologizing non-verbally to a partner
See and be seen exercise where you watched a group of classmates and they watch you.
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