Saturday, March 17, 2018
Student actors often find it challenging to create a character with a unique-sounding voice – that is, to make their character not sound just like they do themselves. Whether students are …
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, March 10, 2018
Vocal health and hygiene are crucial for drama students. Whether students are working on monologues, group scenes, or musical numbers, having a healthy voice is a must. It’s important for …
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, March 3, 2018
One of the exciting aspects of rehearsal is experimenting with the text of the script and figuring out what the characters are saying and how they should say it. Each approach to the text wi…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, February 24, 2018
Teachers and directors – have you ever watched a run of your show, noticed a particular student, and wondered, “Now where did that performance come from?!” I’m talking about the stud…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, February 17, 2018
For those students who love dancing, simply mentioning the word “dance” gets them up on their feet and immediately moving. For other students, the idea of pirouettes, step-touches, and f…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, February 10, 2018
Stage combat is always one of the most eagerly anticipated lessons in drama class. Stage combat is fun to do and it’s a great workout. And when it’s done well it looks spectacular onstag…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, February 3, 2018
Fitness? Hey, this is supposed to be drama class, not gym class! I’m not a jock! I’m terrible at sports! Are you telling me I need to lose weight? Fitness is so important for drama stude…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, January 27, 2018
A common question that is asked of student actors when they’re analyzing their character is: “What was your character doing before this scene?” Or “What is your character going to do…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, January 20, 2018
What is a signature gesture? It’s a nonverbal, repeated movement your character is known for, that you perform in a particular way that is unique and identifiable. Common, well-known gestu…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, January 13, 2018
There are so many approaches to developing a character and making them fascinating and engaging. Some methods are more analytical, some are emotional, and some are physical. In this case, th…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, January 6, 2018
What do the musicals The Little Mermaid, Honk!, and Cats all have in common? They’re all shows that feature actors playing animals. It’s a lot of fun to play non-human characters, but th…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, December 23, 2017
After a production closes, reflecting on your process and thinking about the future are the natural next steps. They’re definitely an important part of the process, for you as a teacher an…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, December 16, 2017
After a show closes, there is often a ton of stuff left over – set pieces and flats, furniture, costume items, props, makeup and hair products… the list goes on and on! Ideally, your sch…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, December 9, 2017
Once a show has finished, the “post-show blues” often hit students. This can have a number of symptoms, including obsessively quoting lines and song lyrics from the show, starting every …
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, December 2, 2017
Once the final performance of a show is completed, what comes next? It’s time to tear down the set, clean the theatre from top to bottom, and return the space back to its regular, unadorne…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, November 25, 2017
I’m a stickler for theatre etiquette, and that includes being great audience members. No matter what performance you are watching, whether it be a classroom presentation, a school show, or…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, November 18, 2017
In my nearly ten years as a youth theatre director, I have experienced what seems like every emergency situation under the sun. From misplaced costume items and broken props, to skipping CDs…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, November 11, 2017
Performing onstage with friends, family, peers, and even strangers watching can be extremely nerve-wracking. Putting yourself out there, being vulnerable, and taking risks onstage takes a lo…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, November 4, 2017
Creating pre-show rituals and routines is so helpful for students. It clears their minds and gets them into their “theatre brains” – the mindset needed to leave their personal issues a…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, October 28, 2017
When creating a theatrical piece, it’s important to engage as many of the five senses as possible, including sound. It’s easy when you’re working on a musical; the sounds of the show a…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, October 21, 2017
An organized backstage is a calm backstage, and a running list can help keep things running smoothly during a production. What is a running list? It’s a scene-by-scene breakdown of scene c…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, October 14, 2017
Tech week…the phrase alone can send shivers down the spine of the most calm and unflappable theatre professionals. Tech week has the reputation of being long and taxing. But it doesn’t h…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, October 7, 2017
Cleaning up anybody else’s mess is no fun. Cleaning up a messy backstage after a show is especially disheartening – it takes away any good feelings that were cultivated during a good per…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 30, 2017
Sometimes we get caught up in all the bells and whistles of a theatrical production. Sumptuous sets, elaborate costumes, piles of props, mountains of furniture – they’re all wonderful, b…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 23, 2017
Costumes are such a fabulous part of theatre – they help tell the story, they help actors get into character, and they immediately tell the audience something about what’s going on. For …
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 16, 2017
Props can add so much to a production, but they can also be challenging to work with. Here are five common props challenges, rapid-fire style, with suggestions about how to deal with them! 1…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 9, 2017
Creating a theatrical piece is a bit like baking a cake – choose your recipe (the show), add ingredients (cast and crew), stir together and bake (practice and rehearse). At the end, you’…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 2, 2017
A colleague of mine once told me that he always waits until the technical or dress rehearsal to choreograph the curtain call. His reasoning was that the curtain call should be the absolute l…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 26, 2017
In theatre, a transition refers to the process of moving from one scene or set to the next. It seems simple enough–grab “all the stuff” at the end of one scene and take it offstage, wh…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 19, 2017
It takes a community to create a great production, and theatrical performances would not exist without the time, skills, and talents of dedicated crew members. From costumes and props to sou…
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 12, 2017
There comes a point in every rehearsal process when the dreaded “rehearsal blahs” start to set in. This tends to be mid-way through the rehearsal process, when the initial excitement of …
SOURCE: Theatrefolk at 01:00AM 
