Saturday, October 24, 2020
The following exercise, Lipdub, brings together observation, critical thinking, scene writing, and vocal performance. As well, it’s a lot of fun! Lipdubs are commonly seen on YouTube as mu…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMTuesday, October 13, 2020
Here’s a playwriting prompt exercise that takes advantage of something that’s frequently around us: advertisements! Ads are everywhere, and their main purpose is to sell us stuff. But we…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, October 10, 2020
Are your students feeling overwhelmed with possibilities for writing a new monologue? Do they need help focusing on one idea? Or are you simply looking for a way to get your students writing…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 26, 2020
The core tenet of improvisation is “Yes, and…” To keep the scene going, each participant must agree with any suggestion that is brought forward, and add something on. It’s a balance …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 19, 2020
Keeping students focused and engaged is challenging enough in the drama classroom. It can be just as challenging trying to deal with disruptions in the virtual classroom, because you’re no…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 12, 2020
It can be difficult to get students to really feel committed to distance learning. It’s so easy for students to check out when they’re not physically present in a classroom. They may str…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, September 5, 2020
We’ve talked at length on the Theatrefolk blog about how studying drama can benefit students outside the drama classroom and how students can learn and develop soft skills from working on…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 29, 2020
Here’s a warm-up game that is a lot of fun and gets students’ energy up. It’s a plus if you and your students are studying puppetry, but it’s not necessary to have done so. This is a…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMTuesday, August 18, 2020
This warm-up game helps students work on a variety of skills: improvising, listening, observing, and working as a team. At the same time, it’s pretty silly and good for a laugh! This game …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 15, 2020
The mirror game is one of the most common exercises in the drama classroom. Students are grouped into pairs, facing each other. One student is the leader and moves their face and body in slo…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 8, 2020
This warm-up exercise is perfect for days when your students are feeling stressed, frustrated, or unfocused. You can use it at the start of class to help students clear their brains, or mid-…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, August 1, 2020
This improv warm-up game helps students think quickly and creatively, listen to their peers, and choose their words with care. It can be done in person in the drama classroom (with physical …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, July 25, 2020
One of the biggest challenges and disappointments of the current pandemic situation is the loss of live theatre production opportunities. Shows have been cancelled and postponed and we don…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMTuesday, July 14, 2020
Drama isn’t always the easiest subject to adapt to distance learning. So much of what makes drama fun and worthwhile involves human interaction. Seeing students engage with one another, cr…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, July 11, 2020
At the beginning of a new term of drama classes, you need to inform students about classroom rules and expectations to start on a positive note. However, when teaching drama via distance lea…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, July 4, 2020
There are many things to think about when it comes to designing your virtual classroom. Background When teaching classes via video conferencing, it’s good to think about what’s going on …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, June 27, 2020
Keeping students actively engaged while teaching via distance learning can be frustrating at times. It can be more difficult for students to focus in a distance learning situation than in a …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMTuesday, June 16, 2020
Casting a show, or even a class reading, is a tricky business. It takes care and thought to find just the right person to fill each role. As the song “I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, June 13, 2020
In this multi-part exercise, students will write monologues based on the concept of an “I want/I wish” song, which is used by a character to share their heart’s desire. It is primarily…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, June 6, 2020
Respect and inclusivity are vital in the drama classroom. One way to demonstrate respect and inclusivity is to use students’ personal pronouns correctly. How does a person wish to be refer…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, May 30, 2020
Teaching is an incredibly rewarding profession; many even consider teaching to be their calling. Theatre and drama teachers have the privilege of sharing their passion for performing arts wi…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, May 23, 2020
Working from home has become the new normal for many of us, and with it comes new challenges. The line between home life and school life has become increasingly blurred with distance learnin…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, May 16, 2020
As we are quickly discovering, distance learning has its share of challenges. There’s new technology to navigate, lessons and assignments to adapt for use outside of the classroom, near-co…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, May 9, 2020
The term “self-care” is often met with eye-rolling and sarcastic laughter. We equate self-care with basking in a Jacuzzi with a fancy drink, taking a luxury cruise, or “treating yo’s…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, May 2, 2020
We’re in the midst of a global pandemic and we’ve been thrown into a situation with many unknowns. We don’t know when we’ll be able to safely see our friends and family in person. We…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, April 25, 2020
The following exercise has a straightforward premise: watch a movie musical and analyze it! This written exercise helps students practice skills including analytical and critical thinking, o…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, April 18, 2020
It’s fun and interesting to imagine alternate endings to our favourite musicals. What if Annie had ended up being adopted by Lily and Rooster in Annie? What if the Von Trapp family wasn’…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, April 11, 2020
The following exercise challenges students to take on the role of costume designer and come up with a modern look for a character from a different era. Students will learn about the characte…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, April 4, 2020
Distance Learning Note: This blog post is written for an in-class scavenger hunt. But, this is an activity that can easily be adapted for distance learning. Students can work independently t…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMSaturday, March 28, 2020
The purpose of this group exercise is to see how technical effects can change the mood and atmosphere of a performed scene. Students will have the opportunity to perform and observe others, …
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AMTuesday, March 24, 2020
The exercises listed below can be adapted to distance and online learning opportunities. Students work individually (rather than with partners or in groups). Group work and discussions can b…
Linked From Theatrefolk at 01:00AM 
