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Storytelling Through Drama Games
Teacher’s Guide
A performing Arts Curriculum for Elementary School Students
based on Improvisation for the Theatre by Viola Spolin
and Impro by Keith Johnstone
Teacher’s Guide by Michael Charrois
Workshop Objectives:
Establish techniques that bring fun and spontaneity to acting exercises.
Encourage individual participation in making group decisions.
Encourage confidence and voice control through performance.
Introduce the different roles and responsibilities in a working theatre.
Emphasise the roles and responsibilities of the actor/audience relationship.

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Thank you for booking a Drama Workshop at the Evergreen Cultural Centre. This
Teacher’s Guide is intended to provide an overview and outline of the Workshop
as well as to provide follow-up exercises. The Workshop begins with spontaneity
and group building exercises and moves through character and narrative games
to creating and presenting short student-created plays. Every instructor of the
Drama Workshops at the Evergreen brings their own games and techniques to
the sessions; the individual exercises may vary but the outline remains the same.
The specific exercises provided in this Guide may be covered in the Workshop
and are offered here as follow-up exercises.
Introduction and expectations
Most teachers will have talked about the importance of listening and participating,
but the instructor will start with a review of workshop behaviour expectations and
control commands. An example of an introduction:
“Courage, freedom and respect. The biggest fear people have is public speaking;
it takes a lot of COURAGE to stand up and present before an audience. We have
to create a space where people are FREE to explore, create, take risks and
make miss-takes (Oops… take two) knowing that they will not be ridiculed but
rather supported in making bold choices. To create this environment we need to
RESPECT each other.” Ask the students what they WILL DO to respect others,
turning negatives into positive. Examples include: “We will share. We will speak
up. We will applaud performances. We will respect the room’s equipment and
other people’s property…”
Another example of an introduction is ADJUSTMENT:
The first thing to do, to start off the class, ask the students to sit on the floor in a
circle in the middle of the room. Beginning with a discussion of adjustment is a
way of engaging students immediately without a preamble. Do not direct the
students to make a perfect circle, allow them to sit where they wish. Usually they
will make more of a blob than a circle. Ask the students to define Adjustment. “To
fix, to change, to make better”. Using two students, one standing in front of the
other, ask the students to adjust the picture so both actors are sharing the scene.
Point out that adjustments are usually made to make things better. Ask the
students to look around and see if they are really sitting in a circle. Ask the
students to look around and without moving first, decide what their adjustment
would be to make the circle better. Ask them to make the adjustment. Side coach
with the following suggestions: “Adjustments are silent and personal. Do not
adjust others, only yourself. Keep adjusting until you are satisfied as a group.”
We will be making adjustments throughout the workshop to make the stories
better.
Adjustment techniques include SIDE COACHING where the instructor gives
direction and suggestions while the students are engaged in the exercise. The

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students do their best to stay engaged in the scene while splitting their focus to
adjust to the direction.
Room Expectations-
Agree on a method that the Instructor can use to get the student’s attention. The
“FREEZE” command works well because it is used later on in Narrative games,
but rhythmic hand clapping call and response or the silent raised hand will also
work. This command allows the Instructor to retain control of all exercises by
suspending the action to deliver evaluation, adjustments or further instructions.
Designate a corner of the room as the “No Play Zone”. Instructions: “The No Play
Zone” is a place for you to go if you need to step out of the action for a while.
Your teacher or I might decide that you need a break and ask you to go to No
Play or perhaps you don’t feel well, or something upsets you- you don’t have to
ask permission, you can just go sit in No Play for a while and we’ll check on you.
Your choices are to be with the group in the room or be in No Play. When you’re
in No Play it’s your responsibility to come back when you are ready.”
Warm up
Visual artists create with paper and paint and musicians express their art through
their instruments. The actor’s instrument is the body and the voice. We do warm
up exercises to become aware of and manipulate our instrument. Warm up
exercises include:
NEUTRAL BODY: Standing with feet parallel, shoulder-width apart. Knees are
loose and arms hang loose by your side. Chin is parallel to the ground. Pull an
imaginary string strait up through the spine from the top of the head. Give a little
shake to make sure the shoulders are sitting on top of the spine. Stand up tall.
STRETCH and MOVE: Stretching and moving the body parts in succession;
hands, arms, shoulders, neck, upper torso, pelvis and lower torso, feet and legs.
Notice the mechanics of the movement. Move the muscles of the face and the
tongue. Hum on an MMM sound and feel where the vibrations come from. On the
MMM sound go from low to high. On an AAH sound go from low to high, talk in a
high falsetto then drop the voice to a low tone. Fill the room with the AAH sound.
Repeat tongue twisters like: “Budda gudda gudda budda”, “Poo-tick-a pooticka”,
“Rubber baby buggy bumper” and “Unique New York” or ask the students for
some short tongue twisters that they can share.
GUIDED MOVEMENT EXPLORATION: Moving in a circle or freely around the
room ask the students to notice how their body moves, arms and legs in
opposition, heel hits first and the weight rolls over the ball of the foot to the toes.
Make adjustments; walk big, small, wide, narrow, circular, light or heavy. Move
like animals or colors. Because our voice is created and manipulated by muscles,

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any adjustments we make to our body we can make with our voice. Move and
speak (provide a repeatable line for the students to say) slowly, quickly, lightly,
heavily, and like various animals.
GAMES FOR GROUP BUILDING AND SPONTENAITY
We play a lot of games when we are learning to perform because games and
plays share a lot of common elements: A special place and time, with people
playing roles, trying to achieve their objectives through tactics. PLACE: the
arena, the field or the stage, the film set; TIME: three periods, four quarters or
one act, beginning middle and end; ROLES: defence, quarterback or hero, villain;
OBJECTIVES: touchdown, goal or become King, get the girl; TACTICS or what
they do to get what they want, always verbs- the action words; Sliding, diving,
crying, threatening, (the “ING” words).
BLOB TAG: Whole group. “We will enact a story of life and death. This room is a
big aquarium populated by single celled animals like paramecium and flagellum,
swimming freely and enjoying life. Along comes a hungry amoeba, we’ll call it “It”.
If It touches you, you become sucked in and assimilated, becoming part of the
blob. The blob must work together, always holding hands as the blob tries to
catch all the animals floating in the aquarium. Another name for this story is Blob
Tag”. Be aware of slippery socks on the floor. Side coach the Blob to work
together. Stop the action with the “Freeze” command a couple of times and ask,
“What do you want? (objectives) What do you do to get what you want? (tactics)”
and get the students to list the verbs they are playing: ducking, diving, reaching,
corralling, hiding, taunting (all action words).
MACHINE: Whole group. Ask the students to think about a gesture and a sound
to go with it. One person starts by standing and making the repetitive gesture and
sound. All the other students connect up with the machine, with the parts all
toughing in cause and effect. Side coach the students to avoid a strait line and
use different levels; low, medium and high levels. Once the machine is set up,
side coach with “This machine makes 15,000 widgets a minute. But some times,
when it’s not properly maintained, it begins to SLOW DOWN and seize up. The
only thing to do is oil the machine with this big (Imaginary) oil can. Squirt, squirt
into all the moving parts. But if we oil it too much, the machine starts to SPEED
UP and starts going so fast it EXPLODES”. Repeat or-
MACHINE variation: Whole group. Try an assembly line for cars or a pizza
making machine. “What parts are needed and how do they fit in?”.
MECHANICAL SCULPTURES: Whole group or half performing, half audience.
The students stand in a neutral position; they are blocks of clay waiting to be
sculpted. A Sculptor physically manipulates the other students into wacky body
positions that can be held for a few minutes. “Manipulate their arms, fingers,
faces and press on their shoulder as you push the back of their knee if you want

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them to go down. Thinking about this position you have been put into, what might
you be when you come alive? You can take a cue from your body position or just
do an abstract movement and sound and we will figure out what you are.” If it is a
large group, divided in half, while the Sculptor is working with the other half,
remind the audience to watch and listen and to make sure that the actors are
sharing- staying open and speaking loudly enough the be heard. The Instructor
or another student is the Buyer; they knock on the door. “I see the sign outside
your shop says you sell mechanical sculptures here. I’m having a party tonight
and I could really use one of your machines. Can you show me what they do?”
The Sculptor presses a button on the machine and they come alive with a
gesture and sound. The Sculptor tells the Buyer what kind of machine has been
turned on. “It’s a dancing machine. It’s a monkey machine. It’s a mechanical nut-
cracker.” The Sculptor turns off the machines so the batteries don’t wear down.
The Buyer chooses a Sculpture. Repeat with audience performing.
WHAT IS IT?: Whole group. “When we rehearse a play we often don’t have the
actual props. A stick can be a cane, a sword or many other things”. Standing in a
circle, the students show how the prop is used and the others tell them what the
prop is. If anyone gets stuck for an idea tell them, “Just do anything, make a
BLIND OFFER, we will tell you what we think it is and you just agree with us”.
Either pass the object around the circle, or use it and put it back in the middle of
the circle. Repeat with another object.
SPACE SUBSTANCE: Whole group, sitting in a circle. One person pulls some
imaginary substance out of the air and rolls it, shapes it, forms it into an object.
They use the object and the others say what the object is. No idea?- throw in a
blind offer and agree with what the audience says it is. Squish the object down
and pass the substance on to the next person. If there is too much substance
pinch it off and throw it away and if there is not enough, pull some more from out
of the air.
PASSING THE BALL: Whole group, standing in a circle. The students agree on
the weight and size of the imaginary ball then pass the ball among them. Show
the weight and size. Lob the ball, arcing through the air. “Your eyes are focused
on the ball even when you don’t have it.”
SEE, GRAB, THROW AWAY: Whole group. Actors follow an imaginary feather
as it floats around the room. They grab the feather out of the air. They examine it
closely and throw it away. Then they find a new feather floating in the air and
repeat. The game speeds up as it goes. “When you grab the feather, you are
using both your hand and your eyes to show the audience where it is. Make sure
both parts of your body are focused on the same point of concentration (the
feather).”
IMAGINARY TUG OF WAR: Whole group. Two teams take hold of an imaginary
rope and work together to give the illusion of a tug of war. “Show us the weight

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and the rope doesn’t stretch in the middle”. A Play-by-play Commentator may be
of use to direct the give and take of weight.
CANDLE WALK: Whole group. Actors walk around the room while holding an
imaginary candle. “What adjustments can you make to show you are holding a
candle and not something else? What part of your body are you using to focus on
the candle? Your eyes and your hands to protect the flame from the wind”.
GAMES FOR CHARACTER AND THE ROLES THEY PLAY IN A STORY
Actors portray characters in the dramatic story, taking the roles of protagonist
(hero), antagonist (villain), lovers or master/slave etc. In dramatic stories,
characters pursue objectives while overcoming obstacles. Another way to think of
a character’s objectives is STATUS; who is more important, who controls the
space, who succeeds, who fails, who is number one? Humans, like dogs and
ants, are social animals- we can’t survive without each other. In order to get
along with each other we have devised social hierarchies. We have non-verbal
sub-conscious signals that signal dominance, submission and rank. Eye contact
is one way we establish relative status when we meet for the first time- the
steady stare or the furtive glance. Posture, body position and movement/ stillness
also indicate status. The status shift is the basis of both comedy and tragedy
when the high and mighty are brought down to earth.
STATUS MOVEMENT EXPLORATION: Whole Group. Classic comedy duos like
Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello, Skipper and Gilligan or the Eastern
European Auguste and Joey clowns, pair up a big, blustery know-it-all with a
meek little guy: a HIGH STATUS player paired with a LOW STATUS player.
Standing in neutral, direct the students to change their posture. “Try to take up as
little space as you can. Move your shoulders forward, cross your arms to protect
your heart, scratch your face, fidget and shuffle your feet around. How does this
make you feel?” Go back to neutral, then direct the students to go in the opposite
direction: “Now try to take up as much space as you can. Stand up tall, spread
your feet wide, and put your hands on your hips. Open up wide, make your chest
convex- you don’t have to protect your heart because everything is under your
control. You own the room. Stand in place and slowly wave like the Queen- no
sharp moves, totally under control- you are High Status. How does it make you
feel?” Direct the students to alternate between High and Low status postures as
they move around the room. Explore animal movements for low and high status.
Add a simple piece of text to explore voices to go with high and low status
movement.
STARING CONTEST: Whole group. “While moving slowly around the space,
make eye contact with someone and keep looking at them until they move out of
your field of vision, then move to another. Keep eye contact while moving; keep
staring them down”.

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RECEIVING LINE: Whole group. When we meet someone for the first time we
use eye contact to sub-consciously establish and signal our relative status. A
High Status player will make and hold eye contact like in a staring contest. A Low
Status player will make eye contact, look away with a furtive glance and then
look back. Have the students stand in two parallel lines facing into the middle.
The instructor goes down one line then up the other shaking hands and making
eye contact. First, the Instructor is High Status and the students should look
away with a furtive glance and then make eye contact with the Instructor again.
Then the Instructor is Low status, shaking hands with furtive glances. The
students must maintain eye contact after the furtive glance which can be difficult
in this role reversal. The, like a staring contest, the Instructor goes up and down
the line with everybody playing High status and then another round with
everyone playing Low status. As if it is a wedding reception receiving line, one
half of the students play High status while the other half plays Low status. The
High status family has put on a lavish wedding and they stand confidently in line
as the Low status family comes to shake their hands and thank them for the
invitation to the wedding. “High status people don’t have to be mean; you can
afford to be magnanimous and Low status people aren’t downtrodden; you’re just
really happy to be here.” Reverse and repeat the combinations of High and Low
status.
WINDOW WASHER SEQUENCE: Pairs and small group scenes until everyone
has had a chance. Occupational status and pecking order. Mime window
washing, tree planting or other activity. Set two chairs on stage; the space
between is a big plate glass window. A High status Boss tell a Low status Worker
to clean the window and in 30 seconds the task is done to the satisfaction of the
Boss. Very simple. Repeat with two other actors.
Now try the inherent comedy of-
ROLE REVERSAL: a Low status Boss tentatively asks a High status Worker to
maybe clean the window, if it’s not too much the trouble. The High status Worker
agrees and confidently completes the task in 30 seconds. Repeat with two other
actors.
Now try the-
STATUS SHIFT: a High status Boss orders the Low status Worker to clean the
windows. The Boss is amazed at the job the Worker does and shifts to Low
status, asking the Worker to teach him/her how to wash the windows so well. The
Worker shifts to High Status when teaching the Boss how to wash the windows
well, all within 30 seconds. Repeat with two other actors.
Now add a third actor into the task and get a-

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PECKING ORDER: The Boss is #1, #2 is the Supervisor and #3 is the Worker,
the one who actually has to perform the task. #1 tells #2 to wash the windows
and #2 then passes the order on to #3. The fun part of this scene is watching #2
shift from Low status towards #1 to High status towards #3. The actors call each
other by their numbers; “Number Two, give me a report,” says #1 to keep the
pressure on #2. Side coach the actors to finish the task in a minute or two.
Repeat with another set of three actors.
Add one or two more actors to the Pecking Order and add-
YOU’RE FIRED: Same scenario with more people shifting status in the middle of
the Pecking Order, but if the job is not being done to the satisfaction of the Boss,
#1 fires #2 to the bottom of the Pecking Order and everyone moves up; #5
becomes #4, #4 become #3, #3 becomes #2 and #2 goes to take up #5’s spot.
#1 stays #1.
Repeat or continue with the next two games until the whole class has had a
chance to be in a status scene.
THE QUEEN GAME: A High status Queen is appointed to sit on a throne on
stage. She wakes up in the morning and must prepare for a busy day of signing
documents. The Low status Courtiers must please the Queen to stay alive. The
Queen orders the Courtiers to bring her breakfast, get her dressed and sign the
documents. If any of the Courtiers displease the Queen, she points at them and
says, “Die” or “Banished”, and the Courtier leaves the game or dies on the spot.
Side coach the Queen to get through the scenario and provide reminders about
status posture to the players.
BEHIND THE THRONE: Using the same scenario, use role reversal to make the
Queen Low status and add a High status #2 controlling the action from behind
the throne.
EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: Whole group. Everyone lines up. Four chairs
are placed to represent a car. A Driver sits in the car, motoring along the road.
The Driver stops to pick up the first Hitchhiker in the line. The Hitchhiker enters
the car with an emotion- sad, happy, paranoid, excited, or sleepy. The Driver
switches and picks up the new emotion. Each time a new Hitchhiker is picked up,
they bring a new emotion into the car. When the car is full, the Driver finds a
reason to leave, goes to the back of the line of Hitchhikers while the front
passenger becomes the Driver and the back seat passengers shift up. Side
coach the actors to stay engaged in the scene and to find reasons to leave and
for why they feel their overwhelming emotions.
MAKING FACES: Small group of three. Three chairs set up on the stage. The
person in the middle must fill a job and is conducting job interviews. The
Interviewer turns to the left and right alternately facing and turning their back to

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the job Applicants. The two Applicants on either side of the Interviewer answer
questions about the job when the Interviewer is facing them and they make faces
behind the Interviewer’s back when they turn away. If an Applicant gets caught
making faces they must come up with an excuse. Side coach the actors to get
the Applicants to make big choices, for the Interviewer to keep turning fully and to
make a choice about who gets the job after two minutes of mirth.
WHO DO WE NEED?: Whole group. A place of business or other activity like a
restaurant or hospital. Start with a Doctor, add a patient, then a few nurses, who
else do we need? Start with a cook, a customer, add a waitress, who else do we
need?
GAMES FOR NARRATIVE
YES, LET’S… YES, AND… YES, BUT…: Whole group working in pairs.
YES, LET’S…: Actor #1 makes a suggestion about what the pair could do,
something that can be accomplished in the room is best, like “Let’s sit on the
floor.” The answer from Actor #2 is always, “Yes, let’s” and they perform the
action. They switch with Actor #2 making the suggestion and Actor #1 replying,
“Yes, let’s”. Repeat alternating turns. This is all about ACCEPTING. Change
pairs.
YES, AND…: This is about ADVANCING. Stories are a connected sequence of
actions or series of events, one after another. Actor #1 makes a suggestion
about what the pair can do, like “Let’s sit on the floor”. Actor #2 answers, “Yes,
and” then includes another action to do after the first, like “and we’ll sit cross-
legged”. The answer from #1 is “Yes, let’s” and they perform the actions one after
the other. They switch; Actor #2, “Let’s…”, Actor #1 “Yes, and…”, Actor #2 “Yes,
let’s”. Repeat alternating turns. Change pairs.
YES, BUT…: This is about OBSTACALS. In a story, when characters pursue
their objectives, they always run into obstacles that must be overcome. Actor#1
makes a suggestion about what the pair could do, like “Let’s sit on the floor.”
Actor #2 responds with “Yes, but” then adds an obstacle that has to be overcome
first, like “But there’s glass all over the floor”. They solve the problem then
perform the first action. Repeat alternating turns.
WORD ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL: Whole or half group sitting in a circle or
semi-circle. Current brain theory holds that the right hemisphere is the home of
imagination and abstract thought while the left hemisphere is the home to
sequential linear logic. This exercise bypasses the left-brain editor; word
association with no thinking ahead. Instructor in the middle says a word and rolls
a tennis ball to a student who says the first word that comes to their mind. They
pass the ball back to the Instructor who says the first word that comes to mind in
response to the student’s suggestion. Back and forth from Instructor to Student

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and back again allows the Instructor to control the pace and content. Now add
storytelling-
ONE SENTENCE AT A TIME STORY: Whole group in a circle. Remind the
students about the role of characters in the story. “This is a first person story we
are coming up with; we are all Me and I, the hero or protagonist. In this story we
want something; we don’t know yet, but we’ll all figure it out as we go along. We
are going to run into problems and an antagonist or villain who is going to put
obstacles in our way. Let’s see what happens.” The Instructor starts off the story
with “One day I walked out of my house and saw…” and the ball is passed to a
Student. The Student provides the next phrase and passes the ball back to the
Instructor who fills in the next event before passing to the next Student.
Alternating from Student back to Instructor allows the Instructor to control content
and keep track of characters and the events. After bringing the narrative to a
conclusion reiterate and assess the story everyone came up with. Repeat then
try-
ONE WORD AT A TIME STORY: Whole group in a circle. Same as above but
one word at a time.
ONE WORD AT A TIME STORY: In pairs. Two actors tell a first person story one
word at a time. They act out the events of the story as they tell the story.
FILL IN THE BLANK: Whole group. The Instructor tells a first person story and
every time they make a signal like touching the back of a chair or holding their
hand up, the audience shouts out suggestions which are incorporated into the
story.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?: Whole group. An actor stand in neutral on stage. The
Instructor begins the sequence of events with a suggestion like, “He unties his
left shoelace.” The actor performs the action and the Instructor asks the
audience, “What happens next?”. The sequence of events goes until everyone
has had a chance to add to the story. The story is reiterated and assessed and
the exercise is repeated and enhanced with a new actor.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?: Whole group or in pairs. Everyone agrees on and
begins performing an action like jogging in place. Actor #1 asks Actor #2 “What
are you doing?”. Actor #2 replies something other than what they are doing, like
“Washing the dishes”. Everyone washes dishes. Actor #2 asks actor #3 “What
are you doing?” to which they reply something other than what they are doing,
like “Skipping rope”. Everyone then skips rope. There are many variations to this
game; it can be done in pairs, a whole group alternating turns or one at a time in
full group circle.
C.R.O.W.: Whole group. Divide the group into two groups in parallel lines all
facing the same direction. One side is for the first action and the other is for the

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opening line. The first actor steps up and performs a silent action, if they don’t
know what to do they can just present a blind offer and say yes to the opening
line. The second actor at the head of the other line steps forward and starts the
scene. “Don’t ask them what they are doing; tell them what they are doing by
saying lines like- “Let me help you move that rock”, or “I told you not to wash the
dog in butter”, or even “Here, you’ll need this if you want to make that work”. The
first actor must accept the second actor’s offer, “Don’t block, just say yes”, and
they have the start of a great scene. Side coach questions into statements that
start the scenes. The actors switch sides and go to the back of the line.
When everyone has had a turn to do both sides add-
CHARACTER: “This time, don’t just tell them what they are doing also tell them
who they are by giving them a name like- “Bob, let me help you move that rock”,
or “Sandy, I told you not to wash the dog in butter”, or even “Here Ted, you’ll
need this if you want to make that work”.” Once again, the person who initiated
the scene with the first action has to agree that that is their name now in the
scene.
Let everyone have a run through both lines then add-
RELATIONSHIP: “Now this time through give them a name that shows a
relationship between you two; family, professional or status such as- “Hey
Grandpa Bob, let me help you move that rock”, or “Chef Sandy, I told you not to
wash the dog in butter”, or even “Peasant, the King commands you use this to
make that work”.” Side coach for accepting and to make sure questions are
turned into statements.
Let everyone take a turn through both lines then add-
OBJECTIVE: “Now this time through make sure you want something, even say “I
want” like- “Grandpa Bob, I want to know what’s under that rock- let me help you
move it”, or “Chef Sandy, I told you not to wash the dog in butter. I want it rinsed
off right now’, or even “Peasant, the King commands you to go on a quest to earn
the right to this to make that work”.”
Let everyone have a turn through both lines. Side coach because it’s getting
complicated. Then add-
WHERE WE ARE: “Try to incorporate a setting into the first line as well like-
“Grandpa Bob, I want you to help me move the Stone of Scone”, or “Chef Sandy,
I told you not to wash the dog in butter. I want it rinsed off and brought up front to
the customers right away”, or even “Peasant, the King commands you to go on a
quest through the Enchanted Forest to earn the right to this to make that work”.

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FREEZE: Whole group in pairs. Put the control command of Freeze to work. Two
actors start a scene as above. At some point in the action the Instructor shouts
“Freeze” and the actors stop and hold their poses. One of the actors is replaced,
the new actor taking the exact body position of the replaced actor. A new scene
starts with the actors taking their cue from the body positions they are in. Repeat
until everyone has had a turn.
THREE WORDS AND A TAG LINE: Whole group preparing in small groups.
Challenge groups of students to come up with scenes incorporating three
random words. Also provide the final or tag line so the narrative has an ending
like, “And that’s why we never skate on thin ice’, or “Never darken this doorstep
again”. Allow the groups five minutes to prepare. The Instructor should circulate
among the groups making sure they have the components of story covered.
Present and assess the scenes.
STUDENT CREATED SCENES
Students are broken into small groups and are assigned a simple story to enact.
FAIRY TALES: Well known stories that have built in lines are ideal, stories like:
The Three Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Pigs, The Three Billy Goats
Gruff. If there is time between sessions, cast and rehearse the scenes for
presentation at the next session, otherwise allow the groups five minutes to
prepare. The Instructor should circulate among the groups making sure they
have the components of story covered and the actors know what they are going
to do and say. Present and assess the scenes. Ask the audience what they liked
about the scene, what could be improved, were the actors sharing, etc. Make
adjustments to the scene; make sure the actors are opened up and sharing, that
they are speaking loudly enough, and if they are using a Narrator can that
information be included in the lines that the other actors say. Rehearse the story
again with the adjustments. ENHANCE the story with costume and props if
available. Present the re-worked scenes. If available, the scenes will be
ENHANCED by being presented on the stage.
ORIGINAL STORY: Using the improvisation narrative techniques from above,
have the students create their own original story. Take some time to cast and
rehearse the story. Present, assess, adjust, re-work, re-rehearse, enhance and
present the new and improved scenes again.

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THEATRE FACILITY TOUR
The behind the scenes tour of the theatre emphasizes the roles and job
descriptions of the people working backstage, safety procedures and technical
terminology. From the dressing and green rooms where the actors prepare, to
the auditorium and the stage, students learn about the team work and technical
instruments that are needed to make a theatre production happen. The students
are taken to the booth where the stage manager, light and sound operators work
and up to the top of the catwalk where the lighting instruments are hung. The tour
emphasizes team work and shows how many people it takes working together to
make a production run smoothly.
Updated February 2009

14. 14
Three Day Workshop Outline:
---Day One-
Introduction and expectations- 10 minutes
Warm up, spontaneity and group building games- 40 minutes
Snack Break- 10 minutes
Character Development games- 50 minutes
Introduction to Narrative- 5 minutes
Wrap up- 5 minutes
---Day Two-
Warm up and review- 15 minutes
Narrative games- 40 minutes
Snack Break- 10 minutes
Tour of the Theatre- 50 minutes
Story assignment and wrap up- 5 minutes
---Day Three-
Warm up and review- 15 minutes
Rehearse, present and assess student created scenes- 45 minutes
Snack break- 10 minutes
Enhance and present student created scenes- 45 minutes
Wrap up- 5 minutes
Two Session Workshop Outline:
---Session One
Introduction and expectations- 10 minutes
Warm up, spontaneity and group building games- 20 minutes
Character Development games- 30
Snack Break- 10 minutes
Character Development games- 20 minutes
Narrative games- 25 minutes
Wrap up- 5 minutes
---Session Two- Warm up and review- 10 minutes
Narrative games- 40 minutes
Snack Break- 10 minutes
Rehearse, present and assess student created scenes- 35 minutes
Enhance and present student created scenes- 20 minutes
Wrap up- 5 minutes
One Day Workshop Outline:
Introduction and expectations- 10 minutes
Warm up, spontaneity and group building games- 20 minutes
Character Development games- 20 minutes
Snack Break- 10 minutes
Narrative games- 25 minutes
Rehearse, present and assess student created scenes- 20 minutes
Wrap up- 5 minutes