Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes
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Develop characterisation through role play and improvisation of stereotypes
Develop characterisation through role play and improvisation of stereotypes
Student drama resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 7 to 10 drama
What will I learn?
What will I learn?
You will:
explore characterisation through stereotypes
create and build engaging characters through role play and improvisation using voice, body and dialogue
perform a devised character scenario to engage an audience.
Welcome to the class
Duration: 00:26Before you begin
Before you begin
Prepare yourself to be creative and discover more about characterisation and develop your performance skills.
You'll need:
space to move around safely
a pen and a camera or phone.
- Define
Watch the introduction video with Jane Simmons.
Complete activity 1: List up to 10 different occupations and the stereotypes you think of – stereotypes are usually your first mental image of a person or thing.
Nurse stereotype
Truck driver stereotype
A character is a person or something we give human qualities to. They feel, they react, they may talk, they may move, but, most of all, they have a life that emerges on the stage or from the page. We find characters in stories or in plays.
A stereotype is like an easy classification – a box that we put everybody in. They don't necessarily reflect the huge diversity of who we are as human beings.
It is a generalisation – an assumption that is made based on the general idea of what people in that occupation or in that category might be. There can be a tiny bit of truth in a stereotype, however it is a bias – either swayed for or against a person or thing.
Ways to start the process of characterisation could include costume, colour, an object, a piece of dialogue, a distinctive name, a physical characteristic, or it could even be a piece of music.
2. Explore and create
2. Explore and create
Watch the activities video with Jane Simmons.
Complete activities 2 to 10: Explore and create your stereotype character.
You can use this Stereotype characterisation template to build your character as you complete the activities.
3. Create and perform
3. Create and perform
Watch the final activity video with Jane Simmons.
Complete the final activity: Take your character, your location, your voice, your movement, your actions and your backstory and put it all together.
Create a 2-3 minute scene that is a day in the life of your character where your character tells the audience about their typical day.
Record your performance.
Share it with your class and your teacher.
4. Extension activities
4. Extension activities
With your drama class or other students you could:
Take a photo of each of your characters and gather all the stereotype characters in your class and see if you can all identify each stereotype from the photo.
Explore one character stereotype meeting with another character stereotype at a park bench and improvise their interactions.
Develop the character beyond the stereotype and create a more complex monologue. Bring in extra, unexpected details to make a more well-rounded character.
Congratulations!
You have completed this Digital @ Arts Unit Creative Class.
Enjoy exploring characterisation further with more Art Bites with Jane Simmons.
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Third-party content attributions
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