Pre-Show Activity: Scripting, Rehearsing, Presenting

1. Utilizing the interview recordings completed in the previous activity, have the students work together to transcribe a portion of the recording where they think the interview subject told a really interesting story that responded to one or more of their research questions. Do this for each of the three recordings.

2. Once they have completed the transcriptions, have the groups work to shape the transcription into a script for three actors.

• Do they shorten the writing?

• In what order should the stories go?

• Should they divide the stories up so the actors will take turns speaking small portions of their stories – or will they each tell their whole story from beginning to end without interruption?

• Note that this is a tricky process and the students may want a lot of guidance – but reassure them to trust their instincts: what do they think would be most interesting to hear if they were in the audience?

3. Once the script is completed, identify one member of each group to be the director and the other three students will be the actors. The director will make decisions about when the actors come on stage, where they stand, how they move, to whom they should speak (to each other; to the audience), and also help the actors to convey the meaning – through emphasis, characterization, physical movement, etc.

4. After a short rehearsal period, invite the groups to share their work – either memorized performances or staged readings with scripts in hand.

Discussion Questions

• What was your experience like creating the script?
• What was it like to represent someone you interviewed on stage?
• What did you notice about the stories that were told?
• Who do you think would make a good audience for these plays? Why?

• Return to the Pre-Show Activities Menu