Embedded Files
Introduction:
Introduction:
Why do drama? …Add to this list if you can . . .
‘We live in an age which has switched on to what is visual rather than merely spoken . . . ‘
‘It makes a message clearer’
‘It can set the scene for a sermon or help illustrate it’
‘It captures people’s attention’
‘It’s different’
‘It can open blind eyes if it is relevant’
‘It’s a powerful tool for outreach and evangelism’
‘it’s fun to do’
Transcript:
Top Tips
1 Thou shalt not be inaudible
Practice being heard.
If doing drama on a noisy street, choose a quiet area
Vary the tone of your voice,
Vary its speed . . .
Never speak quickly: just come in quickly on the next line
Use variety,
Pronounce your words clearly
Narrate a script using a microphone, (with mime)
Q: Why is it so very important to be heard? Test this out:-
A Jack and Jill workshop
an exercise in ad lib drama: In twos, put together a brief scene from the nursery rhyme, ‘Jack and Jill’ Make up what will be said by Jack and Jill as they go up the hill. Why are they going up the hill anyway? (five minutes only rehearsal time) Then, a panel of ‘experts’ will sit at the back of the room and offer constructive criticism. Will they be able to hear?)
* Using Music in drama:
If music is ever used, put someone in charge of sound control and have it tested it out.
Challenge:- Try the Chopsticks drama (Drama 69 in Ready, Steady, Act Now~ see ‘drama’ link for free booklet)
2 Thou shalt not be boring and lifeless . . . be active
Use humour whenever possible
Facial expressions are important
There’s power in a still moment
Look at your body language
Feel the emotion
Empathise with your character
Never turn your back on an audience
Choose relevant and appropriate scripts
NOW PUT THIS ADVICE INTO PRACTICE IN THE NEXT CHALLENGE
Challenge : A pattern of walks. Mime the following ‘walks’:-
• along a narrow ledge
• along a tightrope
• through a minefield
• along a row of cinema seats
• through deep snow
• through water
• inside a mine
Challenge: Put yourself in these situations
• a wasp gets too close for comfort
• put your large python back in its cage after a zoo demo
• climb into a all in one suit made of tissue paper
• you are the first person to land on the moon
• you have just been transported into a computer game
• you are dying of thirst and the oasis you see ahead of you, turns out to be a mirage
•
3 Thou shalt not be hidden
Discuss how a character can become unnoticed! How can we remedy this ?
Problems and solutions…
If there is no stage ? …use staging blocks
In dying /sleeping/seated scenes ? …change the script/ use ‘vertical’ beds?
In a dark environment ?… lighting
Where there is bad positioning ?…don’t ‘upstage’ other actors.
If there are pillars, choir stalls ?…use them to your advantage
If there is very little space allotted to you at a venue?…then get there early and say how much space you will need/move furniture. Check sound.
Q: What would make a character more visual? e.g. costumes and props, (don’t overdo this)
Make a collection of props and costumes by visiting jumble sales, autumn fairs, charity shops raise funds etc
Challenge: Now try ‘The Story of Cinderella’ drama, (Drama 90 in Ready, Steady, Act Now~ see ‘drama’ link for free booklet)
4 Thou shalt not go undirected
Discuss ‘Why do think a drama group need a director ?’
What kind of person should volunteer?
Challenge: On a piece of paper write an advert with the title ‘Director wanted’,
listing what qualities you are looking for . . .
Challenge: Try out ‘Mother I’m feeling ill drama’ (Drama 47 in Ready, Steady, Act Now~ see ‘drama’ link for free booklet) (groups of seven)
GO AND FIND A QUIET PLACE FOR YOUR GROUP TO PERFORM THIS . . . a strong director will be required to put this together, someone who is in complete charge, and who can also act . . .you should choose him or her wisely.
5 Thou shalt rehearse and rehearse . . . and learn thy lines?
How important do you think it is to rehearse . . .
How important is a regular time to meet . . .
…and pray (Christian groups)?
How important is commitment?
How important is it to learn your lines?
How important is feedback?
Are these all necessary? Are there ways around this?
Discuss your tips? Your experiences?
Now without using your scripts, perform one section of the last drama, number 47 in front of everyone.
After the performance discuss how confident you were , HAVING NOW HAD TIME TO REHEARSE AND LEARN YOUR LINES?
How did you feel?
6 Thou shalt not rule out auditions
A drama done badly is not worth doing at all, so you must either know your actors well, . . or audition for each part
i.e. Look for …
a rich tone of voice
enunciation
sense of humour
acting ability
whackiness
study strengths and weaknesses
look at confidence
ability to learn lines
ability to engage with the audience . . .
ability to speak with a different dialect.
It is important to get right into the character… body, mind and spirit
so try reading a common script in several different ways below…
e.g. The Courtship of the Yonghy Bonghy Bo…
…or choose another script or rhyme which is suitable for the age of your actors.
The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo
On the Coast of Coromandel,
Where the early pumpkins grow,
In the middle of the woods
Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Two old chairs, and half a candle,
One old jug without a handle,
These were all his worldly goods:
In the middle of the woods,
These were all the worldly goods
Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Edward Lear 1812-1888
Read it our in the style of:-
Someone who speaks a different dialect, broad Geordie, Cockney etc
A drunken person or someone a little tipsy
A reception teacher or a strict Victorian teacher
A rap artist or goth
a vicar or televangelist
An alien or robot
A person with flu or someone who is about to ‘expire’
TV presenter or newsreader
A shakespearean actor or a teacher they know
A person from the future or the past
A horse racing or football commentator
HOW WILL THE READER ‘ACT OUT’ the piece as well as read it? How will they ‘add to’ or alter the script to demonstrate who they are?
OR
Do auditions offering various reading parts
so that the best character is chosen for the role
Challenge: Try auditions for What Christmas Is Not, (Drama 1 in Ready, Steady, Act Now~ see ‘drama’ link for free booklet)
Always first identify the main characters before you audition for them…
Here in this script, they are
1 The irate man …
2 A spoilt child
3 Santa
4 A tired housewife
5 A well-to-do lady
6 A mother, hot on house rules
Decide which lines from the drama would be best for audition
7 Thou shalt be creative : Try writing your own scripts!
Starting points that I’ve used . . .
• scripture
• an assembly story
• an ‘in’ televison programme style e.g. the apprentice, bb,
• an ‘in’comedian style e.g. Catherine Tate
• quiz
• poem or rap
• narrator
• a musical
• a five day ‘series’ of scripts for schools
• mime
• cartoon pages i.e. stills
• joke style
• newspaper report
• an interesting setting, i.e. toy shop at Christmas
• children’s book characters
• shadow drama
• puppet scripts
• a demonstration
• letter to…
• an inspiring story
• an inspiring piece of music
• adapt a script, change the locality, the characters, setting
8 Thou shalt not hide thy light under a bushel !
Where can drama be performed?
Schools …assemblies, Christian clubs, lunchtime clubs,
Parks …open air witness, festivals, fayres, bandstands
Streets…shopping centres,
Public places…pubs, restaurants, elderly care homes
Seasonal places…where the people gather,
For which of these would you need permission? Don’t forget to get it.
9 Thou shalt do research, and explore many different drama ideas from other sources i.e. libraries, internet, drama books
Here are a few ideas of mine for school lessons, youth groups or drama workshops
Put students to sleep with imaginary ‘magic’ gas . . . and say ‘when you wake up you will be…
*stuck in mud
*trapped in a paper bag
*part of a still group photograph of a e.g. wedding party
*or film poster for e.g. speed
*climbing a rock face
*watching a horror film
*threading a needle
*face to face with a poisonous snake or crocodile
Back to the future . . . groups of four
The Setting :- the breakfast table, having conversation
As Victorians * As a futuristic family unit* As a modern day family, but not speaking the local dialect
How will names, movements and accents have to be altered ?
Radio broadcasts: reading a selected piece of writing . . .
In the style of . . .
*a horse racing commentator
*teacher in reception
*a vicar preaching
* in bed with flu
* dramatic actor
*one drink too many
*alien or robot
In Roots amagazine , recently, they suggested inventing a drama which began and ended with a song title…what a wonderful idea.
If you can’t think of one try ‘He ain’t heavy he’s my brother’, and end with ‘All you need is love’.
In a circle, each person will choose an Indian name and mime it, e.g. falling rain.
The next person remembersthis one, and makes up one too, and so on.
Act out a tableau. E’g’ from history, mythology, inventors etc.,
Try mirror images…
‘Prop’ led dramas…
Who am I?: think of a character and act him/her out as you travel around the room guessing who others are.
Pass the buck : someone starts telling a story, and once they pass the ‘buck, the next person must take up the story.
Structures: Build a suspension bridge: a cathedral: a dome: a crane: aeroplane: a bus: antenna ~ using bodies in groups of 5/6/7
10 Thou could contemplate sharing your ideas with others, like I’m doing, so that others benefit. Why not?
What ideas have worked for you?
Available on this website
www.sheilahamil.co.uk
Free drama book: ‘Ready, steady, act now’
Free assembly ideas :
Free sermon ideas:
Free solo CD’s : -
Giving It All To You
Called To Serve
Without Love I Am Nothing
The Best of United Folk
* Easter Story
*Christmas Story
*Try using Easter Story and Christmas Story as Drama Experiments, using puppets
Download the songs and act them out, . . . . first without the music.
Discuss as a team how best they can be done, then perform them for others to see.
Final Challenge; Look these dramas up in Ready, Steady, Act Now: see drama link for free booklet.
KS3
(family service choices here also)
What Christmas is not
Angels in White
The Lord’s Prayer
Radio Jerusalem
Cindaerobics
Butterfly and Chrysalis
Parable of Rich Fool (C Tate)
Love is
Let’s try& listen
Maximilian Kolbe
The Body of Christ
Dives and Lazarus
Soap
Mother I feel quite ill
Happy New Year
Christmas Photograph
The £8,000 challenge
Let’s Talk it Over Instead
The Master Returns
Transfiguration: gang show
Inside the Courthouse
Question Time/ Resurrection
A Case of Mistaken Identity
A Deadly Stalemate
Chopsticks
The Gift Experience
There’s Plenty of Time
A Way of Loving
Tragedy
Transfiguration,movement/music
Mr Men: Make Poverty History
The Wind and the Sun
The Ten Bridesmaids
Four Goats and a Community Tap Stand
Nuclear War
The Story of Cinderella
Banana Drama
Beggars and Broth
The Apprentice
E Mail
Extreme Makeover
The Who’s Got Talent Show
KS 2
Pharisee and the Tax Collector
What Christmas is not
Angels in White
The Lord’s Prayer
In the beginning God Created
Radio Jerusalem
Cindaerobics
Butterfly and Chrysalis
Listen with Mother
St George/ Bold Slasher
Chanticleer / Pertelote
Shadow Dramas
Parable of Rich Fool
Magic Wishing Mirror
Let’s try and listen
What is a mum?
The body of Christ
Mean Jake
I’ve come to light that candle
Harvest exercises
Breakfast at Tiberias
Supper in the Upper
Hallowe’en
The Hare and the Tortoise
Round the Back
Christmas Photograph
Transfiguration: gang show
Chopsticks
There’s Plenty of Time
If I were not upon the Stage
Transfiguration,movement/music
Mr Men: Make Poverty History
Mr Big and Mr Small
The Great Blondin
The Wind and the Sun
The Ten Bridesmaids
Nuclear War
It’s Time To Get Ready
The Story of Cinderella
Banana Drama
Beggars and Broth
A Brand New Team
Extreme Makeover
A New Heaven and a New Earth
KS1
Pharisee and the Tax Collector
The Lord’s Prayer(simpler)
Little Red Hen
Oi be a farmer
Parable of Rich Fool
The body of Christ
I’ve come to light that candle
Ask and It Shall Be Given
John the Baptist
Mr Big and Mr Small
The Wind and the Sun
The Story of Cinderella
Family Services
You can’t be calling me?
When I needed a neighbour
Sinners and Saints
Radio Jerusalem
Butterfly and Chrysalis
Love is
Let’s try and listen
The Prodigal Son
Ten Striving Christians
Luke’s Fish Shop
What is a mum?
Fire ! Fire!
Dives and Lazarus
Soap
Dungeon of Despair
Mother I feel quite ill
We don’t speak the Lingo
I will enter his Gates
Happy New Year
Round the BackChristmas Photograph
Big Brother
Let’s Talk it Over Instead
The Master Returns
Transfiguration: gang show
Question Time/ Resurrection
I am the Greatest
There’s plenty of Time
A way of Loving
Come Follow Me
I Never Knew You
Transfiguration,movement/music
Do you Believe In God?
The Great Blondin
Where did you get that top
The Ten Bridesmaids
Whom Shall I Send?
Banana Drama
Bad Press
The ‘Who’ Got Talent Show’
The Healing of the Paralysed Man
The Apprentice
Orchestral Harmony
Take up your cross
Easter
The Roman Centurion Speaks
Barabbas the Brigand Rap
Question Time: Resurrection
Palm Sunday Newsflash/Radio Jerusalem
Palm Sunday shadow drama (silhouettes behind a sheet for young people)
Good Friday Shadow drama
Easter Sunday Shadow drama
Breakfast at Tiberias
Supper in the Upper
Outside the Courthouse
A Case of Mistaken Identity
A Deadly Stalemate
The Easter Story Musical
Christmas
What Christmas is not
Angels in White
Cinderaerobics
It's better to light one candle
Christmas photograph
The Gift Experience
Four goats and a community tapstand
The Christmas Story Musical
Pentecost
120 Striving Christians
Beggars and Broth
We Don’t Speak the Lingo
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse