Curtains Up

ter

r e t a e h T p o Lollip

a Lollipop The

Debbie B. Woodford

DEVELOP ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH DRAMA Journey into the exciting world of drama and theater with the Lollipop Theater series.

Curtains Up!

Cur tains Up!

In this series, students will learn to express themselves confidently through their body language, facial expressions and the way they speak.

Discussions, voice exercises and speaking activities encourage students to speak up. Tips for acting help to improve their presentation skills.

Cur tains Up! Debbie B. Woodford

Through improvisation and acting games, students are invited to be more creative and flexible.

The series will also develop students’ appreciation for drama and literature.

Students are given opportunities to reflect on and analyze the form and content of plays and stories. They will also hone their writing skills through projects such as script writing.

Curtains Up! is the first book of the Lollipop Theater series.

ISBN

Empowering Minds • Improving Lives

00_LT_Curtains Up_cover.indd 1

Debbie B. Woodford

In Curtains Up!, students go behind the scenes to learn about the people involved in stage production and develop their skills as an actor, director, stage manager and even playwright! Students will also have fun staging their own performances.

978-981-4321-82-2

9 789814 321822

10/6/16 4:54 PM

r e t a e h T p o Lollip

Cur tains Up! Debbie B. Woodford

00_LT_Curtains Up_prelims.indd 1

10/6/16 5:03 PM

Published by Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd 745 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh, #03-07, Singapore 319455 enquiry@alstonpublishinghouse.com www.alstonpublishinghouse.com Š 2011 Alston Publishing House Pte Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

First published 2011 Second impression 2012 Third impression 2016 ISBN 978-981-4321-82-2 Publisher: Sim Wee Chee Printed in Singapore

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Contents Chapter Title

Learning Outcomes

Introducing Drama And Stage Production 1. Let’s Get On Stage

Learn about different kinds of performances Learn to give stage directions Learn an exercise that helps with acting

1

2. Who Puts Up A Performance?

Learn about directors, actors and actresses Practice your skill as an actor and as a director

9

3. Let’s Go Backstage

Learn about the backstage crew Learn to create sounds Plan for a script as members of the backstage crew

13

4. Light And Sound

Learn about how lighting and sound effects make a difference on stage Express your feelings with color (visual association)

22

5. Backstage: Costumes And Make-up

Learn about different types of costumes and make-up Use costumes and make-up to help you express different personalities and play different characters

31

6. Backstage: Props And Sets

Learn about the use of props on stage Create simple props and sets for a stage

35

7. Backstage: Audience And Types Of Stages

Learn about audience’s behavior Learn about different types of stages and how to move on a stage with the audience in mind

40

8. Managing A Play

Learn about the role of the stage manager Carry out activities as the stage manager, actors and backstage crew Learn about the front of house Design a poster as a publicist

45

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Chapter Title

Learning Outcomes

Lines, Lines, Lines!

9. Types Of Plays And Scripts

Learn about different types of plays Carry out pantomime activities Learn about the play structure Learn how to select a script Try creating spontaneous scripts Practice improvising actions

54

10. Brilliant Beginnings

Learn the basics of writing a play Learn about the plot structure (beginning, middle and ending) Create brilliant beginnings to stories

63

11. Writing A Play

Write a short piece of dialogue Stretch your imagination through drama improvisation games

69

12. An Actor’s Life

Learn about auditions and rehearsals Audition for a role Learn to shake off stage fright before a performance or presentation

75

13. Learning Your Lines

Get some tips on learning and memorizing lines Learn to visualize stories and feelings

81

Express Yourself 14. Thinking About Characters

Learn about different types of descriptions for characters Identify qualities of a character Explore characterization

88

15. Let Your Body Talk

Learn about body movements Practice control over your body Express yourself through your body

94

16. Using Your Voice

Learn about the elements for voice control Learn the correct way to breathe in voice training Explore voice exercises for volume, pitch, pace and clarity

99

17. Keep Using Your Voice

Learn exercises for the mouth and tongue Learn to exercise your voice Practice saying rhymes with different emotions

107

18. Putting It All Together

Practice using your voice and movement to express yourself Try creating spontaneous dialogues

114

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Chapter Title

Learning Outcomes

Think On Your Feet 19. Let’s Get Creative

Practice using your imagination in different ways through creative drama

122

20. Let’s Create Drama

Stretch your imagination through drama games Think on your feet while playing improvisation games

127

21. More Improvisation

Practice thinking quickly through more improvisation games

132

You Are A Star 22. Preparing For A Skit: Brainstorming

Consolidate what you learned about generating ideas, brainstorming and improvisation Come up with a story idea and plan its details Take on different roles and work cooperatively in a group

139

23. Preparing For A Skit: Setting Up A Production

Consolidate what you learned about designing and making costumes, props and sets Take on different roles and work cooperatively in a group Rehearse your skit

144

24. It’s Time To Perform!

Experience how the elements of a stage production come together in a performance

150

Glossary

153

Acknowledgements

154

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1

Let’s Get On Stage A stage is a place where we can perform for other people.

What can you do on a stage?

You can sing. You can also play an instrument like a piano, a violin or a guitar.

You can perform a dance.

There are many kinds of dances: ballet, hip-hop, folk dances and many more.

Stu ent spotlight

Let’s Get On Stage

01_LT_Curtains Up.indd 1

Ticket

Have you ever performed on a stage? If you have, describe to your classmates your experiences of performing on a stage.

1

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You can act. You can perform a comedy.

A comedy makes people laugh.

You can perform a mime. A mime is a story without words. Miming is the art of silently acting out a scene or expressing feelings, using gestures and facial expressions.

2

Ticket

You can also perform a dramatic play. You may choose to perform your favorite stories or a story you have written.

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Stage Directions How do actors or actresses know where to go when they get on a stage?

They use stage directions so that they won’t get lost or bump into each other when they perform.

Right wing

Stage Directions

Left wing

Upstage Stage right, or right stage

Center stage

Stage left, or left stage

Downstage

Audience Teacher’s Note

Let’s Get On Stage

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Ticket

Help students to understand the stage directions. Upstage is the portion of the stage farthest away from the audience, downstage is the part of the stage that is closest to the audience. Stage right and stage left refer to the actors’ right and left. Center stage is the middle portion of the stage. Left and right wings refer to the sides of the theater stage behind the curtains.

3

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Le t's Directing Directions do I t!

Let’s practice taking and giving stage directions.

Stage 1 One of you is the director. The rest of you are actors.

The actors should stand and face the director as if they are on a stage.

The director will call out a stage direction, for example, “Upstage”.

The actors will move according to the stage direction that the director calls out.

The director will call out another stage direction and again, the actors will move into place. With each stage direction, the director gives less time for the actors to get in place.

Take turns to be directors.

Teacher’s Note

4

Ticket

This game should continue until everyone is familiar with stage directions.

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stage left!

Stage 2 Let’s make it more challenging!

Now the actors will have to move in the opposite direction from the stage direction that the director calls out. For example, if the director says “Upstage”, the actors must move downstage. If the director calls out “Right stage”, the actors must move left stage.

Let’s Get On Stage

01_LT_Curtains Up.indd 5

Ticket

The director should give more time for actors to get in place at first.

After the first three stage directions, the director will give less time with each stage direction.

5

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Le t's Explore Your Senses do I t!

Here’s an exercise that actors do to help them with acting.

Relax and explore the world with your five senses by pretending to …

TOUCH • a hot stove • ice cubes • sharp tacks

SMELL

6

Ticket

• freshly baked bread • a skunk • perfume

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TASTE • your favorite candy • a sour lemon • hot peppers

HE AR

• a loud whistle • a gentle wind • underwater sounds

SEE

• ants • a giant • a car speeding towards you

Stu ent spotlight

Let’s Get On Stage

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Ticket

Describe to your classmates what it felt like to use your imagination and senses.

7

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Le t's Popcorn Burst! do I t!

Make yourself really small on the ground. Imagine that you are a popcorn kernel sitting in a pot on a stove.

The heat is turned on. Slowly, it becomes hotter and hotter in the pot.

The popcorn kernel begins to sizzle in the pot. The pot becomes really hot. The popcorn kernel is going to pop soon.

On the count of three, you will pop as fast as you can.

Ready?

Pop

CORN

1... 2... 3... PO P! Teacher’s Note

8

Ticket

The students can do a star jump when they imagine they are popping popcorn kernels.

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ter

r e t a e h T p o Lollip

a Lollipop The

Debbie B. Woodford

DEVELOP ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH DRAMA Journey into the exciting world of drama and theater with the Lollipop Theater series.

Curtains Up!

Cur tains Up!

In this series, students will learn to express themselves confidently through their body language, facial expressions and the way they speak.

Discussions, voice exercises and speaking activities encourage students to speak up. Tips for acting help to improve their presentation skills.

Cur tains Up! Debbie B. Woodford

Through improvisation and acting games, students are invited to be more creative and flexible.

The series will also develop students’ appreciation for drama and literature.

Students are given opportunities to reflect on and analyze the form and content of plays and stories. They will also hone their writing skills through projects such as script writing.

Curtains Up! is the first book of the Lollipop Theater series.

ISBN

Empowering Minds • Improving Lives

00_LT_Curtains Up_cover.indd 1

Debbie B. Woodford

In Curtains Up!, students go behind the scenes to learn about the people involved in stage production and develop their skills as an actor, director, stage manager and even playwright! Students will also have fun staging their own performances.

978-981-4321-82-2

9 789814 321822

10/6/16 4:54 PM