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THEATRE 315
Theatre for Young Audiences
M Larlham
Office # DA 208
Email: larlham@mail.sdsu.edu
Theatre expresses human perception, feeling, thought and idea in a symbolic form
through sound, movement and language. Experience of these elements through
improvisation and games integrated with discussion, analysis, research on acting,
directing and performance presentation will empower participants to employ and adapt
theatre process in their future lives as leaders, teachers, social activists and artists.
Objectives:
1. To alert sensory perception and express ideas and feelings through the elements of
theatre; play, improvisation, acting, directing and script-writing.
2. To become familiar with basic theatre training techniques.
3. To enable practice in leading a theatre class, devising or directing performances.
4. To gather a useful resources as preparation for future use as a teacher or artist/
educator.
5. To promote responsive leadership and participate fully in drama classes with
enjoyment, vitality and confidence.
Class Attendance and Participation
Full attendance and wholehearted participation is of the utmost importance. If you miss a
class on the day you are scheduled to lead an activity, you will receive an "F" for that
assignment. If the absence was due to an emergency and class time permits your activity
may be rescheduled or an alternative project may be assigned.
Grading will be determined by the total number of points you accumulate from your
projects and your participation and attendance.
Project #1 Play Attendance and Response
#2 Beginning Creative Drama Lesson
#3 Alice project
#4 Monologue
#5 Page to stage
#6 Box
10%
10%
10%
10%
20%
20%
An A grade recognizes outstanding work in preparation, concept, communication and
presentation. An A- recognizes superior work and a B+, B or B-, average work within
2
these categories while C and D grades reflect below average work which does not fulfill all
the requirements.
PROJECTS and ASSIGNMENTS
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1. Attendance of Theatre Season Performances and Review of Productions.
All students in the School are required to purchase a season ticket for the season. You
are required to attend all three plays and submit a written description (1 or 2 pages) or
create collage response due in the week after the show closes.
Written Paper or Collage should note something of the CHARACTERS, PLOT and
THEME and PRODUCTION STYLE of the play.
(ALICE: Curiouser and Curiouser is the first show you will be required to see. It runs
March 6-15 )
Purchase tickets online: http://ttf.sdsu.edu/index.php/buy_tickets/subscriptions
2. A Beginning Creative Drama Lesson – Group Project
Goal: This introductory project provides an opportunity to become familiar with drama
activities and expanding ones repertoire. In addition, this project provides students with
practice leading the class in creative drama activities and works with in the “project-based
learning” concept being adopted by California State “common core” method. This project
allows you the chance to team-teach and support one another in shared teaching
practices.
Assignment: Working in small groups you will be responsible for creating a drama
lesson on one of the basic skills areas of creative drama. The group will be given 30
minutes of class to present their lesson. Members of the group rotate leadership and
support. A basic plan might be as follows:
Warm-up / lead-in,
Activities 1,2,3,
Performance or realization, cool-down or conclusion.
The basic drama skills areas:
1. Sensitivity/trust 2. Imagination
3. Movement/pantomime/dance
4. Sound/speech/music 5. Characterization 6. Improvisation
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There are many Creative Drama books in the library and online – but a packet of basic
Creative Drama Activities which you may Download from Course Documents/Blackboard
will provide a basis for your choice and development.
2b. A written lesson plan (Download Lesson Plan Form In Course Documents) clearly
describing each activity used in the group lesson should be duplicated for each class
member or emailed. A paper copy should be presented to the instructor at the beginning
of the session.
3. Group Performance project – Alice
Group presents a scene or nonsense poem from Alice in Wonderland or Alice Through the
Looking Glass. (To be discussed and developed in class.)
4. Individual Performance Project - Monologue
Memorize, rehearse and perform a 2 minute monologue. Select monologue from either a
great speech of a famous historical person (e.g. Elizabeth I, JF Kennedy, Emily Pankhurst
etc.) or from a play script.
5. Page to Stage – Story Theatre Presentations (Group Project)
Goal: To develop fluency in script writing and expand performance skills.
Assignment: Students will select a written work from children’s literature and adapt it into
a script, rehearse and memorize to fully stage for the class.
How to proceed:
Each person in class selects and pitches an idea to the class.
Groups form around the most promising ideas.
As a group create and adapt the piece of literature chosen from storybook into a script.
The script should consist of 3-5 pages of dialogue. A copy of this script will be turned in,
prior to performing. In these groups you will select one of the adapted story scripts to
stage and fully present in the class. These presentations will require some outside
rehearsal time and should include elements of costume, set, sound and movement.
On your date: Each group will have 15 minutes to set up, present and hear feedback.
Plan to have your performance time last between 6-10 minutes.
6. Final BOX Project
Goal: Reflection and transformation of personal vision
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Assignment: Look for empty boxes /containers and think how you might transform them
as either:
a) a creative drama game
b) a symbolic self-portrait, a biography, or selected piece of literature
c) a 2 -5 minute performance using the box as a central focus, symbol or set.
You may use paint, crayon, collage, colored paper, objects inside or out, cue cards etc.
Presentation of Box Project: During class you will be given time to demonstrate your
box. The class will evaluate the projects in terms of concept, artistic excellence and/or
presentation. On the day of your presentation you should submit an information page
giving your name, the title of the box and a brief outline of the concept.