Tableau!
Official Definition:
A silent group of people, frozen in time, used to represent a scene, an abstract idea (peace, joy, etc) or theme.
Key features to creating a good tableau:
Tableau Ingredient
Facial Expression
Sample
Explanation
The face must be used to clearly
portray the emotion in the scene.
Active body
The body is in a state of “arrested
motion” which also communicates
what the characters are doing in
the scene and how they feel but
it’s completely held still.
Levels
Using a variety of levels (low,
middle, and high) is extremely
effective when composing visually
appealing tableau.
Focal Point
The tableau must have a clear
point of interest, or focal point. It
must communicate meaning, or
message.
Clarity
The message, focus, idea, action,
emotions must be clear.
There are many types of tableaux used in productions:
Singular tableau: A single tableau which portrays an
Goals of learning tableau--Why do we have to learn this
idea, message, emotion, etc.
Silent Story tableau: A number of Tableaux which
tells a story without using spoken dialogue
Narrative Tableau: A narrator (who can still be a part
of the tableaux) tells a story which is represented in the
tableaux
Moving Tableau: Movement or moving transitions are
used to link the tableaux together
stuff?
To develop a clear form of non-verbal
communication and expression
 To develop focus and memory
 To develop physical intelligence
 To develop effective staging techniques
 To develop effective team working skills
 To learn the areas of the stage
 To further improve creativity
