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Contents
Introduction for Facilitators ........................................................................................... 3
Final Performance
Checklist........................................................................................... 4
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft for Beginners............................7
Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft ............................................................................. 9
Session 2: Set Design..................................................................................................... 11
Session 3: Set Building .................................................................................................. 14
Session 4: Stage Lighting............................................................................................... 16
Session 5: Costumes...................................................................................................... 19
Session 6: Stage Make‐Up............................................................................................. 23
Session 7: Directing....................................................................................................... 26
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft for Intermediate Members.....28
Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft ........................................................................... 30
Session 2:
Set
Design..................................................................................................... 32
Session 3: Set Building .................................................................................................. 35
Session 4: Stage Lighting............................................................................................... 36
Session 5: Costumes...................................................................................................... 40
Session 6: Stage Make‐Up............................................................................................. 43
Session 7: Directing....................................................................................................... 46
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft for Advanced Members..........48
Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft ........................................................................... 50
Session 2: Set Design..................................................................................................... 52
Session 3: Set Building .................................................................................................. 56
Session 4:
Stage
Lighting............................................................................................... 59
Session 5: Costumes...................................................................................................... 61
Session 6: Stage Make‐Up............................................................................................. 63
Session 7: Directing....................................................................................................... 66
APPENDIX ...................................................................................................................68
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft Beginner Production
The Adventures of Mouse Deer ..................................................................................... 69
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft Intermediate Production
Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School .............................................................. 84
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft Advanced Production
A Midsummer Night’s Dream ....................................................................................... 94
Recommended Resources and Supplies ..................................................................... 104
Resources for Scripts and Scenes ............................................................................... 107
Getting Involved in the Community............................................................................ 109
Tips for Using Props in Scenes .................................................................................... 110
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Introduction for Facilitators
The world of drama is about much more than just performing. Theatrical productions
require scenery, costumes, lighting, sound and much more. In TNT DramaMatters
Afterschool:
Lessons
in
Stagecraft,
you
will
find
the
tools
you
need
to
provide
hands‐
on
experiences to your members in these different aspects of theater.
About this Guide
TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft is intended to make the TNT
DramaMatters program more inclusive to all members – regardless of their interest in
performance or acting. The program includes many different ways for members to
express themselves creatively, from costumes to set design to directing.
Through this program, we hope members will discover that a behind‐the‐scenes role in
a production is just as important as an onstage role. Stagecraft offers many ways to use
creative and
organizational
skills
–
whether
as
the
set
designer
or
the
stage
manager
–
while also working together with a group to bring all of the different production
elements together.
Unlike the original TNT DramaMatters Afterschool program, the sessions in this guide
are not meant to be limited to one hour. As the facilitator, you should feel free to
extend activities, like directing or set building, into multiple sessions so that members
can take their time and enjoy themselves.
The sessions in this guide are divided into three skill levels: Beginner, Intermediate and
Advanced. These
levels
are
based
on
members’
previous
experience
with
drama
and
correlate with the levels in the original TNT DramaMatters Afterschool program. Each
session begins with a summary of that session, the main objectives and a list of
materials. (Please see Recommended Resources and Supplies on page 104 of the
Appendix for suggestions on how to get the materials for little or no cost.)
All of the activities for each skill level (beginner, intermediate and advanced) are based
on a different script. Beginners use The Adventures of Mouse Deer for their sessions,
Intermediate members use Three Sideways Stories from Wayside School for their
sessions and advanced members use A Midsummer Night’s Dream for their sessions.
(The three scripts can be found in the Appendix, starting on page 68.)
If your Club has an ongoing TNT DramaMatters Afterschool program, you may choose to
link the Lessons in Stagecraft activities with the original program guide and use those
scripts instead for the activities in this guide. This way, the Lessons in Stagecraft
members can provide scenery, costumes and props to the performance‐focused
members. If you do choose to put on a final production with both groups, the next page
includes a checklist to help you get organized and schedule your performance.
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Final Performance Checklist
Eight Weeks Out
□ Select
a play
to
perform
• Think about the members who will be performing in it. How many
actors do you have? How many boys? How many girls? Could some
parts be combined, or could the genders be changed?
• You can find many age‐appropriate plays online or in books. Just
remember: you can use royalty‐free scripts as long as you do not
charge admission, but if a play is copyrighted or you charge the
audience money to see the performance then you need to get
permission from the play’s author or publisher.
□ Ask
for
volunteers
• Ask other staff, teen Club members and students from the local
schools to volunteer to help with the performance. They could be
stagehands, help with set or costume design or even direct. This is a
great project for college or high school students who plan to go into
drama.
Six Weeks Out □ Cast the play
• You may have selected the play knowing who would be best for the
parts, but it is still a good idea to hold auditions. Not only does this
give all members a chance to try out for different parts, it is also a
great time to talk to them about the job of the casting director.
• Make sure members know that all of the parts are important.
□ Make a list of costumes and props
• Go through the script and make a list of all props and costumes that
you will need. Ask members, staff and volunteers to identify any of
the items that they can bring in.
• Select one volunteer, staff member or even an advanced member in
the TNT
DramaMatters
program
to
keep
track
of
props
and
costumes
as they are brought in. This would be a good time to mention the
importance of the prop master. Make sure these items are always
kept in the same place!
• Choose one member to be the stage manager. This should be a
member who has strong organizational and communication skills,
because the stage manager’s job is to coordinate the many different
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aspects of a production and communicate between the “back of the
house” (the costume designer, prop master, set designer, etc.) and
“front of the house” (director, actors, etc.).
Five Weeks Out □ Start rehearsals
• Start by doing a reading of each scene, where each actor reads the
part they are going to play. Then add the blocking.
• Ask members to rehearse their lines when you are blocking scenes
that they are not in.
Four Weeks Out □ Continue rehearsals
□ Start set design
• Ask for
volunteers
from
art
schools
to
help
with
suggestions
and
guidance for the sets for your play. Also, get members involved by
finding out who would like to be involved with creating the sets. This
is a good time to talk about the role of the set designer.
• Buy white drop cloths from a paint supply store to act as your sets.
Members can paint directly on these to create the backdrop for each
scene. And the best part – they can be folded up and stored
somewhere out of the way when not in use.
Three Weeks
Out
□ Continue rehearsals
□ Get the word out
• If you want to let people outside of the Club know about your
performance, you may choose to send a press release to several local
media outlets.
• Get members involved. Ask them to make posters or table tents to
spread the word around the Club. Now is a great time to mention that
this is the same kind of thing that a publicist does to let people know
about
a
play
or
event.
Two Weeks Out □ Continue rehearsals
• Ask that members try to have all of their lines memorized by the end
of this week. Encourage them to start going through the scenes
without their scripts and prompt them if they get stuck on a line.
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□ Costumes
• Go through the props and costumes that people have brought in and
decide what else you need. Hit the thrift stores, eBay and Craigslist to
get the rest of your costumes together without breaking the bank.
• Hold a fitting to get everyone into their costumes and make sure
everyone has what they need. This is exactly what the costume
designer would do in a professional play, so if any of your members
have expressed an interest in that profession you may want to put
them in charge of the process.
One Week Out □ Hold dress rehearsals
• Have everyone put on their costumes and go through the play from
beginning to end. When members are not performing onstage, they
should be
seated
in
the
house
and
watching
the
other
performers
in
the play.
The Big Day
□ Warm‐up
• Ask members to get there early and get into costumes immediately.
Then get them all together in a circle and do one of the warm‐ups
from the TNT DramaMatters Afterschool program guide. Many
professional actors choose to stretch, repeat tongue twisters or
practice deep breathing immediately before a performance.
□ The Performance
• When the performance begins, sit just offstage with a copy of the
script so that you can follow along. If anyone forgets a line, you can
whisper it to them so that the scene keeps moving along.
□ Curtain Call
• Give each performer their moment to shine with a curtain call that
brings them all back on stage to take a bow.
□ Cast party
• If you choose to, you can celebrate members’ success by inviting
them and
the
audience
to
stay
after
the
performance
for
refreshments.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft for Beginners
These activities
are
intended
for
members
who
have
completed
the
original
TNT
DramaMatters Afterschool program for beginners, or who have some experience with
drama but virtually none with other aspects like set design, costumes, make‐up or
lighting.
The main goals of these activities are to help members:
1. Learn about the many aspects of theater beyond acting.
2. Express themselves and their ideas through design explorations.
3. Gain confidence in their creative abilities.
4. Foster
team
building
and
encourage
members
to
work
together
as
a group.
Beginners Production: The Adventures of Mouse Deer
Activities in the beginners’ sessions are based on a reader’s script called The Adventures
of Mouse Deer , which can be found in the Appendix on page 68. If this script is too long
for your members, it can be shortened or divided into three sections to make it easier
for members to focus on specific parts or characters.
Synopsis: The Adventures of Mouse Deer is a folktale that originated in South Asia. Like
most folklore around the world, there is no way of knowing who originally told this
story, as it was passed down orally through generations before someone eventually
wrote it down.
The Adventures of Mouse Deer presents the story of a fictional creature, called Mouse
Deer, who must escape many predators through wit and cunning. This is a common
theme in South Asian myths and folktales, which emphasize mental abilities over
physical.
This script was written by Aaron Shepherd, who specializes in writing reader’s theater
scripts that help children build vocabulary and comprehension. If you want to read
additional scripts
by
Aaron
Shepherd,
visit
his
Web
site
at
www.aaronshep.com.
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Additional Resources: If you choose, here are some places to find alternative scripts for
use with the beginner sessions, instead of The Adventures of Mouse Deer :
• www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
A great place for reader’s theater scripts, including Casey at the Bat and
Where the
Wild
Things
Are.
• www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/Theatre_scripts_for_schools.htm
This site has a tool that helps you search for plays by length, cast and age
range.
• http://scriptsforschools.com
If you have money to spend, this site offers a wide variety of scripts that
are available for $15 and up.
Please
see
Resources
for
Scripts
and
Scenes
on
page
107
in
the
Appendix
of
this
guide
for a list of excellent books that feature scenes and scripts for children.
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Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft
Summary: Introduce members to the script they will be using, and discuss what they will
need in order to bring it to life onstage.
Session Objective:
• To understand the basics of stagecraft.
Materials:
• Whiteboard or poster paper
• Marker
• One copy of The Adventures of Mouse Deer for each member or pair of
members
Pass out a copy of The Adventures of Mouse Deer to each member, or ask members to
share with
a partner.
Assign
each
member
a role
in
the
script.
If
you
have
more
than
nine members in your group, you can split up the larger roles, like the Narrators or
Mouse Deer, and have members switch halfway through the script so that everyone
gets a chance to read. You may choose to shorten the script and only read a section if it
is too long for the time allotted for the session.
Read through the script with your members. For this first reading, do not worry about
acting it out or moving around. Just ask them to read it out loud in the group.
When you have read the entire script or the selected section, move to the whiteboard
or hang
a piece
of
poster
paper
where
everyone
can
see
it.
Explain
that
in
the
upcoming
Lessons in Stagecraft activities, members will be in charge of bringing this script to life
onstage.
Ask members what they think is included in stagecraft. If they are stumped, prompt
them with a few of the following suggestions:
• Set design and creation
• Costumes
• Stage make‐up
• Lighting
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Write their answers on the paper or whiteboard, leaving space between them. Then go
through the list and ask members what they will need to create. Suggestions might
include:
• Set design and creation – the jungle, the farm, the river
• Costumes – Mouse Deer, Tiger, Crocodile, Farmer, Dog
• Stage make
‐up
–
Mouse
Deer,
Tiger,
Crocodile,
Dog
• Lighting – Is the lighting in the jungle different than on the farm? Should
there be a spotlight for the narrators?
When you and your members have completed the list, leave it hanging as a reminder of
what you and your members will work on over the upcoming sessions.
At the end of the session, collect the scripts and hold them for next time.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft 11
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Session 2: Set Design
Summary: Members work alone or in groups to design the set for The Adventures of
Mouse Deer .
Session Objectives:
• To learn about set design.
• To draw a set and create a miniature set model.
Materials:
• Paper for each member
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• A shoebox with one long side cut off for each member or pair of
members
•
One
copy
of
The
Adventures
of
Mouse
Deer
for
each
member
or
pair
of
members
Begin by explaining to members that they will design and create a part of the scenery
for The Adventures of Mouse Deer . Reference the list you made last time to point out
what pieces of scenery are available for members to design.
Visualize It
Each member should select a scene for which they would like to design the scenery. It is
fine if some members choose the same scene, since they will work together to make the
actual scenery next session.
Bright Ideas From the Clubs:
Brenda Seals, from the Boys & Girls Club of Morristown, asked
local companies for donations of large panels of cardboard,
which members painted to make sets.
She also arranged for Wal‐Mart to donate unsold Halloween
costumes so members had access to a costume chest to
create looks for different characters.
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Ask members to spend some time thinking about the scene they have selected. If they
chose the jungle, what should it look like? What about the scenery will make it clear that
the action is taking place in a jungle? Is there anything in the script that they need to be
sure to include?
Sketch It
Once they have thought about the location for the scene, invite members to take a
piece of paper and drawing materials and sketch the background. If they are drawing
the jungle, they might draw trees and other animals in the background. If they are
drawing the river, they may choose to draw trees surrounding a body of water that gets
smaller in the distance.
A sample
painting
of
a jungle
scene
Building It
When members have completed their drawings, explain that will now create a set
diorama. This is a miniature, three‐dimensional model of their set.
Depending on the number of members in your group or the time remaining, you may
choose to divide them up into pairs to create their sets. Ask members to work with
someone who designed scenery for the same scene, if possible.
Hand
out
a
shoebox
to
each
member
or
pair
of
members.
The
side
of
the
shoebox
where you have removed the cardboard should be the top of the diorama. Members
should paste the scenery that they draw onto the “back wall” of the diorama, creating a
background for the stage in front of it.
Members who are working in pairs will need to decide whose drawing will be used for
the background, and the member whose drawing is not chosen should be in charge of
creating the other pieces that will appear onstage.
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A sample diorama of a forest scene
After members
have
pasted
the
scenery
onto
the
background,
they
should
work
on
creating any other pieces of the set that would appear in their scene. Does the script
reference a tree that members may need to cut out and prop up in front of the
background? Are there crops or plants in the script? How could members give the
illusion of a river?
If time remains after members have completed their dioramas, invite them to share
their work with the group. Explain that in the following activity, they will make the
backgrounds.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft 14
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Session 3: Set Building
NOTE: Depending on the length of your TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in
Stagecraft sessions, this activity may extend into two sessions.
Summary: Members work in groups to paint the set for The Adventures of Mouse Deer .
Session Objectives:
• To learn about scenery.
• To create a set that could be used in the production of The Adventures of
Mouse Deer.
Materials:
• Three large pieces of butcher paper or drop cloths (about five feet wide
and seven feet long)
• Pencils or markers
• Paint in a variety of colors
• Paint brushes
• Old T‐shirts or smocks that can get dirty
• The set dioramas from the previous session
• Real leaves from nearby trees (optional)
Get Ready
Lay the three pieces of paper or cloth flat on the floor in a place that will not get a lot of
foot traffic. You could do it at the end of a hallway that will not be used during the
session, or
by
moving
desks
out
of
the
way
in
the
art
room.
Explain to members that they are going to spend the session painting the scenery they
drew in the previous session. Because supplies and time are limited, any members who
worked on the jungle scenery will work together on the final product, as will the river
and farm groups.
Sketch the Set
Distribute one smock or old T‐shirt to each member. Have each of the three groups sit
next to one of the pieces of paper or cloth.
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Kids paint scenery outside to prevent spilling on the floor
Hand out
pencils
and
invite
members
to
start
out
by
working
together
to
sketch
the
background on the paper. If you are using a drop cloth, you may need to provide
markers so that the drawings will be visible.
Help members to understand the scale of drawing. You may want to provide them with
a few leaves from nearby trees to help give them a sense of how big their own leaves
should be. It is their choice to make them bigger or smaller, but encourage all of the
groups to communicate so the sizes are consistent.
Paint the Set
When
members
have
completed
the
drawing
and
everyone
in
the
group
is
satisfied,
give
them paint in a variety of colors to fill it in. Bright, bold colors work well on stage, so
encourage members to make their scenery vivid.
When members are done or time is up, have members rinse their brushes and return
the supplies and smocks to you.
Wait for the scenery to dry – it may need to be left overnight depending on the type of
paint – and roll the paper or fold the cloth before storing it in a cool, dry place until the
next session.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft 16
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Session 4: Stage Lighting
Summary: Members use desk lamps and different colored plastic wrap to experiment
with different styles of stage lighting.
Session Objectives:
• To learn about stage lighting.
• To experiment with spotlights and using lights to create mood.
Materials:
• Inexpensive desk lamps – one per each pair or small group of members
• Plastic wrap (such as Saran) in as many colors as possible
• The scenery members painted in the previous session
• One copy of the Stage Lighting Worksheet found on page 18 for each
member or each group of members
• A pen
or
pencil
for
every
member
Before the session, hang the pieces of scenery that members created at different points
around the room. They will use the scenery in order to see the effects of lighting
variations on the background.
Begin the session by explaining the importance of stage lighting. In a theatrical
performance, the house, where the audience sits, is completely dark, so stage lighting is
necessary so the audience can see the action on stage. But stage lighting does much
more than just make the stage visible. Different colors, textures and strength of lighting
can communicate
different
moods,
environments
and
times
of
day.
An example of the desk lamp that could be used for this activity
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Divide members up into pairs or small groups, and give each of them a lamp and a set of
different colored plastic wrap. Ask each group to set up their lamp in front of a piece of
scenery. Multiple groups can use the same piece of scenery, since one can get their
lamp ready while the other is lighting the set, or the groups can work together to blend
different colored light on the scenery.
In the theater, colored lights are created by inserting different colored gels in front of
certain lights. Explain to members that today, they will be using the plastic wrap to act
as gels. They can cast specific colors by holding a sheet of plastic wrap in front of the
lamp. Emphasize that they should not put the plastic wrap directly on the bulb, as this
could cause the plastic to melt.
Hand out the Stage Lighting Worksheet to each group, and help them as they go
through the exercises and fill in their answers. If members are having a hard time seeing
their light against the scenery, you may choose to turn off the lights in the room in order
to make the effects more dramatic.
If time allows at the end of the session, ask members to share their answers with the
group, and discuss any issues that they came across.
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Stage Lighting Worksheet
1. A spotlight creates a focused pool of light onstage. Create a spotlight by pointing the
lamp at one member of your group while he or she stands in front of the scenery.
What do
you
think
spotlights
are
used
for
in
theatrical
productions?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What color do you think works best to create a sad mood onstage?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What color do you think works best to create a happy mood onstage?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. What color do you think works best to make the scene look like it is happening in the
evening?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. What color do you think works best to make the scene look like it is happening in the
afternoon?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What are some ways that you can use light to create the illusion of being in a jungle?
(Hint: Creating shadows can give the appearance of light filtering through leaves.)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft 19
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (December 2008)
Session 5: Costumes
Summary: Members draw costumes for the characters in The Adventures of Mouse Deer
and, if time allows, use old clothes to create the costumes.
Session Objective:
• To learn about costuming.
Materials:
• One copy of the Character Template found on page 22
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of The Adventures of Mouse Deer for each member or pair of
members
• A clothing chest, filled with donated clothes from staff, parents,
volunteers or purchased from thrift shops (optional)
Get Ready
Begin by explaining the importance of costumes in theatrical productions. Whether an
actor wears a full costume or just one or two pieces that indicate who that actor is
supposed to be, a costume helps the audience both identify and understand the
character. Costumes are especially important in productions where actors play multiple
roles, in plays set in different time periods or when actors play animals.
Sketch It
Give each member a copy of the Character Template and drawing materials. Tell them
to choose
one
character
from
The
Adventures
of
Mouse
Deer
and
imagine
what
that
character looks like. You may want to provide a copy of the script to each member to
refresh their memory of the characters, or review them as a group.
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A sketch of the Tiger costume
Ask them to think about the ways in which a costume could tell the audience about each
character. How could they use a costume to let an audience know that a character is a
crocodile, tiger or farmer? What color would the character wear? What else, like a tail
or
ears,
would
be
needed?
When members have spent time thinking about the character, tell them to draw a
costume onto the character template. Encourage them to be as detailed as possible.
Put It Together
If time allows, and if you have a clothing chest available, invite members to choose
clothing to create the costume that they drew.
They may have to be creative, since everything they need will most likely not be
available in the chest. If, for example, they want to make mouse ears, suggest they
make ears
out
of
construction
paper
and
tape
them
to
a headband
or
hat.
MAKE IT A TEAM ACTIVITY
Divide
members
into
teams
and
give
each team a large sheet of butcher
paper (as tall as they are). Ask one
member from each team to lay down
on the paper and the other members
to draw that person’s outline around
him or her. When the outline is
complete, that person should get up
and help as the team works together
to draw a life‐size costume onto the
outline
and
color
it
in
with
paint,
crayons or markers.
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An example of the Farmer’s costume
If they want to make a costume for a tiger, suggest that they use an orange T‐shirt and
cut black stripes out of paper. They can tape the paper to the shirt to create their own
stripes.
If time remains at the end of the session, members can put their costumes on over their
clothes and walk around the room. Encourage them to move and behave as that
character.
When the session is over, put the clothing back in the chest and let members take their
costume sketches
home
with
them.
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Character Template
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Session 6: Stage Make‐Up
Summary: Members draw make‐up for characters in The Adventures of Mouse Deer
and, if time allows and if staff chooses to do so, experiment with stage make‐up on
themselves.
Session Objective:
• To learn about stage make‐up.
Materials:
• One copy of the Stage Make‐Up Template, found on page 25.
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of The Adventures of Mouse Deer for each member or pair of
members
• Make‐up – both traditional and costume make‐up – donated by staff,
volunteers and
parents
(optional)
• A mirror large enough for several members to use at once, or a small
hand mirror for pair of members (optional)
• Make‐up remover (optional)
• Old T‐shirts or smocks for every member (optional)
Nearly every actor in a theatrical production wears stage make‐up, even the men. Stage
make‐up is used to enhance facial features and expressions and make them more visible
to the audience. Stage make‐up usually includes foundation, eyeliner, lipstick and blush.
It tends to look too heavy and dark when seen off ‐stage, but under the stage lights and
from the
distance
of
the
audience,
it
appears
much
lighter.
Stage make‐up plays an even bigger part in productions where actors play animals,
monsters or characters who are much older than the actors. In these cases, make‐up is
used to create age lines on a person’s face, or to paint on aspects of the animal that the
actor is playing.
Pass out a copy of the Stage Make‐Up Template and colored pencils, markers or
crayons to each member. Ask them to pick one character from The Adventures of Mouse
Deer and think about what that character’s face would look like. They may pick the
same character they chose for the costume activity, or they may choose to use a
different character. You may need to review the characters in the script. Some fun ones
to think about are Mouse Deer, Tiger, Crocodile and Dog.
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Make‐up for the Crocodile character
Once members have spent time thinking about the character, they can color in the
make‐up onto the blank face in the template.
Optional: If you choose to so, and if time allows, invite members to try to re‐create the
look that they drew on their own faces. You may want to provide old T‐shirts or smocks
to keep them from getting any make‐up on their clothes. Be sure to read the
instructions carefully so you know how to take the make‐up off at the end of the
session!
MAKE IT A TEAM ACTIVITY
Divide members into teams and give each team a large piece of poster
paper with a big oval on it. Ask members to work together to choose a
character and color stage make‐up onto the “face” with paint, markers or
crayons.
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Stage Make‐Up Template
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Session 7: Directing
NOTE: Depending on the number of members in your group, this activity may extend
into multiple
sessions.
Summary: Members take turns directing each other in a reading of The Adventures of
Mouse Deer . Each member gets the chance to be the director and the stage manager.
Session Objective:
• To learn about the roles of the director and stage manager.
Materials:
• One copy of The Adventures of Mouse Deer for each member
• The scenery that members painted in Session 3
The director of a play unifies the many different aspects of the production, including set
design, costumes, lighting and make‐up, and oversees the quality of the overall
production.
This is clearly a very big job, so the director is often aided by a stage manager, who
communicates with the entire production team and keeps everything running smoothly.
Divide members into groups of four to six people and hand out a copy of The Adventures
of Mouse Deer to each member. Pick one member from each group to be the director
and one
member
to
be
the
stage
manager.
The
other
group
members
will
be
the
actors.
Tell members not to worry, they will all get the chance to fill each role.
Ask the director to select a scene from The Adventures of Mouse Deer . If you have the
space, you may choose to hang the scenery from Session 3 around the room so
members can perform their scenes in front of it.
The director should assign roles. Some actors could play multiple roles, if there are not
many people in the group.
Once
the
roles
have
been
decided,
the
director
leads
the
actors
through
the
rehearsal
of
the script. The stage manager makes notes as the director tells the actors where to
stand and how to move around the stage. In rehearsals for a play, the stage manager’s
notes are especially important for actors to remember their blocking for each scene. The
stage manager is also responsible for communicating with the lighting team, the
costume designer, the set designer, the prop master and stage hands.
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This is also a good time to practice the stage directions that members learned about in
sessions on “blocking” in TNT DramaMatters Afterschool.
After members have gone through the scene, rotate the roles so that the stage manager
becomes the director, the director becomes an actor and one of the actors becomes the
stage manager.
Begin the activity again with the new director selecting the section of the script he or
she wants to rehearse and casting the roles. Repeat this activity until all members have
had a chance to be the director and stage manager.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft for Intermediate Members
These activities are intended for members who have completed the original TNT
DramaMatters Afterschool
program
for
Intermediate
Members,
or
who
have
experience
with performance and some experience with or knowledge of other aspects like set
design, costumes, make‐up or lighting.
The main goals of these activities are to help members:
1. Challenge themselves with new activities.
2. Gain confidence in their creative abilities.
3. Express themselves through design, costuming and other theater‐based
activities.
Intermediate Production: Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School
The activities in the following sessions are based on a reader’s script called Three
Sideways Stories from Wayside School , which can be found in the Appendix on page 84.
You could also choose to base these activities on scenes that your TNT DramaMatters
Afterschool Intermediate members are working on, so that the Lessons in Stagecraft
members can provide the scenery, costumes and lighting for those scenes.
Synopsis: Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School is a story of a mixed‐up school
and the children who learn there. The play consists of three separate stories that
feature some of the same characters and take place within the same location.
Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School relies on one or more narrators. A narrator
is a person who tells a story, and in the case of a play, a narrator can fill in the parts that
are not seen onstage and tell the audience the back story, which is everything that
happened to the characters and location before the play began. In Three Sideways
Stories From Wayside School , the narrators are essential, since they tell the audience
that the school was accidentally built sideways. Without narrators, this information
would be more difficult to get across.
Even though they are very important to the audience, narrators are usually “invisible” to
the characters
onstage,
meaning
that
the
characters
do
not
acknowledge
the
narrator
in
any way.
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Additional Resources: If you choose, here are some places to find alternative scripts for
to use with the intermediate sessions, instead of Three Sideways Stories from Wayside
School :
• www.zartmo.com
A collection
of
one
‐act
plays
for
children
and
teens,
each
for
$30.
• www.havescripts.com
Many different scripts including reader’s theater, Shakespeare
adaptations and musicals.
• www.childrenstheatreplays.com/one‐acts.htm
One‐act plays for members in middle and high school.
Please see Resources for Scripts and Scenes on page 107 in the Appendix of this guide
for a list of excellent books that feature scenes and scripts for children.
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Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft
Summary: Members read through the script that they will use throughout the stagecraft
activities and work together to make a list of the production elements this script
requires.
Session Objective:
• To identify the elements of a theatrical production.
Materials:
• Whiteboard or poster paper
• Marker
• One copy of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School for each
member or pair of members.
Conduct a table read with your members to familiarize them with the script. A table
read is an organized read‐through where actors read their parts without moving around
or worrying about blocking.
Pass out a copy of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School to each member, or ask
members to share with a partner. Assign each member a role in the script. If you have
more than nine members in your group, you can split up the larger roles, like the
Narrators or Mrs. Jewls, and have members switch halfway through the script so that
everyone gets a chance to read. You may also choose to shorten it and only read a
section if it is too long for the time allotted for the session.
When you have read through the entire script or the selected section, move to the
whiteboard or hang a piece of poster paper where everyone can see it. Explain that in
the upcoming Lessons in Stagecraft activities, members will be in charge of creating
everything needed to bring this script to life.
Ask members what they think is included in stagecraft. If they are stumped, prompt
them with a few of the following suggestions:
• Scenery
• Costumes
• Props
• Stage make‐up
• Lighting
Write their answers on the paper or whiteboard, leaving space between them. Then go
through the list and ask members what they will need to create for this script.
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Suggestions might include:
• Scenery – Mrs. Jewls’ classroom, the art room, the stairwell, outside in
the school yard
• Costumes – Mrs. Jewls, Joe, Calvin, Bebe and Louis
• Props – paper, markers, chalkboard
• Stage make
‐up
–
Mrs.
Jewls,
Louis,
Calvin,
Bebe
and
Joe
• Lighting – Is the lighting in the classroom different than in the outside
scene?
When you and your members have completed the list, keep it hanging as a reminder of
what you and your members will work on over the upcoming sessions.
At the end of the session, collect the scripts and hold them for next time.
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Session 2: Set Design
Summary: Members design the set for one scene from Three Sideways Stories From
Wayside School and work together to begin building the set.
Session Objectives:
• To get experience with set design by designing the background for one
scene.
• To transfer their design to a larger scale.
Materials:
• Paper for each member
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• A ruler for each member or pair of members
•
One
copy
of
Three
Sideways
Stories
From
Wayside
School
for
each
member or pair of members
• Four large pieces of butcher paper (about 5 feet tall and 7 feet long) or
four cotton canvas painters’ drop cloths (about 5 feet tall and 7 feet long)
Begin by
explaining
to
members
that
they
are
each
going
to
design
and
create
a part
of
the scenery for Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School . Reference the list you
made last time to point out what pieces of scenery are available for members to design.
The choices are: Mrs. Jewls’ classroom, the art room, the stairwell and outside in the
school yard.
Bright Ideas From the Clubs:
Nicole Torrez, from the Spencer D. and Mary Jane Stewart
Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix,
bought a small
stage
for
members
to
perform
puppet
shows
for other Club members.
If you do not have the time or materials for members to
create large‐scale sets, creating sets for puppet shows is a
great way to apply the same principles but reduce the time
and expense needed to create the scenery.
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Visualize It
Each member should select a scene for which they would like to design the scenery. Try
to make sure there are a few members working on each scene, so that they can work
together later in the session.
Ask members
to
spend
some
time
thinking
about
the
scene
they
have
selected.
What
needs to be in the classroom? What does an art room usually look like? How can you
easily identify a school yard?
Sketch It
Once they have thought about the location for the scene, invite members to take a
piece of paper and drawing materials and sketch the background. Remind them that
they are only sketching the background for the scene, and that three‐dimensional
objects, like a desk or a table, would be added later.
A sketch of scenery for a classroom scene
Start on the Scenery
When members have completed their drawings, put them in groups based on the
scenery that
they
drew.
For
the
rest
of
the
session,
the
groups
will
work
on
sketching
their scenery on a large piece of butcher paper or canvas.
Make sure each group has at least one ruler and several pencils. Encourage groups to
spend some time talking about the scenery and where everything should go. They
should feel free to make a lot of marks on their paper, since the marks will be covered
with paint in the following session.
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Encourage members to use the rulers to draw straight lines and keep everything to
scale. Explain that scale means that all of the objects in the background remain in
proportion with each other. This means that if they draw a chalkboard that is 3 feet
long, the chalkboard eraser should only be about 6 inches long. If it is much larger, it will
look out of scale.
The issue of scale makes it very important that everyone in the group works together to
make sure the scenery looks right.
If members have time left over when they have finished sketching their backgrounds,
they can start labeling the scenery with the colors that each object should be painted.
This will help next time when it is time to paint!
When the session is over, roll up the butcher paper or fold up the cloths and store in a
safe place until next time.
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Session 3: Set Building
NOTE: Depending on the length of your TNT DramaMatters Lessons in Stagecraft
sessions, this activity may extend into two sessions.
Summary: Members work in groups to paint the sets for Three Sideways Stories From
Wayside School.
Session Objective:
• To paint a set for the production of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside
School.
Materials:
• The large pieces of scenery that members started in Session 2
• Pencils or markers
• Paint in a variety of colors
• Paint brushes
• Old T‐shirts or smocks that can get dirty
Get Ready
Lay the pieces of scenery flat on the floor in a place that will not get a lot of foot traffic.
You could do it at the end of a hallway that will not be used during the session, or by
moving desks out of the way in the art room.
Distribute one smock or old T‐shirt to each member and ask that members put them on
and then
go
sit
by
the
scenery
that
they
worked
on
in
the
previous
session.
If members did not finish sketching or labeling the colors in the set last time, provide
them with pencils and ask that they finish that first before moving on to painting.
Paint the Set
Once members are finished the drawing and labeling, give them paint in a variety of
colors to fill it in. Bright, bold colors work well on stage, so encourage members to make
their scenery vivid.
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A girl paints the scenery for the schoolyard scene
When members
are
done
or
time
is
up,
have
members
rinse
their
brushes
and
return
the supplies and smocks to you.
Wait for the scenery to dry – it may need to be left overnight depending on the type of
paint – and roll the paper or fold the cloth before storing it in a cool, dry place until the
next session.
MAKE IT A TEAM ACTIVITY
You may choose to have the entire TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons
in Stagecraft group work together on one piece of scenery to encourage
teamwork and get the job done faster. If you choose to do so, ask members
to vote on which piece of scenery they’d like to work on together or select
the piece ahead of time.
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Session 4: Stage Lighting
Summary: Members will experiment with different colors and configurations of desk
lamps to light a set.
Session Objective:
• To get hands‐on experience with stage lighting and understand the
different types of lights.
Materials:
• Inexpensive desk lamps – as many as possible
• Colored plastic wrap (such as Saran) in as many colors as possible
• The scenery members painted in the previous session
• A pen or pencil for every member
Before the session, hang the pieces of scenery that members created at different points
around a room with as few windows as possible. Make the room as dark as possible so
members can see the effect of their stage lighting. Please keep this in mind when
preparing
for
the
session.
Theatrical lighting is very complicated. Most theater productions, even high school
drama departments, hire a team of professionals to set‐up and control the lighting
during the performance. A simple exercise, however, can go a long way to helping your
members understand stage lighting.
Bright Ideas From the Clubs:
Ashlee Hitchcock, from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County,
asked members to bring flashlights from home in order to
practice different types of stage lighting.
They turned off all of the lights in the trailer in which they met
for their TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft
sessions, and
members
took
turns
standing
in
the
different
colored spotlights created by flashlights and colored plastic
wrap.
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Begin the session by explaining the importance of stage lighting. In a theatrical
performance, the house, where the audience sits, is completely dark, so stage lighting is
necessary for the audience to see the action on stage. But lighting the stage requires
more than just pointing lights at the actors.
Lights need
to
be
arranged
so
that
light
falls
evenly
on
everything
onstage,
or
focused
so
that it draws attention to certain elements. Different color, intensity and direction of
lighting can be used to communicate the mood, time of day or highlight a specific
character.
Ask members to get a desk lamp and stand in a semi‐circle in front of the piece of
scenery that is hanging up. Turn off the lights in the room, and block as much light from
windows as you can. Ask everyone to turn their lamps on and point them at the scenery.
Have one member or one of the staff stand in front of the scenery.
Eliminating Shadows
Ask members if they can see any shadows from the person cast onto the background. If
they can, then the two people on either end should point their lamps at the
background. Ask members if this makes the shadows go away.
Ask members if there are any new shadows on the person or in the scenery. If there are,
help members work together to move their lights and eliminate the shadows. Some may
need to hold their lamps lower or higher to make sure that light falls evenly on the
“stage.”
Times of
Day
Ask members if they can make the light onstage seem like evening. Remember,
everything on stage still needs to be visible, but the light should be softer. Some
members may need to turn off their lamps to achieve this effect, or they could use blue
plastic wrap to cast a softer glow.
Mood
Ask members if they can work together to create an angry, dramatic mood on stage.
Red plastic wrap may be an effective way of getting this across.
If
time
allows,
choose
a
few
members
to
be
the
actors
and
act
out
a
short
scene
from
Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School . The rest of the group should try to keep
the actors evenly lit throughout the performance. The two groups can trade places to
give everyone a chance to be the lighting designers.
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An example of the effect lighting can have on the nature of a scene
Movement
Ask members to work together to create the illusion that the scene onstage is
happening in a forest. To do this, have them hold their hands in front of the lamps – not
on the lamps, as they might be hot – and spread their fingers apart. They should then
slowly pull their hands away from the light until the light onstage is bright but speckled
with shadows.
Now, ask members to create the illusion that the wind is blowing in the forest. They can
move their hands in front of the lamps, or move the lamps themselves. Make sure they
keep watching the stage so they know whether they need to slow down or speed up to
keep the movement consistent.
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Session 5: Costumes
Summary: Members create costumes for the characters from Three Sideways Stories
From Wayside School.
Session Objective:
• To practice assembling a costume for a character.
Materials:
• One copy of the Character Template, found on page 42.
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School for each
member
• A clothing chest, filled with donated clothes from staff, parents,
volunteers or purchased from thrift shops (optional)
Theatrical productions use costumes to tell the audience about a character. If a
character wears a suit and tie, the audience sees that this character works in some
professional job, or is dressed up for a special occasion. If an actor wears her hair in
pigtails and wears overalls, then the audience knows that actor is playing the role of a
child.
In this session, members plan out the costume for one character from Three Sideways
Stories From Wayside School and, if you choose, put elements of those costumes on
over their regular clothes.
Sketch It
Give each member a copy of the Character Template and drawing materials. Tell them
to choose one character from Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School and imagine
what that character looks like. You may want to provide a copy of the script to each
member to refresh their memory of the characters, or review them as a group.
Ask them to think about the ways in which a costume could tell the audience about each
character. How could they use a costume to let an audience know that a character is a
child or an adult? What colors would the character wear? When members have spent
time thinking about the character, tell them to draw a costume onto the character
template. Encourage
them
to
be
as
detailed
as
possible.
Members
should
be
sure
to
list
all of the costume elements below the drawing to identify everything they would need
to put this together in a production.
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Put It Together
If time
allows,
and
if you
have
a clothing
chest
available,
invite
members
to
choose
clothing to create the costume that they drew. They may have to be creative, since
everything they need most likely will not be available in the chest.
If time remains at the end of the session, members can put their costumes on over their
clothes and walk around the room. Encourage them to move and behave as that
character.
When the session is over, put the clothing back in the chest and let members take their
costume sketches home with them.
Ask members how portraying a character in costume made them feel. Did it help them
get more into character? Did it help them to move like that character?
MAKE IT A TEAM ACTIVITY
Divide members into teams and give each team a large sheet of butcher paper (as tall
as they are). Ask one member from each team to lay down on the paper and the
other members
to
draw
that
person’s
outline
around
him
or
her.
When
the
outline
is
complete, that person should get up and help as the team works together to draw a
life‐size costume onto the outline and color it in with paint, crayons or markers. The
team should select a different member to dress in the style of the character that they
drew. They can work together to gather materials from a costume chest for the
selected member to wear over his or her clothes.
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Character Template
Character Name: _________________________________
Character Age: __________________________________
Costume Pieces (examples – glasses, dress, stockings, overalls, etc.):
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
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Session 6: Stage Make‐Up
Summary: Members draw make‐up for characters in Three Sideways Stories From
Wayside School and, if time allows and if staff chooses to do so, experiment with stage
make‐up on a partner.
Session Objective:
• To make a make‐up plan for a character and practice with stage make‐up.
Materials:
• One copy of the Stage Make‐Up Plan, found on page 45
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School for each
member or pair of members
• Make‐up – foundation, eyeliner in black and brown, blush and lipstick –
donated by
staff,
volunteers
and
parents
(optional)
• A mirror large enough for several members to use at once, or a small
hand mirror for each pair of members (optional)
• Make‐up remover (optional)
• Old T‐shirts or smocks for every member (optional)
Nearly every actor in a theatrical production wears stage make‐up, even the men. Stage
make‐up is used to enhance facial features and expressions and make them more visible
to the audience. Stage make‐up usually includes foundation, eyeliner, lipstick and blush.
It tends to look too heavy and dark when seen off ‐stage, but under the stage lights and
from the
distance
of
the
audience,
it
appears
much
lighter.
Stage make‐up plays an even bigger part in productions where actors play animals,
monsters or characters who are much older than the actors. In these cases, make‐up is
used to create age lines on a person’s face, or to paint on aspects of the animal that the
actor is playing.
Pass out a copy of the Stage Make‐Up Plan and colored pencils, markers or crayons to
each member. Ask them to pick one character from Three Sideways Stories From
Wayside School and think about what that character’s face would look like. They may
pick the same character they chose for the costume activity, or they may choose to use
a different character. You may need to review the characters in the script. The choices
are Mrs. Jewls, Joe, Calvin, Bebe and Louis.
Once members have spent time thinking about the character, they can color in the
make‐up onto the blank face in the template. Remind them that every character, even if
they are a child, will wear make‐up in order to be seen under the stage lights.
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Hint: Drawing freckles on a character is a good way to make them look younger, while
drawing lines on the forehead and around the mouth creates the illusion of wrinkles
from a distance.
Stage make‐up used to create the illusion of age
If you choose to, and if time allows, invite members to pair up and try to re‐create the
look that they drew on their partner’s face. You may want to provide old T‐shirts or
smocks to keep them from getting any make‐up on their clothes. Be sure to read the
instructions carefully so you know how to take the make‐up off at the end of the
session!
MAKE IT A TEAM ACTIVITY
Divide members into teams and give each team a large
piece of poster paper with a big oval on it. Ask members to
work together to choose a character and color stage make‐
up onto the “face” with paint, markers or crayons.
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Stage Make‐Up Plan
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Session 7: Directing
NOTE: Depending on the number of members in your group, this activity may extend
into multiple sessions.
Summary: Members take turns directing each other in a reading of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School . Each member gets the chance to be the director and the
stage manager.
Session Objectives:
• To learn about the roles of the director and stage manager.
• To see how the many aspects of production come together.
Materials:
• One copy of Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School for each
member
• The scenery that members painted in Session 3
• Inexpensive desk lamps – as many as possible
• Costume chest
The director of a play unifies the many different aspects of the production, including set
design, costumes, lighting and make‐up, and oversees the quality of the overall
production.
This is clearly a very big job, so the director is often aided by a stage manager, who
communicates with
the
entire
production
team
and
keeps
everything
running
smoothly.
Choose a short scene from within Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School and hang
the background for that scene. Assign one member to start out as the director and one
to start as the stage manager.
The director should choose members to act out the scene. The actors can pick their own
costumes, or the director can pick a costume designer to select a few items for the
actors to wear over their clothes.
The director should also assign several people to be lighting designers. The lighting
designers should set up their lamps with the help of the stage manager, who can tell them if there are any shadows cast on the set.
Once the actors are costumed and the lighting is right, the director should run a
rehearsal with the actors. The director should tell the actors where to stand and how to
move. The stage manager should coordinate the lighting designers and let them know if
the light should change at any point throughout the scene. The stage manager should
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also keep track of any props that are needed in the scene and keep the rehearsal
moving smoothly.
After members have gone through the scene, rotate the roles so that the stage manager
becomes the director and another member becomes a stage manager. The director
should pick
new
actors
for
the
scene.
Repeat this activity until all members have had a chance to be the director and stage
manager.
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft for Advanced Members
These activities are intended for members who have completed the original TNT
DramaMatters Afterschool
program
for
Advanced
Members,
or
who
have
extensive
experience with performance and knowledge of or interest in other aspects like set
design, costumes, make‐up or lighting.
The main goals of these activities are to help members:
1. Challenge themselves by doing the activities necessary to produce a play.
2. Gain confidence in their creative abilities.
3. Express themselves through design, costuming and other theater‐based
activities.
For the advanced group, we strongly recommend linking the Lessons in Stagecraft
group with the TNT DramaMatters Afterschool advanced members. This will help all
members see the correlation between stagecraft and performance and appreciate the
impact that costumes, lighting and scenery can make on the final production.
If you do not have a concurrent TNT DramaMatters group, then we have included a
suggested script on which you can base the sessions’ activities. The script is a scene
from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play that includes many
opportunities for creativity in costuming, make‐up, scenery, lighting and other aspects.
This script can be found in the Appendix of this guide on page 94.
Advanced Production: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Synopsis: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy by William Shakespeare that tells
the stories of four young people who fall into a love tangle. Each of them is in love with
the wrong person. The fairy king Oberon and his secret agent Puck cast spells and play
tricks on the four people to make them fall in love with one person, then another. All of
this happens one summer night in a forest outside Athens, in ancient Greece. The play is
one of Shakespeare’s most popular works and is still performed around the world.
About
William
Shakespeare:
William
Shakespeare
was
born
around
1564
in
Stratford‐
upon‐Avon, a town in England. His exact birth date is unknown, but records show that
he was baptized in 1564. Over the course of his life, Shakespeare wrote more than 35
plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet and The Taming of the Shrew . His
work includes comedies, tragedies and historically‐based plays that are widely
considered some of the best works in the English language.
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Additional Resources: If you are concerned that this script is too advanced for your
members, many books offer scenes that are appropriate for teenage actors. The
following books can most likely be found at your local library:
• 24 One Act Plays by Bennett Cerf and Van H. Cartmell
• One Act Plays for Acting Students: An Anthology of Short One‐ Act Plays
for One,
Two
or
Three
Actors
by
Norman
Bert
• Take Ten: New Ten‐Minute Plays by Eric Lane
• Scenes for Young Actors by Lorraine Cohen
Please see Resources for Scripts and Scenes on page 107 in the Appendix of this guide
for a list of excellent books that feature scenes and scripts for children.
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Session 1: Introduction to Stagecraft
Summary: Members read through the script and break up into production groups.
Session Objective:
• To identify the elements of a theatrical production.
Materials:
• Whiteboard or poster paper
• Marker
• One copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for each member or pair of
members
Pass out a copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to each member, or ask members to
share
with
a
partner.
Assign
each
member
a
role
in
the
script.
Some
members
may
need
to read two roles in order to cover all of the parts. You may also choose to shorten the
play and only read a section if it is too long for the session.
Read through the script with your members, pausing for questions or to explain parts of
the script. For this first reading, do not worry about acting it out or moving around, just
ask them to read it out loud in the group.
When you have read through the entire script or the selected section, move to the
whiteboard or hang a piece of poster paper where everyone can see it. Explain that in
the upcoming activities, members will work in groups to create the production elements
for this
play.
Divide members into groups of about four or five people. If you have a small TNT
DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft group, you may choose to all work
together. Each group will work independently of the others to develop the production
elements, so make sure that each group has enough people to complete the activities.
Ask members to list the elements that go into a production. If they are stumped, prompt
them with a few of the following suggestions:
• Scenery
•
Costumes
• Stage make‐up
• Lighting
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Write their answers on the paper or whiteboard, leaving space between them. Go
through the list and ask members what they will need to create for this particular
performance. Suggestions might include:
• Scenery – the forest
• Costumes – the fairies, the actors, a donkey’s head for Bottom
• Stage make
‐up
–
the
fairies,
the
actors
• Lighting – How can the lighting convey a forest scene?
When you and your members have completed the list, keep it hanging as a reminder of
what you and your members will work on over the upcoming sessions.
At the end of the session, collect the scripts and hold them for next time.
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Session 2: Set Design
Summary: Members sketch and diagram the set for A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Session Objective:
• To get experience with set design by designing the background for one
scene.
Materials:
• Paper for each member
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• A ruler for each member or pair of members
• One copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for each member or pair of
members
• One copy of Set Diagram Template for every group, found on page 55
A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes place in the forest, so members will spend the next
two sessions – and possibly more – working in groups to sketch, diagram and paint the
forest scenery.
Visualize It
Each group should spend some time talking about the scenery they want to create.
Everyone may think of something different when they picture a forest, so the groups
should make sure they have a coherent idea of what they are going to make.
In addition
to
the
backdrop,
they
should
consider
what
elements
of
the
set
will
be
separate from the scenery. Do they need a tree for Titania to sleep under? A log for
Bottom to sit on? Some bushes for Puck to hide behind? All of these objects should be
included in the diagram of the set.
Sketch It
Once they have thought about the location for the scene, invite each group to take a
piece of paper and drawing materials and sketch the background. Each member of the
group may want to draw something, or the groups may choose one member to be the
artist while the others provide input.
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A sketch of scenery for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Remind members to keep the scale of the scenery in mind when they are drawing their
backdrops. If the actors are 5 feet tall, and the trees are meant to be 20 feet tall, that
means that the tops of the trees would not appear in the backdrop. Only their trunks
would be visible.
Make the Diagram
In addition to the backdrop, members will create the three‐dimensional elements that
appear onstage as part of the set – like trees, logs, flowers or bushes. In order to plan
how large these pieces should be, where they will go onstage and what the overall
picture will look like, members should work together to create a stage diagram.
Hand out a copy of the Set Diagram Template to each group. Members should fill in this
diagram to depict where every object will appear onstage. To make sure that the objects
are the proper scale, members should use the scale included on the Set Diagram
Template and their rulers to draw outlines of each object.
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An example of a set diagram – this one for an office.
When members have finished, make sure that they label their sketches and diagrams.
Collect the papers and keep them for the following session.
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Set Diagram Template
AUDIENCE
GROUP NAME:________
Scale = 1 foot
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Session 3: Set Building
NOTE: Depending on the length of your TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in
Stagecraft sessions, this activity may extend into two sessions.
Summary: Members work in groups to paint and build their sets for A Midsummer
Night’s Dream.
Session Objective:
• To paint a set for the production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and to
build additional pieces of scenery.
Materials:
• One large piece of butcher paper (about 5 feet tall and 9 feet long) or
cotton canvas painters’ drop cloths (about 5 feet tall and 9 feet long) per
group
• Pencils or markers
• Paint in a variety of colors
• Paint brushes
• Old T‐shirts or smocks that can get dirty
• Pieces of cardboard or empty cardboard boxes – as large as possible
• One ruler per group
• One pair of scissors per group
• Glue for each group
• Members’ scenery sketches and set diagrams from Session 2
Get Ready
Lay the pieces of scenery flat on the floor in a place that will not get a lot of foot traffic.
You could do it at the end of a hallway that will not be used during the session, or by
moving desks out of the way in the art room.
Distribute one smock or old T‐shirt to each member and ask that members put them on
and sit in their groups by one piece of paper or cloth. Hand out their sketches and
diagrams from the previous session.
Paint the
Set
Make sure each group has at least one ruler and several pencils. Tell members to use
their sketches to draw the background onto their scenery. They should work together
and use their rulers to keep everything a consistent size. They shouldn’t worry about
pencil marks showing up since they are going to paint over them anyway.
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Once members are finished with the drawing, give them paint in a variety of colors to fill
it in. Bright, bold colors work well on stage, so encourage members to make their
scenery vivid.
Build the Set
If members
chose
to
create
additional
elements
for
their
scenery,
they
are
going
to
need to build them. Distribute pieces of cardboard to each group. Ask members to use
their rulers to mark on the cardboard how big the object should be – they can use their
diagrams as a reference – and then draw an outline of that object on the cardboard.
Once they have drawn the outline, members should cut the object out of the cardboard.
Then they can paint it the color of that object.
The scenery for a real production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Propping It Up
Once the objects are cut out, members will need to stand them up. The best way to do
this is to cut out additional, smaller pieces of cardboard and glue them to the back of
the object, perpendicular to it, so the object can lean back against them.
NOTE: If your members included a tree in their set elements, this may be tricky to both
build and stand‐up on its own. If you do not have a single piece of cardboard big enough
to make the tree, suggest that they build the tree in parts, gluing pieces of it together to
form a larger element. They may need to hang the tree from something, like a
clothesline that could run across the front of the “stage,” using clothespins.
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When members are done or time is up, have members rinse their brushes and return
the supplies and smocks to you.
Wait for the scenery to dry – it may need to be left overnight depending on the type of
paint –
and
roll
the
paper
or
fold
the
cloth
before
storing
it
in
a cool,
dry
place
until
the
next session.
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Session 4: Stage Lighting
Summary: Members experiment with different configurations of flood lamps to light a
set.
Session Objective:
• To get hands‐on experience with stage lighting and understand the
different types of lights.
Materials:
• Flood lamps with clips, which can be purchased cheaply at hardware
stores (see Master Supply List in the Appendix of this guide for details);
you will need as many as possible
• Plastic wrap (such as Saran) in different colors
• Aluminum foil
• The scenery
members
painted
in
the
previous
session
Before the session, hang the pieces of scenery that members created at different points
around a room with as few windows as possible. Make the room as dark as possible so
members can see the effect of their stage lighting. Keep this in mind when preparing for
the session. You may even want to separate the groups into different rooms or distinct
areas so their lights don’t interfere with each others’.
Theatrical lighting is very complicated. Most theater productions, even high school
drama departments, hire a team of professionals to set‐up and control the lighting
during the
performance.
A
simple
exercise,
however,
can
go
a long
way
to
helping
your
members understand stage lighting.
Begin the session by explaining a little about stage lighting. Lights need to be arranged
so that light falls evenly on everything onstage, or focused so that it draws attention to
certain elements. Different color, intensity and direction of lighting can be used to
communicate the mood, time of day or highlight a specific character.
Ask each group to get a few flood lamps and go to their scenery. Turn off the lights in
the room, and block as much light from windows as you can. Ask everyone to turn their
lamps on and point them at the scenery.
Eliminating Shadows
Ask one member from each group to stand in front of the scenery as the actor. The rest
of the group should arrange their lights to evenly light the set and the person, with no
shadows. Members can move desks or objects and clip lights to them, so they can walk
around and see the effects of the light.
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Creating a Spotlight
Ask members to work together to form a spotlight on the actor. They may need to turn
some lamps off, or just redirect them.
Lighting used to draw attention to a scene taking place in the tree
Creating a Sense of Place
Finally, ask
members
to
work
as
a group
to
light
the
stage
in
a way
that
communicates
the forest. Do they think it should be darker than the first lighting option? Can they
figure out a way to create the illusion of shadows from leaves? Hint: They may find that
cutting holes in the aluminum foil and holding it in front of the lamp works well for this.
In the theater industry, plates with shapes cut in them are called gobos. They are usually
made from either metal or glass.
If time allows, choose a few members to be the actors and act out a short section from
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The rest of the group should try to keep the actors evenly
lit throughout the performance. The two groups can trade places to give everyone a
chance
to
be
the
lighting
designers.
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Session 5: Costumes
Summary: Members create costumes for the characters from A Midsummer Night’s
Dream.
Session Objective:
• To practice assembling a costume for a character.
Materials:
• Blank paper – several pieces per group
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for each member
• A clothing chest, filled with donated clothes from staff, parents,
volunteers or purchased from thrift shops
Theatrical productions use costumes to identify and tell the audience about a character.
In this session, members work in a group to plan the costumes for two or three
characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They will begin by sketching the
costumes. If possible, they can look through a costume chest to identify the pieces they
would use to make the costume.
Sketch It
Give each group blank paper and drawing materials. Tell them to pick two or three
characters from the script to costume:
• Amateur actors
• Fairies
• Bottom with the donkey head
• Bottom without the donkey head
As they did with the scenery, members can assign one artist or all choose to sketch.
Encourage them to draw the costumes from multiple angles so they can plan out both
the front and back.
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A costume sketch for Bottom – both with and without the donkey head
Put It Together
If
time
allows,
and
if
you
have
a
clothing
chest
available,
invite
members
to
choose
clothing to create the costume that they drew. They may have to be creative, since
everything they need most likely will not be available in the chest.
Puck’s costume in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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Session 6: Stage Make‐Up
Summary: Members draw make‐up plans for characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
and, if time allows and if staff chooses to do so, experiment with stage make‐up on a
partner.
Session Objective:
• To make a make‐up plan for a character and practice with stage make‐up.
Materials:
• Several copies per group of the Stage Make‐Up Plan, found on page 65
• Colored pencils, markers or crayons for each member
• One copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for each member or every
other member
• Make‐up – costume make‐up, foundation, eyeliner in black and brown,
blush and
lipstick
–
donated
by
staff,
volunteers
and
parents
(optional)
• A mirror large enough for several members to use at once, or a small
hand mirror for every other member (optional)
• Make‐up remover (optional)
• Old T‐shirts or smocks for every member (optional)
Nearly every actor in a theatrical production wears stage make‐up, even the men. Stage
make‐up is used to enhance facial features and expressions and make them more visible
to the audience. Stage make‐up usually includes foundation, eyeliner, lipstick and blush.
It tends to look too heavy and dark when seen off ‐stage, but under the stage lights and
from the
distance
of
the
audience,
it
appears
much
lighter.
Stage make‐up plays an even bigger part in productions where actors play animals,
monsters or characters who are much older than the actors. In these cases, make‐up is
used to create age lines on a person’s face, or to paint on aspects of the animal that the
actor is playing.
Pass out a few copies of the Stage Make‐Up Plan and colored pencils, markers or
crayons to each group. Members will color in the face on the template in the same way
that they would apply make‐up to characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is
best if they choose the same characters for which they created costumes, so they can
think about how the make‐up and costume would work together.
Once members have spent time thinking about the character, they can color in the
make‐up onto the blank face in the template. Remind them that every character, even if
they are a child, will wear make‐up in order to be seen under the stage lights.
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Puck’s stage make‐up in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
If
you
choose
to,
and
if
time
allows,
invite
members
to
pair
up
and
try
to
re‐
create
the
look that they drew on their partner’s face. You may want to provide old T‐shirts or
smocks to keep them from getting any make‐up on their clothes. Be sure to read the
instructions carefully so you know how to take the make‐up off at the end of the
session!
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Stage Make‐Up Plan
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Session 7: Directing
NOTE: This session may extend into multiple sessions in order to give everyone the
chance to
be
the
director.
Summary: Members take turns directing each other in a reading of a section from A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Each member gets the chance to be the director.
Session Objective:
• To experience the role of director.
• To see how the many aspects of production come together.
Materials:
• One copy
of
A
Midsummer
Night’s
Dream
for
each
member
• The scenery that members painted in Session 3
• Flood lamps – as many as possible (optional)
• Costume chest (optional)
Before the session: Hang members’ scenery in a room that can be made fairly dark –
ideally the same space you used for the lighting activity in Session 4.
The director of a play unifies the many different aspects of the production, including set
design, lighting,
costumes
and
make
‐up,
and
oversees
the
quality
of
the
overall
production.
Ask members to get into their groups. One group will be the actors for a scene while all
other members will be part of the production group. Choose one member of the
production crew to be the director, who will direct the actors in a short selection from
the script. The director should choose another member to be the stage manager, who
coordinates the members on the production team to help the director realize his or her
vision for the scene.
The director guides the actors through the script, providing direction on movement,
performance and
emotion.
The
stage
manager
guides
the
production
team
as
they
set
up the scenery and find props or costume pieces.
The director should lead the rehearsal of the selection once through and then members
should rotate so another group becomes the actors and the former actors join the
production team. Try to provide a chance for all members to be the director and stage
manager.
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Optional: If you choose, you can give everyone on the production team a specific role by
asking the director to choose costume designers and lighting designers to dress the
actors and light the set. This will take more time, but it will give members a better idea
of how all of these parts come together.
If you choose to do that, the director should also provide input on the lighting and the
costumes, but the stage manager should be responsible for communicating with
everyone on the production team.
After members have gone through the scene, rotate the roles so that the stage manager
becomes the director and another member becomes a stage manager. The director
should pick new actors for the scene.
Repeat this activity until all members have had a chance to be the director and stage
manager.
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Error! Reference source not found.APPENDIX
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft Beginner Production
The Adventures
of
Mouse
Deer
Tales of Indonesia and Malaysia
Told by Aaron Shepherd
The Adventures of Mouse Deer ‐ Story copyright © 1997, 2002, 2003 Aaron Shepard.
Script copyright © 2004 Aaron Shepard. Scripts in this series are free and may be
copied, shared, and performed for any noncommercial purpose, except they may not be
posted online without permission.
A scene from The Adventures of Mouse Deer
Synopsis: Mouse Deer is small, and many animals want to eat him – but first they have
to catch him!
Genre: Folktales, trickster tales
Culture: Indonesian, Malaysian
Theme: Wit
vs.
power
Readers: nine or more
Ages: 7‐10
Length: 20 minutes (3 + 7 + 4 + 6 + 1)
Roles: Narrators 1–4, Mouse Deer, Tiger, Crocodile, Farmer, Dog, (Other Crocodiles),
(Scarecrow)
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Notes:
• For best effect, place NARRATORS 1 and 2 at far left, and 3 and 4 at far right,
as seen from the audience.
• TIGER, FARMER and DOG can double as OTHER CROCODILES.
• To increase
the
number
of
readers,
a different
reader
can
play
MOUSE
DEER
in each story.
• The conversations among the NARRATORS and between them and MOUSE
DEER will be more believable if the readers learn those speeches by heart
and do not look at their scripts.
• Below is the tune for “Mouse Deer’s Song,” an original composition of the
author’s.
• If no one at your Club reads music, “Mouse Deer’s Song” can be done as a
simple, rhyming chant.
NARRATOR 1: Today we’re going to tell you three stories about Mouse Deer.
NARRATOR 2: (to NARRATOR 1, suspiciously) Wait a minute. Did you say “Mouse Deer”?
NARRATOR 1:
That’s
right!
NARRATOR 4: I never heard of a “Mouse Deer”! (to NARRATOR 3) Did you?
NARRATOR 3: Not me! What is he? A mouse?
NARRATOR 1: No.
NARRATOR 2: A deer?
NARRATOR 1: No.
NARRATOR 4: (accusingly) Hey, are you trying to trick us?
NARRATOR 1: No! He’s a real animal!
NARRATOR 3: (skeptically) Yeah? Then how big is he?
NARRATOR 1: About as big as a cat.
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NARRATOR 2: And where does he live?
NARRATOR 1: In the jungles of Asia and Africa.
NARRATOR 4: And what does he look like?
NARRATOR 1: His legs and tail look like a deer’s.
NARRATOR 2: (starting to believe) Well, all right.
NARRATOR 1: But his face and body look like a mouse’s.
NARRATOR 3: (accusingly again) You’re tricking us!
NARRATOR 1: It’s true! That’s why he’s called Mouse Deer!
NARRATOR 4: (grudgingly) Well, maybe we believe you.
NARRATOR 2: Tell us some more.
NARRATOR 1: (to other NARRATORS and audience) Mouse Deer eats only plants, but lots
of animals eat Mouse Deer. To stay alive, he has to be quick and smart. He also has to
be tricky—just like Brer Rabbit and Anansi, the spider man from Africa. Mouse Deer
even plays some of the same tricks.
NARRATOR 2: (to NARRATOR 1) You know what I think? I think you’re the tricky one!
NARRATOR 4: Me too!
NARRATOR 3: That’s right!
NARRATOR 1: No, I’m not! There are lots of stories about Mouse Deer.
NARRATOR 3: (sarcastically) And I bet you want us to believe they’re true!
NARRATOR 1: Of course they are! All stories are true — even if they didn’t happen.
NARRATORS 2, 3, & 4: (confused, to audience) Huh?
NARRATOR 1: (to audience) Mouse Deer has his own song too, and you can help sing it.
Here’s how it goes.
I’m quick and smart as I can be.
Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
Now you try it. (helps the audience practice)
NARRATORS 2, 3, & 4: (join in on the practice)
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NARRATOR 1: Good! Now we’re ready to go.
Scene Two
NARRATOR 1: In our first story, Mouse Deer meets one of his most dangerous enemies. This story is called,
MOUSE DEER: (brightly, to audience) Mouse Deer …
NARRATOR 1: and
TIGER: (ferociously, to audience, showing claws) … Tiger.
MOUSE DEER: (to audience) Ready to sing? (drawing out the first note to help them join
in)
I’m quick and smart as I can be.
Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
(keeps humming the tune softly to himself)
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer sang his song as he walked through the forest.
NARRATOR 4: He was looking for tasty fruits and roots and shoots.
NARRATOR 2: Though he was small, he was not afraid. He knew that many big animals
wanted to
eat
him.
NARRATOR 3: But first they had to catch him!
NARRATOR 1: Then he heard something.
TIGER: Rowr!
MOUSE DEER: (gasps)
NARRATOR 4: There was Tiger!
TIGER: (sounding sinister) Hello, Mouse Deer. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be
my lunch.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer didn’t want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast.
NARRATOR 3: He saw … a mud puddle.
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MOUSE DEER: (makes a face like he’s thinking hard, then brightens, turns to TIGER) I’m
sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his … pudding.
TIGER: (uncertainly) His pudding?
MOUSE
DEER:
(pointing)
Yes.
There
it
is.
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer pointed to the mud puddle.
MOUSE DEER: It has the best taste in the world. The King doesn’t want anyone else to
eat it.
NARRATOR 4: Tiger looked longingly at the puddle.
TIGER: (struggling with himself, knowing he shouldn’t ask but wanting it badly) I would
like to taste the King’s pudding.
MOUSE DEER:
Oh,
no,
Tiger!
The
King
would
be
very
angry.
TIGER: (pleading) Just one little taste, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.
MOUSE DEER: Well…all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame
me.
TIGER: All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.
TIGER: (delightedly,
to
audience)
Imagine!
The
King’s
pudding!
NARRATOR 3: He took a big mouthful.
TIGER: (puts a handful in his mouth, freezes in surprise, then makes a horrible face and
spits the mud out toward audience) Phooey!
NARRATOR 3: He spit it out.
TIGER: Yuck! Ugh! Bleck! That’s no pudding. That’s mud !
NARRATOR
1:
Tiger
ran
through
the
forest.
TIGER: Rowr!
NARRATOR 4: He caught up with Mouse Deer.
MOUSE DEER: (gasps)
TIGER: (fuming) Mouse Deer, you tricked me once. But now you will be my lunch!
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NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer looked around and thought fast.
NARRATOR 3: He saw … a wasp nest in a tree.
MOUSE DEER: (thinks hard, then brightens) I’m sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The
King
has
ordered
me
to
guard
his
….
drum.
TIGER: His drum?
MOUSE DEER: (pointing) Yes. There it is.
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer pointed to the wasp nest.
MOUSE DEER: It has the best sound in the world. The King doesn’t want anyone else to
hit it.
TIGER: (struggling with himself) I would like to hit the King’s drum.
MOUSE DEER: Oh, no, Tiger! The King would be very angry.
TIGER: Just one little hit, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.
MOUSE DEER: Well … all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame
me.
TIGER: All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.
TIGER: (to audience) Imagine! The King’s drum!
NARRATOR 2: He reached up and hit it.
NARRATOR 3: Pow.
ALL NARRATORS: Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz. (Each NARRATOR keeps buzzing when not speaking.)
NARRATOR 1: The wasps all flew out. They started to sting Tiger.
TIGER: Ouch! Ooch! Eech! That’s no drum. That’s a wasp nest !
NARRATOR 4: Tiger ran away. But the wasps only followed him!
TIGER: Ouch! Ooch! Eech!
NARRATOR 2: Tiger came to a stream. He jumped in — splash! — and stayed
underwater as long as he could.
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NARRATOR 3: At last the wasps went away.
ALL NARRATORS: (fade out with buzzing)
NARRATOR 1: Then Tiger jumped out.
TIGER: Rowr!
NARRATOR 4: He ran through the forest till he found Mouse Deer.
MOUSE DEER: (gasps)
TIGER: (enraged) Mouse Deer, you tricked me once. You tricked me twice. But now you
will be my lunch!
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer looked around and thought fast.
NARRATOR 3:
He
saw
…
a cobra!
The
giant
snake
was
coiled
asleep
on
the
ground.
MOUSE DEER: (thinks hard, then brightens) I’m sorry, Tiger. I can’t be your lunch. The
King has ordered me to guard his … belt.
TIGER: His belt?
MOUSE DEER: (pointing) Yes. There it is.
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer pointed to the cobra.
MOUSE DEER:
It’s
the
best
belt
in
the
world.
The
King
doesn’t
want
anyone
else
to
wear
it.
TIGER: (struggling with himself) I would like to wear the King’s belt.
MOUSE DEER: Oh, no Tiger! The King would be very angry.
TIGER: Just for one moment, Mouse Deer! The King will never know.
MOUSE DEER: Well … all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame
me.
TIGER: All right, Mouse Deer, you can go now.
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight.
TIGER: (to audience) Imagine! The King’s belt!
NARRATOR 2: He started to wrap it around himself. The cobra woke up.
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NARRATOR 3: Ssssssssssssss. (keeps hissing)
NARRATOR 1: It didn’t wait for Tiger to finish wrapping.
NARRATOR 4: It wrapped itself around Tiger.
NARRATOR 2: Then it squeezed him and bit him.
NARRATOR 3: Sstt! Ssssssssssssss. (keeps hissing)
TIGER: Ooh! Ow! Yow! That’s no belt. That’s a cobra! (into the distance) Help! Mouse
Deer! Help!
NARRATOR 3: (fades out with hissing)
NARRATOR 1: But Mouse Deer was far away.
NARRATOR 4:
And
as
he
went,
he
sang
his
song.
MOUSE DEER: (to audience)
I’m quick and smart as I can be.
Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
Scene Three
NARRATOR 1:
In
our
second
story,
Mouse
Deer
meets
another
one
of
his
most
dangerous enemies. This story is called,
MOUSE DEER: (brightly, to audience) Mouse Deer …
NARRATOR 1: and
CROCODILE: (menacingly, to audience, in low, growly voice) … Crocodile.
NARRATOR 1: One day, Mouse Deer went down to the river.
NARRATOR 4: He wanted to take a drink.
NARRATOR 2: But he knew Crocodile might be waiting underwater to eat him.
NARRATOR 3: Mouse Deer had an idea. He said out loud,
MOUSE DEER: (to himself, but loud and clear so CROCODILE hears) I wonder if the
water’s warm. I’ll put in my leg and find out. (freezes till NARRATOR 1 speaks again)
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NARRATOR 4: (to NARRATOR 1 and others) Wait a minute! Stop the story! Mouse Deer
said he’d put in his leg?
NARRATOR 2: What a dumb idea!
NARRATOR
3:
I
thought
Mouse
Deer
was
supposed
to
be
smart!
NARRATOR 1: (to other NARRATORS and audience) But Mouse Deer didn’t put in his leg.
Instead, he picked up a stick with his mouth and put in one end.
CROCODILE: Chomp!
NARRATOR 4: Crocodile grabbed the stick and pulled it underwater.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer laughed.
MOUSE DEER: (laughs) Stupid Crocodile! Don’t you know a stick from a leg?
NARRATOR 3: And he ran off to drink somewhere else!
NARRATOR 1: Another day, Mouse Deer went back to the river.
NARRATOR 4: All he saw there was a floating log.
NARRATOR 2: But he knew Crocodile looked like a log when he floated.
NARRATOR 3: Mouse Deer had an idea. He said out loud,
MOUSE DEER:
(to
himself,
but
loud
and
clear)
If
that
log
is
really
Crocodile,
it
won’t
talk.
But if it’s really just a log, it will tell me. (freezes till NARRATOR 1 speaks again)
NARRATOR 3: (to NARRATOR 1 and others) Hold everything! Mouse Deer said Crocodile
would be quiet but a log would say something?
NARRATOR 2: Now, that’s really dumb!
NARRATOR 4: It sure is!
NARRATOR 1: (to other NARRATORS and audience) But then Mouse Deer listened.
NARRATOR 4: A rough voice said,
CROCODILE: (low and growly) I’m really just a log.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer laughed.
MOUSE DEER: (laughs) Stupid Crocodile! Do you think a log can talk?
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NARRATOR 3: And off he ran again!
NARRATOR 1: Another day, Mouse Deer wanted to cross the river.
NARRATOR 4: He wanted to eat tasty fruits and roots and shoots on the other side.
NARRATOR 2: But he didn’t want Crocodile to eat him first!
NARRATOR 3: Mouse Deer had an idea. He called out,
MOUSE DEER: (brightly) Crocodile! (freezes till NARRATOR 1 speaks again)
NARRATOR 2: (to NARRATOR 1 and others) I don’t believe this!
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer called for Crocodile?
NARRATOR 3: How dumb can he get!
NARRATOR 1: (to other NARRATORS and audience) But then Crocodile rose from the
water.
CROCODILE: (low and growly) Hello, Mouse Deer. Have you come to be my breakfast?
MOUSE DEER: Not today, Crocodile. I have orders from the King. He wants me to count
all the crocodiles.
CROCODILE: (very impressed) The King! Tell us what to do.
MOUSE DEER:
You
must
line
up
from
this
side
of
the
river
to
the
other
side.
NARRATOR 4: Crocodile got all his friends and family. They lined up across the river.
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer jumped onto Crocodile’s back.
MOUSE DEER: One.
NARRATOR 3: He jumped onto the next crocodile.
MOUSE DEER: Two.
NARRATOR 1:
And
the
next.
MOUSE DEER: Three.
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer kept jumping till he jumped off …
NARRATOR 2: on the other side of the river.
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CROCODILE: (calling across the river) How many are there?
MOUSE DEER: (calling back) Just enough! And none as smart as me!
NARRATOR 3: Then he went off singing his song.
MOUSE DEER: (to audience)
I’m quick and smart as I can be.
Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
Scene Four
NARRATOR 1: In our last story, Mouse Deer meets his most dangerous enemy of all. (to
other NARRATORS) Can you guess who it is?
NARRATOR 3: Cobra!
NARRATOR 1: No.
NARRATOR 2: Lion!
NARRATOR 1: No.
NARRATOR 4: Tyrannosaur!
NARRATOR 1:
No!
This
one
is
called,
MOUSE DEER: (brightly, to audience) Mouse Deer …
NARRATOR 1: and
FARMER: (pleasantly, to audience) … Farmer.
NARRATORS 2, 3, & 4: (confused, to audience) Huh?
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer loved to eat the fruits and roots and shoots of the forest. But
he loved something else even more.
NARRATOR 4: He loved the vegetables in Farmer’s garden.
NARRATOR 2: One day, Mouse Deer went to the edge of the forest.
NARRATOR 3: He looked out at row after row of vegetables.
MOUSE DEER: (to himself) Mmmm. Juicy cucumbers! Yummy yams!
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NARRATOR 1: He started into the garden.
NARRATOR 4: Snap!
MOUSE DEER: (in pain and shock, looking at his leg) Oh!
NARRATOR 4: His leg was caught in a snare!
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer pulled and pulled.
NARRATOR 3: But he could not get away.
MOUSE DEER: Oh, no! Farmer will have me for dinner!
NARRATOR 1: Then he saw Farmer coming. Mouse Deer thought fast.
MOUSE DEER: (makes a face like he’s thinking hard, then brightens)
NARRATOR 4: He lay on the ground and made his body stiff.
FARMER: (pleasantly, to himself) Well, well. Look what I caught. A mouse deer! (looks
closer) But he looks dead.
NARRATOR 2: Farmer pushed him with his foot.
NARRATOR 3: Mouse Deer didn’t move.
FARMER: Maybe he’s been dead a long time. Too bad! I guess we can’t eat him.
NARRATOR 1: He pulled Mouse Deer’s leg out of the snare. Then he tossed Mouse Deer
back into the forest.
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer landed with a soft plop. Then he jumped up and ran.
FARMER: (calling after him angrily) Hey! You tricked me!
NARRATOR 2: Mouse Deer laughed.
MOUSE DEER: (laughs, then to audience) Farmer is smart. But Mouse Deer is smarter!
NARRATOR 1:
A
few
days
passed.
Mouse
Deer
kept
thinking
about
all
those
vegetables.
NARRATOR 4: One day, he went back to the edge of the forest.
MOUSE DEER: (to himself) Mmmm. Tasty gourds! Scrumptious sweet potatoes!
NARRATOR 2: Then he saw something new.
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NARRATOR 3: It looked like a man. But its head was a coconut, and its body was rubber.
MOUSE DEER: A scarecrow! That silly Farmer. Does he think he can scare me with that?
I’ll show him how scared I am!
NARRATOR
1:
Mouse
Deer
marched
up
to
the
scarecrow.
He
gave
it
a
big
kick.
MOUSE DEER: Take this! (“kicks” it with one hand, as a hoof)
NARRATOR 4: But his leg stuck to the scarecrow. The scarecrow was covered with sticky
sap from a rubber tree!
MOUSE DEER: Let me go! (grunts as he struggles)
NARRATOR 2: He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with his other front leg.
MOUSE DEER: (grunts as he pushes forward with other hand/hoof)
NARRATOR 3: That leg stuck too.
MOUSE DEER: Turn me loose! (grunts as he struggles)
NARRATOR 1: He pulled and he pulled. Then he pushed with his two back legs.
MOUSE DEER: (grunts as he hops forward on both feet/hooves)
NARRATOR 4: They stuck too.
MOUSE DEER:
PUT
ME
DOWN!
(grunts
as
he
struggles)
NARRATOR 2: He pulled and he pushed and he pulled and he pushed.
NARRATOR 3: But Mouse Deer was trapped.
MOUSE DEER: (stops and pants)
NARRATOR 1: Then he saw Farmer.
MOUSE DEER: (gasps)
NARRATOR 1:
Mouse
Deer
thought
fast.
MOUSE DEER: (thinks hard, then looks shocked and scared)
NARRATOR 4: But he didn’t have any ideas!
FARMER: (pleasantly) Well, well. How nice of you to come back.
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NARRATOR 2: He pulled Mouse Deer off the scarecrow and carried him to the house.
NARRATOR 3: He put him outside in an empty chicken coop.
FARMER: (still pleasantly) I’ll keep you here tonight. And tomorrow you’ll be our dinner.
(leaves)
NARRATOR 1: All that night, Mouse Deer couldn’t sleep. He didn’t want to be dinner!
NARRATOR 4: When the sun rose, Mouse Deer just lay there sadly. Then he heard
something.
DOG: (in a barking voice) Why, it’s Mouse Deer!
MOUSE DEER: (perks up and looks)
DOG: So Farmer caught you at last. It serves you right!
NARRATOR 2: It was Farmer’s dog.
NARRATOR 3: Mouse Deer thought fast.
MOUSE DEER: (thinks hard, then brightens) What do you mean, Dog? Farmer didn’t
catch me.
DOG: (suspiciously) Then why are you in the coop?
MOUSE DEER: Because there aren’t enough beds in the house. You see, Farmer is
holding a feast
tomorrow.
And
I’m
the
guest
of
honor.
DOG: Guest of honor? That’s not fair! I’ve been his loyal friend for years, and you’re just
a thief. The guest of honor should be me!
MOUSE DEER: (thoughtfully) You know, Dog, you’re right. Why don’t you take my place?
When Farmer sees you in here, he’ll make you the guest of honor instead.
DOG: (surprised) Really? You don’t mind?
MOUSE DEER: Not at all. You deserve it.
DOG: Mouse Deer, you’re not so bad after all. Thank you!
NARRATOR 1: Dog lifted the latch and opened the door.
MOUSE DEER: You’re welcome, Dog. Enjoy the feast.
NARRATOR 4: Mouse Deer ran for the forest. Then he watched from the forest edge.
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NARRATOR 2: He saw Farmer come out and stare at Dog.
NARRATOR 3: Then he heard Farmer yell.
FARMER: You stupid dog! You let the mouse deer get away!
NARRATOR 1: Mouse Deer laughed.
MOUSE DEER: (laughs, then to audience) Farmer will have to find a different dinner
now!
NARRATOR 4: Then he went off singing his song.
MOUSE DEER: (to audience)
I’m quick and smart as I can be.
Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
NARRATOR 1: And there they are — three stories about Mouse Deer. (to other
NARRATORS) Now do you believe in him?
NARRATORS 2, 3, & 4: (look at each other)
NARRATOR 3: Well …
NARRATOR 2: Uh …
NARRATOR 4: We guess so, but …
MOUSE DEER: (to all NARRATORS) Hey! Who are you?
NARRATOR 1: Hi, Mouse Deer. We’re the narrators. We help tell the stories.
NARRATOR 3: That’s right!
MOUSE DEER: Help tell … ?! Hey, are you trying to trick me?
NARRATOR 4: No!
NARRATOR 2: No!
MOUSE DEER: Well, that’s good, and you know why? (to audience)I’m quick and smart
as I can be. Try and try, but you can’t catch me!
(waves to audience) Bye, now!
ALL NARRATORS: (confused, to audience) Huh?
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft Intermediate Production
Three Sideways
Stories
From
Wayside
School
By Louis Sachar
Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School ‐ Story copyright © 1985 Louis Sachar.
Script copyright © 1993, 2003, 2005 Aaron Shepard. Produced by permission of Avon
Books, a division of the Hearst Corporation. Scripts in this series are free and may be
copied, shared, and performed for any noncommercial purpose, except they may not be
posted online without permission.
Synopsis: Some say the teachers and students at Wayside School are strange and silly ‐‐
and so will you!
Genre: Humor
Culture: American
Theme: Non
‐horizontal
thinking
Readers: nine
Ages: 9‐13
Length: 12 minutes ( ½ + 3 + 4 + 4 + ½ )
Roles: Narrators 1–4, Mrs. Jewls, Joe, Bebe, Calvin, Louis
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Notes: For best effect, place NARRATORS 1 and 2 at far left, and 3 and 4 at far right, as
seen from the audience.
NARRATOR 1: We’re going to tell you about three of the children in Mrs. Jewls’s class,
on the
thirtieth
story
of
Wayside
School.
NARRATOR 4: But before we get to them, there is something you ought to know.
Wayside School was accidentally built sideways.
NARRATOR 2: It was supposed to be only one story high, with thirty classrooms all in a
row. Instead, it is thirty stories high, with one classroom on each story.
NARRATOR 3: The builder said he was very sorry.
NARRATOR 1: Our first story is about Joe. One day, Mrs. Jewls kept him in from recess.
MRS. JEWLS: Joe, you are going to have to learn to count.
JOE: But, Mrs. Jewls, I already know how to count. Let me go to recess!
MRS. JEWLS: First count to ten.
NARRATOR 4: Joe counted to ten.
JOE: Six, eight, twelve, one, five, two, seven, eleven, three, ten.
MRS. JEWLS: No, Joe, that is wrong.
JOE: No, it isn’t! I counted till I got to ten!
MRS. JEWLS: But you were wrong. I’ll prove it to you.
NARRATOR 2: She put down five pencils.
MRS. JEWLS: How many pencils do we have here, Joe?
NARRATOR 3: Joe counted the pencils.
JOE: Four,
six,
one,
nine,
five.
There
are
five
pencils,
Mrs.
Jewls.
MRS. JEWLS: That’s wrong.
JOE: How many pencils are there?
MRS. JEWLS: Five.
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JOE: That’s what I said! May I go to recess now?
MRS. JEWLS: No. You got the right answer, but you counted the wrong way. You were
just lucky.
NARRATOR
1:
She
set
down
eight
potatoes.
MRS. JEWLS: How many potatoes, Joe?
NARRATOR 4: Joe counted the potatoes.
JOE: Seven, five, three, one, two, four, six, eight. There are eight potatoes, Mrs. Jewls.
MRS. JEWLS: No, there are eight.
JOE: But that’s what I said! May I go to recess now?
MRS. JEWLS:
No!
You
got
the
right
answer,
but
you
counted
the
wrong
way
again.
NARRATOR 2: She put down three books.
MRS. JEWLS: Count the books, Joe.
NARRATOR 3: Joe counted the books.
JOE: A thousand, a million, three. Three, Mrs. Jewls.
MRS. JEWLS: (bewildered) Correct.
JOE: May I go to recess now?
MRS. JEWLS: No.
JOE: May I have a potato?
MRS. JEWLS: No! Listen to me. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Now you say it.
JOE: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
MRS. JEWLS:
Very
good!
NARRATOR 1: She put down six erasers.
MRS. JEWLS: Now, count the erasers, Joe, just the way I showed you.
NARRATOR 4: Joe counted the erasers.
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JOE: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. There are ten, Mrs. Jewls.
MRS. JEWLS: No!
JOE: Didn’t I count right?
MRS. JEWLS: Yes, you counted right, but you got the wrong answer.
JOE: This doesn’t make any sense! When I count the wrong way, I get the right answer,
and when I count right, I get the wrong answer.
MRS. JEWLS: (in great frustration) Ooh!
NARRATOR 2: Mrs. Jewls hit her head against the wall five times.
MRS. JEWLS: (turning away and butting her head) Uh…uh…uh…uh…uh…(turns back to
JOE) How many times did I hit my head against the wall, Joe?
JOE: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. You hit your head against the
wall ten times.
MRS. JEWLS: No!
JOE: Four, six, one, nine, five. You hit your head five times.
NARRATOR 3: Mrs. Jewls shook her head no and said,
MRS. JEWLS: (shaking head) Yes, that is right.
NARRATOR 1: Just then, the bell rang.
JOE: Oh, darn.
NARRATOR 4: … said Joe.
JOE: I missed recess!
Scene Two
NARRATOR 3: Our second story is about Bebe.
NARRATOR 1: Bebe was the fastest draw in Mrs. Jewls’s class. She could draw a cat in
less than forty‐five seconds, a dog in less than thirty, and a flower in less than eight
seconds!
NARRATOR 4: But of course, Bebe never drew just one dog, or one cat or one flower.
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NARRATOR 2: Art was from 12:30 to 1:30. Why, in that time, she could draw fifty cats, a
hundred flowers, twenty dogs, and several eggs or watermelons!
NARRATOR 3: You see, it took her the same time to draw a watermelon as an egg.
NARRATOR
1:
Calvin
sat
next
to
Bebe.
He
didn’t
think
he
was
very
good
at
art.
It
took
him the whole period just to draw one airplane.
NARRATOR 4: So instead, he just helped Bebe. He was Bebe’s assistant.
NARRATOR 2: As soon as Bebe would finish one masterpiece, Calvin would take it from
her and set down a clean sheet of paper. Whenever her crayon ran low, Calvin was
ready with a new crayon.
NARRATOR 3: That way, Bebe didn’t have to waste any time. And in return, Bebe would
draw five or six airplanes for Calvin.
NARRATOR 1: It was 12:30, time for art.
NARRATOR 4: Bebe was ready. On her desk was a sheet of yellow construction paper. In
her hand was a green crayon.
NARRATOR 2: Calvin was ready. He held a stack of paper and a box of crayons.
CALVIN: Ready, Bebe?
BEBE: Ready, Calvin.
MRS. JEWLS:
All
right,
class.
NARRATOR 3: … said Mrs. Jewls.
MRS. JEWLS: Time for art.
NARRATOR 1: She had hardly finished her sentence when Bebe had drawn a picture of a
leaf.
NARRATOR 4: Calvin took it from her and put down another piece of paper.
BEBE: Red!
NARRATOR 2: Calvin handed Bebe a red crayon.
BEBE: Blue!
NARRATOR 3: He gave her a blue crayon.
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NARRATOR 1: They were quite a pair! Their teamwork was remarkable.
NARRATOR 4: Bebe drew pictures as fast as Calvin could pick up the old paper and set
down the new.
NARRATOR
2:
A
fish.
NARRATOR 3: An apple.
NARRATOR 1: Three cherries—
NARRATOR 4: bing,
NARRATOR 2: bing,
NARRATOR 3: bing.
NARRATOR 1:
At
1:30,
Mrs.
Jewls
announced,
MRS. JEWLS: Okay, class, art is over.
NARRATOR 4: Bebe dropped her crayon and fell over on her desk.
NARRATOR 2: Calvin sighed and leaned back in his chair. He could hardly move.
NARRATOR 3: They had broken their old record. Bebe had drawn three hundred and
seventy‐eight pictures! They lay in a pile on Calvin’s desk.
NARRATOR 1:
Mrs.
Jewls
walked
by.
MRS. JEWLS: Calvin, did you draw all these pictures?
CALVIN: No, Bebe drew them all.
MRS. JEWLS: Well then, what did you draw?
CALVIN: I didn’t draw anything.
MRS. JEWLS: Why not? Don’t you like art?
CALVIN: I love
art.
That’s
why
I didn’t
draw
anything.
MRS. JEWLS: I don’t understand.
CALVIN: It would have taken me the whole period just to draw one picture. And Bebe
would only have been able to draw a hundred pictures. But with the two of us working
together, she was able to draw three hundred and seventy‐eight pictures! That’s a lot
more art.
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CALVIN: She’s on the nineteenth story.
MRS. JEWLS: Yes, we have already established that fact.
CALVIN: The nineteenth story.
MRS. JEWLS: Yes, Calvin, the nineteenth story. Now take it to her before I lose my
patience!
CALVIN: But, Mrs. Jewls—
MRS. JEWLS: NOW, Calvin!
CALVIN: Yes, ma’am!
NARRATOR 1: Calvin walked out of the classroom and stood outside the door.
NARRATOR 4:
He
didn’t
know
where
to
go.
NARRATOR 2: As you know, when the builder built Wayside School, he accidentally built
it sideways. But he also forgot to build the nineteenth story.
NARRATOR 3: He built the eighteenth and the twentieth, but no nineteenth. He said he
was very sorry.
NARRATOR 1: There was also no Miss Zarves.
NARRATOR 4: Miss Zarves taught the class on the nineteenth story. Since there was no
nineteenth story,
there
was
no
Miss
Zarves.
NARRATOR 2: And besides that, as if Calvin didn’t have enough problems, there was no
note.
NARRATOR 3: Mrs. Jewls had never given Calvin the note.
CALVIN: (sarcastically) Boy, this is just great! I’m supposed to take a note that I don’t
have, to a teacher who doesn’t exist, and who teaches on a story that was never built!
NARRATOR 1: He didn’t know what to do.
NARRATOR 4: He walked down to the eighteenth story,
NARRATOR 2: then back up to the twentieth,
NARRATOR 3: then back down to the eighteenth,
NARRATOR 1: and back up again to the twentieth.
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NARRATOR 4: There was no nineteenth story.
NARRATOR 2: There had never been a nineteenth story.
NARRATOR 3: There would never BE a nineteenth story.
NARRATOR 1: Calvin walked down to the administration office on the first story. He
decided to put the note in Miss Zarves’s mailbox.
NARRATOR 4: But there wasn’t one of those, either. That didn’t bother Calvin too much,
though, since he didn’t have a note.
NARRATOR 2: He looked out the window and saw Louis, the yard teacher, shooting
baskets.
CALVIN: Louis will know what to do.
NARRATOR 3:
Calvin
went
outside.
CALVIN: Hey, Louis!
LOUIS: Hi, Calvin. Do you want to play a game?
CALVIN: I don’t have time. I have to deliver a note to Miss Zarves up on the nineteenth
story.
LOUIS: Then what are you doing all the way down here?
CALVIN: There
is
no
nineteenth
story.
LOUIS: Then where is Miss Zarves?
CALVIN: There is no Miss Zarves.
LOUIS: What are you going to do with the note?
CALVIN: There is no note.
LOUIS: I understand.
CALVIN: That’s good, because I sure don’t.
LOUIS: It’s very simple. You are not supposed to take no notes to no teachers. You
already haven’t done it!
NARRATOR 1: Calvin still didn’t understand.
CALVIN: I’ll just have to tell Mrs. Jewls that I couldn’t deliver the note.
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LOUIS: That’s good. The truth is always best. Besides, I don’t think I understand what I
said, either!
NARRATOR 4: Calvin walked back up the thirty flights of stairs to Mrs. Jewls’s class.
MRS.
JEWLS:
Thank
you
very
much,
Calvin.
CALVIN: But I —
MRS. JEWLS: That was a very important note, and I’m glad I was able to count on you.
CALVIN: Yes, but you see—
MRS. JEWLS: The note was very important. I told Miss Zarves not to meet me for lunch.
CALVIN: Don’t worry.
NARRATOR 2:...said
Calvin.
CALVIN: She won’t!
NARRATOR 1: So now you know about Wayside School. Some people say these stories
are strange and silly.
NARRATOR 4: That is probably true.
NARRATOR 2: But when the children at Wayside School heard stories about us, they
thought we were strange and silly.
NARRATOR 3: And that’s for sure!
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool:
Lessons in Stagecraft Advanced Production
A Midsummer
Night’s
Dream
By William Shakespeare
Synopsis: The mischievous Puck decides to have fun with Bottom, an unskilled actor
practicing for his big performance.
Roles: Bottom, Quince, Snout, Starveling, Puck, Flute, Titania, Peaseblossom, Cobweb,
Moth, Mustardseed
Notes: Depending on the number of members, actors can play multiple roles, like
Starveling and Cobweb
Background: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy about love gone awry when
others intervene. In the following scene, a group of amateur actors go to the woods to
rehearse a scene to be performed at an Athenian wedding. A group of fairies, led by
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Puck, who also narrates the play, cast a spell over one of the actors, giving him the head
of a donkey.
Titania, the queen of the fairies who has accidentally taken a potion which will cause her
to fall in love with the first person she sees, wakes up to see Bottom and falls in love
with him.
ACT III
SCENE I. The wood. TITANIA lying asleep.
Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT and STARVELING
BOTTOM
Are we all met?
QUINCE
Pat, pat; and here's a marvelous convenient place
for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our
stage, this hawthorn‐brake our tiring‐house; and we
will do it in action as we will do it before the duke.
BOTTOM
Peter Quince, ‐
QUINCE
What sayest
thou,
bully
Bottom?
BOTTOM
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and
Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must
draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies
cannot abide. How answer you that?
SNOUT
By'r lakin, a parlous fear.
STARVELING
I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.
BOTTOM
Not a whit: I have a device to make all well.
Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to
say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that
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Pyramus is not killed indeed; and, for the more
better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not
Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver: this will put them
out of fear.
QUINCE
Well, we will have such a prologue; and it shall be
written in eight and six.
BOTTOM
No, make it two more; let it be written in eight and eight.
SNOUT
Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
STARVELING
I fear it, I promise you.
BOTTOM
Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves: to
bring in – God shield us! ‐‐ a lion among ladies, is a
most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful
wild‐fowl than your lion living; and we ought to
look to 't.
SNOUT
Therefore another
prologue
must
tell
he
is
not
a lion.
BOTTOM
Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must
be seen through the lion's neck: and he himself
must speak through, saying thus, or to the same
defect, – 'Ladies,' – or 'Fair‐ladies – I would wish
You,' – or 'I would request you,' – or 'I would
entreat you, – not to fear, not to tremble: my life
for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it
were
pity
of
my
life:
no
I
am
no
such
thing;
I
am
a
man as other men are; and there indeed let him name
his name, and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner.
QUINCE
Well it shall be so. But there is two hard things;
that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber; for,
you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moonlight.
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SNOUT
Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?
BOTTOM
A calendar,
a calendar!
zlook
in
the
almanac;
find
out moonshine, find out moonshine.
QUINCE
Yes, it doth shine that night.
BOTTOM
Why, then may you leave a casement of the great
chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon
may shine in at the casement.
QUINCE
Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns
and a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure, or to
present, the person of Moonshine. Then, there is
another thing: we must have a wall in the great
chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby says the story, did
talk through the chink of a wall.
SNOUT
You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?
BOTTOM
Some man or other must present Wall: and let him
have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough‐cast
about him, to signify wall; and let him hold his
fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus
and Thisby whisper.
QUINCE
If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down,
every
mother's
son,
and
rehearse
your
parts.
Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your
speech, enter into that brake: and so every one
according to his cue.
Enter PUCK behind
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QUINCE
'Ninus' tomb,' man: why, you must not speak that
yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your
part at once, cues and all Pyramus enter: your cue
is past; it is, 'never tire.'
FLUTE
O, – As true as truest horse, that yet would
never tire.
Re‐enter PUCK, and BOTTOM with a donkey’s head
BOTTOM
If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.
QUINCE
O monstrous!
O
strange!
We
are
haunted.
Pray,
masters! Fly, masters! Help!
Exit QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT and STARVELING
PUCK
I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier:
Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,
Like horse,
hound,
hog,
bear,
fire,
at
every
turn.
Exit
BOTTOM
Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to
make me afeard.
Re‐enter SNOUT
SNOUT
O Bottom,
thou
art
changed!
What
do
I see
on
thee?
BOTTOM
What do you see? You see an asshead of your own, do
you?
Exit SNOUT
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Re‐enter QUINCE
QUINCE
Bless thee, Bottom! Bless thee! Thou art
translated.
Exit
BOTTOM
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me;
to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir
from this place, do what they can: I will walk up
and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear
I am not afraid.
Sings
The ousel cock so black of hue,
With orange‐tawny bill,
The throstle with his note so true,
The wren with little quill, –
TITANIA
[ Awaking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM
[Sings]
The finch,
the
sparrow
and
the
lark,
The plain‐song cuckoo gray,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer nay; –
For, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish
a bird? Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry
'cuckoo' never so?
TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again:
Mine ear
is
much
enamour'd
of
thy
note;
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason
for that: and yet, to say the truth, reason and
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love keep little company together now‐a‐days; the
more the pity that some honest neighbours will not
make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.
TITANIA
Thou art
as
wise
as
thou
art
beautiful.
BOTTOM
Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out
of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.
TITANIA
Out of this wood do not desire to go:
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
I am a spirit of no common rate;
The summer still doth tend upon my state;
And I do love thee: therefore, go with me;
I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep,
And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep;
And I will purge thy mortal grossness so
That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.
Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!
Enter PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH and MUSTARDSEED
PEASEBLOSSOM Ready.
COBWEB
And I.
MOTH
And I.
MUSTARDSEED
And I.
ALL
Where shall we go?
TITANIA
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;
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Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;
The honey‐bags steal from the humble‐bees,
And for night‐tapers crop their waxen thighs
And light them at the fiery glow‐worm's eyes,
To have
my
love
to
bed
and
to
arise;
And pluck the wings from Painted butterflies
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes:
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
PEASEBLOSSOM
Hail, mortal!
COBWEB
Hail!
MOTH
Hail!
MUSTARDSEED
Hail!
BOTTOM
I cry your worship's mercy, heartily: I beseech your
worship's name.
COBWEB
Cobweb.
BOTTOM
I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master
Cobweb: if I cut my finger, I shall make bold with
you. Your name, honest gentleman?
PEASEBLOSSOM
Peaseblossom.
BOTTOM
I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your
mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good
Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more
acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir?
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MUSTARDSEED
Mustardseed.
BOTTOM
Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well:
that same
cowardly,
giant
‐like
ox
‐beef
hath
devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise
you your kindred had made my eyes water ere now. I
desire your more acquaintance, good Master
Mustardseed.
TITANIA
Come, wait upon him; lead him to my bower.
The moon methinks looks with a watery eye;
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower,
Lamenting some enforced chastity.
Tie up my love's tongue bring him silently.
Exit
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TNT DramaMatters Afterschool: Lessons in Stagecraft
Recommended Resources and Supplies
Below is a list of all of the materials needed or recommended for the Lessons in
Stagecraft program,
as
well
as
suggestions
for
where
to
get
these
materials
and
an
estimate of how much they will cost to aid you in your planning and budgeting.
Material Where to Find It Estimate Cost
Whiteboard or poster
paper
Any drug store, art supply store
or retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐Mart or Target
About 40 cents per sheet
Markers
Any
drug
store,
art
supply
store
or retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐Mart or Target
$4.79
for
20
Crayola
markers
Blank paper Any drug store, art supply store,
retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐Mart or Target
$3.99 for a pack of 100
sheets
Shoeboxes Ask parents and caregivers to
donate any
shoeboxes
they
have lying around, or contact a
local department store to find
out if they have extras they
might be willing to donate.
Donated
Butcher Paper Costco, Cash n’ Carry or other
discount chains may carry it, or
look online at
www.discountschoolsupply.com
$52.99 for 36" white 50
lb. butcher paper roll
Dropcloth (optional) Lowe’s or other local hardware
store
$28.98 for a 12’ by 15’
canvas dropcloth
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Paint Any drug store, art supply store,
retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐Mart or Target
$4.29 for six Crayola
colors
Paint Brushes Any drug store, art supply store,
retail chain like K‐mart, Wal‐
Mart or Target
$2.29 for 10 assorted
sizes
Old T‐shirts or smocks
that can get dirty
Ask parents and caregivers to
donate any old shirts or
purchase old T‐shirts from a
thrift shop like Goodwill or
Salvation
Army
Donated
Real leaves Get from trees in the area, if
possible
Free
Inexpensive Desk Lamps Target, K‐Mart or Wal‐Mart $12.99 per lamp
Colored Plastic Wrap Any grocery store $2.99 per roll
Costume Chest Ask parents and caregivers to
donate any old clothes, hats,
purses or shoes. Contact a local
thrift store or retailer like Wal‐
Mart or Target to request the
donation of unsold Halloween
costumes after October, or
purchase them at a huge
discount.
Donated
Make‐up Contact local retail stores like
Spencer’s Gifts, Target or Wal‐
Mart to request the donation of
Donated or about $20 for
make‐up and application
sponges
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costume and regular make‐up.
You can also find some make‐up
items at dollar stores.
Make‐up
Remover
Any
drug
store
or
retail
chain
like K‐mart, Wal‐Mart or Target $5.00
Handheld Mirror Any drug store or retail chain
like K‐mart, Wal‐Mart or Target
$10
Rulers Any drug store, art supply store,
retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐
Mart
or
Target
About $1 per ruler
Pieces of cardboard or
large cardboard boxes
Contact your local grocery store
to ask if they will donate their
large cardboard boxes
Stores will often provide
these for free if you ask,
although sometimes they
charge $1 per box
Scissors Any drug store, art supply store,
retail chain like K‐mart,
Wal‐Mart
or
Target
$5 ‐ 10 per pair
Flood lamps with clips Home Depot, Lowe’s or other
hardware store
$9.97 per light and
accompanying clip
Aluminum Foil Any grocery store $1.99 per roll
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Resources for Scripts and Scenes
There are many resources for great scripts that can provide your members with
opportunities to experiment with different costumes, sets, lighting designs and more.
These
are
just
a
few
sources
for
scripts
that
are
appropriate
for
all
ages.
Web sites:
• Pioneer Drama: www.pioneerdrama.com
Access over 700 plays and musicals. Some plays are not intended for
children, but many are appropriate for children and teens.
• Sources for Scripts: www.benteague.com/productions/scripts.html
A list of links to sites where you can order and download scripts. They are
not all free, but many of them are very inexpensive.
• Funantics Children’s Theater Scripts:
www.angelfire.com/scifi/theaterscripts
A selection
of
children’s
plays.
Some
are
free,
and
others
$10
and
up.
Books:
• The Actor's Scenebook: Scenes and Monologues From Contemporary
Plays, by Michael Schulman and Eva Mekler
• Contemporary Scenes for Student Actors, by Michael Schulman and
Eva Mekler
• Scenes for Young Actors, by Lorraine Cohen and Stephen P. Cohen
• Multicultural Scenes for Young Actors (Young Actors Series), by Craig
Slaight and
Jack
Sharrar
• Sensational Scenes for Kids: The Scene Study ‐Guide for Young Actors
(Hollywood 101, 5), by Chambers Stevens
• Two for the Show: Scenes for Student Actors (Plays for Young People), by
Brian Kennedy
• The Methuen Book of Monologues for Young Actors (Monologue and
Scene Books), by Anne Harvey
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Great Books About Stagecraft:
These books offer tons of information about how to take your stagecraft program to the
next level.
• Putting on a Play (Activities for Kids), by Paul DuBois Jacobs, Jennifer
Swender and Debra Dixon
• Break a Leg!: The Kid's Guide to Acting and Stagecraft, by Lise Friedman and
Mary Dowdle
• Glue & Go Costumes for Kids: Super ‐Duper Designs with Everyday Materials,
by Holly Cleeland
• Super ‐Simple Creative Costumes: Mix & Match Your Way to Make Believe, by
Sue Astroth
• Stage Lighting Handbook, by Francis Reid
•
Basics ‐ A
Beginner's
Guide
to
Stage
Lighting,
by
Peter
Coleman
and
Jackie
Staines
• Scene Design and Stage Lighting, by W. Oren Parker, R. Craig Wolf and Dick
Block
• Stage Design: A Practical Guide, by Gary Thorne and Tanya Moiseiwitsch
• Period Make‐up for the Stage: Step‐By ‐Step, by Rosemarie Swinfield
• Stage Make‐up (Stage and Costume), by Rosemarie Swinfield
• The First Book of Stage Costume and Make‐up, by Berk and Bendick
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Getting Involved in the Community
Reaching out to the community can provide you and your members with the chance to
talk to people who work or volunteer in theatrical productions every day, as well as the
opportunity
to
see
the
equipment,
props,
costumes
and
sets
that
go
into
these
productions.
Here are some tips and suggestions for reaching out to local theaters and schools in
your area.
1. Reach out to the local community theater or school with a drama program and ask for
assistance with your program. Visit www.americantheaterweb.com to search for
theaters by city.
2. Research Young Audiences, Inc., is a leading arts‐in‐education organization that may
be willing
to
visit
your
Club
or
arrange
a performance
with
members.
Find
a chapter
in
your city at www.youngaudiences.org.
3. If contacting a theater, call and explain that you are running a TNT DramaMatters
Afterschool program at your Club, and ask with whom you should speak in order to
arrange for a speaker to come to your Club or to arrange a field trip to the theater.
Some theaters may have a marketing or PR person with whom you should speak, while
others may put you in touch with an educational director. Just be clear about what
you’re hoping to get from them and they will help you get in touch with the right
person.
4. If a drama professional does volunteer to come to your Club for a session or more, be
sure to provide them with this program guide and/or the TNT DramaMatters
Afterschool program guide in advance so they can be aware of the basic flow of the
sessions and suggest possible alternative activities that may reinforce the same ideas.
5. Contact a community theater, high school, college or university and ask for
permission to bring members there to see the makings of a real theater. If possible, you
could combine this with a guest speaker by having the drama professional or student
give members a tour of the stage and theater area.
6. Request
discounted
tickets
to
a performance
or
ask
for
permission
to
attend
a dress
rehearsal from a local theater or school.
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Tips for Using Props in Scenes
Props are a great way for members to get into character and interact with the scene
around them.
Props can also be used as a substitute for costumes as a tool to communicate
information about a character. Carrying a stack of books tells the audience that the
actor is playing a student, while a spoon and a pot say that the actor is cooking
something.
Using props adds an extra layer to a scene, but it also requires an additional level of
concentration. Here are some tips for getting members to incorporate props into
their scenes and productions successfully.
1. Know why. Sometimes having a prop in your hand helps to feel less vulnerable
onstage, but
make
sure
that
your
character
has
a reason
to
have
that
prop.
Knowing
your character’s motivation can help to know what to hold, why you are holding it
and what you should be doing with it.
2. Do not distract others. A prop is used in a scene to communicate something to
the audience or to move the scene forward, but do not let it become more than
that. Everything that you do onstage can be seen by the audience, so if you are
playing with a prop or moving it around a lot, the audience will be distracted by
looking at you.
3. Stay
organized.
If
you
are
in
a scene
or
production
with
a lot
of
props,
you
should
keep them all in the same place. If there is a prop master working on the
production, they will keep track of all of the props. If there is not, however, then you
need to be responsible for finding your own props well before you need to go
onstage and keeping track of what props you need for each scene.