THEATRE GAMES: AT LEAST 10

2 blindfolded students, or Samurai, are armed with newspaper "swords" and seek each other out.

Learn each others names, and test memory skills, as a cast begins to work together as a team.

Students create stories and loosen up through making sounds to set the scene of the story described.

Passing on sounds, movement, and objects as a concentration activity. Geared towards helping the students maintain focus and work together to accomplish the final goal.

A fun way for students to develop and appreciate vocal projection.

The Night at the Museum meets physical characterization! The museum has come to life but don't let the night guards see you or you'll be removed from the display and sent to storage.

"Duck, Duck, Goose" becomes an acting game when the "Goose" is replaced with anything the leader calls out.  A great game to break down inhibitions and introduce the concept of "always saying yes."

Engage the student actors in a conversation regarding "Status."  What does it mean in life (at school, at home or in the wider community)?  What does it mean on stage (between characters or between actors and the audience).  We discuss how status can effect the body language, the voice, the dialogue...the overall truthful portrayal of a character.

Here is a great icebreaker game that students seem to love!  It's called "Neighbors"  The participants will stand in a circle.  One player is picked to be in the middle.  That person will approach a person in the circle, he will ask: "Do you like your neighbors?"  If the answer is no, the two people on either side of the person must switch places while the person who did the asking will attempt to take one of their spaces in the circle.  If the answer is "Yes, I like my neighbors" The person must then say "...but I don't like _________"  The _________ can be a silly yet appropriate choice such as "People who are wearing blue" or "People with open toed shoes".  At that point, all the people who are wearing blue or open toed shoes must switch places in the circle with someone else who has on blue or open toed shoes.  It's fun and a bit wacky. Gets people moving. 

YES! is a deceptively simple yet effective concentration and ensemble building game.  The game can be played with new groups or groups who know each other well.

This game can go on for hours as groups begin to trust and enjoy the process of working as an ensemble.  In theory, it is like one large mirror activity, however, coach should encourage movement and vocal involvement in the exercise.  The purpose is not to mirror perfectly, but to move, breath and begin to think as one connected ensemble.  Best for creating a sense of unity and a wonderful physical warm-up.  I learned this one at the National Theatre of Great Britain while attending a post-graduate actor training program.  

Actors are cast as families with last names that inform how the family is to be played.  A salesperson or neighbor comes to the door and must adjust according to the family type.

Actors quickly assume characters to participate in a "flashback" from an improvised scene already in progress.

I find that often, especially at an after-school rehearsal, my performers come in dragging, and just need a little exercise to "jazz them up." The following list is comprised of several of my favorites:

I find that often, especially at an after-school rehearsal, my performers come in dragging, and just need a little exercise to "jazz them up." The following list is comprised of several of my favorites:

Assemble cast in a circle.  The first actor mimes an object and uses it.  Then he/she hands the object to the next actor who also uses it in it's first form. The second actor then "stretches", "squishes", or manipulates it into a new object uses it and passes it on to the next actor.  The same process continues around the circle. The goal of the exercise is used to increase cast connection, camaraderie, and creativity.

Excellent for cast building to be used early during the rehearsal process.  Divide cast into two teams.  Students mime that they are playing volleyball. Regular volleyball rules apply.  The student "serves" to the other team and calls out the cast member's name, that student can "set" to a fellow team member by calling his/her name or send it back "over the net" to the other side.  If  a student misses a name or calls the wrong name, a point is awarded.  The teacher acts as the referee.  Feel free to "rotate" in and out, "spike", "bump", "set", and "block"!

To get students to know each other through names and stories.

Teaches improvisation, pantomime, and clear communication. It also works as an introduction to a skill of giving constructive criticism.