I recently came ultimately back from an end-of-semester drama presentation at a local elementary school. In the event that you run an episode program, you're familiar with this opportunity for parents to come and see what their kids have already been working on.
Parents are excited to see their kids, kids are excited to have their parents see them, and the drama teacher is nervous ensuring things run smoothly and everyone walks away happy and appreciative.imlie Today Episode
Having led hundreds of the myself, I started thinking about what I'm are some helpful tips which will make your drama presentation as successful as possible:
1. Be Organized
This might sound like common sense, but it's so important that it needs mentioning. Parents don't desire to visit a fumbling teacher, and kids can get antsy when they don't have specific direction. Be sure you have thought through and written out the precise order of events, and just how much time you anticipate each event to take. Within each event ensure you've written who will be participating, the order of participation, etc. If you're playing drama games, plan ahead of time who you will call up for every one, and let them know in advance. If you're feeling more adventurous, put every student's name in a hat, and reveal to the audience you will be choosing students' randomly from the hat for the different games until all the names are called.imlie Today Episode
2. Keep it short
Keep your welcome greeting under a minute. Cover how excited you're to generally share what you've been working on, the target that the class has been working toward, what they're planning to see, and a brief personal tidbit concerning the program. Allow the activities, games and scenes speak for themselves around possible. Keep the activity descriptions to a phrase or two, or even better when you yourself have older kids ask them to introduce each game (let them know ahead of time to allow them to practice).
3. Keep it positive.
Don't ever apologize for things not being as polished as they are often as a result of lack of time or resources. Instead mention how impressed you're in what the kids accomplished in such little time. If you know a specific activity or scene is going to be considered a little rough, introduce it really as you would any other. Then jump in and give the kids support as they require it.
4. Make certain the kids know what to expect.
I recommend having a full dry run-through of the "sharing day" either one session in advance, or prior to the parents arrive. The youngsters should know the order of events and when it's their turn to participate. Consider printing a few copies of the "itinerary" and posting them stage right and left where in fact the actors can see them but the audience can't.
5. Have clean transitions.
The moments after a high-energy activity are probably the most crucial moments to steadfastly keep up control of the environment. Simply telling your kids as their laughing and talking "please get back to your seats" does NOT cut it. Instantly regain their focus, then provide them with specific timed instructions. "Everyone have a breathe in, breathe out, silently head back once again to your seats in 3 counts. 3... 2... 1. I'd now like to introduce... "
6. Harness the silly/Harness the talking
Along exactly the same lines, ensure the kids know it is not OK to talk during a game or activity unless specifically instructed to accomplish so. When parents are in the audience it is natural for children to desire to be little hams, cracking jokes with friends, going for easy laughs. It's the biggest challenge of the drama teacher to concentrate this energy into creative character/acting choices. There's more leniency because of this when the kids are very young (K-2nd grade). However as students grow through your program their acting should noticeably mature. These sharing presentation are a great way to demonstrate that to the parents.
7. Make certain every kid has something special to do.
If you are doing scenes, and kids have individual lines, the very first thing a parent will do after hearing a few kids speak is anxiously wait for his/her kid to speak. It's completely acceptable to give the older, more complex kids bigger roles in the presentation, but ensure every child has at least one moment to be in the spotlight.
8. Finish with a bang.
End the presentation with a game, activity or song that you understand will have everyone leaving with a huge smile on their face. Even though you may be within an informal environment, choreograph a clear simple bow by the ensemble at the end.
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