Distance Learning
Theatre 101:
“To Be or Not To Be”
Date of Lesson:
May 16, 2017
Instructors Name:
Koren Illa
Grade Range:
Grades 3 - 5
Lesson Description:
Students will dive into the world of theatre, learning
where theatre first originated and the process it takes
for a theatrical production to go on. Students will also
learn how science, technology, architecture and
engineering have changed the theater world over
the centuries. Students will participate in a number of
drama activities and learn how to associate STEM
with the Arts!
Lesson Objective:
Students will learn to identify the several different
types of theatrical stages, as well as the architecture
and engineering that create theatres around the
world. Students will learn how to warm-up their bodies
and participate in a number of theatrical activities
and exercises to better learn the art of theatre.
These hands-on activities introduce a number of skills
that help students with public speaking, presentation,
creative thinking, math and other important daily skills
while having fun!
Broadcast Period:
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
Lesson Duration:
45 minutes
Key Words:
1. Theatre
2. Posture
3. Architecture
4. Engineering
5. Technology
6. Gesture
7. Status
8. Facial Expression
Materials Checklist:
£ A hardcover book - Students will take turns
balancing the books on their heads during an
activity. The more books, the merrier!
Common Core Standards:
• Comprehension and Collaboration
• Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
• Craft and Structure
Introductory Activity:
Students will begin by doing a guided full-body and
vocal warm-up activities:
- 10 – 1 Countdown-Shakedown
- Silly Word Phrases
- Balancing Act
How this lesson relates to STEAM:
Students will learn how technology, math, engineering
and architecture are all used in the performing arts
world. This lesson will also do a review on the history of
theatre.
Core Activity:
- Strut Your Stuff – Students will learn the history,
architecture and engineering of different kinds of
theatres and stages. Students will perform different
movements and samples of performances that
audience members may find at many different
theatre venues using music and movement.
- Comedy & Tragedy – After learning the history of
theatre, students will follow the instructor in a guided
improvisation activity using the comedy and tragedy
masks.
Classroom Preparation:
If possible, classroom should be arranged with
students’ chairs in a large circle and desks out of the
way. Alternatively, students can sit in a circle on the
floor/carpet. Everyone should be able to see one
another around the circle.
Closing Activity:
- The Big Finale – Students will put together both
previous activities to act out a short scene.
- Take A Bow! – Students will learn how to formally
take a bow on stage and thank their audience.
Book/Web References:
§ PDF with information on the various kinds of
theatre stages:
http://theatreprojects.com/files/pdf/Resources
_IdeasInfo_typesandformsoftheatre.pdf
§ Website to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre:
Assessment:
1) What are the 5 different kind of theatre venues?
2) Where did the Greeks first build their theatres?
3) Why did the Greeks have to build their theatres
there?
4) What kind of shapes do theatre’s come in?
5) What are the names of the masks that we use
today called?
6) How can theatre relate to your everyday life?
7) Do you see yourself using anything you learned
today in the future?
8) Besides being an actor, what other jobs can you
get in the theatre?
For more information on the Art and Culture
Center/Hollywood Distance Learning Broadcast
please visit:
http://artandculturecenter.org/distance-learning
http://www.shakespearesglobe.com
Student Resources:
- Students can stand in front of a mirror and
practice a variety of gestures (comedy, tragedy,
etc.)
- Pair students with a partner and have them stand
face-to-face. Without gesturing or speaking the
students will begin mirroring each other. Others
should not be able to tell which student is leading
the movement. (Detailed explanation:
http://www.bbbpress.com/2013/02/mirror/)
- Print out a number of photos of local stages, and
performance venues. Have the students guess
what kind of theatre each photo is.
Teacher Resources:
- https://cassstudio6.wordpress.com/types/
- Robert Plutchik’s Theory: The 8 Basic Emotions
Handout (attached) to reference different
emotions that can be performed.
- A Brief History Of Theatre: PDF attached, to
reference prior to lesson.
Robert Plutchik’s Theory:
The 8 Basic Emotions
(will be referenced during lesson)
Types and forms of theatres
Theatre has been around since people first gathered together to listen to someone else tell
a story. Friends and family shared the responsibilities of audience and player, trading roles back
and forth as long as someone had a story to share. Modern theatre may be more formal, with
trained actors providing the story and sophisticated theatregoers supplying the reactions, but the
idea of sharing energy between a live actor and a live audience remains just as it ever was. The
biggest difference is in the building where theatre happens.
Amphitheater
Theatre buildings evolved from the open-air
amphitheaters of the Greeks and Romans to the
incredible array of forms we see today. Though some
forms work better for particular types of
performance, there is no ideal shape of a theatre. A
theatre may house drama, classical or popular
music, opera, musicals, ballet, modern or folkloric
dance, cabaret, circus, or any activity where a
performing artist communicates with a present
audience. How could any one kind of building work
for all these different types of performing art?
Arena
A theatre in which the audience completely
surrounds the stage or playing area. Actor entrances
to the playing area are provided through vomitories
or gaps in the seating arrangement.
• Bingham Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville,
Louisville, KY, USA
• The Arena Theatre, Houston, TX, USA
Thrust
A theatre in which the stage is extended so that the
audience surrounds it on three sides. The thrust stage
may be backed by an enclosed proscenium stage,
providing a place for background scenery, but
audience views into the proscenium opening are
usually limited. Actor entrances are usually provided
to the front of the thrust through vomitories or gaps in
the seating.
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, IL, USA
• The Playhouse, Overture Center for the Arts,
Madison, WI, USA (image shown)
Proscenium theatre
In a proscenium theatre, the stage is located at one
end of the auditorium and is physically separated
from the audience space by a proscenium wall. This
is sometimes called a “two-box” arrangement—the
auditorium and stage occupy two separate “boxes”
or rooms. The stage box (stage house) provides fly
space and wings and permits a wide variety of
scenic and lighting effects. The auditorium box is the
audience chamber, which may take many forms—
fan- shaped, courtyard, lyric, etc.