Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand the basics of acting and storytelling in theatre.

Materials and Prep

Materials needed: None

Prep: Find a quiet space where you can move around freely and use your imagination.

Activities

1. Warm-up exercises: Start by doing some fun physical warm-up exercises like stretching and breathing deeply to get your body and voice ready for acting.

2. Improv games: Play improvisation games like "Yes, and..." where you have to build on each other's ideas to create a scene.

3. Character creation: Think of a character you'd like to play. What is their name, age, and personality? Act out a short scene as that character.

4. Storytelling: Create a short story with a beginning, middle, and end. Act out the story using different characters and voices.

Talking Points

• Acting is like pretending to be someone else. You get to imagine and become a different character for a short time. Remember, "Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there." - Meryl Streep
• Improvisation is making things up on the spot without a script. It's all about being creative and saying "Yes, and..." to add to the story. As Viola Davis said, "The art of acting is not acting. It's becoming."
• Creating a character involves thinking about who they are, what they like, and how they would react in different situations. "To be an actor, you have to be a child." - Paul Newman
• Storytelling is a way to share your imagination with others. You can create exciting worlds and interesting characters. Remember, "The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon." - Brandon Sanderson