UNIT TITLE
Acting Methods and Styles
LESSON TITLE
Forum Theatre Workshop (Part 2)
CLASS
Drama 4
DURATION
75 Minutes
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to explore some techniques and practices of Augusto Boal by participating in a Forum Theatre workshop.
NATIONAL STANDARDS
CREATING
• TH:Cr1.1.HSIII.a
o Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/theatre work
• TH:Cr3.1.HSIII.b
o Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/theatre work.
PERFORMANCE
• TH:Pr4.1.HSII.b
o Apply a variety of researched acting techniques as an approach to character choices in a drama/theatre work.
• TH:Pr5.1.HSIII.a
o Use and justify a collection of acting exercises from reliable resources to prepare a believable and sustainable performance.
MATERIALS
• Empty Playing Space
TEACHING PRESENTATION:
Hook:
Have the students follow you up on to the stage. Then have students recount the activities and thoughts from the last days work. This will allow you to get caught up again so you can continue with the workshop.
Step 1—Image of the word (Boal, pg. 181)
Explain to the students that you will be continuing the discussion around the idea of student/adult relationships. Explain that class will silently create a still image related to the idea of student/adult relationships. The students should silently place themselves in an image all together. Once the students are set in an image, explain that one by one they can step out of the image and view the image. After everyone has seen the image, lead a short discussion regarding the experience using the following questions:
• Whose story is this?
• Who is the hero? Or who is the main character? Why?
• Is there an antagonist? Or is there a villain? Why? How do you know?
• What is the story here?
• How does this relate to the student/adult relationship we’ve been talking about?
Transition—
At the end of the discussion, seamlessly transition into the next activity. The transition does not need to be stated but just move onto the next step.
Step 2—Image of transition (Boal, pg. 185)
Ask the students the following questions in order to set up the next stage of the workshop:
• What kinds of oppressions are found in student/adult relationships?
• Which ones resonate with you and your experience?
After discussion these questions for a few minutes, ask if someone can think of an experience in which they have felt oppressed by an adult (whether that be a teacher, parent, principal, etc.). Don’t let the student tell their experience, but instead ask them if they are willing sculpt the other students in an image that tells their experience. Explain that the sculptor should use not verbal communication, but should use everyone to create the image including the sculptor. Once the students are set in an image, explain that one by one they can step out of the image and view the image. If they wish to move anyone, they may do so during this viewing period.
Once the image is complete lead a short discussion using the following questions:
• Whose story is this?
• What is the story?
• Where is the oppression here?
Transition—
After the discussion, simply continue onto the next section of the workshop.
Step 3—Multiple image of oppression (Boal, pg. 186)
Have another student shape an oppression they’ve experienced. Then have the student shape the ideal ending to the situation.
Have the students return to the first image. Then explain that when you say so, students should move in slow-motion toward the final picture as you count to 10. By 10, they should reach the final picture.
Allow students to do it once, conduct a short discussion using the questions below:
• What did that feel like?
• Do you feel you have a certain role?
• What was the story here?
• Is there a protagonist? an antagonist?
Once a protagonist and antagonist have been identified, give them this adjustment: they must not simply move to the final ideal solution. Instead they need move in accordance to the character that they are portraying in the image. This means that they might not necessarily end in the 'ideal image.' Count to 10 and allow the students to try this adjustment, then conduct a short discussion using the following questions:
• How did the story change?
• What was the story here?
• Which was more realistic? The first or the second time? Why?
Transition—
After discussing the previous activity move onto the forum theatre experience.
Step 4—Forum Theatre (Boal, pg. 241-252)
First ask the sculptor of the last image what the original story was that they were sculpting. Then ask the class if this is something that resonates with them and they can relate to. If so then continue on with the next forum steps. If not, ask for another experience for other students until you feel that you have found one the whole group identifies with.
Ask for a few volunteers who would like to improvise the scene that the sculptor described (or the scene you decided on as a class). Explain that the volunteers who will improv are going to present the oppression and not the solution. The protagonist should not win in the end.
Allow the scene to run completely once. This scene will serve as the script for the forum theatre experience. After the first scene, ask the following questions:
• What does the protagonist want?
• What is preventing the protagonist from getting that?
• What else could the protagonist have done to get what they wanted? What other choices did they have?
Once the group suggests solutions, ask if they would be willing to step into the protagonists place to try the solution.
Ask the student where in the scene they would like to start from and let the volunteer try their solution. When they have shown the solution, you can stop the action by shouting 'freeze.' Then lead a discussion with the following questions:
• What did this person do differently than the original person?
• Did they get what they wanted?
• Was it realistic?
At this point, you can begin to encourage further responses and solutions by asking any of the following questions:
• Would that option work for everyone?
• What other options could they try in this situation?
• What other choices does the protagonist have?
• Have they gotten all they wanted?
• How else could the protagonist get any or all of those things.
Ask for more volunteers to step in as the protagonist, following the same steps listed above.
Should the group have difficulties in finding solutions, suggest your own solutions, change the circumstance, relationships, or change the scene.
If you feel you have discussed the protagonist and solutions enough, you can use the following set of questions and instructions to continue the dialogue:
• Is there something else the antagonist could do to continue the oppression?
• What other obstacles will the protagonist encounter?
Have students step into the role of the antagonist in the same way they did with the protagonist, and run the scene again. Use the questions in the previous paragraph to discuss the performance and to create new solutions.
Step 5— Wrap-Up
Thanks the students for their work and their openness. Explain that we will be coming back briefly to this work next time. So remind them to try to keep these thoughts and feelings alive until we can address them again.
Assessment:
Student’s respectful and willing participation is paramount for this activity. The can be assessed on their participation for 20 points per day.