UNIT TITLE
Acting Methods and Styles
LESSON TITLE
Forum Theatre Debrief
CLASS
Drama 4
DURATION
75 Minutes
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to analyze, describe, and demonstrate their understanding of Augusto Boal’s games and practices by discussing in small groups and writing a reflection response.
NATIONAL CORE ARTS 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
• Computer/Projector with internet access.
TEACHING PRESENTATION:
Hook:
Have students recall to you what happened during the last class. Ensure that you vary who is speaking frequently, as it is very important that every student recalls the Forum Theatre Workshop. Probe students until they can recall the specific activities, feelings, and/or thoughts related to the workshop.
Step 1: Discussion Once you feel that you have effectively re-opened “the case,” as it were, through your initial recalling and discussions conduct a discussion about the overall experience using the following questions:
• What is challenging about being a “young-adult?”
• Is there anything challenging about being an adult, in relation to the student/adult relationship we explored? What and why?
• What have you discovered about this subject today?
This discussion serves as a reflection on the entire workshop, and should prepare them for the next part of the activity.
Step 2: Poll Using the computer, start a new poll on www.pollanywhere.com. The question for the poll should provide an opportunity for students to think about how this workshop will affect them in the future. A good question might be, 'How will your discoveries today influence your life after you leave here today?'
Instruct the class to pull their cell-phones out and text the number on the screen and their response to your question. If some students do not have cell-phones, ask for students to lend their phones to their classmates. Explain that after they send their message, they should read the messages on the screen as they come in. This provides an opportunity for students to anonymously participate in a communal discussion about the workshop.
Explain that as students post, they should also read what is being posted, silently noted things they agree with and things they do not agree with. You may ask more than one question if you feel it would benefit the class. Conduct another short discussion after reading the text messages:
• Do you notice any patterns?
• Are there surprised?
• Has your perspective changed at all based on the text messages?
Allow discussion for a few minutes. Do not force a discussion, however. If there isn’t much to be said, then move on!
Step 3: Reflection Ask the students to pull out a piece of paper and something to write with. Explain that they will complete a reflection based on their experiences over the last few days. They should answer the following questions:
• How is this experience similar to theatre the way that I know it?
• How is it different?
• How could I possibly parts of this workshop in my work as an actor?
Allow student 10-20 minutes to finish their reflections. Be sure to collect them before continuing onto the next step.
Step 4: Instruction Explain to the students the following information:
• The workshop we did over the last few class periods was a Forum Theatre Workshop. The forum theatre was the last part of
• Augusto Boal invented Theatre of the Oppressed to examine power relationships and oppressions, with the intent of solving problems, just as we attempted to do in our forum theatre.
• Boal would go into cities, towns, governments, etc. and set up forums like this, sometimes on a much larger scale. The whole town would participate.
• Again, the purpose of the Forum Theatre is to solve problems, not create them, which is why I asked so many times, “Is this realistic?”
• That being said, how can we use Boal’s excercises in our work as actors? What did you come up with for your reflection?
Take a few responses before continuing on. Explain the following:
• Augusto Boal’s book is called “Games for Actors and Non-Actors.” What we just did would be better suited for who? Actors or Non-Actors? (Non-Actors).
• However, Boal still uses these activities and games when creating theatre like we normally see it.
• For instance, in the book, Boal lists a “Hamlet Variation” for many of his games. This variation takes the activity and uses it between characters in a more traditional approach to theatre. That being said, are there any new ideas for using Boal’s games in a more traditional rehearsal process?
Give students enough time to think it through, then take several responses. Offer your own suggestions, should there be a lack of response from the class. Explain that next time, we will continue looking at some more non-traditional approaches to theatre as we move into studying Bertholt Brecht.
Assessment
Students will turn in their reflection for assessment. This reflection should be a thoughtful consideration of Forum Theatre/Boal work. A thoughtful and detailed reflection is worth 20 points.