Educational Objective:
Students will understand how to write in and call cues by calling a show.
Materials needed:
• YouTube clip of the beginning of Shrek the Musical
• Script for the beginning of Shrek the Musical
• YouTube clip of “It’s Your Wedding Day” from The Wedding Singer
Facets of Understanding:
• Explanation
• Application
Enduring Understandings:
• Organization of all elements in a prompt book
• Importance of concentration and dedication
Essential Questions:
• What do I need to do to personally make sure that I am prepared?
• How do I make sure that I have “all my bases covered”?
Hook: (10 minutes)
Show the Wedding Singer clip. Ask students to pay attention to sound, light, and stage cues. Can they remember all of them? Ask them to try as a group to “call” the show. Obviously students won’t be able to do this, so how do we do it as stage managers? We create prompts and cues in our prompt book.
Step 1 – Discussion/Instruction: (15 minutes)
Explain to students how to write in prompts/cues/warnings into a script. Teach students about color coding and reading ahead. The difference between “stand-by” and “go”. Use your already-made prompt book and the SM packet for supportive examples.
Step 2: Group Practice (20 minutes)
Show students the first two minutes of Shrek the Musical and give them the script. Have students write down what changes happen on stage following along with the script. Play the clip a few times so students can see where things are happening. Have them mark these cues and prompts in the Shrek script. Have students then get in pairs and switch off “calling” the show. If you have few enough students, this can be done one-by-one, or having students switch off every couple of lines, whatever works for your classroom.
Step 3: Application/Assessment (20 minutes)
Go through the script that you have given students for their prompt book. Tell students to look for moments in the show where the lights would change, there would be a sound cue, or something on the stage would need to be cued (fly system, moving piece on stage). Tell students that they can decide where certain elements can go in the show, but that they have to write in every warning and cue. There must be at least two sound cues, one stage cue, and seven light cues. Tell students not to forget house up and house down as a light cue.
Hand out the study guide to students for the written test. Give students the rest of the class period to finish up their prompt book, study, or ask questions.