Music Revolution’s Quick Guide to Theatre€¦ · drama, dance, and instrumental performance (Orff, percussion, and recorder). The productions are designed so that ALL students

© 2013 A. Ming Page 1

Music Revolution’s Quick Guide to Theatre

Unlike many “musicals” in Elementary repertoire, Music Revolution productions attempt to

resemble Broadway musicals in their feel of presentation, but still focus largely on the music

side of performance. In these musical experiences, your students may participate in singing,

drama, dance, and instrumental performance (Orff, percussion, and recorder). The productions

are designed so that ALL students can participate in the singing element, if desired.

Additionally, you have the option of giving your students auditioned, small-group opportunities

in the other performance areas.

This general director’s guide is intended to give you guidance and suggestions on bringing a

whole production to the stage. Included are notes on auditions, rehearsal schedules, drama

coaching and staging, and technical elements such as props, costumes, and set. When it comes

to productions such as this, your group’s performance may be as small- or large-scale as you

wish. A Music Revolution production could be a musical Reader’s Theatre, with readers

standing at music stands or with hand-held folders as they read the lines. Or, it could be a full-

fledged stage show, complete with costumes, ushers and stage lights. It’s up to you! So put on

your director’s cap and grab that megaphone.

Auditions

Depending on how much you want your group to undertake, students would need to be

auditioned for the following performance opportunities:

Acting

o This might include Narration opportunities, which do not involve playing a

“character” or memorizing lines, but simply reading with good diction and stage

presence.

Solo

o In some cases, solos are sung by characters in the story. Other solos may exist

independently of drama roles.

Dance

Instrument

o Orff

o Recorder


o Percussion

Each audition is unique, and you may approach the process in a number of ways. I have

typically allowed students to audition for as many things as they wish. There are usually a

strong number of sign-ups for each category, so I am able to spread the opportunities out

among as many students as possible.

When to Hold Auditions

There are pros and cons to either of your two main options.

If you hold auditions before or after school, or during lunch/recess/conference times, less of

your class time is consumed with the activity, but you might become overwhelmed with the

outside-of-class-time spent.

If you hold auditions during class time, all students benefit from watching other auditions,

whether or not they audition themselves. This option can, however, eat up a lot of time you

might rather spend on other curriculum.

I tend to mix the two, doing solo and instrument auditions during class time and other auditions

at other times. I would, however, do some preliminary teaching of the acting and dancing

during a class session so that all students can benefit from those teaching moments.

Where to Hold Auditions

If it is available, your performance space is a perfect place to hold auditions because you can

observe how your students perform on the same stage they will ultimately use for the

production. Your music room, however, would also work very well, and might be more

convenient when it comes to the audio equipment and instruments needed.

How to Run Auditions

I strongly recommend creating a rubric for auditions as you would any other performance-

based assessment. Try using the same singing and instrument rubrics you employ for other

assessments. You can find a sample drama rubric at the end of this guide. A simple, posted

rubric will help you make your decisions as well as give you grounds for those decisions. In the

case of a student or parent approaching you with concerns about your audition results, you can

assure them that an impartial rubric was used to make performer selections.

I also recommend recording auditions so that you can review the results at a later time.

However thorough your rubric notes might be, nothing compares to listening to or watching

those auditions a second or third time. Be very careful, however, to observe your school and

district’s guidelines concerning audio and video recordings of students. I have never posted or


shared audition recordings in any way. After reviewing them and making your selections, I

recommend deleting those recordings.

Most Music Revolution production kits include recommended audition excerpts with

accompaniment tracks (where applicable). Or, you may prefer to use different excerpts for

your auditions. Teach your audition-ers the material, then allow them to practice, perhaps in

groups and then individually, before beginning the official auditions. Depending on the level of

difficulty, you might offer help in small groups outside of class time.

After Auditions

Take care to post your results in a timely manner. Your students will be very eager to see them!

Also, try to emphasize that everyone did a wonderful job but that there are only so many parts

to be had. Even so, be prepared for heartbreak. I’ve seen many hopeful Broadway-stars leave

music class in tears because they did not receive the part they wanted. In truth, it is a

wonderful lesson for them, and I have never had a student remain upset for long. I recommend

warning the students’ home room teachers on the day you post results, so that they won’t be

surprised when they pick up their students from your class that day.

Rehearsals

Singing Rehearsals

Try using class time to accomplish some singing-rehearsal goals while simultaneously teaching

important musical concepts using the music from the production. I have found it fairly easy to

complete all group-singing rehearsals during class time in this way. Toward the end of the

rehearsal process, you might be using your entire class time for a session or two (or more, if

you prefer) to rehearse the entire production in the performance space. This will be addressed

more thoroughly under Dress Rehearsals.

Drama, Solo, Dance, and Instrument Rehearsals

Your special groups – actors, soloists, dancers, and instrumentalists – will need special rehearsal

times to prepare their performances. Chances are, each of these groups will include members

from more than one homeroom class, or color group, or whatever your class division may be.

These are the rehearsals that tend to need outside-of-class rehearsal time. But it need not take

over your life, nor theirs. It is amazing how much can be accomplished during a lunch period,

or during a thirty-minute rehearsal before or after school. Before beginning the audition


process, sit down with your calendar and decide how much rehearsal time you are willing to

commit to before or after school. Based on this decision, you can better choose whether or not

you would like to include the dance group and instrumental groups, as well as how in-depth

you would like the drama aspect to be.

See the section below, entitled “Directing the Drama,” for more suggestions on the flow of

Drama Rehearsals.

Directing the Drama

There is much to consider when directing the dramatic aspect of any musical production. This

section will give an overview of everything you might need to know when coaching and

directing your actors.

The Stage

In theatre, the stage is divided into sections designated by words such as “Up,” “Down,” “Left,”

“Right,” and “Center.” I typically teach these stage directions to every new group of actors at

the very beginning of the rehearsal process, which makes rehearsals much smoother later on.

Stage Left – The left side of the stage, from the point of view of the actor facing the audience

Stage Right – The right side of the stage, from the point of view of the actor facing the audience

Downstage – The part of the stage closer to the audience

Upstage – The part of the stage further away from the audience

The four corners of the stage area are referred to as Upstage Left (abbreviated USL or just UL),

Upstage Right (UR), Downstage Left (DL), and Downstage Right (DR). Center Stage can be

abbreviated C or CS. See the diagram below:


AUDIENCE

As the director, watching rehearsals from the audience’s perspective, it may be tempting to use

your right and your left when staging the scenes, but the theatre teachers of your students’

middle schools would beg you to use the standard stage directions! Not only is it more efficient

to use the actor’s perspective in rehearsal, it is also a better way to prepare them for future

theatrical endeavors.

The Read-Through

It helps to do at least one read-through of the script, sitting at a table or in a circle on the floor.

This will acquaint your students with the lines before they are required to put the scenes on the

stage. The more read-through’s your group can do, the smoother your remaining rehearsals

will go.

During read-through’s, every actor should have a pencil and highlighter to make notes and

highlight not just their lines, but their stage directions. In this case, “stage directions” refers not

to “up,” “down,” and so forth, but to the italicized directions written in the script. I suggest


having your actors highlight their lines in one color and their stage directions in another. Here

is an excerpt from A Visit from St. Nicholas in which the actor has highlighted their script in this

way, also making notes in the margins:

Pencils and erasers are essential!

Blocking Rehearsals

In theatre staging, the term “blocking” can be used in two ways. The first refers to a type of

rehearsal in which the actors and the director put the scenes up on the stage and “block,” or

“map out” the actions of the characters. The other use of the term will be discussed in this

section, as well.

Actors need their scripts and pencils at blocking rehearsals so that they can write down their

blocking notes – neither you nor they will be able to remember them all! As far as how to

approach blocking rehearsals, I suggest spending time with the script beforehand, making notes

and diagrams showing where you imagine the scenes and characters existing on the stage.

Then, come to rehearsal with an open mind and invite your students to create their own

blocking. When they aren’t sure what to do, you can provide assistance from your notes.

Some important elements of blocking for your preparation:

Entrances. If there are characters entering the scene, come to rehearsal knowing exactly where

you want those entrances to take place (Upstage Left, Downstage Right, audience center aisle,

etc.).

Exits. Likewise, know where you want characters to make their exits. In some cases, actors

need to leave the stage and come back on at a later time. Map out this activity, making sure


that the actor exits the stage in a good place to make their entrance later. This is especially

important if your performance does not include a path to cross behind the stage.

Crossing. Notice the points in the script at which characters need to “cross,” or “move,” from

one part of the stage to another. Be ready to direct your actors on where to move at the given

time, using standard stage directions.

Note: Another helpful abbreviation is to use “X” for “cross.” That way, when you tell a student,

“Cross Downstage Left,” they can quickly write “XDL” in their script. It saves a lot of time!

Character Interaction. When characters are interacting, either verbally or non-verbally, you

need to go into blocking rehearsals with some notes and at least a general idea of how those

actors will be positioned on the stage while interacting. Then, of course, it is a great idea to let

your students create their own interactions, but you will be ready to guide them.

Some important elements of blocking for the actors to know:

Stage Picture: Encourage your students to always be imagining what the stage looks like from

the point of view of the audience. Teach them to consider the following:

BLOCKING. This is the other use of the term “blocking.” This refers to one actor standing

directly in front of or behind another actor. This “blocks” the student in back from the view

of the audience, and is a staging no-no. Your students should become familiar with this

concept, both so that they will know what you mean when you address the issue during

rehearsals, and more importantly so that they will notice and fix the problem themselves.

STRAIGHT LINES. This is another theatrical taboo. If three actors are standing near each other

on stage, they should try to stand in a triangular shape rather than a straight line.

LEVELS AND PLANES. Actors should avoid positioning themselves all at the same height level,

instead varying their levels by standing, sitting, kneeling, and so forth. “Planes” refers to

the horizontal areas of the stage. If all the actors are in the downstage area, a few should

move to the center or upstage areas, creating depth.

The Focus: Actors need always be aware of the focus of every scene and every moment. The

actor’s movements and interactions should never distract the audience from that focus.

Stage Business: Actors need to develop believable, but not distracting, activities for their

characters to engage in as part of the scene. A child listening to a story might be playing with

her hair or idly rolling his toy car on the carpet, all the while staying focused on the storyteller.

Small “stage business” like this, when used appropriately, can keep a scene alive.

Walk-Through’s/Run-Through’s


However you want to refer to these rehearsals, this is the part of the process during which your

actors are coming closer and closer to performing the scenes of the play as they are meant to

be played out. In my personal vernacular, a “Walk-Through” implies more of a stop-and-start

approach. Actors come to a Walk-through knowing that we are there to address and creatively

solve problems in the play. The phrase “Run-Through” simply implies that there will be much

fewer stops and that we want the run-through of the play to resemble a performance as much

as possible.

Technical Rehearsals

Depending on how many technical aspects you are employing, you might want to have a

technical rehearsal or two. If you are using costumes, props, and other technical theatre

elements, I strongly recommend at least one technical rehearsal, especially if you have

recruited students to help and lead in these areas. Actors need to come to technical rehearsals

prepared to wait and be patient while technical issues are addressed. Specific technical

elements will be addressed later in this guide.

Dress Rehearsals

Dress Rehearsals are vital, whether or not you are using costumes and other technical

elements. A Dress Rehearsal does not only refer to “dressing” up in costume, but to the

understanding among all involved that, “We are running through this play exactly as if the

audience were here!” Personally, I prefer at least two Dress Rehearsals, especially for younger

actors. Too many more than that, however, and the play could lose its freshness.

Coaching Actors

Directing a play is about more than just telling actors where to cross and when. You are also

bringing life to words on a page – no simple task! New actors, especially, need much guidance

when taking on this challenge. Here are some things to keep in mind while coaching your

student actors:

Speech

Diction. If you are a music teacher, you have likely addressed this vocal component already. I

suggest tongue twisters (endless options can be found online) and singing exercises to train

your actors to use their consonants and vowels appropriately. Remember, though, that not all


characters will pronounce certain words the same way. Allow your student to be creative with

their pronunciation, as long as it fits the character and the audience can understand the words.

Projection. As you would with singing instruction, train your actors to use their diaphragm and

lots of energy to project their voices to the last row of the audience.

Characterization. The actors should ask themselves how their characters would talk in real life.

“Would my character speak quickly? Slowly? Hoarsely? High pitched or low pitched?” Many

questions can spark the actor’s imagination and help them build a vocal character.

Accents. Accents can be tons of fun, and many of the newest actors can really excel at using

them. Be sure that the accents are consistent, that they fit the play itself, and that they are not

distracting from the story and the other performers.

Action

Actions are the foundation of the actor’s craft. Even the term “acting” has its roots in the

concept of action. Physical action is what might instantly come to mind, but there is also

something called Inner Action that deserves attention.

Physical Action. Students need to consider the following elements when they are developing

and rehearsing their physical characters:

WALKING. How does the character walk? Is she generally fast or slow? Short strides or long?

Does he lead with the head, chest, hips? The character’s age and emotions might drastically

affect the answers to these important questions.

GESTURES. All actors should watch out for gestures that are small or incomplete (fail to

follow through). Nothing kills a character like a feeble sweep of the hand at the actor’s side

when a bold, broad gesture would better convey the truth of the character’s life.

Encourage actors to use the space around them while gesturing, but to keep their gestures

purposeful, not overdoing it.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. As the saying goes, “the eyes are the window to the soul.” Actors must

keep their faces, particularly their eyes, in character and involved with the specific scene at

all times. New actors can have a lot of fun practicing emotional faces in the mirror. After a

time of doing this, however, it’s best for an actor to let himself become emotionally

involved in the scene and let his facial expressions follow suit.

PHYSICAL TRAITS AND IDIOSYNCRASIES. Does the character stoop when she sits? Crack his

knuckles? Wrinkle her forehead when thinking? Tap his foot? Encourage your actors to be

creative!


Inner Action. Action does not only take place on the outside, but within the character, as well.

An actor’s mind should always be “playing” in character along with the scene, just as children

mentally commit to their imaginary playtimes as superheroes, doctors, soldiers, and so forth. A

person in “real life” is always involved in some mental action. In theatre, a general rule is that

the stronger the inner action, the better. Below are just a few examples of inner actions:

TO DECIDE

TO COMMIT

TO WISH

TO CHALLENGE

TO YEARN

TO FIGHT

TO SURRENDER

TO JUDGE

In these inner actions and others, it is important for the actor to be as specific as possible. “In

this moment of this scene, my character is fighting the urge to say something rude.” Actors can

even create “subtext,” or unspoken lines that they say to themselves in their heads, as the

characters. So, in the above example, the actor would not be onstage in the performance

thinking to himself, “This is the part where my character is fighting the urge to say something

rude.” Instead, he would think his pre-written subtext, in character, something like, “Don’t say

it; that would be rude. You’ll regret it. Don’t say it, don’t say it!”

Emotion

This is a fun but controversial issue in the world of acting. Every actor has a different method,

or lack thereof, to approaching emotions in the actor’s craft. One principle that is generally

agreed upon is this:

Emotions cannot be acted. Only actions can be acted.

An actor will not usually find it helpful to think, “This is the part where I should cry…cry now!”

during a scene in which his character weeps with sorrow. So, what is an actor to do?

Over the years, some directors and acting instructors have solved this dilemma by teaching

their actors to rely on past memories to bring about real emotions on the stage. Others have


taught actors to use strictly their imaginations, substituting the people of the play with people

from their own lives, but in imaginary circumstances similar to those in the script.

Either method is valid and relies heavily on the actor’s imagination. And both methods use a

concept generally referred to as Substitution. In order to bring to life a moment of hilarity on

stage, the actor substitutes the given circumstances with something that once made him laugh

hysterically, or something that he simply imagines which brings about the same response or

impulse.

Emotional Recall. As a teacher, I would not suggest coaching a student actor to call upon a true

event from their past unless it is a positive event with a positive resulting emotion. To help

actors bring a joyous moment to life, you could prompt them to remember a wonderful event

in their own past that brought about joyous emotions. However, I would strongly discourage

prompting any student to remember something unpleasant in order to induce negative

emotions on stage.

Sense Memory. This method may not relate directly to emotions on stage, but I find it highly

effective for conveying the truth of the character, emotionally and otherwise. Encourage your

actors to imagine the scene by their five senses. “During this scene, what do you see? See it in

detail! Are there colors? Are there lights? What do you hear? Listen closely; there are sounds

in the background, too. What can you smell? What do you feel? Does your skin feel hot or

cold? Is there a draught? What do you taste? Use your imagination!”

Focusing on these imaginary details can help get the actors “out of their heads,” so they are no

longer worrying about the audience, their blocking, or the emotions they “should” be conveying

on stage.

Improvisation

Improvisation is another foundation of the actor’s craft and one that fits nicely into the world of

Elementary fine arts education. Nothing helps bond a group of young performers like a fun

improvisation game! Furthermore, the skill of improvisation is useful on-stage in two important

ways. One, it develops a natural spontaneity that keeps scenes alive and fresh; and two, the

ability to improvise will help students when they or their co-players forget a line or a piece of

blocking.

A plethora of improvisation games and activities exist to develop the skill of improvisation.

Check online or at your local bookstore, and enjoy sifting through the myriad options. I

recommend a book by Viola Spolin, celebrated master of improvisation, called “Improvisation

for the Theater.”


Technical Theatre

I have found technical theatre to be a great way to involve students who otherwise have little

natural interest in performing arts. This is especially valuable at the Elementary level, where all

students are required to be in your class but not all may be particularly excited about their

upcoming musical production.

The following technical theatre elements are worth taking time to consider:

Costumes

Costumes have an almost magical way of bringing a story to life on stage. Not only are they

appealing to the audience, but they tend to ignite the imaginations of the actors. As the

director, you are most likely the costume designer, as well. One way to start is to go online and

look up the time period in which the play takes place. Find pictures of the clothing of that time

period and let your imagination take it from there. If there is another teacher or parent with

whom you could brainstorm about costumes, do so!

There are several ways to obtain costumes for your performance:

Create. I suggest recruiting parents and students to help you with making certain costumes

for your ongoing music program. Using online sources like Pinterest, you can find simple

ways of creating almost anything.

Borrow. Network with parents and other acquaintances to see if anyone has access to the

costumes you need. You might know of a church or other organization that has costumes

you could borrow. Or a parent might have exactly what you need in the back of their

closet! Put your needs in a newsletter, or a blast email, or do whatever it takes to

communicate those needs, and you might be surprised what you end up with.

Purchase. If you plan on doing a lot of theatre in your program, it might be worth it to

spend some of your funds on purchasing some costumes, particular pieces that can be used

in a variety of ways. If you are an Elementary teacher, check with your Secondary-level

theatre teachers or Fine Arts department to find out where they purchase their costumes.

Rent. Renting costumes can save valuable funds when you do a number of significant

productions on a regular basis. If not, however, the expense might seem inconsistent with

the amount of use the costumes receive. You might find that rental costs are not always

that much better than purchasing costs.


Props and Set

Props and set pieces are also wonderful additions to any theatrical performance. A “prop” is

generally a smaller item that has a place on the stage, such as a tea kettle or a candle. A

“personal prop” is a prop used by a particular character, such as a cane. Set pieces include

anything from backdrops to cardboard stand-ups to pieces of furniture.

The suggestions above work just as well for accumulating these items. Parents may have

something in a box in their garage that fits your needs. Also, check with the Secondary schools

in your district to see if they have anything on your list. In many situations, you might be able

to borrow those props or set pieces.

Painting backdrops and cardboard or wooden stand-ups can be a fun project for your students,

as well as a way to integrate visual arts into your curriculum. Ask your art teacher for help, as

well as parents who might be skilled at painting or woodwork.

Sound

Many school facilities are not intended for theatrical performances with multiple characters

delivering lines and engaging in dialogue. From the beginning of the whole process, think about

your microphone limitations and be prepared to block the scenes accordingly. If, for example,

your singers and speakers can only be heard by standing at one of three microphones plugged

into the main system, then block the scenes so that actors can always come to one of those

three microphones to deliver their lines.

If you have the ability to use good-quality clip-on or over-ear microphones, these can do

wonders for your performance if you have a sound board and someone to run it. I have tried to

direct a full-scale musical with a large choir watching my lead, while simultaneously running

sliders on a sound board. It did not go particularly well! If there is a parent, teacher, or even a

very bright student who can run the sound board, you will do much better. Have a separate

sound script just for that person, where you and they can make notes specific to the running of

the sound board. Whoever operates the sound for the performance needs to be present at all

technical and dress rehearsals, as well.

Whatever the case, build in ample rehearsal time to work out sound issues. Feedback,

crackling, and other annoyances are common when working with any microphone. Find the

people in your school or district who can help and be ready to call on them during the rehearsal

process. If you have built in plenty of technical rehearsal time prior to dress rehearsals, you

should be able to work out sound problems well in advance of the performance.

Finally, teach your students the proper way to use the microphones. In general, microphones

should never be touched, but usually the speaker or singer should get as close to the


microphone as possible. If students are wearing their microphones, they will need to practice

keeping their hands off of them. An actor should also learn the workings of his microphone,

such as how to turn it on if it is accidentally turned off, and how to clip it back onto their

costume if it falls.

Lights

Many facilities are equipped with stage lights, as well as standard overhead lights, for the

performance area. You may choose, as I have often done, to set the lights at a certain level at

the beginning of the show and leave them throughout the duration of the performance. Or you

might like to experiment, as I have also done, with a more intricate lighting design for your

production.

You might decide that you want the effect of lighting changes throughout your show. If this is

the case, you will need to decide on two main things:

1. What kind of lighting do we need/have?

2. Who will operate the light changes?

Experiment with whatever lighting options your stage already has. You might need to put in a

maintenance request to have some of the stage lights pointed at particular parts of the stage

that seem too dark to you. You might decide to purchase or rent additional lighting for your

production. Speak with your Fine Arts department or Secondary theatre teachers to find out

what vendors they recommend in your area, or what they already have that you might borrow.

Take a good look at how the lights in your performance area are operated. Is it a simple switch

on the wall? Where on the wall? Is there a light board? If so, find the manual, get help from

your technology department, do whatever it takes to get to know that board.

Enlist a parent to help operate any light changes that you might design for the production.

Depending on the equipment, students might be able to help with this, as well. Whoever is

operating the lights for the performance needs to be present at all technical and dress

rehearsals, as well.

Before and during the early rehearsals, mark all light changes in your script. If you would like to

have “blackouts” between scenes, write them down in the appropriate place. Create a

separate light script for the light board (or light switch) operator, with identical notes, so that

they can follow along and run the board according to your directions.

The House

House Management refers to all things that take place in front of the stage and beyond.

Consider the following elements:


The Audience Area. Your school might have a system for setting up chairs for performances, or

you might be required to do that yourself. Consider the size of the audience and the layout of

the chairs, if you get a choice in such matters. For example, do you need a center aisle in the

audience? It might be a good way to have some characters makes entrances and exits, but you

need to let the right people know that a center aisle is needed in the chair set-up. Consider

asking for volunteer students to check the audience area and nearby hallways for trash on the

night of the performance.

Programs. Also, consider the type of printed program you want to give audience members at

your performance. Programs, or “playbills,” for musical productions can include all sorts of

interesting elements, such as a scene synopsis, actor biographies, a note from the director, and

more. Look at an actual playbill from a theatrical production (try www.playbillvault.com) for

ideas. I suggest involving students in this process – this can be an excellent cross-curricular

opportunity for them, and is another way to engage students that might otherwise not be

interested in performing arts.

Greeters and Ushers. While not vital to the show, greeters and ushers can be a fun addition to

the overall theatre experience. Greeters typically stand at entrances to welcome guests and

hand out programs, while ushers take people to their seats, particularly if they are older, have a

large group, or arrive late (late-arrivals can only be seated by students not performing in the

very beginning of the show). I have often had students fill these roles in their costumes, which

certainly adds a little magic to the event.

Tickets. Finally, do you want to use tickets for your production? Even if your performance will

be, as is most often the case, a free event, passing out “tickets” can be a fun way to promote

the event. Also, a few students can stand at the entrances to collect the audience’s “tickets” as

they arrive, providing another opportunity for student involvement.

The Show Must Go On!

Throughout the process, remind your students (and yourself) that the audience will only know

something has “gone wrong” if you let them know! So, to the actors: stay in character! To the

technical crew: stay focused and keep going! To the singers: eyes on the director! Train your

students to have a reflex reaction of not reacting when something goes wrong. Do

improvisation exercises with your actors to teach them how to think fast on the stage. As the

director, be aware that something is bound to go differently than planned, and that this is okay.

Above all, have fun, and as they say on Broadway, break a leg!

http://www.playbillvault.com/


Sample Audition Rubric (Drama):

3 2 1

VOCAL

Projection Student uses diaphragm to project without shouting. Volume is a good level for

reaching all parts of the audience.

Student’s diaphragm is not fully engaged or

student tends to shout. Volume is somewhat too

soft or too loud.

Student does not use diaphragm and/or tends

to shout. Volume is much too soft or too loud.

Diction Student’s vowels and consonants are clear, and all

words are pronounced clearly.

Student’s vowels and consonants are not as

clear, and some words are poorly pronounced.

Student’s vowels and consonants are mostly

unclear, and many words are poorly pronounced.

Vocal Character Student expresses the character in a way that is entertaining and

fitting to the character in the script.

Student attempts some creativity vocal

expression, but needs more vocal connection

with the character.

Student little to no characterization in the

voice.

PHYSICAL

Stance/ Stage Presence

Student stands with posture that is fitting for the character

and has a strong poise, or “stage presence.”

Student’s posture does not fully match the

character, and stage presence is not as strong.

Student’s stance does not match the character, and stage presence is weak.

Gestures Student uses hand gestures appropriately and realistically in the context of the character and

the scene.

Student’s hand gestures are sometimes too low or do not follow through, or not as well-timed as they

should be.

Student’s hand gestures are often too low, choppy,

poorly timed, or absent altogether.

Facial Expressions Student expresses the thoughts and feelings of the character

with their eyes and face, demonstrating an

understanding of the character and the scene.

Student’s facial expressions are only

partially involved in the scene and the character.

Student’s facial expressions are mostly not

involved with the scene and the character.

Movement Student moves through the acting space with energy and poise, moving intentionally.

Student moves through the acting space with

some comfort, but often paces, shifts feet, fidgets

and so forth.

Student moves through the acting space

uncomfortably or not at all.

Physical Character Student exhibits the character in their physical movements and

positions, demonstrating creativity and knowledge of the

character and the play.

Student shows some creativity in expressing the

character physically.

Student does not demonstrate a knowledge of the character through physical characterization.

Thank you for using a Music Revolution product.

I hope you find it useful!

FFoollllooww tthhee MMuussiicc RReevvoolluuttiioonn::

www.TeachersPayTeachers.com/store/musicrevolution

”Follow” to receive newsletters with special offers.

Check out the blog: www.ElementaryMusicMagic.blogspot.com

Pin and be inspired: www.pinterest.com/mrevolution

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/musicrevolution

http://www.elementarymusicmagic.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/mrevolution

Documents

Music Revolution’s Quick Guide to Theatre€¦ · drama, dance, and instrumental performance (Orff, percussion, and recorder). The productions are designed so that ALL students