I recently came back from an end-of-semester drama presentation at a nearby elementary school. In the event that you run a crisis program, you're familiar with this opportunity for folks to come and see what their kids have already been working on.
Parents are excited to see their kids, kids are excited to own their parents see them, and the drama teacher is nervous ensuring things run smoothly and everyone walks away happy and appreciative.imlie Today Episode
Having led hundreds of the myself, I started considering what I'm are some helpful tips which will make your drama presentation as successful as you possibly can:
1. Be Organized
This may seem like wise practice, but it's so important so it needs mentioning. Parents don't desire to see a fumbling teacher, and kids can get antsy if they don't have specific direction. Ensure you have thought through and written out the exact order of events, and simply how much time you expect each event to take. Within each event ensure you've written who will be participating, the order of participation, etc. If you're playing drama games, plan beforehand who you'll call up for every single one, and let them know in advance. If you're feeling more adventurous, put every student's name in a cap, and reveal to the audience you will be choosing students' at random from the hat for different games until all the names are called.imlie Today Episode
2. Keep it short
Keep your welcome greeting under a minute. Cover how excited you are to talk about what you've been taking care of, the target that the class has been working toward, what they're going to see, and a brief personal tidbit about the program. Let the activities, games and scenes speak for themselves as much as possible. Keep the game descriptions to a phrase or two, or better yet when you have older kids question them to introduce each game (let them know beforehand for them to practice).
3. Keep it positive.
Don't ever apologize for things not being as polished as they could be because of not enough time or resources. Instead mention how impressed you are in what the youngsters accomplished such little time. Knowing a particular activity or scene will be described as a little rough, introduce it just as you'd any other. Then jump in and give the youngsters support as they require it.
4. Make sure the youngsters know what things to expect.
I suggest having the full dry run-through of the "sharing day" just one session beforehand, or prior to the parents arrive. The kids ought to know the order of events and when it's their turn to participate. Consider printing several copies of the "itinerary" and posting them stage right and left where in fact the actors can see them but the audience can't.
5. Have clean transitions.
The moments after having a high-energy activity are the most crucial moments to steadfastly keep up control of the environment. Simply telling your children as their laughing and talking "please get back to your seats" does NOT cut it. Instantly regain their focus, then give them specific timed instructions. "Everyone have a breathe in, breathe out, silently head back to your seats in 3 counts. 3... 2... 1. I'd now prefer to introduce... "
6. Harness the silly/Harness the talking
Along exactly the same lines, ensure the youngsters know it's not OK to talk during a game title or activity unless specifically instructed to complete so. When parents come in the audience it's natural for children to want to be little hams, cracking jokes with friends, going for easy laughs. It's the biggest challenge of the drama teacher to focus this energy into creative character/acting choices. There's more leniency because of this when the youngsters are very young (K-2nd grade). However as students grow through your program their acting should noticeably mature. These sharing presentation are an effective way to demonstrate that to the parents.
7. Make sure every kid has something special to do.
If you should be doing scenes, and kids have individual lines, the very first thing a parent is going to do after hearing several kids speak is anxiously wait for his/her kid to speak. It's completely acceptable to give the older, heightened kids bigger roles in the presentation, but ensure every child has a minumum of one moment to be in the spotlight.
8. Finish with a bang.
End the presentation with a game title, activity or song that you understand can have everyone leaving with a huge smile on the face. Even though maybe you are within an informal environment, choreograph a clear simple bow by the ensemble at the end.
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