I recently returned from an end-of-semester drama presentation at an area elementary school. If you run a dilemma program, you're familiar with this specific opportunity for folks ahead and see what their kids have been working on.
Parents are excited to see their kids, children are excited to possess 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 thinking about what I'm are some helpful tips that'll make your drama presentation as successful as possible:
1. Be Organized
This may sound like wise practice, but it's so important so it needs mentioning. Parents don't want to visit a fumbling teacher, and kids will get antsy should they don't have specific direction. Be sure you have thought through and written out the actual order of events, and simply how much time you anticipate each event to take. Within each event make sure you've written who is likely to be participating, the order of participation, etc. If you're playing drama games, plan in advance who you will call up for every one, and let them know in advance. If you're feeling more adventurous, put every student's name in a cap, and explain to the audience you will be choosing students' at random from the hat for the different games until all of the names are called.imlie Today Episode
2. Keep it short
Keep your welcome greeting under a minute. Cover how excited you're to fairly share what you've been working on, the goal that the class has been working toward, what they're going to see, and a short personal tidbit in regards to the program. Allow activities, games and scenes speak for themselves as much as possible. Keep the experience descriptions to a word or two, or better yet if you have older kids inquire further to introduce each game (let them know in advance so they can practice).
3. Keep it positive.
Don't ever apologize for things not being as polished as they may be due to not enough time or resources. Instead mention how impressed you're with what the youngsters accomplished in such little time. If you know a certain activity or scene will probably be a little rough, introduce it really as you'd any other. Then jump in and give the youngsters support as they need it.
4. Make sure the youngsters know things to expect.
I highly recommend having the full dry run-through of the "sharing day" just one session ahead of time, or before the parents arrive. The children ought to know the order of events and when it's their turn to participate. Consider printing a couple of copies of the "itinerary" and posting them stage right and left where the actors can see them nevertheless the audience can't.
5. Have clean transitions.
The moments after a high-energy activity are probably the most crucial moments to 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 let them have specific timed instructions. "Everyone take a breathe in, breathe out, silently head back once again to your seats in 3 counts. 3... 2... 1. I'd now want to introduce... "
6. Harness the silly/Harness the talking
Along the exact same lines, make sure the youngsters know it is not OK to talk during a game or activity unless specifically instructed to accomplish so. When parents come in the audience it is natural for kids to wish to be little hams, cracking jokes with friends, going for quick laughs. It's the biggest challenge of the drama teacher to concentrate this energy into creative character/acting choices. There's more leniency for 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 a good way to show that to the parents.
7. Make sure every kid has something special to do.
If you're doing scenes, and kids have individual lines, the first thing a parent will do after hearing a couple of kids speak is anxiously watch for his/her kid to speak. It's completely acceptable to give the older, more advanced kids bigger roles in the presentation, but make sure every child has one or more moment to stay the spotlight.
8. Finish with a bang.
End the presentation with a game, activity or song that you understand could have everyone leaving with a huge smile on the face. Although you may well be in an informal environment, choreograph a clean simple bow by the ensemble at the end.
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