THEATER GAMES AND EXERCISES

PURPOSE  In any theater environment, there needs to be a sense of play.  Foundation exercises: Provide focus Develop basic skills for theater performance.  “In order to create and perform satisfying theatre, we need to be in touch with how our bodies work as communicative systems…[and] understand the power of voice, space, time, gesture.” (Taylor, 2006)

THE LIVING CIRCLE  Foundational exercises create a “living circle.”  The living circle is created when everyone is aware of the space need and works together to ensure there is equal space.  The circle is living because it: Adjusts to members leaving or joining Always maintains equal space for participants  It takes practice to create the living circle, so we will work on it daily.

HARD WORK  Each person will have his or her own “hard work” in this class.  No one will master all of the activities to the point of not making mistakes…including me.  Exercises increase in difficulty as we increase in skill.  Avoiding “hard work” undermines your growth and learning, and deprives you of the feeling of triumph when you find it easier.

POST-PERFORMANCE  Post-Performance Discussion is designed to allow participants to process how intentions played out on stage and learn what does and does not work in performance.  NOT designed as a time to critique skill or compare to each other.  Begin with positive affirmation (what was done well)  Constructive criticism  Do not put each other down. Do not belittle one another.

FOUNDATION 1: BREATHING  Calm minds and bodies to focus on task.  Get in touch with bodies and begin awareness of space.  Control breath and how it affects “inside space.” Breathe into diaphragm to support actions with breath. Connect voice to breathing to support and increase vocal range. Character work: how breathing affects physicality, mood, and affect.  There are many levels of breathing we will work through this year.

STAGE I BREATHING  Sit in your chair with both feet flat on the floor.  Straighten your back to open airways.  Place one hand on breastbone, and the other hand on lower stomach (just below navel).  Breath into your diaphragm – you will know that you are because your lower hand will move in and out. STOP if you become lightheaded and resume normal breathing.

FOUNDATION 2: STRETCHING  Releases nervous energy from sedentary state.  Makes performers aware of areas of body to take care of.  Increased blood flow and flexibility, reduced muscle tension, relief of headaches.

BASIC STRETCHING  Gentle rolling of head  Stretch arms around chest  Quad stretch  Bending at waist with knees slightly bent  Roll down: releasing body one vertebrae at a time. Pause at any place of extra tension. STOP if there is pain. Focus on controlled breathing while stretching.

FACIAL STRETCHING  Warming up the face and mouth for speaking and expression.  Opening eyes and mouth as wide as possible (think of yawning or showing surprise.  Making face as small as possible.  Stretching all facial muscles and massaging them.  Vibrating lips.

FOUNDATION 3: WALKING THE SPACE  Explore room and interaction with others.  Basic Form: Observe floor, walls, trying to take in anything you see.  Do not merely walk in a circle, but explore how you can change direction and tempo.  Focus on keeping breath engaged and upper body relaxed as move.

WALKING THE SPACE II  Practice eye contact with one another.  Improvisational walking: emotions, as if different locations, through various substances.  Hold position, freezes.  Using body as expression. NO TALKING HERE.

STAGE II: RHYTHMIC BREATHING  Rhythmic breathing helps you to control your breathing and your physical space. It is also very useful in vocal performances for controlling voice and maintaining focus and tranquility.  Follow counts: “Breathe in, two three, four. Breathe out, two, three, four.  We will increase difficulty over time. (Hold in between in and out…longer time counts, etc.)

NAME GAMES  Hello, I Am Introduce around circle, “Hello, I am (name),” maintaining eye contact and shaking hands. Followed by “Nice to meet you, (name).”  Names Around the Circle Say your name, using a body gesture. The rest of the group will mimic tone and gesture.

BALL GAMES  Fun, energizing and require you to focus on rhythm and ensemble.  Passing Around the Circle – Think “Hot Potato, but Cooler” Purpose is to maintain rhythm and focus on action. 1. Around the circle, handing to one another. Switch direction when instructed. 2. Across circle, using underhanded tosses. “Alphabet ball pass”

ENERGY GAMES  Theater defies Physics: You always get more energy out of it than you put into it.  Blind Counting: Focus Eyes closed! Leader starts the count. Only one person may follow or restart. Say one number at a time only. How high can we count together without opening our eyes?  The Ten Game Shaking left hand, right hand, left foot, right foot. Start on 10 count and count down to one, shaking limbs, increasing speed while moving.

ENERGY GAMES II  Buzz, beep-beep In circle, “buzz” one direction; “beep-beep” to change direction.  Zip, Zap, Boing! Match one another’s energy, make eye contact, use good vocal skills. Pass imaginary ball of energy using one of three commands: zip, zap, or boing. Zip: energy passed to someone adjacent to you. Zap: pass to anyone in the circle two or more people away. Use eye contact and clap. Boing: Returns the energy to the person who just sent it. Throw hands up and throw with palms out (as if making a wall).

PHYSICAL INTERACTION  Purpose: Become aware of how you affect the space and people around you AND to work toward common goal while increasing communication abilities.  Mirroring: Partners. Stand facing each other with about a foot between you (closer than a single arm’s length. One is leader, one is mirror. Leader chooses movements, facial expressions and the mirror must do the same. Switch roles after about a minute.

PHYSICAL INTERACTION 2  Mirroring: Groups. Same as partner exercise, but with one head of the circle to be the leader.  Sculptures: Small groups (3-4) Choose a director and decide on a scene to depict. Show the essence of the scene with a single pose (without acting it out or talking).  Human Puppet: Pairs One puppets the other using gentle pressure. Nonverbal/Verbal. What is the specific task?

ADVANCED BREATHING  WE ARE HARDCORE BREATHERS NOW. Staccato OR Sustained Ha, Ho, He F, L, M, N, R, S, V, Z  Explore pitch and tone  Breathe out sirens to explore range of voice.  Remain connected to breath and focus on it coming from the diaphragm.  Vary mood and intentions (joyful, angry, peaceful, melancholy) – character in mind