Once Upon a Stage
Beloved author, Mo Willems invites YOU into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Grab some paper and pencils, pens, or crayons and join Mo to explore ways of writing and making together. Link below:
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/
**Create your very own Elephant and Piggy play with the attached worksheets. Ask your child to use the acting principles they are learning in class to create their own story.
Who (This is one is easy, Elephant and Piggy)
What (What is happening in their story; are they planning a party, are they solving a problem, are they helping each other learn a new task?)
Where (Where is this story taking place; the park, school, zoo, kitchen, etc.?)
Let your imaginations go Wild and please fill me in on what you're creating at home.
Get worksheet HERE
Jack and the Beanstalk, Doc Doc Goose & Fractures Tales and Mangled Fables
I encourage your children to be reviewing their scripts during our break and I will be sending out at-home exercises and notes from Kelly, Brennan and I.
At-Home Exercise 3-24
Tongue Twisters are a fun and creative way to practice your articulation skills.
Here are some ideas to try when saying tongue twisters (make sure you are using your stage voice and project when speaking):
Try saying the tongue twisters in different emotions (excited, angry, sad, happy, scared, frustrated, confused, etc.)
Say the tongue twisters as different characters (a robot, witch, cowboy, wizard, king/queen; or as their character in the show).
Ms.Kelly’s favorites:
A proper copper coffee pot.
Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.
Smelly shoes and socks shock sisters.
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
Mr. Brennan’s favorites:
Willie’s really weary.
Six Sticky Skeletons.
So, this is sushi chef.
Ed had edited it.
I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop.
For All Classes and Families
Roll a Story
Child/ren roll the die and the number you roll corresponds with the Character, Setting, and Problem on the worksheet. Take some time to create the story, rehearse, and then perform. Or make it a quick improv game to blow off some energy.
Get worksheet HERE
Exercises for Week of April 13th
Being comfortable in your body is an important part of being a successful actor. While voice training can benefit your vocal expression, movement training frees the body to express itself naturally and helps to make you a more grounded performer.
Here’s a quick checklist of Body Warm-Ups to work through:
Gently roll your neck backward, forward, and then around (clockwise and anti-clockwise).
Roll both shoulders forward and backward to release any nervous energy.
Extend your arms and begin to open up your chest. Remember to breathe deeply from your diaphragm.
With arms extended, twist your waist side to side.
Do a forward bend, dropping your head as far as it can go. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.
Finally, shake out your entire body starting from your hands.
Below are two fun warm-up games to try at home. (Both are great exercises for siblings as well)
Energy Ball. Face your child. Imagine that you’re holding an invisible ball with both hands in front of you. Now imagine that you’re gathering energy into the ball, feeling it throb and pulse as the energy grows. The energy becomes so intense you have to throw it to your child, they should catch this ball of energy keeping the same size, shape, and weight that they received it in. Now invite your child to change the invisible ball to a new imagined size, shape, and weight and pass the ball back. Encourage your child to use their body, shape, and attitude to establish the characteristics of the ball as it is received, transformed and thrown.
Reflection. Face your child and try to get inside their head. Observe their movements closely. As they move, mirror their movements and facial expressions as exactly as you can in real-time. Mirror their facial expressions. Encourage slow and sustained movements to begin with and/or simple actions like brushing teeth or playing a sport in slow motion. After a set time, switch and let them mirror you. This activity allows your child to work on leading/following through collaboration and focus.
Attached Exercise - Action Charades
Charades is a great way to get your body and brain moving. Cut the out the suggested action strips and place them in a bag, envelope or mason jar, give them a good shake. Take turns choosing, acting and guessing.
Dance Break
Another great way to warm up your body and voice is to dance and sing along with your favorite songs. I’ve listed a few of my class favorites below:
Going on a Dragon Hunt: Yoga Version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyI3qukcTiI
Freeze Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1vdKfXlB_g
Go Bananas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6gHL1LJ-HQ
We’re going on a Lion Hunt
Exercises for Week of April 20th
As actors, we may sometimes get lost in the idea that sets, costumes and props all have to meet the standards of a Broadway Show. This is just not true. Theatrical audiences can be very creative and clever themselves, following an actor's lead. If you let them know what world the play inhabits, the actor's truth, they will believe. An object can be so many things if you yourself believe and see it, a chair can be a chair, or a car, a fishing boat, or a mountain. The possibilities are endless. Try these exercises below to warm up your body and test your imagination.
Warm-Up
Warm-up your body by trying different character walks. Have your child begin walking in an open space in a natural, neutral walk, arms to the side. Now suggest different motivations for walking. (Worksheet attached) You may also add different environments; a wind storm, a torrential downpour, or a sunny day. How does this affect your walk and body?
The Chair
This exercise is aimed to develop an actor's imagination. Have your child find a lightweight chair that they would feel comfortable moving or shifting. Ask your child to come up with 20 different scenes that this chair can be used in. Tell them to stretch their imaginations, are they at an amusement park on a roller coaster, a busy movie theatre, underwater in a submarine? How does the chair drive their story?
*Try other objects.
Other questions to ask;
How do they enter the space? How do they use their body differently from scene to scene? (Refer back to the attached warm-up sheet for motivations)