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December 2001 Table of Contents
Special Feature
Putting Kids On Stage
By Debbie Salter Goodwin
I felt like Daniel facing the lions when I walked into the room where 12 already active young boys looked like they were ready to devour me. I was responsible for a rotating drama activity time at camp and the lions were roaring.
"I don't like drama"
"Do we have to memorize anything?"
"When is this over?"
I countered their complaints by assuring them that they didn't have to do anything they didn't want to do in drama. "But, I've got a sketch for anyone who wants to be a monster." It was a pantomime-to-music, which asked participants to play the parts of the monsters of greed, ego, anger, etc. They were tame as kittens after that.
What made the difference? I connected to their interest. I won their confidence. I sequenced them carefully through warm-up activities. It became play for them. Not acting or pretending. They were literally playing. It was fun. For both of us.
Obviously, you can't use a monster sketch all the time. However, you can use the following principles any time you put kids on stage.
1. Give children a chance to choose drama.
Children love choices. When they choose an activity, it cuts down on attention and behavior problems. Provide support activities for those who do not want to take the stage. Make them prop captain, cue captain, etc.
2. Give every participant something special to say or do or wear.
Even when you work with a choir group or non-speaking parts, make every child's part something special. Let actors help you come up with ideas. Give them a way to walk, a way to talk. Divide special hand props among non-speaking characters. Invent names and introduce the idea with flair.
3. Always start with group pantomime.
Too many drama directors skip steps with children. They expect that a child's creative energy is always available for the asking. However, children need warm-up exercises to make them feel comfortable and tap into their creative energy. Group pantomime is the easiest way to do this. Use simple pantomime activities that are concrete and quick to execute. Let the script suggest ideas. Get everyone doing the same thing before you encourage individual, up-front acting.
4. Find creative ways to expose children to the script without putting a script in their hands.
Most children become single focused with a script in their hands. The focus is on reading skills not acting. Narrate a walk-through. Let children improvise some dialogue. Ask for pantomime only. Let them play echo. You say a line and ask actors to repeat it. Use scripts only for longer plays with lots of dialogue and during memory rehearsals.
5. Teach children to be worship leaders.
There is no other reason for children to share a musical or dramatic presentation except to lead others to honor God. If they aren't honoring God in rehearsal, it won't happen in performance, either. Emphasize the message in every way possible. Help them personalize the message. When the message is truly theirs, they have something to share with an audience.
6. Give children responsibility.
Involve children in making rehearsal props. Let them color in signs you have outlined. When they are a part of the creative process, they share other ideas. Some of the best ideas for props and costumes often come from the children. Don't overlook them.
7. Do it for the children first.
There are many secondary reasons for putting kids on stage. Children provide a link to parents, friends and relatives that give an attendance boost to any performance. Another reason children's performances appear on a church calendar is that many expect a children's program during special seasons. However, there is only one reason to involve children in performance and that's because of what it teaches them about God and themselves. Do it to increase their confidence. Do it to create a team spirit. While a performance date requires a certain rehearsal priority, never let it distract you from the number one priority: the children. Every performance is a successful performance when the children learn something.
8. Remember that children will reflect your stress level.
Simple is better than stressful. Always. Where there is too much stress, there is not very much useful learning. Children have enough stress in their lives. So do you. Look for ideas that relieve stress. Bigger isn't always better. Sometimes it is just more work.
9. Encourage parental involvement but always broaden your base beyond parents.
Use parents in rotating roles. Recruit key helpers by their skills, some of whom may be parents. Find out who enjoys the services you need. Who likes to sew? Who likes to paint a backdrop? Don't overlook adding children to some of these work groups.
10. Complete as much memory work during rehearsal as possible.
Schedule memory rehearsals. Use memory coaches. Send as little memory work home as possible. It allows you to supervise characterization as memory work develops and protects against robot delivery.
11. Have fun!
Fun is a legitimate goal for children. They learn best when their energy and interest is totally engaged. Make rehearsals a fun place to be to learn how to work together. Have fun learning about the children who rehearse with you. Don't apologize for hard work; just make it fun.
When you pay attention to these principles, you'll tame the lions in your rehearsal den without bribes or lectures. What's more, you'll enjoy the experience. And you might even agree to do it again.
About the writer: Debbie Salter Goodwin has made children her drama specialty. Her Lillenas Drama books, Just for the Play of It and Invitation to a Party share scripts and how-to ideas. She is the compilation editor for All the Best Programs for Kids: A Year of Sketches, Plays, and Music for All Ages. All of these books are available from J & J Music.
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