Some Useful Theatre Games

for the Classroom

Here are some well-tested games, for elementary and middle schoolers, useful in the academic as well as the drama classroom. The skills practiced are important for all students, not just drama students.

Term you need to know:  the Who/What/Where.  All improvisations are based upon knowing who you are, what you are doing and where you are.

The Alphabet Game:  For two or more players.  Give each team a who/what/where (example:  three dog catchers, chasing a St. Bernard on the moon.)  Each line that is spoken must begin with a letter of the alphabet.  Lines proceed in sequence of the alphabet and the scene must end with the letter Z line.  Good for developing vocabulary and quick thinking.  It's always startling to see how many students can't think of what the next letter is!

What Are You Doing?:   Two players at a time.  When one player misses, another from the group takes his/her place.  One actor begins by doing a repetitive action (example:  brushing teeth).  The other player must ask "What are you doing?"  The player doing the action must respond with any action other than what s/he is actually doing. (example:  bouncing a ball).  A player is out if they say the action they are actually doing or give an action that is similar in motion or type. (example:  fixing my shoe and tying my shoe both involve the same body part and look very similar and so would be ruled out.) Once an action has been used, no player may use it again during the length of the game.  If a player pauses or says "um" instead of directly responding to the question, they are out.  This game is excellent for getting your students up out of their seats to burn up excess energy.  It helps stimulate creative and quick thinking and helps develop long-term memory.

Rhyming Couplets:  Use odd-numbered groups.  Five or Seven works best.  Actors stand in a line and create a poem.  First person makes up the first line.  Second person creates second line that must rhyme with the first.  Third person starts a new line.  Fourth person rhymes with third person.  Fifth person starts a new couplet.  Goes back to first person who rhymes with fifth person.  And so on until students find the ending of the poem.  The coach/director can give each group a theme for their poem.  Helps develop sense of rhythm and rhyme. Develops vocabulary.

Typewriter:  One actor is selected to be "the writer,"  while four to six other students are sent to the wings to be the characters.  The writer sits at an invisible keyboard and "types" out a story, while speaking it out loud.  The actors must enter and respond to the  words, acting out the story as it is created.  Writers are encouraged to allow their characters to help develop the story.  (Example:  Writer types "An old farmer was walking down the road, suddenly he saw an elephant and he said..."  Thus allowing the actor to fill in the dots.  Writers are allowed to "erase" and change the story at will.  Excellent for practicing story construction, character development and so on.