1. Characters and direction
Drama Date:
Characters and direction
Objective
To examine different kinds of character actions.
To make actions and directions fun in drama.
To create a play about bullying.

2. Warm-up part 1 I think... I don’t know... I want to know...
Let’s get your opinions. Concerning bullying, finish the following sentences:
I think...
I don’t know...
I want to know...

3. Warm-up part 2
Lines are going to pop up on the board. Students have to read the line silently and then say it aloud while doing the action.
Example: I put my hands up like a boxer to defend myself.

4. He poked me in the eye. It really hurt so I put my hand over it.
Somebody walked dog poop into the class. It smelled really bad so I covered my nose.
She lost my pen. I could have killed her.
He lost my phone. I was going crazy. Why do I lend people things?
She found my pen and phone. I was so happy.

5. Through those samples
You have displayed pain, disgust, anger, insanity and joy.
You have given directions to the characters.... But what is a character exactly?

6. Notes – notes copy
Character: A person in a story with a major or minor role. The writer reveals the character through dialogue, action and appearances.
Gesture: A movement to express an idea or meaning.
Exaggeration: To describe something as greater or larger than it really is.
(Important thought: we’re now going to go into overdrive giving characters crazy actions to perform )

7. Our second play - Bullies
We split into groups and each person takes a character.
Stryk Kuff Grynd Boot.
There are roughly 90 lines in this play, 22 per character, many of which are single words.
Attach a gesture or description of movement to each line the characters have.

8. Examples Pg 18 – “Like a girl” – perhaps a difficult line.
Line one – “It’ll be great when the bus gets here”
Anything from: jumping up and down, arms folded or bus driver dance. (NOT ‘standing normally’ however).
Pg 18 – “Like a girl” – perhaps a difficult line.
The trick is to exaggerate and convey the idea of what was said.
Pg 19 – “Me dad” – also hard. Maybe pointing, beating chest, flexing muscles.

11. It is time to act. Stryk Kuff Grynd Boot.
Each team stand up together – do four lines – sit down.
Next team stands up – 4 lines – down – repeat.

15. Questions What do you think of the four characters in the play?
Did adding gestures or actions improve the play in your opinion?
What do you think the theme or meaning of the play was? Focus on the end on the play in your answer.

16. Learning Objectives Today
Drama Date:
Character 2
Learning Objectives Today
To look at other aspects of characters; including costumes/appearance and development.
To create a play.

17. Warm-ups get our brains going. Exercise copy
Look over the play ‘Bullies’ again
and describe the appearance of
the four characters in your mind.
Include costume, their heads, bodies, have they matching socks, etc.

18. Notes – notes copy
Character development: The change a character undergoes during the story.
Characterization: how a writer presents and reveals a character.
Dialogue: This is what the characters say.
(Important thought: can you think of any characters you know that changed, that became braver, smarter or even became good guys when they were villains? When writing a character, think about how he is at the start and how he will be at the end)

19. Creation of play#2
Your next task is to create a play with the same plot and theme as ‘Bullies’.
Four students will be talking to each other. Instead of being bullies however, they shall be the victims of bullies.
Try and follow the same short, quick burst of a sentence structure that the play has.

20. Rules for the creation of the next play
Follow the same page layout as the play again.
Four characters – name them yourselves.
One character makes a comment and the other three respond at least once or more. A different character makes a new comment and the other three respond at least once or more.
Rotate through the four characters evenly – 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,

24. Homework Read the next play - #2 Fish Cast: Goldie and Joey.
Think about who is the main character is, who the villains are and what everyone might be thinking.