Theatre Education: A Resource of Practical and Project-Based Warm-ups/Theatre Games for K-12

Stage Directions

Where we learned it: Children’s Theatre of Western Springs
Grade: 2nd grade and up
Materials: None

Process:

1. In this game, one person, usually the teacher, is the “Director.”  This person calls out various orders and everyone else has to follow them.  The last person to do the task called is out and gets sent to the “Audience.”
2. It is possible to play with a rotating out.  There are three spots/seats in the Audience (add more seats for a larger group).  Once they are full, when a new person gets sent to the Audience, the person who has been there the longest, gets to come back into the game.
3. The calls for this game are as follows:
1. “Downstage”: Everyone runs to the front of the stage.  This area needs to be determined before playing.
2. “Upstage”: Everyone runs to the back of the stage.
3. “Stage left”: Everyone runs to the left hand side of the stage (left as looking   towards downstage).
4. “Stage right”: Everyone runs to the right hand side of the stage.
5. “Center stage”: Everyone runs to the center of the stage.
6. “Upstage left,” “Upstage right,” “Downstage left” and “Downstage right” can be added for more advanced groups.
7. “Curtain”: Everyone pretends to pull on ropes to open curtains.
8. “Orchestra Pit”: Everyone drops to the floor (as close to an orchestra pit as most theatres get plus I don’t want students jumping off the edge of the stage).
9. “Curtain Call”: Everyone bows as if in a curtain call.
10. “Lights”: Everyone looks up towards the lights and shields their eyes.
11. “Catwalk”: Everyone tiptoes as if on a catwalk high above the stage.
12. “Scenes of Two”: Everyone finds a partner, sits down and pantomimes (otherwise it gets too loud to hear the next call) a scene.  Anyone without a partner is sent to the Audience.
13. “Scenes of Three”: Everyone finds a group of three, sits down and pantomimes a scene.  Anyone without a group of three is sent to the Audience.
14. “Scenes of Four”: Everyone finds a group of four, sits down and pantomimes a scene.  Anyone without a group is sent to the Audience.
15. “Freeze”: Everyone freezes while the people in the Audience come out to try to make them move/laugh without touching them.  If an Audience member can make someone move, they switch places with that person and come back in the game.