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

This is a…

Where we learned it: Creative Drama at NU
Grade: 4th grade and up
Materials: One small object per person

Process:

1. Starting with just one object (let’s say a pen), pass it around the circle, from one person to the next, using the following rhythm:

A: (Turning to speak to person B and holding pen towards them) This is a pen.
B: (Turning to speak to person A) A what?
A: A pen.
B: A what?
A: A pen.
B: (Taking the pen) Oh, a pen.

2. Person B would then turn to the next person in the circle and repeat the rhythm to pass the pen to them.
3. It is important to look at the person to whom you are speaking.
4. Once the pen gets all the way around the circle, add a second object that starts from the opposite side of the circle.  Both objects get passed around at the same moment with the same rhythm.  So there will be two A’s speaking and two B’s speaking; one pairing would be saying “pen” and the other pairing would be naming the object that they are passing, every other word in the rhythm (e.g.,, “A what?”) would occur at the exact same time.
5. Once two objects are successfully passed around the circle keeping in rhythm, add a third object.  Again, evenly space the starting points of the objects around the circle.
6. The goal of this game is to keep adding objects until there are as many objects as there are people in the circle.  At this point, each person will be an A and a B at the same time.  Everyone will have to turn their heads back and forth at each point in the dialogue and really listen to their neighbors even though they’re talking at the same time.