To teach students the vocabulary of the stage to be used in future activities. Students work on listening skills, observation, and knowledge of space.
Stage Direction Game
step 1
Mark with masking tape a large square stage with an “x” in each corner and one in the middle.
step 2
With the class as audience, walk the perimeter of the square to define the boundaries of the stage.
step 3
Directions are designed for the actor and refer to the actor’s left and right (not the audience’s). Stage directions are a tool to help the director communicate with the actor. Explain that in Shakespearean times, stages tilted down toward the audience
so that everyone (even in the back row) could see the stage. This
historical detail helps explain why stage directions are the way they are.
step 4
On the chalkboard, show the students which “x” each word corresponds to: center stage, upstage left, upstage right, downstage left, downstage right.
step 5
Ask for 4 volunteers to stand on the center stage “x.” Challenge the group to move to a different location on the
stage. For example, “Move downstage left.” Ask the audience if the group moved to the correct location and why.
step 6
Continue this activity with different students until each student knows the stage directions.
