I just went back from an end-of-semester drama presentation at a local elementary school. If you run a dilemma program, you're familiar with this specific opportunity for folks in the future and see what their kids have now been working on.
Parents are excited to see their kids, kids are excited to own their parents see them, and the drama teacher is nervous making certain things run smoothly and everyone walks away happy and appreciative.imlie Today Episode
Having led hundreds of these myself, I started thinking about what Personally i think are some helpful tips that may make your drama presentation as successful that you can:
1. Be Organized
This might seem like wise practice, but it's so important that it needs mentioning. Parents don't wish to view a fumbling teacher, and kids are certain to get antsy if they don't have specific direction. Make sure you have thought through and written out the actual order of events, and how much time you expect each event to take. Within each event make sure you've written who is going to be participating, the order of participation, etc. If you're playing drama games, plan beforehand who you will call up for every one, and let them know in advance. If you're feeling more adventurous, put every student's name in a hat, and reveal to the audience you will be choosing students' randomly from the hat for different games until most of the names are called.imlie Today Episode
2. Keep it short
Keep your welcome greeting under a minute. Cover how excited you are to generally share what you've been working on, the goal that the class has been working toward, what they're going to see, and a short personal tidbit about the program. Allow activities, games and scenes speak for themselves as much as possible. Keep the game descriptions to a phrase or two, or better yet when you have older kids ask them to introduce each game (let them know beforehand for them to practice).
3. Keep it positive.
Don't ever apologize for things not being as polished as they are often as a result of lack of time or resources. Instead mention how impressed you are with what the children accomplished such little time. Once you learn a specific activity or scene is going to be a little rough, introduce it really as you'd any other. Then jump in and give the children support as they require it.
4. Make certain the children know what to expect.
I highly recommend having the full dry run-through of the "sharing day" each one session ahead of time, or before the parents arrive. The kids ought to know the order of events and when it's their turn to participate. Consider printing several copies of the "itinerary" and posting them stage right and left where the actors could see them however the audience can't.
5. Have clean transitions.
The moments after a high-energy activity are probably the most crucial moments to steadfastly keep up control of the environment. Simply telling your children as their laughing and talking "please return to your seats" does NOT cut it. Instantly regain their focus, then provide them with specific timed instructions. "Everyone take a breathe in, breathe out, silently head back to your seats in 3 counts. 3... 2... 1. I'd now want to introduce... "
6. Harness the silly/Harness the talking
Along exactly the same lines, make sure the children know it is not OK to talk during a casino game or activity unless specifically instructed to complete so. When parents are in the audience it is natural for children to desire to be little hams, cracking jokes with friends, going for easy laughs. It's the biggest challenge of the drama teacher to target this energy into creative character/acting choices. There's more leniency with this when the children are extremely young (K-2nd grade). However as students grow throughout your program their acting should noticeably mature. These sharing presentation are an effective way to show that to the parents.
7. Make certain every kid has something special to do.
If you are doing scenes, and kids have individual lines, the very first thing a parent can do after hearing several kids speak is anxiously await his/her kid to speak. It's completely acceptable to provide the older, heightened kids bigger roles in the presentation, but make sure every child has one or more moment to be in the spotlight.
8. Finish with a bang.
End the presentation with a casino game, activity or song that you know can have everyone leaving with a giant smile on the face. Although maybe you are in an informal environment, choreograph a clear simple bow by the ensemble at the end.
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