How do I design a rehearsal?

There are many ways to work on a play. We give you a guide for good and proven preparation and rehearsal work here.

There is no "right" or "wrong" way to rehearse, but there are possible approaches that have proven successful.

Questions for preparation

Every child and every class will definitely benefit from playing theatre together. However, in order for this endeavour to succeed, it is advisable to clarify the following questions as preparation. It is important that the children are neither over- nor under-challenged by the play.

Who? How old are the children? How is their understanding of language? Their ability to concentrate?

Younger children mainly want to play funny pieces. The sentences should not be too complicated. Older children can also be confronted with more serious content (e.g. Romeo and Juliet).

Where? Where is the rehearsal place and what does it look like?

Is there a suitable place in the school where you can rehearse with the children?

When? How much time do I have?

Is there enough time to work on a play with the class or would it be better to do just one scene at the beginning. Could the content be worked through in different subjects? (For example, the text in German, the context in science or history, the props in handicrafts...).

What? Do I do a whole play? Or one scene? Or several? Or do I start with poems?

How? We'll get to that now:

Requirements

Know the project or the text and be able to identify with it.
Being convinced that you will succeed.
Knowing that every child can play theatre.
Knowing that one's own creativity can solve problems.
The result does not have to be perfect, in this case the way is the goal!

First preparatory steps

Read the whole play yourself. This is important so that you get a feeling for the content. Also use the background information about the play and the author. There are also good film versions of the plays.

Do the text work yourself before working with the children.

Print out the script/scene for each child before you start rehearsing.

Tell the children roughly about the play, explain the characters and explain the rehearsal plan. Prepare the rehearsal plan as a handout for the children.

Time management is very important if you want to do theatre with your pupils.