Choosing the right script for your class is one of the most vital steps in the school play process, and once you hand out parts and start the rehearsals there's no turning back. There's a simple way to test out scripts that can actually make for a great lesson—or series of lessons—in and of itself, giving your students a chance to get dramatic, try on different characters, and explore the world of a play without any sets, costumes, or even a stage.
Play readings happen all the time in the professional world, and they're not unheard of in English classes, either. Try them out in your classroom to give younger kids practice reading, older kids a way to break out of their shell, and university students a way to become more active and well-rounded members of the community.
Whether you're considering putting on a full production of your selected script or not, you'll see a lot of engagement and educational success from a simple play reading. Here are a few ways to make the most of it, for you and your students.
ROTATE YOUR ACTORS
One of the great things about a classroom play reading is that it gives everyone a chance to try on pretty much any character they're drawn to, and it can help draw your quieter students into the action more effectively. Keep the parts circulating among your students and take volunteers with each change-up, or ask the more reluctant readers which part they'd like to play to get them involved.
When everyone has a chance to see the play from multiple perspectives—and to give voice to the characters they most identify with—they'll be all the more involved with the language and situations of the play, and that will only help any future production.
IDENTIFY THEMES AND DRAMATIC THEORY
Stopping a play to discuss its features is antithetical to the idea of a performance, but a classroom reading provides a great environment for talking about dramatic structure, literary elements, and the situations, feelings, and themes woven into the play itself. Plays incorporate a lot of information on a lot of different levels, and there's plenty that can be learned by any age group about any play's content or the elements of its creation.
When your students more fully appreciate the flow and the subject matter of the play, the production will be that much more powerful.
LET OFF STEAM
Even without a planned production, incorporating play readings into your classroom can do a world of good.
If you incorporate play readings into your regular weekly lesson plans, you'll be giving education the time you need while also giving your students the time they need to let loose and have a little fun. Those Friday afternoons that seem to stretch on interminably will become one of the most engaged and attentive periods of the week when they're devoted to a play reading, and all you have to do is supply the scripts…something we'd be happy to help with!