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Hello!

I teach at an alternative school that is half EBD (emotional/behavior disorder) and half non-verbal high need ASD.

The students are for the most part willing to play along with this mandatory performing arts class that is new for all of them.

The issue I run into more is not as much ability in special ed but more working with the size of the group. Given the behavior issues with some and high support needs for others, the class sizes are between 3-6 people when all are attending. That is very small! I have 1-2 support staff working with me which is nice and they can participate too! 

I struggle with figuring out some good projects or simply games for a small group. If you are new it's nice in a big group because you aren't too spotlighted. Learning some songs in a small group is scary. 

We are able to play some games like Zip Zap Zip or One Word Story with a small group but I am trying to think of other theatre activities and games that could work with a really small group.

Thanks

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Wesley Hortenbach
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Wesley,

Like you, a couple of my classes are small and building ensemble, energy, and engagement can be a challenge. Here are some acting games and exercises that might work with your group.

-Go

-Story Conductor 

-Top This

-Yes, let's

-Viewpoints exploration

-Magical Machine with Sound

-Contentless/Open Scenes 

-I Want You To

The book, The Playing is the Thing, by Anita Jesse has many great suggestions that work well for smaller groups of actors.

Keep doing the work, and I'm happy to share more details and information.

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Kent Burnham
Director of Theatre Arts
Frederick Gunn School
Washington, CT 06793
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So I found a series of books called A Pocket Full of Drama by Sam Marsden on Amazon: Acting Games for Improv, Drama Games for Early Years (which even for younger ages, my middle school kids liked these best), and Acting Exercises for Creative Writing! I bought all three. Simple, to the point, good resources built in like music playlists and handy when you have extra minutes of class or need to connect a group.  Check them out!

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Analiese Hamm
ECS Performing Arts Director
Echols County High School
Statenville GA
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I've been reading a lot of books in preparation for this school year but this trio of books you mention I was not familiar with.

Looked at them a little online and they seem really helpful and practical. Thanks for the suggestion excited to read more of it.

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Wesley Hortenbach
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-24-2024 07:45
From: Analiese Hamm
Subject: Theatre Activites/Game for Small Groups

So I found a series of books called A Pocket Full of Drama by Sam Marsden on Amazon: Acting Games for Improv, Drama Games for Early Years (which even for younger ages, my middle school kids liked these best), and Acting Exercises for Creative Writing! I bought all three. Simple, to the point, good resources built in like music playlists and handy when you have extra minutes of class or need to connect a group.  Check them out!

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Analiese Hamm
ECS Performing Arts Director
Echols County High School
Statenville GA
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Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Most teachers find are small class size a blessing. And I get it, it would be chaotic with double digit amount of students in my room. But in other classes like reading or math it is very indepdent and people are working at their own pace and they can get a lot more 1:1 attention.

I am happy to give 1:1 attention but it's a little less warranted in performing arts class. I've been in some upper level college courses that were just a small handful of students but an introductory class like this is interesting. Often times there's just down to two students and a support staff or two. 

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Wesley Hortenbach
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Wesley, here is the set of theatre games I collected and used with Theatre I.  

I am also uploading the game cards for Join Me, which worked particularly well with small groups.

  

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CJ Breland
Retired Theatre Arts Educator
NC
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You might try approaching the "games" as exercises in a workshop.  Zip, Zap, Zoom-- for example, can be played as many many games-- one I refer to as "I say"  mimics various British colloquialisms such as "I say, How Dare you, and What of you?" as zip, zap zoom, or adding rail or skip and reverse.  The game progresses when participants call out an action such as "Take Molly for a Drive" or Champagne, etc. and then after completing the action, all return to I say.  One can add all sorts of things such as tea time, Big Ben, etc,  It's more difficult than Zip, Zap in some ways, and perhaps a bridge to scene or pantomime work.  Perhaps also focusing on group pantomime or readers theater might be fun.   Hope that helps

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Michael Johnson, MA
Retired
Trinity High School
Trinity, NC
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