Students will understand the ways in which theatre can be used to create a forum for discussion by participating in Boal’s Forum Theatre Exercises and preparing a workshop to conduct for their peers.
2014 National Core Arts Theatre Standards:
TH:Cr1.1: Envision, Conceptualize Anchor Standard: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
TH:Pr6.1: Share, Present Anchor Standard: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
TH:Re8.1: Interpret Anchor Standard: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
TH:Cn10.1: Empathize Anchor Standard: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
TH:Cn11.1: Interrelate Anchor Standard: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
TH:Cn11.2: Research Anchor Standard: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
Lessons:
Lesson One—Family Portraits and Introduction Objective: Students will understand the ways in which theatre can be used to create a forum for discussion by creating a piece of art representing their commitment to creating a community of trust in the class, prompted by games and discussion.
Lesson Two—Mirror Sequence Objective: Students will explore meaning and communication in what they see rather than what is said by participating in Boal’s Mirror Sequence, and using what is gained to describe on paper a moment in their day when such communication took place
Lesson Three—Modeling Sequence Objective: Students will connect the communication in the modeling sequence to the mirror sequence by participating in and reflecting on sculpture work.
Lesson Four—Memory Theatre Objective: Students will access memories—share them and receive them in great detail by creating and presenting “memory gifts” to one another.
Lesson Five—Forum Theatre Reading Day Objective: Students will understand the purpose and possibilities of forum theatre by deciding on a possible topic and community they could lead a forum theatre workshop in.
Lesson Six—Newspaper Activity and Image Theatre Objective: Students will analyze relevant texts and discover the possibilities of a forum theatre piece—its plot and characters—by identifying an oppressor, oppressed, and oppression.
Lesson Seven—Forum Theatre Objective: Students will understand the structure of forum theatre as well as the roles of both actor and spect-actor by creating, performing, and participating in one another’s mini-pieces.
Lesson Eight—Forum Theatre Workshop Creation Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the flow of a workshop by creating their own workshop from beginning to end and writing out notes they will need to lead the workshop tomorrow.
Lesson Nine—Forum Theatre Workshop Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of conducting a workshop by leading their peers through activities planned and rehearsed.
Lesson Ten—Closing Discussion Objective: Students will assess what they gained and learned in this unit by completing the Reflection Worksheet and discussing their observations with their peers.
