Improvisation by Michael Avila (part virtual/part in-person)
Improvisation Unit (part virtual/part in-person)
Author: Michael Avila
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the skills of improvisation (establish a specific situation, listen, add conflict, plan less, and ‘yes,and’) by performing improvised scenes and reflecting on their understanding.
Learning level:Intermediate (Secondary Education)
Student Prior Experience: Students have a basic understanding of the fundamentals of theatre including body, voice, risk-taking, and performance experience.
National Standards
TH:Cr1.1.II.c. Use personal experiences and knowledge to develop a character that is believable and authentic in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Cr2-II.b. Cooperate as a creative team to make interpretive choices for a drama/theatre work.
TH:Pr4.1.II.a. Discover how unique choices shape believable and sustainable drama/ theatre work.
TH:Pr5.1.II. a. Refine a range of acting skills to build a believable and sustainable drama/theatre performance.
TH:Re8.1.II.a. Develop detailed supporting evidence and criteria to reinforce artistic choices, when participating in or observing a drama/theatre work.
Enduring Understandings
Listening is essential to theatre
Specificity helps actors make choices
Conflict makes stories more interesting
Agree and further the story in improv
Essential Questions
Why is it important to establish a specific situation?
Why is conflict important in drama?
How do actors listen effectively?
What is “yes and” and why is it important to improv?
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the basics of improvisation by responding to reading about Spolin, improvisation skills, and reflecting on an awareness activity.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Given Circumstances by participating, reflecting, and observing various Spolin improvisation games.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the more basics of improvisation by responding to a reading and reflecting on an awareness activity.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the more basics of improvisation by responding to a reading and reflecting on an awareness activity.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to apply improvisational skills to Shakespeare by performing a scene as a class from Henry V without planning it.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the skills of improvisation by participating in activities from previous lessons and completing a written assessment.