Process Drama Defined
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BY ROSALIND FLYNN AND SARAH FORMAN “LADIES! LORDS! Let us please start Process drama defi ned the meeting! I think you and I can all Process drama is a broad term for agree that we are sick of this blood- various strategies that teachers use shed that has been going on. I had to engage students in dramatic situ- threatened death if this should happen ations outside of theatre—to get Theme/learn- again.” The speaker is a theatre teach- them to participate in a process, ing area. Sarah er, but she’s not in a theatre class. She not to produce a performance. The teaches in a large sub- is addressing her ninth grade English teacher-in-role strategy requires the urban public high school. class in role, using process drama. teacher to play a part and interact Her Curriculum Guide Com- Maybe you’ve fretted that your Eng- with the students (who may also mon Task for the ninth grade unit lish classes (or classes in history or be in role or acting as themselves) on Romeo and Juliet reads, “Perform math or virtually any other subject) are in an imagined scenario. In role, a scene from the play, adapting the not as active or engaging as your the- the teacher questions, summarizes, setting or style to enhance a theme atre classes. You’ve heard of process challenges, and engages the stu- or idea.” Sarah felt that an imagined drama but you’re not sure how to plan dents in a dramatic context that improvised scene would satisfy this it. What if your non-theatre students promotes thinking, problem-solv- goal. don’t get it? Will they even know how ing, and language use. The teacher- “Seventy-four percent of our to participate in a drama activity? in-role keeps the drama moving, school’s students qualify for free or The intention of this article is to encourages student involvement, reduced lunch, and many come from walk you past some of those concerns and maintains order. tough home situations, so engage- by describing, minute by minute, what In their book Planning Process ment and motivation are crucial to goes on in an English class process Drama: Enriching Teaching and their success,” she wrote later. “My drama investigation of the confl ict in Learning, Pamela Bowell and Brian previous approach to this assign- Romeo and Juliet. There’s also a real- S. Heap offer five key principles. ment—facilitating a discussion and as- time video recording of the activity • Identify the targeted theme/ signing an essay—resulted in only the so you can sit in on the class (https:// learning area. same high-fl yers thinking critically. vimeo.com/98429623; password: • Create a dramatic context—the Whenever I incorporated process dra- EducDrama1). specific fictional circumstance to ma to engage students in prewriting The teacher leading the activity is explore the theme. activities, I noticed increased invest- Sarah Forman, who teaches English • Decide on roles for the teacher ment, especially among the ‘diffi cult at a public high school in the Mary- and the students. students,’ so I felt optimistic about a land suburbs of Washington. She un- • Determine the drama’s Romeo and Juliet process drama.” dertook the teacher-in-role strategy frame—a collective concern, an Context. To engage students in ad- with her ninth-grade English class to impetus for participating in the dra- dressing the issue of blame in Romeo meet a requirement in the Drama in matic circumstance. and Juliet, Sarah imagined a meeting Education course I teach at the Cath- • Choose strategies—ways of of the citizens of Verona that occurs olic University of America. I observed making process drama happen. after the play ends. the work and made a video recording Here’s how Sarah approached Roles. Sarah played Prince Esca- of it. her planning. lus, the ruler of Verona—an actual 34 TEACHING THEATRE g i g ‘R dJ l ’ character in the play. She cast her students as Verona’s lords and ladies. Her role as the prince conferred sta- tus, her right to be an arbiter, and ways to compel student involvement. Casting students as members of the educated, wealthy class would prompt them to elevate their language and critical thinking, assume roles quite different from themselves, and partici- pate safely. Frame. Any successful drama needs confl ict, so Sarah had to deter- mine how to create tension. Thus, the meeting called by Prince Escalus is not just a pleasant gathering. Its pur- CO pose is to voice and challenge ideas, O assign blame for the recent deaths, D S S S and explore how the feud began. i R dJ l t in a task aligned with Strategy. Teacher-in-role. t C C C G 35 Preparing students unison, saying, “Ahem, Your Maj- The warm-ups have done their job: Students need some frontloading esty!” accompanied by whatever the students participate. Some commit activities to provide them with back- gesture each chooses to incorporate. more strongly than others, of course, ground information and help them They rehearse calling one another and many forget and shake hands in- commit to their roles. Sarah created a “My Lord” or “My Lady” and using stead of bowing or curtseying. Sarah, form called “Citizens of Verona Meet- a genteel handclap to indicate that as Prince Escalus, joins in the mingling, ing—Who’s to Blame?” which explains they agree with points made. Sarah modeling how to respond in role. the dramatic context (p. 37). approves a request to use a British The meeting begins at about the Sarah begins the class session accent, even though the setting is eleven-minute mark on the video. by previewing the upcoming activ- Verona, Italy. Prince Escalus pounds the lectern. “La- ity: “So we will be in a meeting Sarah asks students individually dies! Lords! Let us please start the meet- that Prince Escalus has called of to say “The cow jumped over the ing!” They take their seats. “I think you the citizens of Verona,” she tells her moon,” first as a normal high school and I can all agree that we are sick of students. “Together in role, we will student would and then as a lord or this bloodshed that has been going on.” debate and decide who is to blame lady would. These warm-ups, rather Sarah/Prince Escalus explains the for this terrible tragedy.” Then she than being time-eaters, contribute to purpose of the meeting, incorporating gives the students time to prepare the students’ buy-in and participa- words like “indeed” and “kinsman” into by reading, discussing, and complet- tion. Some students engage more her elevated dialogue. She reminds them ing the form. In groups, the students enthusiastically than others, but no that the stakes are high. “I had threat- share ideas and refer back to the one is bored or detached. There’s a ened death if this should happen again.” text for information and evidence. growing sense that maybe today’s Her commitment to her role is ap- Sarah circulates among them. class will be fun. parent—not overdone, but it commu- To further build belief, the stu- Sarah explains that they will be- nicates that she is taking this drama dents create names and titles for the gin the drama by mingling and intro- seriously. “We need to have justice characters they will play and print ducing themselves. She asks, “How served and we need to have this feuding them on paper. do you think you would greet each stopped.” other?” A student suggests curtseying While waiting for a student to will- Warm-ups and bowing. Sarah agrees and adds, ingly enter the dramatic context, she Sarah leads a warm-up focused “Remember—the handshake was not continues speaking and rephrasing, giv- on helping students fully embody really a thing at this time.” ing students time to commit. “So, does their characters. “Show me how The students make their name- anyone want to offer up who they think you think lords and ladies of Ve- plates, creating character titles like should ultimately be to blame and pun- rona would stand if they were in a Lady Mimi and Lord Manchester, ished so that this feud is gone forever?” meeting with a prince.” She asks the and then Sarah makes it explicit that Lord Manchester stands to accuse students to freeze in their poses, this activity is considered a Com- Benvolio, quoting him, “How about complimenting the ones who are mon Task that relates directly to the we go and check out… ‘examine other committing to the warm-up. Her curriculum. “I do expect everyone beauties.’” (A direct reference to the positive and sometimes humorous to please speak at least once.” text!) Prince Escalus responds and af- affirmations encourage the hesitant firms Manchester’s contribution. students. This groundwork is crucial Conducting the drama The Prince does not have to ask a with teenagers who need to feel Sarah gets into role. Role in this case follow-up question because Lord Water- safe to take on a role. does not mean a perfectly prepared melon joins in the debate. “The illiterate Sarah explains that in the drama, characterization. Instead, think of it servant who came to Benvolio—would citizens will to stand up to speak as adopting the attitude of someone he not be to blame for this?” and adjust their voices to address who will be the dramatic catalyst for To get this lord to elaborate, the the prince. “What do you think engaging students in examining issues.