IMPROVISATION IN MUSICAL THEATRE By ANNIE DRAGOO Understanding basic improvisation skills will help musical theatre performers understand that musical theatre is more than just singing and dancing. It’s about using all the tools (voice, body, and mind) an actor has at their disposal to create a character. This unit focuses more on the improv aspect rather than the musical theatre aspects - in fact students need no prior musical theatre knowledge. Annie Dragoo, creator of the unit, uses this material as her first unit in her musical theatre class. It’s a great introduction and will get your students in the right frame of mind to approach musical theatre. The lessons explore a variety of improv skills such as vocal responses, movement, character study, sensory awareness and culminate in an improv scene and unit essay. 1 - Intro to Improv for Musical Theatre 5 - Improv Using Sensory Awareness Students will demonstrate an understanding of improv Students will demonstrate sensory awareness by improvising guidelines by using them in an exercise. This is an an everyday activity while paying attention to as many introductory improv lesson that is designed to build upon the sensory details as possible. actors’ tools in future lessons. 6 - Improvisation Scenes 2 - Improv with Vocal Responses Students will demonstrate ability to use voice, body, and Students will demonstrate ability to respond vocally by imagination/mind together by planning and performing an participating in various improvisation activities. improvised scene. 3 - Improv with Movement 7 - Unit Reflection (Essay) Students will demonstrate ability to improvise movement by Students will evaluate the value of improvisation in musical participating in a various activities. theatre by writing a five-paragraph essay. 4 - Improv for Character Study Students will demonstrate ability to develop a character by participating in various improvisation exercises. Standards Connections National Core Arts Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - writing or speaking. Grade 6 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.2 - Demonstrate command of the TH:Cr1.1.6.c - Explore a scripted or improvised character by conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, imagining the given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. and spelling when writing. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Writing Grade 7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1 - Write arguments to support TH:Cr1.1.7.c - Envision and describe a scripted or claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid improvised character’s inner thoughts and objectives in a reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. drama/theatre work. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - Grade 8 California VAPA Standards (2019) TH:Cr1.1.8.c - Develop a scripted or improvised character 6.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and by articulating the character’s inner thoughts, objectives, and work motivations in a drama/theatre work. 6.TH:Cr1.b - Explore a scripted or improvised character by imagining the given circumstances in a drama/theatre work. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work - High School Accomplished 7.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and TH:Cr1.1.HSII.c - Use personal experiences and knowledge work to develop a character that is believable and authentic in a 7.TH:Cr1.b - Envision and describe a scripted or improvised drama/theatre work. character’s inner thoughts and objectives in a drama/theatre work. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade 6 TH:Cr2.1.6.b - Contribute ideas and accept and incorporate 8.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and the ideas of others in preparing or devising drama/theatre work work. 8.TH:Cr1.b - Develop a scripted or improvised character by articulating the character’s inner thoughts, objectives, and Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for motivations in a drama/theatre work. presentation - Grade 7 TH:Pr5.1.7.a - Participate in a variety of acting exercises and Acc.TH:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas techniques that can be applied in a rehearsal or and work. drama/theatre performance. Acc.TH:Cr1.b - Use personal experiences and knowledge to develop a character that is believable and authentic in a Organize and develop artistic ideas and work - Grade 7 drama/theatre work. TH:Cr2.1.7.b - Demonstrate mutual respect for self and others and their roles in preparing or devising drama/theatre 6.TH:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. work. 6.TH:Cr2.b - Contribute ideas and accept and incorporate the ideas of others in preparing or devising drama/theatre Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for work. presentation - Grade HS Accomplished TH:Pr5.1.HSII.a - Refine a range of acting skills to build a 7.TH:Pr5 Develop and refine artistic techniques and believable and sustainable drama/theatre performance. work for presentation. 7.TH:Pr5.a - Participate in a variety of acting exercises and Refine new work through play, drama processes and techniques that can be applied in a rehearsal or theatre experiences using critical analysis and drama/theatre performance. experimentation - Grade 6 TH:Cr3.1.6.b - Identify effective physical and vocal traits of 7.TH:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. characters in an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work. 7.TH:Cr2.b - Demonstrate mutual respect for self and others and their roles in preparing or devising drama/theatre work. Refine new work through play, drama processes and theatre experiences using critical analysis and Acc.TH:Pr5 Develop and refine artistic techniques and experimentation - Grade 7 work for presentation. TH:Cr3.1.7.b - Develop effective physical and vocal traits of Acc.TH:Pr5.a - Refine a range of acting skills to build a characters in an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work believable and sustainable drama/theatre performance. 6.TH:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work. Common Core 6.TH:Cr3.b - Identify effective physical and vocal traits of characters in a drama/theatre work. Language CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1 - Demonstrate command of 7.TH:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work. the conventions of standard English grammar and usage 7.TH:Cr3.b - Develop effective physical and vocal traits of when writing or speaking. characters in an improvised or scripted drama/theatre work. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Florida Sunshine State Standards Reading: Literature Critical Thinking & Reflection CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 - Cite strong and thorough TH.912.C.1.2 - Create, refine, and sustain complex and textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says believable characters for performance through the integration explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. and application of artistic choices based on research, rehearsal, feedback, and refinement. Language TH.912.C.1.5 - Make and defend conscious choices in the creation of a character that will fulfill anticipated audience Grades 9-12 - ADVANCED DRAMA LEVELS I-IV response. -Performing TH.912.C.2.7 - Accept feedback from others, analyze it for TAHSAD.PR.1 - Act and direct by communicating and validity, and apply suggestions appropriately to future sustaining roles within a variety of situations and performances or designs. environments., a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks associated with acting, incorporating voice, body, Organizational Structure observation, and imagination to create characters for formal TH.912.O.1.1 - Research and analyze a dramatic text by and informal performances., b. Implement the duties of the breaking it down into its basic, structural elements to support stage manager, including communication and safety development of a directorial concept, characterization, and procedures, that will assist the director in all areas of design. production., c. Develop a schedule and organizational plan to prepare a scene for performance, including a rehearsal Skills, Techniques & Processes schedule and a prompt script., d. Conduct rehearsals and TH.912.S.1.6 - Respond appropriately to directorial choices present a full theatrical presentation to a live audience. for improvised and scripted scenes. TH.912.S.2.8 - Strengthen acting skills by engaging in Grades 9-12 - MUSICAL THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Creating theatre games and improvisations. TAHSMT.CR.1 - Organize, design, and refine theatrical work., TH.912.S.3.2 - Exercise artistic discipline and collaboration a. Analyze various theories of dramatic structure in a musical to achieve ensemble in rehearsal and performance. and explain how text, music, and movement can be used to advance the plot of a musical., b. Engage in and apply TH.912.S.3.3 - Develop acting skills and techniques in the meaningful cultural, literary, and historical research to rehearsal process. support formal or informal theatrical performance. Grades 9-12 - MUSICAL THEATRE LEVELS I-IV - Georgia Performance Standards - Performing TAHSMT.PR.1 - Act and direct by communicating and Theatre Arts sustaining roles within a variety of situations and Grade 6 - Creating environments., a. Examine and implement the skills and tasks TA6.CR.1 - Organize, design, and refine theatrical work., a. associated with acting, singing, and dancing, incorporating Identify artistic choices, utilize theatre vocabulary, and vocal and movement technique, observation, and imagination demonstrate non-verbal communication skills in the rehearsal to create characters for formal and informal performances., b. process., b. Interpret a character’s motivation by Identify and examine the responsibilities and tasks of an actor understanding the relationship between their background and in relation to directors, designers, choreographers, technical their behavior., c. Identify the variety of relationships between crew, and production staff., c. Use the skills and tools of a characters., d. Identify, define, and classify character traits., director to develop a presentation of formal and informal e.