TOOLS OF SCENE WORK

OVERVIEW

PRE-UNIT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What makes a person/character interesting to you?
2. How do you prepare a character for performance?
3. What role does conflict play in storytelling?
4. If a playwright’s job is to create the story, then what is the actor’s job?

UNIT OVERVIEW
Students are introduced to scene work performance through a simple, contentless scene unit. In this
unit, performers will use exercises like “Show and Tell” to learn how to fill in the gaps of a story by
creating scenarios and detailed characters with backgrounds. Students will further fill in the gaps by
exploring environmental and physical conflict as well as stage business. The lesson “Thou Shalts of
Staging” will guide students through basic staging and performance technique.

UNIT OBJECTIVE/OUTCOME
Students will prepare and perform a contentless scene to demonstrate their understanding of
characterization, staging technique, and working with conflict and stage business in a performance
context.

AGE RANGE & NOTES

7th - 9th grade
•  Depending on the group, I might teach my 7th graders only Lessons 1-3 and then grade them
on those basic elements.Though, I have had semesters where my 7th graders were stellar and
ready to delve into more depth, so we moved on to Conflict and Stage Business.
•  When I teach this to my Intermediate, I don’t spend as much time on the “show and tell” ac-
tivity, because some did it as 7th graders and some didn’t. We will usually do a short, personal
“show and tell” warmup, then I will ask them to write about their character and what they would
do for “show and tell” in their journal. We also review the rules of staging. Depending on the
group, we will spend more or less time on that concept. We will also add a lesson on Objective.
(Look for Objectives, Tactics and Emotional Shaping in the DTA Lesson Plan Library). When I
teach it, it comes in-between Lesson 3 (Thou Shalts of Staging) and Lesson 4 (Environment and
Personal Conflict).
•  My Productions Class will briefly review Lessons 1-3 in one day, then we spend more time on
Conflict, Stage Business, and Objective. I will often explore things like status and active listen-
ing during this unit.

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OUTLINE AND MATERIALS
Day 1
•  Introduction to Contentless Scene
•  Contentless Scene Script
•  Contentless Scene Scenario Worksheet
Day 2
•  Character Show and Tell
•  Show and Tell Characterization Worksheet
Day 3
•  Thou Shalts of Staging and Performance
•  Student Performance Slips
•  List of Thou Shalts (for overhead/projection)
Day 4
•  Conflict
Day 5
•  Stage Business
Day 6
•  Preview Day
•  Preview Worksheet
Day 7
•  Performance
•  Final Performance Rubric

POST-UNIT REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What do you feel you did well in the final performance?
2. How can you apply what you have learned in future character and scene work?
3. What was challenging to you in this unit?
4. What was easy for you in this unit?

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE
Students will understand how to look for clues, interpret dialogue, and fill in the gaps to create
meaning when performing a contentless scene script.

DESCRIPTION
Have students create a situation from a picture and examine the given clues to help fill in the gaps.
Next, have students examine the clues in a contentless scene, then fill in the gaps to create their
own scenario to perform.

MATERIALS
● Overhead or projection of picture to be used for opening activity. I like to use pictures with
multiple characters and story. Examples could be: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul
Delaroche, or Norman Rockwell’s Girl with Black Eye.
● Contentless scene (overhead or projection)
● Contentless scene scripts for each student
● Scenario worksheet for each student

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask students to take out a piece of paper and something to write with.
2. Project the picture. Ask students to look at the picture and think of a possible story the picture
is telling, based on what they see. Ask them to pick one character and answer the following
questions on their piece of paper:
1. Name
2. Age
3. Personality
4. How do they feel emotionally?
5. What do they want right now?
6. What is their relationship with the other characters in this scene?
7. What is happening in this scene?
8. What happened right before this scene?
3. Give students 3-5 minutes to examine the picture and write down their responses.
4. Bring students back together and ask students what they wrote down by going through the
different characters pictured.

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5. Afterwards, ask students if there were different interpretations of the same picture? Emphasise
that we all have different experiences and perspectives that influence how we interpret stories
and art.
6. Ask students what clues they used to create their story (for example: what is the conflict about
if we see a woman blindfolded and about to be executed? what is the body language we see?
what objects did the artist include?).
7. Put up overhead or projection of the Contentless Scene Script.
8. Ask for two student volunteers. One to read “A” and the other to read “B.” Ask the class to
listen to and read along as they perform. As they do, ask them to think of a possible situation
that this could be for.
9. Ask performers to read the script.
10. Ask students to share what stories and situations came to mind.
11. Ask students what clues in the script gave them the story ideas. (What do they need the
gloves for? Something happened just before this, as “A” points out. What do you think that
was?)
12. Remind students that as an actor, we are given a script for performance and our job is to bring
that story and character to life. Ask students “What clues are we given?” We have the rest
of the script, context, character background, historical background, and what the playwright
has given us. After that though, we have to take those clues and fill in the gaps to create a
performance. That is what they are going to do with this contentless scene performance.
13. Explain to students, that with a contentless scene, they are not given the content or specific
scenario. They must create that based on what they are given. They cannot change the words.
Ask them what they can do to communicate what is going on. For example, they decide
they are robbing a bank in this scene. (They could be trying to walk through the laser beam
security system. They could be talking in whispers and looking for the security guard. They
could emphasize specific words or phrases.) Remind them that you want them to show and
not just tell the situation. This is part of filling in the gaps. If they are robbing a bank, they
need to be actively robbing the bank during this scene.
14. Hand students copies of the contentless scene script and a scenario worksheet. Ask them to
find a partner for this performance and do the following:
1. Find a Partner
2. Create a Scenario
3. Decide who is “A” and who is “B”
4. Fill out worksheet
5. Practice scene
15. Give students 15-20 minutes to work with their partners and rehearse.
16. At the end of class, bring students back together and collect their worksheets. If there is time,
ask students to share the different scenarios they have created.

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ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Scenario Worksheet
•  Use the clues given to you in the contentless scene script to create a scenario, characters, and
relationship. Answer the questions on the worksheet.

Contentless Scene Performance

•  Fill in the gaps and communicate your scenario to the audience through the performance of
your contentless scene script.
•  Remember to show and not just tell us what is happening. How can you use staging, charac-
terization, physicality, and vocal variety to communicate this story to us without changing the
dialogue?

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Artwork activity and discussion, read through example of script, student
scenario discussion at end of class.
•  Formal Assessments: Scenario worksheet and Contentless scene performance.

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
CONTENTLESS SCENE RUBRIC
Requirements Needs Improvement Proficient Excellent
1. Scenario: Performers create an
original scenario for performance
1 3 5
based on the clues given in the
script.
2. Performance: Performers
use staging, characterization,
1 3 5
physicality, and vocal variety to
communicate their scenario.

TOTAL:____________/10

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
SHOW AND TELL CHARACTERIZATION

OBJECTIVE
Students will understand how to create a character with details and background.

DESCRIPTION
Students will use “Show and Tell” to create a detailed background for their contentless scene
character and improvise a personal interview with that character.

MATERIALS
● Collection of objects that students can select from (I will generally use items like a goblet, toy
doll, dagger, slipper, wooden spoon, frog, fancy shoe, tiara, top hat, and sunglasses)
● Characterization Worksheet

INSTRUCTION
1. On the board, write “Show and Tell.” Thank students for coming prepared to share something
about themselves at today’s “Show and Tell.” (Note: Do not tell students about this
beforehand.) Begin by showing students your shoe or another everyday object that you have
with you. Tell students about it and details that will help them get to know you better. For
example, when I use my shoe I will talk about: where I have been while wearing those shoes,
why I like them, what makes them good for me because of what they help me do (make me
taller, help me climb around backstage), things that have happened to me while wearing
them, how I got them, etc. The goal is to use an everyday object, since students were not told
ahead of time to prepare a “show and tell.” Emphasise that it is the story behind the object,
instead of the object that makes the game interesting.
2. Invite students to select an item that they have with them in class to use for “Show and Tell.”
It can be their shoe, a scar, article of clothing, a pencil that is significant to them, etc. Remind
them that the point is not to show us their cool stuff, but to give us a glimpse of who they
are through that object. So, if they select their pencil, they need to have some background
information to go with it. Give them about a minute to decide on this.
3. Ask students to find a partner and do “Show and Tell” for them. Remind them to go into
detail about their object and how that connects back to them. Each partner should take
about 1 minute for their presentation. If there is time at the end of this, you may ask for a few
volunteers to present their “Show and Tell” for the whole class.
4. Bring students back together and ask if they learned something new about their classmates
through their “Show and Tell.” If they had stood up here and said, “This is my pencil and I like
it because...well, I just do,” would we have gotten to know them any better? No. The details
are what make characters interesting.
5. Bring out the collection of items that you prepared before class and inform them that they
are going to become their contentless scene character and do “Show and Tell” again. In front
of them are objects that their character might choose to use for their “Show and Tell.” Their
job as actors will be to select an object and create a “show and tell” with detail. They will
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 then perform as that character and use the item selected in a “Show and Tell” performance,
as if this is what they chose to bring with them. (For example: a chef that beats people with
the wooden spoon that they brought for “Show and Tell.”) Go through each object and ask
students to pick one of them. (If there is not an object that a student sees that they can use for
their character, they can also draw the item on the back of their worksheet or a piece of paper
and use that for the activity.)
6. Hand students the Characterization Worksheet and ask them to answer Questions 1-11. Go
through the questions with students and ask them to be thoughtful in how they answer them.
They can have a fun/crazy character, but the details need to work together to support the
character.
7. Once they’ve answered Questions 1-11 and shown you their answers, students move on to
Questions 12 and 13. Ask students to apply these details to their characterization. Think about
who they are and how they can perform the character physically and vocally. For example, if
the character is a strict chef that makes soup and is 85 years old, how can you use posture and
energy to show this? Maybe you could square your shoulders but hunch over a little and move
with a slower energy except when you get really agitated. Perhaps with your voice you have
a bit of rasp because you have yelled at customers so much. Give students 10-15 minutes to
complete their worksheet.
8. Once they have finished their worksheet, tell students they are going to present their “Show
and Tell” as their character. Have them start thinking about what they will say in their “Show
and Tell” and practice how they will portray their character physically and vocally. Give them
about 3-5 minutes to do this.
9. Ask for a student volunteer to come up and present for the class as their character. Ask them
questions about themselves, to get some more details out of them (for example: if they said
they were a chef, ask them what their favorite recipe is and what the secret ingredients are).
Once they have presented for about 1-2 minutes, thank them and then ask them to sit down.
10. Ask students to find a group of 3-4 students and present their character “Show and Tell”
for each other as their character. Invite students to also ask the presenter questions about
themselves, but remind them to be respectful of what the performer has created.
11. If there is time, you may bring the students back together and ask for some more volunteers
or each student to come up and do their character “Show and Tell.”
12. Once you have finished the “Show and Tell” activity, bring the students back together and ask
if there were specific characters that stood out to them. What made them interesting? What
details did they discover about their own character when they were asked questions? What
physical/vocal attributes did you create for your character based off of the background that
you gave them?
13. Remind students that their job as an actor is to bring a character to life through the details
that they discover and create.
14. If there is time, ask students to find their partner and rehearse their contentless scene and
focus on their characterization. As an audience, we cannot ask the questions that we did
during “Show and Tell” during the performance. As a performer, your job is to use that
background to help you make character choices that help us understand who your character
is.
15. At the end of class, ask students to turn in their “Show and Tell” worksheet.

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ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Show and Tell Worksheet
•  Answer questions about your character and the object they have chosen to bring for “Show and
Tell.”

Show and Tell Performance

•  Prepare a “Show and Tell” performance as your character. Think about how that character would
speak and move. How would they answer questions about themselves?

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Personal “Show and Tell,” discussion about details, and wrap-up.
•  Formal Assessments: “Show and Tell” worksheet and performance.

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
SHOW AND TELL WORKSHEET/PERFORMANCE RUBRIC

Requirements Needs Improvement Proficient Excellent

1. Character Worksheet:
Performer has created a thoughtful 1 3 5
background using details.
2. Characterization: Performer has
used details to make character 1 3 5
choices vocally and physically.

TOTAL:____________/10

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
THOU SHALTS OF STAGING AND PERFORMANCE

OBJECTIVE
Students will understand the basic rules of staging and performance.

DESCRIPTION
Students will participate in a demonstration to explore the rules of staging and performance and why
they are important. They will perform a Bad Idea/Good Idea skit for the class, to demonstrate their
understanding of the concept.

MATERIALS
● Overhead or projection of the “Thou Shalts of Staging”
● Slips of paper with direction for each volunteer performer
● Bubble gum for volunteer #7, unless you would prefer that they pantomime this direction
● Wig with lots of hair that covers the face for volunteer #5, unless they can do this direction
with their own hair

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask for 8 volunteers to help you with a performance. You can have them all perform at once
or split them into two groups with 4 performers each. Give each performer a direction slip.
While performing they will need to follow the directions given to them on their slip of paper.
If it would help them, assign them a simple fairytale to perform while following the directions
(Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, or Little Red Riding Hood, etc).
2. Give the volunteers 1 minute to assign parts and review the story then ask them to perform
for the class. Each performance should be 2-3 minutes. Before the performers begin, ask the
audience to observe how the actors perform because they will be discussing this afterwards.
3. After the performance, ask students what they observed. Did the performers perform in a way
that was easy to watch and understand?
4. Ask students if they have ever seen performances like this before.
5. Ask students “What do you think an actor’s job is?” The answer is: To tell a story. There are
certain “rules” that they can follow to help them tell that story clearly. Each of these rules
has a reason behind it and a rule can be broken if there is a specific reason for it. Generally
though, they should obey the rule unless their director tells them otherwise.
6. Put up overhead/projection of the “Thou Shalts of Staging” and talk about each one as a
class. Ask students to take out a piece of paper to take notes with. They will have a “test”
afterward. During the discussion, refer back to what they witnessed in the opening activity to
help support why the rule is important. What does this rule help us do? What does breaking
the rule communicate or do to the performance? It can also be helpful to bring a student up
for each one and have them help you visually demonstrate the specific rule.
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 THE 10 THOU SHALTS OF STAGING
1- THOU SHALT CHEAT OUT
This means that your body is on a diagonal instead of a profile, facing the audience. This
helps the audience see the face and body; it also helps us identify with the characters. When
we stand in profile like a line of soldiers, the audience can’t see us and we blend into the
background. (Visual way to demonstrate this is to ask a student to face you as if you were
having a conversation and you are both in profile. Then ask the student to turn towards the
audience at an angle, so that you can still both make eye contact, but the audience can now
see both of you and your facial expressions. You can also say “keep your hips turned towards
the audience,” if that helps students remember.)
2- THOU SHALT NOT TURN THY BACK ON THE AUDIENCE
Turning the back on the audience shuts the audience out and keeps us from accessing
the story and characters. Directors may choose to do this for dramatic effect, but it is used
specifically and rarely. (Place a student with their back towards the audience. Ask the other
students what this does. It shuts the audience out.)
3- THOU SHALT NOT BREAK THE 4TH WALL
The 4th wall is an imaginary wall between the audience and the actor. Breaking the 4th wall
includes looking at or talking to the audience when not being directed to do so. (Ask a
student to come up and have a conversation with you. While they are, make eye contact with
the audience, call out names, smile and wave. Ask the students if that was a believable scene
where they were just observers. No. The illusion was broken when the 4th wall was broken.)
4- THOU SHALT PROJECT & ARTICULATE
Projection is the clear volume we speak with and articulation is the clarity and diction we use
to speak.
5- THOU SHALT KEEP THE FOCUS ON STAGE
Keep the focus on the onstage action by looking at the action and not distracting the
audience from what is going on.  An example of not following this would include breaking
into a tap dance downstage left when the focus is supposed to be on the dramatic part at
center stage. (Ask students if they have ever seen actors peeking through the wings or talking
back stage. I will remind my students that a stage is made to be an amplification box. Even
though we cannot see you, we can hear you and when you crash into the prop table because
you weren’t focusing.)
6- THOU SHALT NOT FIDGET NOR HIDE THY HANDS IN THY POCKETS
Keeping hands in pockets and playing with hair or clothes distracts the audience and takes
your focus away from what you are doing. (Either you or a student can demonstrate fidgeting
and not moving your body because your hands are stuck in your pockets.)
7- THOU SHALT NOT UPSTAGE THY PARTNER
Upstaging your partner means that you are stealing the focus instead of sharing it with your
partner.  Keep yourselves on the same plane unless traveling or directed to do otherwise. (Ask
about what they saw with the performer that wanted all the attention. Does anyone want to
work with a selfish actor?)
8- THOU SHALT NOT HAVE THY HAIR IN THINE FACE NOR CHEW GUM WHILST
PERFORMING
Keep hair pinned back and gum out of the mouth so that the audience can both see your face
and understand what you say. (I will often bring up the character Violet from The Incredibles
and talk about her hair in her face because she is hiding and how that blocks people and the
audience out.)
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 9- THOU SHALT NOT BREAK CHARACTER
Breaking character means that you stop performing as the character and start acting like
someone else.  An example of this could be when you forget a line and start to laugh, or
when you ask your scene partner what the line is. (I will often bring up “oops” moments with
giggling fits or changes in characterization.)
10- THOU SHALT BE PREPARED & GO ON WITH THE SHOW
Going on with the show means that you continue with the show even if something goes
wrong. If you need to step back and take a breath do it, but keep going. Don’t give up. (The
first thing is to do everything we can to prepare so that things don’t go wrong. When they do
though, we use improv and our creativity to make it work. This is a great opportunity to ask
students about when things went wrong and how they problem solved their way out of it.)
7. Once you have finished going through the rules, introduce the “test” to students. They
will get into a group of 3-5 and prepare a Bad Idea/Good Idea skit that should last about 1
minute. Assign them 2 different rules. They will need to perform a 30-second scene where
they do it incorrectly and then perform the same 30-second scene again in the correct way
(think Good Idea/Bad Idea from Animaniacs). Make sure that each rule is covered by a group,
so that this will also serve as a review of all of the rules. Give students about 10 minutes to
prepare their skit for performance.
8. Have each group perform for the class. Side coach when necessary, either during or after each
performance, if it looks like there is a rule that is still unclear.
9. If there is time, ask students to find their contentless scene partner and rehearse. Their
goal for rehearsal is to decide where the audience is and practice the staging rules while
performing.

ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Create a 1-minute skit performance with Bad Idea/Good Idea of the 2 assigned “Thou
Shalts.”
•  Each person must be involved in the performance and demonstrate that they understand the
rule.
•  Perform the first time by not following the rule.
•  Perform the second time by following the rule.

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Discussion of performance and the “Thou Shalts,” performance of Bad
Idea/Good Idea.
•  Formal Assessments: Final performance of Contentless Scene with appropriate use of staging
rules.

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
STAGING RUBRIC
Requirements Needs Improvement Proficient Excellent
1. Staging Rules: Performer
appropriately follows the rules of 1 3 5
staging during performance

TOTAL:____________/5

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
ENVIRONMENTAL AND PERSONAL CONFLICT

OBJECTIVE
Students will understand how conflict and obstacle can affect a scene and how they can use tactics
to achieve a character’s objective.

DESCRIPTION
Students will play a drama game and participate in an exercise to explore how conflict affects their
active tactics. Students apply conflict to a scene for performance.

MATERIALS
Film clip to demonstrate conflict in step #2. I have used the trash compactor scene from Star Wars
Episode IV: A New Hope to do this.

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask students what an obstacle is. Something that is in the way of getting what you want or is
making it more difficult. What types of obstacles can there be? Physical, Emotional, Room/
Environment.
2. Ask students: Have you ever been in a really hot car without air conditioning on a really long
trip. What was that like? Have you ever been in class and super hungry or tired or have a
headache and yet you are trying to focus on something really intense? How did this affect
you? Were you irritable? How did you treat other people? Did it affect what you wanted at
that moment? Ask students to take out a piece of paper and something to write with. Tell
them that they are going to watch a clip and they will need to do the following:
1. Pick one character in the scene.
2. Identify what the character wants.
3. What is the conflict or problem in their environment?
4. How does that conflict affect the character and what do they do as a result?
3. Show the clip with conflict. Side coach, if necessary, to help students see how characters react.
For example, if you are using Star Wars, point out how they communicate with each other
when they are stressed. Are they working well together as a team? What do they actively do
to work with or against the conflict?
4. After the scene or clip, open up discussion about the obstacles that were in the scenario they
watched and how the obstacles affected the scene. Begin by identifying what each character
wanted. What was in their way? What did they have to do to achieve their objective/what they
wanted? How did they change their tactics/what did they actively do?
5. Activity: Ask students to stand up and stand at one side of the room in a line. Give them the
objective of reaching the other side of the room. They will be given different conflicts along
the way. For example, if you say “broken leg”, they need to walk like one of their legs was
broken. Remind them to be safe and use a space that is clear and open so that they do not
run into others, run offstage, or run into parts of the room.
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 List of Possible Obstacles:
•  Feet glued together
•  Can only walk backwards
•  Have a thorn in your foot
•  Someone has a sword in the small of your back, but you don’t want to move
forward
•  Lost your glasses and cannot see a thing
•  Legs are literally made of rubber
•  200 lbs boulder strapped to your back
•  Bottoms of your feet are burned
•  Spy at night that must use the person next to them to achieve their objec-
tive, but they must be quiet
•  Constantly falling asleep
•  Freezing cold
•  Mosquitos
•  So hot you are melting
6. Ask for students to take out their contentless scene scripts. Ask for a scene group to volunteer
to come up and perform. Once they have performed, add a conflict to their scene and ask
them to incorporate it. Side coach as they perform and even change the conflict on them. (For
example: At first, they are both driving cars in a demolition derby. Next, they are in the library
and must be quiet.)
7. Once the scene is over, ask students how the obstacles or conflicts affected the scene they
just saw. Ask the performers how it affected their choice of tactics. What did they do to get
what they wanted? Did it make them fight harder?
8. Give students the assignment to select a personal or an environmental conflict for their scene.
It can be one that we have played with already or something that they think is more fitting
with their scene. The conflict should not take over the scene, but it should impact it and make
their characters fight harder for their objective.
9. Give students 15-20 minutes to decide on a conflict and practice their scene.
10. Reflection: Ask students how they can apply this to their future scene work. How do the
setting, character background, and relationships create conflict?

ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Select personal and/or environmental conflict to the scene:
•  Do not let the conflict take over the scene
•  Do let the conflict push your character to fight harder for their objective

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Opening Discussion, “Late for Work” game/clip, obstacle activity,
preview scene for another scene group.
•  Formal Assessments: Final performance of scene with personal/environmental conflict included.

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
CONFLICT RUBRIC
Requirements Needs Improvement Proficient Excellent
1. Conflict: Personal or
Environmental conflict have
appropriately been applied to the 1 3 5
scene.

2. Objective and Tactics:

Performers use tactics to actively 1 3 5
fight for their objective.

TOTAL:____________/10

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
STAGE BUSINESS

OBJECTIVE
Students will understand how they can use stage business scene work tool to help create
believability and engagement, as well as to provide opportunities for active tactics.

DESCRIPTION
Students will participate in an observation activity and play “What Are You Doing?” to explore how
stage business affects performance. In this lesson, you will coach students through a scene with
stage business, then they will apply stage business to their own performances.

MATERIALS
•  Depending on the stage business assigned/chosen, various props may be useful (i.e. plates,
cups, utensils, chess set, costumes, basket, etc). Students can also pantomime objects, if
necessary.

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask for 5 volunteers and ask them to stand silently onstage in a line. Inform the class that they
are to observe the 5 students for about 1 minute. Generally, the students onstage will start to
squirm because they don’t know what to do around 30 seconds in. Just remind them of the
instructions: that they are to stand there so that we can observe them.
2. After 1 minute has passed and both the performers and audience recognize the awkwardness,
assign a task to the performers onstage. Usually, I will assign them something simple, like to
count all of the squares in the classroom. They can move around, but they must not break the
4th wall. Give this part of the demonstration 1-2 minutes and then ask the performers to have
a seat.
3. Ask students what they observed. Which performance seemed more natural? The 1st one
when the performers had nothing to do and were not engaged, or the second one when they
had a task to focus on? The 2nd performance is more natural because they had purpose and
instead of being awkwardly focused on themselves or the audience, they were focused on
their objective.
4. Ask students if they have ever been onstage or watched someone onstage who froze
physically. Is that what we do in real life? If we sit down at the dinner table, do we just sit
there? No, we eat (unless of course there is a character choice to not eat–but again, that
means that they have made a choice and are not just sitting there because they don’t
understand what to do).
5. “What Are You Doing?” (Warmup Game)
Inform students that they are going to do a game to help them play with multitasking and
being active onstage. Demonstrate this game by asking for a volunteer to be your partner.
Decide who is A and who is B. A will ask B, “What are you doing? B will identify an activity:
“Saving a cat in a tree.”

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 A will then need to start doing what B said. (B does not actually do this, A is the one that has
to accept the offer and start doing it.) B will then ask A, “What are you doing?” (while A is
pretending to save the cat in the tree). A will have to give B something to do that isn’t their
current action: “brushing my teeth.” B will then start brushing their teeth. A will then ask B
again, “What are you doing?” B will give them a new task and A will then stop saving the cat
in the tree and begin to do the new task. The game continues between the two partners.

Also, A and B must both speak and actively use their voice and body to say and do what they
would really say and do in that situation in real life. This will involve some multi-tasking, but it
will help students work towards the goal of being more engaged and present onstage while
working for an objective.

6. Ask students to find their partners and try this. Side coach students to remember to be
actively present in what they are supposed to be doing. After they have had about 3 minutes
to get used to this process, tap on about half of the shoulders of the partnerships playing and
ask them to observe the other groups that are still going. Give them a minute to observe,
then ask them to start again. Give them another minute to get back into it and then ask the
students that were not tapped on the shoulder to now stop and observe those that are still
going. Give them another minute to observe.
7. Bring students back together and ask them if they were able to observe moments when
the actors were more engaged and connected and what made the difference? Were they
committing to what they were doing? Did they seem to actually be doing that task?
8. Ask for a scene group to volunteer to perform their contentless scene. First, ask them to
perform the scene as they have practiced it. Once they have performed their original scene,
ask them to perform it again but assign them to both do their scene while quickly setting a
table, picking clothes up off the floor, rearranging furniture, chopping wood or scrubbing
really dirty dishes. At first, I ask them to do something a little more active so that they are
forced to fully engage in the activity. Depending on the length of the scene that they are
doing, I might change their task in the middle of the performance to be something else (i.e.
looking for a lost cell phone, sweeping the floor or something else that might be more natural
in that particular scene). Again, remind them to not lose their objective, even though they are
now multi-tasking. Finish the section of the scene you are having them perform and then ask
them to have a seat. Thank them for letting you play with their scene.
9. Ask students how stage business affected the scene that they just saw. Did it affect how they
pursued their objective? Did it change the tactics they were able to use? When you get upset
with someone while doing something, do you ever do something to them through what you
are doing? (Looking for a cell phone under the couch cushion–moving the cushions harshly
because you are mad, or fluffing them and moving them gently because you don’t want to
upset them, etc.) Did it affect the overall mood or rhythm of the scene?
10. Assign students to create stage business for their scene. Their character must have something
that they are doing. Look for what would make sense and not take over the scene but instead
add to it. It could be something simple like counting the money in their purse or putting on
their shoes to try to disarm an explosive. It should fit into the context of their scene, though,
and help their character engage in their objective and tactics more fully. They do not have
to be actively doing the task the entire scene, but it should be something that is being done
throughout (example: they don’t have to tie and untie their shoe 50 times so that it lasts for

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 the full scene). They do need to spread it out so that they either look for the shoes, sit down,
then tie them and then look for their jacket during the scene (so it isn’t just 5 seconds of stage
business and then nothing).
11. Give students 15-20 minutes to select stage business for their scene and rehearse. Remind
them that this is to build upon what they have already worked on. They should continue to
have characterization, practice the staging rules, and have conflict in their scene.
12. Ask students to find another partnership to preview their scene for them. The partnership
should be looking for the following (and then provide constructive feedback afterwards):
1. Are the performers using stage business in a way that keeps them engaged in
the scene?
2. Are they making clear choices vocally and physically to communicate their
characters and situations?
3. Are the performers following the staging rules?
4. Is there a clear environmental/personal conflict in the scene?

ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Select and implement stage business into your scene:
•  Each character should have stage business
•  Select stage business that helps you engage with the scene
•  Select stage business that adds to but doesn’t take over the scene you have created
Preview–Look for the following (and provide constructive feedback after the performance
you observe):
1. Are the performers using stage business in a way that keeps them engaged in the scene?
2. Are they making clear choices vocally and physically to communicate their characters and situ-
ations?
3. Are the performers following the staging rules?
4. Is there a clear environmental/personal conflict in the scene?

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Observation activity, discussion, “What Are You Doing?”, demonstration
scene, practice time, and preview.
•  Formal Assessments: Final performance of scene with stage business included.

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
RUBRIC FOR STAGE BUSINESS
Requirements Needs Improvement Proficient Excellent
1. Staging Business: Performers
are engaged and present in their
performance while using stage 1 3 5
business.

TOTAL:____________/5

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 TOOLS OF SCENE WORK
CONTENTLESS SCENE – PREVIEW DAY

OBJECTIVE
Students will practice giving and receiving constructive criticism as they prepare for their final
performance by previewing their scene for their peers.

DESCRIPTION
Students review what they have studied in this unit as well as how to give and use constructive
feedback. Students will pair up with another scene group, then perform for each other. Students will
use the Preview Worksheet to help guide and assess their previews and critiques.

MATERIALS
•  Preview Worksheet for each student (Note: I find it can be helpful to also have the final
performance rubric printed on the back of this preview paper, so that they see exactly what I
am looking for and will be grading them on.)

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask students what elements they have explored during this unit in relation to preparing a
scene for performance: characterization, staging, objective, conflict, stage business, and using
tools to help you fill in the gaps to tell your story.
2. Ask students what it means to give a critique. It means to give your opinion. Ask students,
“What is constructive criticism?” It is specific and helpful. For example, if you just say, “I loved
it,” does the actor know what specifically you liked so that they can keep doing that or build
upon what you loved? No. If you say, “You stank at knowing your lines,” does that help them?
No. First of all, that was rude and they are going to tune you out. Secondly, they might not
know what part of their scene they don’t know the lines of. Instead you could say something
like, “I think that the last section of your scene where you are on the floor could go even
further, once you have those lines down. There were a few words I could tell that you missed.
But once you have those down, it will be awesome!” Remind students that we are all in here
to learn and support each other. It can often be helpful to balance their critique by telling
them one thing that you thought they did well and one thing that they can improve upon. Is
it helpful if you tell them that they were memorized and they weren’t? No, because they need
to know that before they are graded in the final performance. Be honest, specific, helpful, and
kind.
3. Inform students that they are going to be previewing their scenes for their classmates. So, not
only will they be practicing performing their scenes, but also giving and receiving critique.
4. Ask students how an actor should take criticism. Is it always easy? No, but this is how we
improve. Everyone has room for improvement and we want to become better. I like to remind
students of the quote: “If you do what you have always done, you will be what you have
always been.” Ask students if they get a critique to improve something, if they should take it
personally. No. The critique has been given to help them improve and grow. Be grateful that
the person giving it to you cared enough to be specific and helpful so that you can do your

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 best. This process is to help them get ready and have confidence in their final performance.
Should they only listen to the good and forget the bad, or vice-versa? No. Will they always
agree with the critique they are given? Maybe not. They should earnestly listen to it, though,
and then see what they can do with that feedback to make their performance even better.
5. Hand students the Preview Worksheet and go through it with them.
6. Ask students to write their own name at the top of the worksheet and to look at the list of
elements at the top of the preview paper. Go through each one and ask students to look for
and use these as they give their critiques because this is what they will be graded on.
7. Instruct students how to fill in the boxes. This is how I explain it:
• Inform them that they will need to pair up with another group and perform for
them.
• If Sally and Jimmy are your first partner, in #1 write “Sally and Jimmy.” As you
are watching their scene, write down specific critiques about their scene using
the elements listed above so that you can give them a critique when they are
done with their scene. Remember to be specific and helpful in how you write
and give your critique. This worksheet will be graded, so if you just write down
“good,” you will not receive credit for that preview.
• After Sally and Jimmy have performed, give them their critique.
• When you perform, in the bottom section it says to write down the critiques
given to you. Sally and Jimmy are your first group, so their name will be written
in box #1 (so yes Sally and Jimmy are listed in box #1 for both sections, because
they were your first partner).
• After you have performed, Sally and Jimmy will give you feedback. Write down
their critique in the space provided. Remember to be specific so that it is helpful
to you.
• Once Sally and Jimmy have performed for you, you have given them their
critique. Then, you and your partner have performed for Sally and Jimmy and
gotten their critique. Next, you will go and find another group to repeat this
process with. Have students do this 3 times total, then return to their seats when
done.
8. Give students 5-10 minutes to find their scene partner and warm up their scene. As they
rehearse, ask them to keep in mind the elements that they will be critiqued and graded on.
9. Ask students to find a group to perform for and begin the preview process. (One thing that I
find helpful is to designate a “holding pen” for groups that need another group to perform
for, so that they aren’t just standing there waiting for someone to finish (when that group is
currently with another group or they can’t find another group to preview for). I will usually put
this in front of my desk and say that this is a performance-free zone and anyone that isn’t with
a group should come stand in it until another group comes for them to go work with.)
10. Give students time to preview their scenes 3 times and then ask them to come back to their
seats when they are done and to review the comments they made and the comments that
were given to them.
11. Without using specific names or groups, ask students if there were any elements that stood
out to them in what they saw repeatedly or what they were told. Was there anything that
stood out to them that was awesome? Ask them if there is anything that they saw that they
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 thought they might need to work on (this could be something someone did really well
but could make better, or else something they did poorly (like cheating out) that needs
improvement before the final performance).
12. Ask students to look at the bottom of the worksheet and complete the performance goal.
Remind students that the purpose of critique is to improve and get better. Ask students
to fill in what they are doing well that they need to keep doing and also a specific goal for
something they can work on for next time. Remind them to be specific. (Sometimes I find that
students need a little help with finding something they did well. It could be the attitude they
had while performing, their characterization, the fact that they had fun while performing, the
fact that they got up onstage at all. Were scripts memorized? Tailor this to your specific group
of learners.)
13. Ask students to turn in their Preview Worksheet and to be prepared for their performance
next time.

ASSIGNMENT CHECKLIST
Preview Worksheet Requirements:
•  Perform and observe 3 different groups
•  Write a specific and helpful critique for each group you watch
•  Write down the specific critique given to you in a way that will help you improve
•  Create and write a specific goal for what you will continue to do in your performance
•  Create and write a specific goal for what you will improve on for the final performance

ASSESSMENT
•  Informal Assessments: Discussion on critique
•  Formal Assessments: Preview process, Preview Worksheet, performance goal

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