Category - Media
Topic - Improvisation/Acting
Issue - Choosing a character in relation to setting
Tiptoid -
Madison and I chose to do the acting style Improvisation as the lesson we would teach to our peers for our Leadership Peer Teaching project because we knew that it would be a fun and exciting topic to teach. We also knew it would help with building thinking skills and self-confidence. When we taught our Improvisation acting activities to our peers, they really enjoyed themselves, and said they learned a lot. So now we want to teach you our tips!
When choosing a character for a specific setting, it's important to think of several factors –
*What the setting actually is and whether or not it's rational for a grouping of people to be there. (You wouldn't put a surfer in the middle of an avalanche.)
*Think of how the character would be unique, without having to change the setting. Don't just come up with a stereotypical person who blends into the background.
*By now, you should have a slight idea of what your character is. So, now you should start to bring together who your character is.
1. Why. Why is your character where they are? If your character doesn't have any reason to be where they are, they won't contribute much to the scene.
2. What. Think about what your character's objective is. What do they want to accomplish by being where they are? What will they have them do by the end of the scene?
3. Who. Who else is in the scene, and how would your character interact with all of them? If your character doesn't fit with all the others (don't make an exact replica), then the scene will end before you intend it to.
We knew Improvisation would be a fun topic to teach. So, go and practice! We hope you like it, too!
Glossary -
Setting - where an act or action is taking place
Character - a human or animal that is written into a play or story
Scene - the bringing together of character, setting, and story to form a part of a play
Find Out More - speak with/search the web for a local theatre director or Improv Troupe
Submitted by - Madison Jennings and Meredith McCrea
Site Manager - Andrew An
March 2006