How to Unite the Cast of Your High School Play Production Or Just Need Group Work to Run Smoothly: Games that Work!

Hello readers,
Ever wonder how you can improve the mood and camaraderie of your cast members? Or perhaps you are assigning group work in your classroom and want to ensure that cooperation is achieved.  Well, here are some short and easy drama activities that can be used, most likely within the drama classroom or production cast, however they may be applicable to other areas in which major group projects are being conducted.

Bounding Drama Games for Cast/Group Members:

• The Human Knot: This acting game requires some close physical interaction among those who participate, so maybe this should wait until the cast/group knows each other better.  It is very exciting and is excellent for building teamwork, since it involves everyone holding hands and entangling themselves within the group and then the challenge is to untangle everyone until a circle is formed once again.  Be sure to allot enough time because this may take a long time, especially if the group size is large.  The climbing, turning, and stretching will spark giggles and helpful advice from all of your students.

• Lifeboat: This exercise involves everyone joining hands and the captain, most likely you, will call out a number and the students must split and link hands, thus forming smaller groups (lifeboats) of what ever number is called out.  Anyone who is left out of a lifeboat after a count to three is out.  This activity is thrilling and a good way for students to playfully band together and tease one another if one of them is out of the game. 

• Face Off: This drama game can get very silly as students become more and more enthusiastic.  The objective of the game is to have one student pass a humorous/outrageous facial expression to another person in the group.  The students should be in a circle and should be deliberate about who they are passing it to, maybe even point to the person.  Be sure to tell your students to not pass it to the same person in order to ensure everyone is included.  
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 These Acting Exercises Are Great Because:

These activities will create friendliness in the group and hopeful relieve any stress or troubles groups may be having together.  If everyone is relaxed and comfortable, then a better performance will develop as a result of the positive learning environment you have created.

Let the games begin!
Thanks for reading,
Aliana ~Theatre Lover~
Future Teacher