Middle school theater games: stage areas
If you’re looking for a fun, easy way to teach stage positions in drama, I think you’ll love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Play: Stage Areas unit which includes middle school theater games.
Meet Teaching Artist, Director, Writer and Actress Cynthia Lowa
Cynthia Lowa has taught acting and voice at Windermere Preparatory School, University of Central Florida, The Children’s Theatre of Florida, the New York Film Academy at Disney/MGM Studios, and other Orlando studios for more than ten years. She has directed multiple productions including Dear Edwina, Starmites, Tom Sawyer, The Rockin’ Tale of Snow White, Peter Pan and Wendy, Shrek the Musical, Murder at the Banquet, Nobody to Murder, and Lion King, Jr., A Broadway Musical Revue; The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and others! CreateTruthAlive.com
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Play: Stage Areas
Video curriculum:
- Teaching Artist Bio
- Stage areas
Drama Lesson Plans for Middle School include:
- Editable Google Slides
- Self Grading Google Form
- Theater games for middle school
- National Art and Common Core Standards
- Summative and Formative Assessments
Teaching apps and tech tutorials:
- SeeSaw
- Kahoot
- FlipGrid
- Self Grading Google Form
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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Play: Stage Areas
Watch Cynthia Lowa’s teaching session on stage areas which is one of the sessions in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Play curriculum kit.
Stage Areas Video Transcript
You will most likely rehearse for the play in your classroom or any other room before you have access to the stage you will use for the live performance. Whether you’re rehearsing in a classroom or on the stage, it’s important for you to understand stage terms that your director will use to tell you how to move around in that space.
Stage areas definitions
Onstage is the acting area within the set, visible to the audience.
Offstage is the part of the stage not enclosed by the set, not visible to the audience.
The wings are the offstage areas to the right and left of the acting area.
The auditorium where the audience sits is often referred to as the ‘house.’
Stage areas sections
The stage is divided into sections from the actor’s perspective looking out towards the audience. The back section farthest from the audience is called Upstage.
The section closest to the audience is called Downstage.
The section to the actor’s right and the audience’s left is Stage Right and the opposite side Stage Left.
Stage areas thirds
If we want to get even more detailed, we can divide the stage into thirds using Upstage Right, Center and Left and Downstage Right, Center and Left, and Right Center, Center, and Left Center. This allows your director to be even more specific when it comes to telling you where you should move.
Let’s practice using stage areas
Next, let’s practice using these spaces just as you would during the rehearsal. Before we start, work together to divide your space into sections. You can do this with imaginary lines or you can actually put tape on the floor to divide the different sections. Treat me as though I am your audience so downstage would be the area closest to me and upstage the space farthest from me. Right stage would be this side of the room (point to the left) and left stage would be that side of the room (point to the right). Once you have prepared your space, we can start.
Stage areas theater game prep
[You can use tape or string to section off the stage areas in your space or you can put a student in each section so they get a sense of the general area like you see the students do in the video.]
Learn the stage positions
Go Upstage Center.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Great job.
Go Downstage Center.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Very good!
Go Right Center.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze! You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Nice!
Go Left Center.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here.[Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Beautiful work!
Go Upstage Right.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Fantastic!
Go Downstage Left.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Amazing!
Go Upstage Left.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
You’re getting good!
Go Downstage Right.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Awesome!
Go Center Stage.
(3-2-1 timer) Freeze!
You should be here. [Pause and look at the positions on the screen.]
Brilliant!
I think you’re ready to play a game to practice these positions on the stage.
Instructions for the stage areas game
Now that your are is ready, we’re going to play the game here, and you can play the game with us. Here’s how it goes. As the teacher, I will turn my back to you and countdown 5 seconds to allow you enough time to find a spot on the stage. When I say the number 1, you have to freeze, and if you are standing on the stage area I call out, you’re out of the game. Let’s practice. 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 (They all scatter to a position) Upstage Center. Okay, you’re out! Got it? Watch us and play with us! Here we go!
Play the stage areas game
5-4-3-2-1, Downstage Right
5-4-3-2-1, Upstage Left
5-4-3-2-1, Downstage Center
5-4-3-2-1, Downstage Right
Great job!
Play the stage areas game with your friends
If you need more practice, you can try this on your own with your classmates. You can take turns calling out an area of the stage and give everyone five seconds to get to that area. Always remember to work together as a team and have fun!
More stage areas game commands
Upstage Left
Upstage Right
Upstage Center
Downstage Left
Downstage Right
Downstage Center
Right Center
Left Center
Center
