Onstage Learning
Objectives: To better understand the onstage processes involved in putting together a theatrical production (i.e., planning movements on stage, designing a set and rehearsing).

Now that we have covered many of the activities that occur backstage in a theatre production, it is time to turn our attention to the preparations that happen onstage. The experiences in onstage learning further reinforce the notion that theatre is a highly collaborative and structured endeavor that takes much preparation and creativity to make happen. 

Students continue to get ready for their final festival presentations by practicing stage directions from the director/teacher in a simple Simon Says-type game. The experience also illustrates how movements (in particular gestures, posture and walk) help define character. 

The set design is one of the first things people notice about a play. It reveals a great deal about the tone for the whole production. Depending on the style of the production, a set could be quite realistic or impressionistic by just suggesting forms and colors. Set designers must research the play’s locations, time period and even the personalities of the characters in order to reflect the right mood and theme. 

In the second onstage experience, students paint backdrops that will enhance their final festival performances. Students study medieval landscapes and interiors by examining medieval art, then design and paint backdrops for their final dramatic presentations. This lesson helps students develop a sense of style and appreciation for medieval art, discover more about what life was like during the Middle Ages and create their own scenic design. 

Feasts during the Middle Ages were elaborate occasions even by today’s standards. Food was flamboyantly decorated and presented. As part of the setting for their festival, students make the preparations necessary for their own version of a medieval feast the following day. 

Practicing one’s skills is a required element of theatre production. Near the end of onstage learning, students are given time to rehearse their roles for their festival performances.

Indiana Standards for 4th Grade that are addressed in Onstage Learning:

English/Language Standard 7 - Listening and Speaking: Listening and Speaking Skills, Strategies and Applications
Visual Arts Standard 1 - Responding to Art: History
Visual Arts Standard 8 – Creating Art: Production

English/Language Standard 7 - Listening and Speaking: Listening and Speaking Skills, Strategies and Applications
Visual Arts Standard 1 - Responding to Art: History
Visual Arts Standard 8 – Creating Art: Production