Written & Compiled
by
Martin Thomas Buckingham

A Beginning with the Voice

Year 9 A Beginning with the Voice

Lesson 1

Intro
The use of voice in an acoustic environment for the purpose of theatre is, in many ways, simular to singing.
In ancient times poets and or actors were also referred to as singers.
Ancient Greek actors would project to audiences of up to 5000.
Gregorian chant was developed as a way of communicating with a large congregation in cathedrals.  
Basic theory draw diagram.

Warm Up and the Basics.
Lying on the floor, feeling the lower back connect with the ground when a breath is taken.

Exercises: Performed lying on the ground then standing.
Sirens, The Big Russian Bear, Ape, Combinations. 

Line Delivery – If any students feel dizzy they are hyperventilating & should sit down until the sensation passes. 

Using the hall the class lines up facing the teacher.
They are asked the deliver a line, just loud enough for the teacher to hear it.
The line then moves back 5 paces and repeats the line, then back another 5 paces etc… until they are at the end of the hall.
As the students get further away give tips on pronunciation and projection.


Lesson 2

Intro
Reiterate the work covered in the previous lesson.

Warm Up – It is important to repeat the exact same combination. 

Warm Up and the Basics.
Lying on the floor, feeling the lower back connect with the ground when a breath is taken.

Exercises: Performed lying on the ground then standing.
Sirens, the Big Russian Bear, Ape, Combinations. 

Task – Crazy Scripts.

1 Fill in the word field question page.
2 Add the responses to the script.
3 Give a cold reading of the scripts in the hall.

As a group is performing the rest of the class is at the other end of the hall. The class listening raises their hand when they can’t hear or understand the lines.

If this is too frequent then the class will move closer.

The group who maintains their audience the furthest away win. 

Script Suggestions  
 
Night at the Library
Little Red Riding Hood
Prince and the Blank
The Stock Market Crash Of 1929
The Three Little Pigs