Creating the right environment in the drama classroom and on stage

Episode 133: The Right Environment When you’re directing a show, it’s important to specify environment. Where does the play take place? How do the characters react to that environment? It’s also important to establish environment in your drama classroom. In this podcast teacher Chris Evans talks about about both worlds - the world of the play and the world of the drama classroom. What environment do you create? Show Notes * Chicken Road Episode Transcript Welcome to TFP – The Theatrefolk Podcast – the place to be for Drama teachers, Drama students, and theatre educators everywhere. I’m Lindsay Price, resident playwright for Theatrefolk. Hello! I hope you're well. Thanks for listening. Welcome to Episode 133! You can find any links for this episode at the show notes – theatrefolk.com/133. When you’re directing a show, it’s really important – as opposed to only sort of important – to specify environment. Where does the play take place? How do the characters react to their environment? It’s especially important if you’re dealing with a less than realistic play. If you’ve got a world or a script that doesn’t establish a place, you need to define that not – not only for your audience but for your actors. The more your actors know where they are, even if what they’re saying might not make sense, the more grounded they’re going to be and the more the audience will be able to connect. It’s also important to establish environment in your classroom. Students are so aware of their surroundings and they will react accordingly. You know this; you’ve seen it time and time again. So, what environment do you create in the classroom and onstage? We’re going to hear how teacher Chris Evans answers this specific question. LINDSAY: Okay. So, here I am today and I am talking Teacher Chris Evans. Hello, Chris! CHRIS: Hello, hello, hello! LINDSAY: Tell everyone where in the world you are. CHRIS: We are in Great Falls, Montana. We’re about 90 miles north of the capital of Montana, Helena. LINDSAY: I have to say, Montana is one of the states I have never been to. CHRIS: Well, consider this an invite. LINDSAY: Awesome. Okay! We’re kind of talking about director’s vision today and just how you’ve got to go from taking a piece of paper and turning it into a show. You recently directed my play, Chicken Road, and the reason that I asked Chris to come on today was because I was really taken by the pictures that you sent me about the production. I’ll put a link to Chicken Road down in the show notes, but it’s not a traditional script, right? CHRIS: Right. Absolutely! LINDSAY: The characters don’t have names and yet you seem to put a pretty identifiable stamp on it with your production. CHRIS: One of the things that I first approached Chicken Road with was, “Where am I going to put this play?” LINDSAY: Right. CHRIS: And one of the things that I preach in my classes is place is so important – environment is so important. It affects everything we do. LINDSAY: Yes, particularly with theatre, it’s a visual, isn’t it? CHRIS: Absolutely. And so, my thought was (1) the play struck such an emotional chord with me that my first thought is, “What if we put this play at the site where, you know, this young man passed away?” LINDSAY: Right. CHRIS: What if these students are gathering at a vigil at the side of the road where this young man took his life? My thought was that was (1) it’s a very, very, very specific environment.