Arts >> Theater >> Childrens Theater

How to Design a Drama Club for Middle School

Drama clubs can be great fun for middle school students. Acting in plays gives students a creative outlet, a way to learn how to work in a group, and an opportunity to improve memorization skills. Performing plays offers students a way to experience literature in format different from books. You can design your drama club to specifically reflect your school and community. You can choose to produce plays that directly reflect your community or plays that educate you and your audience about other communities. You can also choose scripts that are just fun for the drama club and the audience.

Things You'll Need

  • Members
  • Rehearsal Space
  • Theater space
  • Scripts
  • Moderator or Director
Show More

Instructions

  1. Starting Your Club

    • 1

      Find your membership. Use the most popular communication tool at your school to find members for your club. If you have a school newspaper, see if you can write an article inviting other interested students to join you. If your middle school has a message board or online website where groups post messages, see if you can post a message there. If you have daily announcements at your school, perhaps you can have your club idea announced. You will want at least five people in your drama club in order to perform plays.

    • 2

      Find a moderator. Having adult supervision for your group can help you move smoothly through the start-up process. One of the English or literature teachers in your school may have an interest in drama. You may also find a teacher at your school who once acted in a drama club in college or high school. Charge your moderator with helping your group coordinate with the school and organize the group.

    • 3

      Choose how to organize your group. Decide if you will vote for president or if the founding member will run the show. Decide how you will choose scripts to perform, either by having your membership choose plays to perform or asking your adult moderator to assist in your choices.

    Putting Together Your First Play

    • 4

      Choose your first script. Several theatrical services offer lists of plays appropriate for middle school students. You may even find scripts in your school library.

    • 5

      Decide who will play which roles. Picking someone from the club to work as the director will help you organize your production. In some school drama clubs the adult moderator acts as director.

    • 6

      Secure a place to perform. See if your school has a theater or auditorium and if your club can use it to put on your play. Your production could either be a special presentation all its own, or could be combined with an assembly or other gathering.

    • 7

      Advertise your show. The best way to reach your audience is most likely the same way you found your members. Use all the available communication venues at your school to get people to come to your show. Put up posters, get an article in the school paper, ask teachers to announce your play in classes.

Childrens Theater

Related Categories