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It Takes a Town:  Activities for Building an Ensemble

By Lorraine Thompson 

Lorraine Thompson currently is the head of the Drama Department at Athens Academy in Athens, Georgia.  Her bachelor’s degree in Education is from Auburn University of Montgomery, and her Masters in Fine Arts in Theatre is from the University of Georgia.  She enjoys spending her summer months working as an actress. 

The post-performance excitement was sparking the air as my 30 company members took their seats in the One Act Competition adjudication room.  The three judges sat smiling as the cast settled in for the feedback session.  The room hushed as one judge began to speak.  “I want to start by saying that I have never seen such amazing ensemble work!  I was watching so much more than a play about a town.  I was watching a town.  Well done!”  My students were elated.  High fives and hugs rippled throughout the room.  As far as they were concerned they had already received the highest praise they could.  They had reached their goal of Ensemble.

As theatre educators, we all talk the talk of “Ensemble.”  We tout the virtues of “working together” and the “value of teamwork.”  We stress to anyone who will listen that EVERYONE is important.  We put phrases such as “no small parts, only small players” and “we are all equal parts of a whole” on loop and recite them instinctively.  But do we really mean it?  When it comes down to it, do we put our time where our mouth is?  Building an ensemble takes time.  And time in a rehearsal process, as we all know, is a rare, quick-silver commodity!  Who has time for team building games when you have 10 scenes to block?  However, if you really believe in the “whole” and the value of teamwork, you need to make the effort.  You need to make the time.  You will not regret it.

When you work on building an ensemble you are also working on building the individual.  Students involved in your process will learn to work with others, gain experience with interpersonal communication skills and problem solving, practice active listening and empathy, take risks, and grow in self-confidence.

In my department, the ensemble building process begins at auditions.  The value of team is stressed throughout the process by the senior leaders and me.  It is the responsibility of the upperclassmen to welcome and mix with the sophomores, freshmen, and other new faces.  It is important to establish at the beginning that the group is not segregated and everyone is welcome.  Once the show is cast, we continue to grow the sense of community in a number of different ways.ork on building an ensemble you are also working on building the individual.  Students involved in your process will learn to work with others, gain experience with interpersonal communication skills and problem solving, practice active listening and empathy, take risks, and grow in self-confidence.

Character Development Worksheet:  Everyone in the cast receives and fills out a Character Development Worksheet.  Everyone.  I find making show-specific sheets to be beneficial with questions such as:

• Name?
• Age?
• What is your daily life like?
• How do you “fit” in the plot of the story?
• How do you feel about what is going on around you?

I give a due date for the actors to turn these sheets in to the stage manager.  Then, at the beginning of every rehearsal, two character sheets are selected and shared by the corresponding actors.  Respectful listening is imperative to the success of this process.  By giving everyone equal time no matter the size of the role, it establishes that everyone has a place in the story.  Everyone contributes to the whole.

Speed Dating:  The kids love this popular exercise!  Once everyone has filled out their Character Development Worksheet, you just need a stopwatch and you are ready to have “dating” sessions.

Divide your cast into two equal groups:  Group A and Group B.  Have Group A sit side by side in a line on the floor with a member from Group B sitting directly across from them.  The idea is to get to know each other as their characters.  They have 30 seconds to introduce themselves and share a bit, then they say good-bye and Group B scoots down one.  The person that was at the end of the line in Group B now moves to chat with the person from Group A at the beginning of the line.  The game is played until everyone from one group has “dated” everyone from the other group.  Keeping a quick pace is key!  This activity helps solidify and develop character, builds a sense of team, and allows for a broader scope of play to form.

Group Project:  This activity involves the company physically working together, if possible even putting the theme of the show into action.  For example, when we were mounting a production of Quilters, I had my company of twelve girls make a small quilt from the scraps of fabric their costumes were being made from.  Each girl had a square for the quilt that matched the dress they would wear in the show.  I provided the needle and thread, they provided the hand stitches and conversation.  By actually making a quilt together, the group bonded and the play’s story took on a whole new meaning and level of personal ownership.  The quilt was displayed and raffled off in the lobby during the run of the show.  Unbeknownst to me, the girls pooled their money and purchased the quilt for me.  It is still one of my most prized processions.  By working together to complete a hands on task, camaraderie grew and the group became a more cohesive unit.

Group Education:  Any time the company participates in an activity as a group they grow tighter.  Quite often, I will have guest speakers give a short presentation on a topic relative to the production.  For example, for Fiddler on the Roof, I had a member of a local synagogue speak on Jewish traditions, for Metamorphosis, a Latin professor spoke about Greek mythology, and for The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, an English professor spoke about Thoreau and Emerson.

Exploration through Discussion:  This is a great exercise if the play lends itself to it.  Students sit in a circle to discuss any themes or issues brought up in play.  For example, in the play This Side Up, the scenes and monologues deal with our society’s need to “box” everyone into stereotypes.  As we discussed this theme, members of the company shared their own personal “boxes.”  No one was required to share...  but most did.  This activity opened the group up to both the heart of the play and to each other.  Some students even went so far as to make changes and take action to break out of their personal box.

Workshops:  Many plays require special skills.  I use this as an opportunity for group learning.  Even if the skill is not performed by everyone in the play, everyone participates in the learning.  From square dancing to basic sword combat moves, everyone feels a part of the ensemble when the learning takes place together.  As an added benefit, more people can have input on the choreography of the dance or the fight scene once they’ve all learned the basic moves.

Warm-up Games:  Warm-ups are an important part of our rehearsal process.  We often tweak them to include our characters from the play.  For example, when playing the game Bang, instead of using the actor’s name, the character named is used.  This requires that all character names in the show be known.  Another example is the game Boom Chicka Boom.  Any actor can be selected by character name to go into the center of the circle.  In order to keep the game going, each actor must know who their character is, how their character moves, and how their character contributes to the play.

The bottom line is if there is an opportunity in your process to foster a sense of community, team work, and equanimity among your company, take it.  Use it.  Build from it.  Every precious moment you set aside for ensemble building will pay off when the curtain rises.  Your cast and crew will be a company, your stage of extras will be a comfortable town rich with personal history and real relationships, and your students will be a team.  With this golden goal accomplished, everything will fall into place.  You will be able to go home knowing that the fruits of your labor will last long after the show ends.  It takes a village to raise a child and it takes time to make a village.  Take the time and build your ensemble!