Pioneer Drama
Plays
  • All Plays
  • Full Length
  • Children's
  • One Act
  • Melodrama
  • Christmas
  • Radio Plays
  • Virtual Theatre
Musicals
  • All Musicals
  • Full Length
  • Children's
  • One Act
  • Melodrama
  • Christmas
Texts, DVDs, Makeup
  • Teaching Aids
  • Curriculum Books
  • Theatre Games
  • Monologues
  • Duet Scenes
  • Scenes & Short Plays
  • Shakespeare
  • Readers Theatre
  • Speech & Forensics
  • Improvisation
  • Directing
  • Music & Choreography
  • Costuming
  • Melodrama
  • Technical
  • Makeup
  • Makeup Kits
  • Broadway
  • All Texts & Aids
FAQ
  • Shopping
    Online
  • Copyrights & Royalties
  • Shipping & Invoicing
  • Electronic Delivery
  • Promoting Your Production
  •  W-9 & Other   Forms 
  • Perusal
    Program
Discover
  • About Us
  • Save on
    Preview Scripts
  • Electronic
    Scripts
  • New
    Releases
  • Meet Our
    Writers
  • Submitting Plays
    or Musicals
  • Request a
    Catalog
  • Digital
    Catalogs
  • Blogs and
    Newsletters
  • Giving
    Back
  • What Customers
    Are Saying
Search
Call us!  800-333-7262
My Cart • E-view Login
Login

Email Address:
Password:
  FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?
 
NOT ALREADY REGISTERED?
SIGN UP HERE.
Forgot your password?
NOT ALREADY REGISTERED?  SIGN UP HERE.

Email Address:
   
EMAIL MY PASSWORD PLEASE
Newsletter:  Directing Student Actors
 
SEP
6
2012

Working with Teenage Actors

or...  How Am I Going to Get Out of This Alive? 

By Edith Weiss 

Edith Weiss is the author of several published children’s plays, including six with Pioneer Drama Service.  A lot of Edith’s writing time goes into her stand-up comedy routine, which has taken her all over the country and on three overseas military tours.  Besides writing, she also acts and directs in both children’s and adult theatre. 

 

Undoubtedly, if you’re working with teenage actors, you’re going to have some rehearsals that get out of hand.  But what do you do when one or two kids are so unruly, loud and generally obnoxious that it infects the entire cast and threatens to ruin the show?  This is a toughie.  Too harsh, and it becomes fun for no one; too lenient, and you lose the kids who are really interested.  Either way, you run the risk that the show may be a disaster.

If it’s any consolation, I can assure you you’re not alone with these headaches.  I’ve sure had my share of them!

Once, I was teaching at a private school where being in the production was a requirement for all the 8th grade students.  I couldn’t kick anyone out, no matter what they did, and they knew it.  I leave it to your imagination as to how disruptive some of these young teens became!  Since I couldn’t keep them out of the show, I needed to find a different negative consequence for their poor behavior.  I went to the Headmaster and asked permission to use detention.  And then, for a couple of days, I “detended” like crazy.  This made them take the process more seriously.  I also made a couple of calls home.  Sometimes this helped, sometimes it didn’t, but at least it communicated to these students that I was in charge and aware of what was going on.

At a summer theater school where I directed, anyone paying got into the class.  Yes, even though I should have been obligated to cast everyone, one time — but only once — I did ask that a girl be given her money back and sent home.  Most of the time, however, I could control the situation by threatening to take away what they all wanted most:  stage time.  After all, that’s why they were spending their precious summer hours there.  I found that if I made my expectations very clear in the beginning — that if someone didn’t pay attention in rehearsals, didn’t show up or didn’t make enough of an effort to learn their lines, I would give some of their lines to someone else — their behavior would stay in line reasonably well.

However, at this same school, I had one class where this didn’t work.  This class was The Worst Class There Ever Was in the Entire Known and Unknown Universe.  Sixteen kids aged 11-14.  I think they were there because their parents would have paid any amount of money to get rid of them for a few hours.  And now I had them.  Every hyperactive, snotty, bouncing-off-the-ceiling, disrespectful one of them.  Yes, they were all like that.  They had become one super-sized malicious organism.  Okay, maybe I’m getting carried away here.  The point is, I couldn’t kick out the whole class and still have a job.  So here is what I did out of sheer desperation on the fourth day of a two-week class:  nothing.  I sat there quietly, looking down at the script.  I let them do whatever they wanted.  After about ten minutes, they started nudging each other and whispering.  After a few more minutes, someone asked, “What’s wrong?”  “Well,” I answered, “since no one listens to me and I’m getting paid anyway, I’ll let you do the show without a director.  You’re the ones up there — I won’t be embarrassed (which of course wasn’t true) if this show is a giant stinker.  You will.”  And I went back to my reading and totally ignored them.  They were abashed and stunned.  Within five minutes, they were taking direction.  For the rest of the two weeks, my method of discipline whenever they were getting out of control was to get very quiet and start reading a book I had brought.  Ladies and gentlemen, it worked.


In the Spotlight
Cover for Places, Please!

Places, Please!
This text clearly outlines every step in planning and presenting a high school theatrical production.  In addition, it details the processes of auditions, rehearsals and productions.
Cover for The Ultimate Young Actors Guide

The Ultimate Young Actors Guide
Written to encourage eager young actors who want to learn the secrets of acting before they even get their driver’s license, this brand new book has the perfect combination of insightful, informative teaching and light‑hearted spirit.
Cover for Class Act Reproducibles

Class Act Reproducibles
All teachers need a helping hand now and then, and this collection of more than 60 reproducibles is just the thing!
Cover for The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide

The Drama Teacher’s Survival Guide
Written specifically for the middle school or high school drama director, this book this book tells everything you need to know to produce a play.

Like what you've read?  Subscribe to our email newsletter.
Close
Search Our Catalog




Drag Sliders to Adjust Ranges
Cast Size:
1
35+

 

Running Time: Min.
15 Min.
120 Min.

• How can we help you?   Call us at 800-333-7262 •
Home  |  Plays  |  Musicals  |  Texts, DVDs & Makeup  |  FAQ  |  Newsletters  |  Sitemap  |  About Us  |  Contact Us
Privacy Policy  |  109 Inverness Dr E, Suite H, Centennial, CO  80112  |  © 2005-2023 — Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.
Follow us on Facebook!