Drama and the Critical Analysis Process

Theatre Kid

KCP's Les Mis, 2014.
I'm Fantine, in the middle left.
Grandmother and Sister found to the left.
Father built the set we are all standing on.

I’ve been in many theatre productions since I was young and my family has been heavily involved with community theatre since I began high school. My grandmother produces two or three shows a year and is currently president of a theatre company, my mother made all the props for a few years, my dad built all the sets for about ten years, and my sister either stage managed or did the makeup for many shows. With this experience, I often find when I go to see a production, either professional or community, I automatically begin to critique what I see. With this skill, I appreciate the entirety of the production, from all aspects. I look at the lighting, the sets and their transitions, the staging, the props, and of course, the acting.

Recently I went to see a friend in a community production of The Addam’s Family the Musical. (Hilarious!). I was so impressed with the set and spent a good time considering what they did to achieve such affects. The acting was fantastic (my friend was the best ancestor ever), but the set was what truly impressed me. Specifically, a scene where a see-saw was discreetly used to create the illusion of floating! So clever! I’ve also been so some shows that were not as great, such as a Fall production of The Little Mermaid, where the acting and singing was so bad, I was grateful for the skill to appreciate redeeming qualities.

My experiences allow me to truly appreciate the genius that goes behind producing a great show. I want my students to also have this skill and appreciation, even if they won’t have the unique opportunities I might have had growing up.

To do this, one must look first at the curriculum. The critical analysis process is a guideline we can use to help our students reflect not only on their own performances, but also of ones they are exposed to. This could be live productions or videos of live productions.

Student could reflect through journals, group discussion, or class discussion. In one of my placements, we went to see the aforementioned production of The Little Mermaid. My associate teacher debriefed the show with the students the moment we got back to school, working through the process. We didn’t just talk about the overall details, but all the details. The students were eager to share what they liked, and not surprisingly, what they didn’t like. What surprised me was the sophistication and detail in which they articulated their opinion. Allowing students to reflect on the details of a production allows them to develop the skills to appreciate all aspects, while also requiring them to consider the components involved in a successful dramatic production.