Date 11.19.

15
Christopher Snipe
Subject: US Acting I (Grades 9-12)
Topic: Archetypal Characters
Goals Guiding questions for the course
1. Students will understand that theater (and art) is about making choices
2. Find a new dimension in their character
3. Find a new way of performing character in scene approach it with different lens.
Objectives

Students will be introduced to the 4 archetypal characters, physicalize these characters into
their bodies, and explore previously rehearsed scenes with this new knowledge;
Students will bring to the forefront another facet of a previously developed character and will
examine how this shift can impact who the characters are and what their relationship is.

Materials: Copies of the Waiting for Godot scenes.

Introduction
1. Group participates in short vocal and physical warmup
2. Congratulations again on performances of Waiting for Godot scenes. You needed to find the
X factor, to create something from nothing.
3. Introduction of term archetype. This teaching strategy was one I learned in Teaching
Shakespeare through Performance workshop I attended in London in 2012.
Development
1. Define word Archetype. What are the 4 major archetypal characters? The Sovereign, Warrior,
Trickster, Care Giver/Lover described.
2. The idea of archetypical character is that we are made up of these 4 primal elements and can
shift in and out of them on a daily basis. Discussion: Example Sit down with friend at lunch who is
bummed out over test, you might be in Care Giver mode, but if you wake up late and need to get
out of the house in the morning, you might be on a mission and in Warrior mode. When have you
personally played these roles? Have you played more than one today?
3. How can you inhabit these characters in your body? (Guided physical transformation)
Practice
1. Move through the space in neutral walks: eyes have a soft focus on floor (3 in front of you),
mind is clear as blank piece of paper, heart is at the ready, open to possibility, walk to open
spaces. Stop and drop down through the spine to find actors neutral. Continue neutral walk.

2. Teacher-led physical transformation of 4 characters. Use of imaginary props creates proper

body alignment (placing crown on queens head, for example, brings shoulder blades back and
opens up rib cage as sovereign), as well as sense of urgency. After transforming 4 characters, try
transforming into 4 characters ( 5-10 seconds) in quick succession to reinforce learning. Can
actors combine two characters?
3. Have actors freeze, then relax, and return to ensemble circle for quick check-in about
experience.
Independent Practice (10-15 minutes)
1. The challenge is for actors to take their characters from the Waiting for Godot scenes, pick an
archetypal character that was least like their original interpretation, and rehearse the scene
again trying to bring about this part of the characters persona.
2. As the groups rehearse (10-15 minutes), teacher will visit each group occasionally during the
process to observe, possibly asking a pointed question or offering feedback if necessary.
Check for Understanding
1. Godot scenes are performed for the class.
2. Teacher offers feedback and facilitates class discussion. What did you discover as an actor? Did
the audience notice a change in the scene? If so, what specifically was it (energy/urgency,
blocking, relationship, etc)? Were the actors consistent in physicalizing the characters?
3. If time, repeat exercise of using a different archetype as a primary character. Opportunity to
repeat again, finding a hybrid of how presented two scenes (Warriors and Lovers: Vladamir and
Estragon really care for each other, but drive each other crazy with comic frustration).
Closure

How might you use archetypal characters to explore future work or rethink a character you
played in the past? How might this help you achieve a better-rounded, complex (ultimately
more believable/interesting) character? Examples: In Midsummer Nights Dream, how could
one portray a different side to the characters of the young lovers? Puck?

Evaluation
1. Were the actors able to believably transform into the different archetype character and
maintain that for the duration of the scene?
2. Were the scenes different from the first time they were presented? If so, what specifically
changed (energy/urgency, blocking, relationship, etc.)?
3. Did the actors go too far and throw everything away (radical disregard of how they defined the
given circumstances) or did they keep most of what they decided upon intact?
Teacher Reflections (post-lesson)

This was a very effective way for the students to keep most of the given circumstances of the
scene the same, but by changing one aspect of the characters personality, it had a drastic
impact on scene.

It was interesting to see that some of the girls were a bit hesitant at first to make the change as
it felt weird. With consistent encouragement, however, they were able to push beyond their
comfort zone and explore a different side to their character, which in turn altered some of the
blocking.