DRAMA TECHNIQUE EXECUTION

Topic: WORKING WITH THE VOICE

Drama Technique : Group Orchestration of Text
Grade Level: Grade 9
Subject: English
Lesson: Suprasegmental features
Learning Competency : Use Appropriate Suprasegmental : Pitch, Stress, Juncture, and
Intonation EN90L-Id-1.14
Objective: Students’ main objective will be to produce a vocal performance of a poem using
appropriate suprasegmental features. It should be interesting to listen to.
Procedure
1. Give a reading of the poem to demonstrate stress and rhythm in particular. Then
explain to the class how this poem could be orchestrated by a group in various ways:
• by varying voices in terms of volume, speed or pace (including pausing), pitch level,
intensity, rhythm and mood
• by varying the number of voices speaking at one time: some as solo, some with two,
or three voices, some with the whole group• by adding special effects, such as echo,
overlapping lines, a background word or line repeated softly all through the
performance, adding gestures or movements or sound effects.
2. Students work in groups of about eight. Distribute the texts, one per student. Allow
about 15 minutes for discussion and planning of how students will perform the text.
You will need to monitor this carefully to make sure all groups are on track.
3. Groups then rehearse their performances at least three times, to ensure that they have
a good ‘flow’ in their orchestration. Allow 15 minutes for this.
4. Finally, groups perform for each other.
Notes
1 The activity is excellent for developing ensemble work and group bonding.
2 The activity also provides opportunities for multiple repetition – without tendium.
3 Note that even using the same poem for all the groups, you will be
amazed at how different the interpretations are.