Your step-by-step guide to devising theatre with kids and teens.

In today’s digital age, engaging students in the arts, especially theatre, can be challenging. 

Traditional teaching methods often fall flat, failing to captivate students or ignite their passion for storytelling. 

How can educators bridge this gap, especially when they might be working with limited resources or within diverse classroom settings?

Introducing “Teaching Devised Theatre: The Essential Handbook”. 

This isn’t just another theatre book. It’s a meticulously crafted guide that breaks down the process of teaching Devised Theatre—a method that emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. Whether you’re working in a state-of-the-art theatre room or a makeshift space, this guide will show you how to make the most of what you have, turning any environment into a stage brimming with potential.

Why devised theatre?

Devising is a dynamic process where a group of actors collaboratively build an original play from scratch. The benefits of devising include:

• Fosters Creativity and Imagination: Devised theatre encourages kids to think outside the box and come up with original ideas. This process nurtures their creativity, allowing them to explore and express their unique perspectives and imaginations.
• Builds Collaboration and Teamwork: Since devised theatre is a collaborative form of creation, kids learn to work together, share ideas, negotiate, and compromise. This helps them develop essential teamwork skills and understand the value of collective effort.
• Enhances Communication Skills: Devised theatre requires kids to articulate their thoughts, both verbally and non-verbally. They learn to convey complex emotions, ideas, and stories, honing their communication and public speaking skills in the process.
• Boosts Self-Esteem and Confidence: Creating and performing their own pieces gives kids a sense of accomplishment. This process helps them overcome shyness, builds their self-esteem, and instills a sense of pride in their abilities.
• Encourages Empathy and Cultural Awareness: Through devised theatre, kids often explore diverse stories, backgrounds, and experiences. This exposure helps them develop empathy, broadens their horizons, and fosters a deeper understanding of different cultures and lifestyles.

With this handbook you’ll receive:

• 41 detailed, full-proof lesson plans
• Tips on the laying the foundations, including building group dynamics (5 lesson plans)
• Three “processes” for devising, each targeted toward a specific age group, including:
  • Ages 8-11: Devising from a story (10 lesson plans)
  • Ages 11-14: Devising a thematic montage play (12 lesson plans)
  • Ages 12 and up: Devising a character-based play (9 lesson plans)
• Tips on rehearsal and performance (6 lesson plans)
• 16 printable worksheets to aid the lessons

A note from the author

“This book was written to provide practical processes for directors newer to devising who are working with performers aged 8-16. Although there is literature available on devising theatre with older teens and adults, there are few books published that provide step-by-step processes for younger actors.

In my experience, I found my initial devising experiences to be terrifying! In graduate school, I had acquired knowledge and strategies on how to facilitate devising with older actors. However, I lacked clear frameworks and strategies that would realistically work for less experienced devisers. In my opinion, young devisers, as well as directors newer to devising, benefit from more structure. For example, with cooking, first, you learn to make a dish by following a recipe. Then once you’ve done that, you have an understanding of how things work, and you are in a position to play with the ingredients to create your own flavors. To allow you to focus on implementation, I have laid out three processes in a step-by-step format. Just like the actors, you will get on your feet, try out techniques, and learn as you go! Although there is no one correct way to devise theater with actors, my hope is that you will use these processes, tips, and supporting materials as starting places to ultimately empower your own confidence, creativity, and intuition.”

 – Tilly Lorence, Arts Educator & Author

A Resource You Can Trust

Since 2011 Beat by Beat books on teaching theatre have sold over 200,000 copies. Beat by Beat Press is the leader in providing today’s best resources for theatre educators. Our website attracts over 450,000 visits a month by teachers just like you seeking high-quality materials to use in the classroom. Our materials have been used in performance spaces and classrooms in over 75 countries and translated into 5 languages. You can feel confident that the materials you receive are top-notch.