FivebyFive
Legacy Member
- Joined
- May 2, 2014
- Messages
- 16
One of my favorite things to do with kids, especially theater students and even adult learners in theater is to play a devious trick on them to teach them what actors call, "The Illusion of the First Time." It's not just for actors, however, it's a great observational exercise for everyone.
Grab a group of students and have them leave the room while the other half of the class observes. Then tell them before they enter they will be asked to count something in the room. They can be asked to count ceiling tiles, how many times they see the color red, etc. Then ask them each how many items they counted.
The answer isn't important. Do not give them one.
Ask them to leave the room again and return, then ask them the exact same question.
Now do it a third time.
Afterwards explain a bit about acting. On the stage we need to pretend that everything that we're doing, no matter how many times we've read something, no matter how many times we've performed something needs to look as if we'd done it the first time.
Finally have them to it a fourth time and this time warn them to act as if it's the first time they're doing it.
Grab a group of students and have them leave the room while the other half of the class observes. Then tell them before they enter they will be asked to count something in the room. They can be asked to count ceiling tiles, how many times they see the color red, etc. Then ask them each how many items they counted.
The answer isn't important. Do not give them one.
Ask them to leave the room again and return, then ask them the exact same question.
Now do it a third time.
Afterwards explain a bit about acting. On the stage we need to pretend that everything that we're doing, no matter how many times we've read something, no matter how many times we've performed something needs to look as if we'd done it the first time.
Finally have them to it a fourth time and this time warn them to act as if it's the first time they're doing it.