Harriet Tubman Virtual Residency: Pre-Performance Part 1

Join Christina Farrell in this virtual residency accompanying the performance of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

Episode Focus Questions: How do we tell stories? What unique tools do theatre artists use to tell compelling stories?

Overview: Stories must be important if we find so many different ways to tell them! During this video lesson, students will consider all the ways that we tell stories - then consider the unique tools that theatre artists use. By looking for evidence in a production photo, students will identify how body language, lighting, costumes, and set design all contribute to storytelling.

Students will: 

• Brainstorm a list to answer the question: How many ways are there to tell someone’s story?
• Write observations of a production photo to describe the setting, mood and character’s emotions.
• Select three words from their photo observations to create a one-sentence story that describes what they think might be happening in the scene. Students are encouraged to speak their sentence aloud and use facial expression to enhance the mood and meaning of their one sentence story.

Extension Ideas: 

• Students may perform or record their one-sentence stories and share with the class.
• Work in small groups to combine the one-sentence stories into a paragraph describing the scene.