Social Issues Improvisation
Alcohol Abuse - "Party Time"
Arizona Essential Standards
Cooperate in an ensemble
to rehearse and present improvisations and scripted scenes involving themselves
as invented characters.
Analyze the emotional and
social impact of performances in their lives and the lives of others.
Materials
Tape player
Music Root beer in bottles Large
blanket Info papers Stickers
Prep
Slips of paper indicate whether
a person is drinking or not, how much, pertinent social information, and
the identity of the driver. For example:
You
are the owner and driver of the truck - drink heavily - your truck
is hard to
handle
and you don't want anyone else to drive it.
You
are the best friend of the driver - drink moderately - you may offer to
drive the truck
because
the driver is your best friend, but don't let anyone else drive it.
You
are a social alcoholic - drink heavily.
This
is the first time you've been asked to hang out with the in-crowd - drink
a little so they
will
accept you
You
just had a fight with your parents - drink heavily.
You
don't usually drink, but you are thirsty and beer is the only beverage
- drink lightly.
You're
parents are heavy drinkers, so you figure it's okay to drink - drink moderately.
You
never drink and are tired of being teased - drink moderately even though
it's way too
much
for you.
Prepare stickers as follows:
a red X means you were killed, a red dot means you were hospitalized, and
a red squiggle means you received minor injury.
Some students will not receive a sticker, these
students were not injured. Set up chairs to act as a truck, dim the
lights, set up the blanket, music, and root beer.
Pass out slips of paper
and ask students to read the information, but not to share it with anyone
else. Explain to students that they are a group of high school students
who have piled into a pick-up truck and driven out to a river party.
They are hanging out, listening to music, and drinking beer.
The Party
Students mingle, dance, drink,
and explore their characters and their relationships within the group.
Fast forward - Explain that
it is late, the party is breaking up, and everyone is piling into the truck
to leave. There will be some discussion within the group as to who
is driving. After the decision is made and they get into the truck,
freeze the class and pass out stickers.
The Meeting
Explain that the students
were in an accident. Ask students to sit in a circle except for the
"dead" students. Have them stand or sit on stools outside the circle
watching over the group.
Teacher in-role as a counselor.
This is a meeting to discuss feelings regarding the events of that night
and the deaths of some of their friends. Tell students you are going
to put empty chairs in various places and that you want them to pretend
that the deceased students are in the seats. Give students the opportunity
to express their feelings to these absent individuals.
Next, put "dead" students
in the center of the circle and ask them to respond to the other students.
Discussion
Social values of the exercise.
Feelings toward characters.
Unexpected reactions.
Designed by S.N.R.
