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Setting the Stage forSocial Success

presented by

Cindy Schneider

www.actingantics.org

A Brief History

» Cindy’s background

» Autism & Theatre…making theconnection

» Growing the program

» Reaching out to other geographicregions

Movin & Groovin’

» Focused less on abstractlanguage skills

» Age appropriate movementbased theater and music activities

» Skills include following directions,learning patterns, motor skills,group behaviors, greetings,etc.

Actors in Action

» Focused less on abstractlanguage skills

» Teen appropriate movementbased theater & music activities

» Skills include following directions,learning patterns, motor skills,collaboration in a group, taking arisk, building confidence

Inclusive Musical Theater

» Youngsters/teens with social needsperform with ‘typical’ peers

» Focus is on all aspects of putting on amusical production

» Group work, collaboration

» Actors work on scenery, make propsetc.

» Culminates in performance

Acting Antics» Geared to youth/teens with average

to above average IQ

» Focuses on building self-esteem &social cognition

» Builds ability to read non-verbal cues,abstract language, read context etc.

» Involves theater games, improvisation,scene work

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» Executive Function

» Sensory Processing

» Social Emotional Regulation

Neurological Differences Executive Functioning

» Set Goals» Plan» Sequence» Prioritize» Organize» Initiate

» Inhibit» Pace» Shift» Self-monitor» Emotional Control» Complete

Sensory Differences

» Receive sensory information andprocess it differently

» Hyper or Hypo-sensitive (seeker oravoider)

» Can trigger significant reactions orwithdrawal

» Can have a great deal of troublefocusing due to unmet sensory needs

Social / EmotionalRegulation Difficulties

» Impulsivity» Difficulty anticipating

consequences of own behavior» Trouble “filtering” responses» Difficulty keeping body in check

Theory of Mind Impairment

» Difficulty predicting others’ behavior

» Difficulty in explaining own behavior.

» Difficulty understanding emotions

» Difficulty understanding theperspective of others

» Lack of understanding of socialinteraction

BLAH… BLAH… BLAH…

20-40% of thetotal message

is related to thespecific words said

60-80% of the total message relates to what we do with our body

when communicating

Adapted from M. Winner 2002

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Social Impact ofTheory of Mind Impairment

» Difficulty with ‘appropriate’ emotionalresponsiveness

» Difficulties with conversationalinteractions

» Inaccurate reading of contextualand/or non-verbal cues

» Difficulty sustaining peer interactions

» Disproportionate focus on own interests

Why Theatre?» Recreational activity

» Conducive to teaching socialcues and interpretation

» Interacting is an integral part ofacting

» It’s fun!

» It’s not called Social Skills!!

Components of being anaudience

» Reading body language

» Reading facial expressions

» Interpreting vocal tone, volume

» Understanding the content andcontext of the situation

Components of beingan actor

» Using appropriate body language

» Using appropriate facial expression

» Modulating vocal tone and volume

» Portraying meaning and context

From here on. . .

» Body Language

» Facial Expression

» Vocal Tone andModulation

BIG 3 =

Rules of Acting

» Never hurt another actor Physically Feelings

» Listen to the director

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“Name game”

» Circle formation» One actor claps across to peer

using all messages and saying name» Peer then does the same to a new

peer» Continue as quickly as possible

Skills in the Name Game

» Ice Breaker» Successful first group activity» Giving non-verbal messages» Get to know names/peers» Processing time» Motor planning» Focus» Variations?

“The Power”

» Pass clap around circle in onedirection

» The person who has “the power”gets to change direction

» Eventually multiple people have“the power”

Skills in “The Power”

» Works on focus and attention» Must pick up body cues for where

the clap is going» Promotes the ability to “shift”» Repetition increases the ability to

shift quickly

Bamboozle

» Circle or line» Director gives a feeling word to

actor» Actors use body language, facial

expression, vocal tone to expressemotion

» Say BAMBOOZLE using that emotion

Skills in Bamboozle

» Begin to work on the “BIG 3”» Can scaffold easily to levels of

actor» Build confidence

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“Sell Your Partner”

» Demonstrate or have actordemonstrate how a “used carsalesman” might sell a commonobject

» Model exaggerated “salesman”vocal qualities

» Partners: graphic organizer

» Partners interview one anotherabout skills, preferences,strengths

» Partners practice salesman pitch:why should WE want that personin our lives?

» Used car salesperson persona?

“Sell Your Partner”

» Actors regroup to audiencepositions

» Person who is “product” sits inchair as “salesperson” gives thepitch

» Then switch roles

» Each team takes their turn

Skills in “Sell Your Partner

» Getting to know peers

» Recognizing the interests of others

» Risk taking-performing without ascript

» Encourages creative thinking

» Self esteem builder

“Flexible Phrases”

» Assign partners in the group

» Give each pair receives a commonphrase

» Pairs decide on 2 or more ways to saythat phrase to bring different meaning tothe phrase.

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Skills in “Flexible Phrases”

» Collaboration with partner

» Interpreting a phrase-multipleword meanings, etc.

» Using the BIG 3

Sample Phrases

» “I didn’t mean it.”

» “Will you come here”

» “Come over here.”

» “I didn’t do it”

» “You better go.”

Two Phrases

» One person is the “pivot person” -controls the scene

» Two actors on the sides are eachgiven two phrases - that’s all theycan say

» Suggestion of a workplace iselicited from the audience

Skills in Two phrases

» Multiple meanings of words andphrases

» Using “Big Three”

» Acting and reacting to anotherperson

» Increasing flexibility

Open Scenes

» Combination of commonphrases

» Can be interpreted more thanone way

» Extension of flexible phrasesactivity

Open Scene 2

So sorry.Maria

Just a little.Sandy

Oh, was I in your way?Maria

Excuse me.Sandy

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Open Scene 1

Yeah, right.Andy

Why, you want to getsome, too?

Chris

Yeah, well I like thosesneakers. Where’d youget them?

Andy

Hey, cool shirtChris

Scenes from a Hat

» Pair given a common scenariowith a minor conflict

» Actors create dialogue on thespot, reacting to one another

» Must come to some resolution/ending

Skills in “Scenes From A Hat”

» Working with a partner» Being attentive to partner» Using verbal and non-verbal

communication» REACTING to verbal AND non-verbal

communication of partner» Analyzing outcomes of

communication

“Blah Blah”» More abstract version of “Scenes

from a Hat”» Pair given a common scenario with

conflict» Only verbalization allowed is “Blah,

Blah”» Two characters have “Blah Blah”

conversation about conflict» Must come to some ending

Skills in “Blah Blah”

» Portray meaning without words, withnon-verbals

» Read meaning without words , withnon-verbals

» Conflict resolution

» Reinforce concept that one person’saction causes a reaction

Migration» Group sitting in circle

» One less chair that participants

» Person standing asks YES/NO question: Are you wearing…?

Do you like……?

Have you ever….?

» If participant’s answer is Yes, they move tonew chair

» Person left standing asks next question

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Skills in Migration

» Focus/attention/listening

» Perspective of peers

» Must have answer immed.-no time to overanalyze

» Formation of yes/no questions

» Strategies, use of humor, etc.

Props» Provide a common object

» Pantomimes using is as somethingother than its intended purpose

» Tries to give audience as much non-verbal info as possible

» Audience members raise hand ifthey can guess what object issupposed to be

Skills in “Props”

» Using imagination

» Taking a risk

» Using non-verbal communication

» Theory of mind practice: figuringout the audience’s perspective

Infomercial

» Start with “Props” game

» Build up to this game gradually

» Use 4 or 5 props

» Team of 3 or 4 actors

» Work together to improv sellinggroup of props as a kit, for example:

Sample “kits”

» Prevent hair loss kit

» Insect repellent kit

» Halitosis prevention kit

» Fire prevention kit

» No more zits kit

Skills in Infomercial

» Creative thinking

» Teamwork

» Flexibility

» Reciprocity

» ‘Closing’ statements

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Slow News Day» Group of 3-5 actors

» They are assigned a common object,food, etc.

» Group decides who will play the differentreporters

» Create weather, sports, news, trafficstories with this item as the focus

» Can be very whimsical, nonsensical

Skills in Slow News

» Cooperative group work with a structure

» Compromise and negotiation

» Creativity

» Maintaining a topic

» Sharing the “spotlight”

Taxi Driver

» Four chairs set up-2 front and 2 back

» New person comes up to car as“driver” with a specific persona

» Other members in car must emulatethat same persona

» Director yells “switch” and actorsrotate and new driver comes in withnew persona

Comments about Taxi

» Rehearse rotation scheme

» Brainstorm different characters

» Difficult for some actors especiallythose who are less confident tocome up with a character

» Option to choose frombrainstorming list

Skills in Taxi» Motor planning

» Attending to fellow actors andemulating a persona

» “Shifting”- quickly

» Creative thinking

» Increasing confidence so that one iswilling to ‘take a risk’

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Examples» Bank Robber

» Elderlywoman/man

» Cool dude

» Cowboy

» Movie Star

» Politician

» Robot

» Firefighter

» S-L-O-W talker

» Sports announcer

The Final WordTheatre can offer youngsters:

» Opportunity to develop a leisure timeactivity that they enjoy

» Build Self-esteem» Make friends» Work on social and pragmatic issues» Have fun!!!

What more could we ask?!

Cindy’s book is available at Jessica KingsleyPublishers www.JKP.com as well as at

Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

Cindy’s contact info:

cindy@actingantics.org

Website:

www.actingantics.org