Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors

What a fun read! This creative and informative book lays out, step by step, what you need to engage yourself and others in the wonderful journey of drama. Whether you’re experienced or just starting out, Chuck Neighbors writes in such a warm and friendly way that it feels like you’re sitting down with a friend. He’s really done the prep work for you - which allows you to enjoy the process. And I love that there’s handouts you can use too! Highly recommend!

After reading DRAMA WORKSHOP, I find that I am so much less frightened about "teaching drama to beginning actors" which is exactly the subtitle of this book! I definitely have experience teaching acting, but this is the first time I've taught beginning actors who also happen to be teenagers. Of all my experience in the theatre, I've been the actor the longest. It is through those eyes I judge a book by its cover--in this case: does the book remind me of my beginning acting education, which I consider to have been really excellent? In this case, the answer is YES. Mr. Neighbor's book begins with exercises teaching actors that acting means the verb, "to act"--thus, ACTors. Then, it graduates into acting and relating with other ACTors. Soon, he adds words to the actions, thus, begins the journey to a script. This may all sound too elementary, however, actors need to learn the very beginning or they never learn to truly relate to and listen to their partners on a stage! I remember coming to my first formal acting school (where I believe I learned the basis of a comprehensive acting education) and learning a lot of what is in included in DRAMA WORKSHOP. Each chapter builds on the last one: the actor needs to rid him/herself of inhibition before moving on to words, eye focus, vocal projection etc. All along the way teachers/directors receive suggestions from Mr. Neighbors of how to effectively "side coach" and how to include consistent debriefing along the way. I love this book! I will keep it close by and use it while teaching my beginning teenagers preliminary steps in learning their craft. Some may be serious about acting and some may be doing it just for fun. Either way, I hope their class/workshop will be a positive experience for them and by actually using the help that's available in this wonderful resource book, I can rest assured it will be. Thank you again to the author! Catherine Greitzer Dramatic Arts Instructor

I found this book to be a great resource for not only both directors and actors but also anyone that just wants to improve their public skills. It explains stage direction, audience communication, and acting techniques in plain simple English with exercises that are engaging and memorable. With this book one can't help but learn while having great fun. Directors will find this book an excellent guide for passing on what they have learned and actors will find it a great refresher of what they may already know. I have used these techniques to great effect during many years of working with improv groups, Christian Youth Theater, home school cooperatives, and various conferences.

I have been in drama and creative arts work professionally my whole life, and seen many resources come and go. "Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors" is one of the best books on the subject ever! It is laid out so that whoever is conducting the training can do so easily and confidently, knowing that all aspects of teaching acting will be covered. Each chapter is comprised of "Purpose, Do This, Say This, Side Coach, Tip, and a Debrief with Questions for Discussion." There are valuable handouts of diagrams and worksheets. Even inexperienced teachers could take this book and learn as they are leading their troupe through the exercises. I recommend it wholeheartedly and without reservation.

Even after teaching and directing drama for years, I found this little book to be like a perfect recipe for building a successful drama troupe. It has everything you need to get started - basic information, games, rules of the stage, exercises, and so much more! Even the encouragement and feedback are sprinkled throughout like flavorful spices. It is well thought out, beautifully organized, concise, and comprehensive. What a find!

Thoroughly enjoyed reading Chuck's book. I wish I'd had it when I started a drama group at my church years ago. He writes in a very informal style and doesn't get into a lot of "theatah blah blah" that makes your eyes glaze over. He cuts to the chase and covers all the bases.. (am I mixing sports metaphors?), but anyone who wants to start a drama group - or wants to encourage someone else to start one - or simply wants to find out the basics of acting - will find this book both entertaining and informative. A must read.

I took one of Chuck's workshops many years ago - probably 20 or more. I was creative arts director for my church and needed to expand my ministry to the youth. I'd never taught a drama workshop to beginning actors or teens before. What I learned in Chuck's workshop moved my ministry to the next level. I ended up teaching middle schoolers at Ridgecrest, at our home church, and at drama conferences around the Southeast. I now am the managing director for a Community Theatre, where we have actors from the beginner to the professional in our plays. What I learned fro Chuck through his workshops has enabled me to coach the new actors. I learned how to pull a winning performance from an actor, too. If you are involved with teaching beginning actors, Chuck's book will make your job so much easier! I highly recommend it.

I was hoping to get some solid ideas for lesson plans, and was thoughoughly unsatisfied with the content of this very short book with huge font.

This book is so useful! Chuck gets right to the point, and uses a format that makes it easy to use. I wish I had had a resource like this when I was on the road, leading similar workshops. Reading this book has gotten me all pumped up to go out and doing it again. My one complaint is I read it on my phone and I couldn't figure out how to increase the font. But I'd also like to point out that as I've had to drastically cull my book collection, Chuck's books of plays remain on my shelf.