Center Stage Projects in Theatre Arts

Grades 6–8
Fun, collaborative activities get students out of their seats and learning by doing
Center Stage: Projects in Theatre Arts does the legwork for busy teachers, pulling together, in one resource, a flexible collection of stimulating activities grounded in the latest standards.
Divided into two parts, Part I focuses on creative drama processes with an emphasis on improvisation. Part II focuses on formal theatre as well as oral interpretation, storytelling, and theatre in the digital age.
Each part opens with a Curtain Raiser that provides an overview and warmup activities to prepare students for the activities that follow. Each chapter features one major project plus many additional suggestions for further work. Everything the student needs to know for preparing and presenting the activity is given in easy-to-follow steps.
The consistent chapter structure makes Center Stage easy to teach and sets a routine for the teacher and students. Each chapter previews the content in the chapter and introduces key words and guiding questions with ready-made activities.
Learn by Doing
Fun, collaborative activities get middle school students out of their seats and learning by doing. The activities are presented to align with theatre standards throughout the country, focusing on five essential categories:
- Create
- Perform
- Respond
- Evaluate & Reflect
- Connect
Focused Instruction in Two Parts
Grades 6-12


- Developed specifically for the needs of grades 6-12 intensive or developmental reading courses.
- Built on Learning Science and Best Practices for effective teaching.
- Address the diverse learning needs of adolescent striving readers.
- Level up learning with data-driven insights.
Teachers can cover the essential content and do it expeditiously—to get the students on their feet and practicing what they’ve learned.
Part I: Creative Drama Process
Topics include improvisation, observation, and pantomime.
Part II: Theatre Production
Topics include production, rehearsals, staging, and using technology.
Curtain Raiser introduces Parts I and II, setting the stage for learning by introducing key concepts to be learned and guidelines for success.
Workshop
The activities stretch students to consider the point of views of others and use theatre to develop empathy.
Teacher Materials
A Teacher Resource includes activity sheets, rubrics, evaluation forms, and unit exams with answer keys.
- General Suggestions for the Drama Teacher
- Drama Across the Curriculum
- Suggestions for Differentiated Instruction
- Parts I & II Teaching Suggestions
- Parts I & II Activity and Evaluation Forms
- A Note on the Scripts
- Audition, Rehearsal, and Stage Crew Script Excerpts
- Theatre Exams and Answer Key