Episode Three: Tableaux And Thought-tracking

By Author: Ray Allen
Total Articles: 24
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Now that the group has created a character, they must create the context in deeper detail. To this point, the students have not yet assumed roles; they have not yet fully entered the dramatic elsewhere as someone other than themselves. These next activities allow for the creation of character in a low-focus, nonthreatening group activity. The students need merely create an image and one line of dialogue each.

Tableaux/"Museum Walk": Participants split into groups of three or four to form still images/ snapshots/tableaux of moments of difficulty or challenge in the protagonist's life. Each group provides a caption for Breitling Replica the image as well. Each group in turn then displays their image and the others walk about discussing what they see. The facilitator highlights various aspects.

Thought-Tracking: Groups return to their still images. As the facilitator taps each person on the shoulder, they must verbalize what thought is going through their character's mind at that moment in that image. Facilitator may repeat thoughts or juxtapose ...
... thoughts for dramatic effect.

One image, created by the Pennsylvania high school students, lingers with me. In this tableau, the group of five created an image in which the protagonist, "Jerry," was being harassed by a group of other students in the hallway. The image, though unfortunately easily recognizable from the real-world experiences of the students, when examined closely yielded a richer understanding of the social dynamic. The group captured a moment just before potential violence, with "Jerry" being shoved. Another student, playing a teacher or administrator, had chosen a physical posture in which her back was to the action, but her head turned just slightly enough that it was clear that she could hear the confrontation. "Sometimes even the teachers have problems with the gay kids," William said as we reflected on this image. When asked what he meant, the tenth-grade student from New York stated that the level of prejudice against LGBT youth is more prevalent and even more socially acceptable than racial or gender bias. "It seems like its one area where adults can be just as bad as us kids."

Tableaux and image work are popular and versatile drama techniques that have multiple applications in the classroom. As often as these activities are used, students and teachers alike may tend toward more superficial explorations. It is up to the facilitator to carefully investigate the small details of each image. Each physical detail can be called to task. In process work, the facilitator may work effectively with such details to promote more critical investigation. In one class, during the tableau creation, students portrayed moments of a group taunting the outcast figure. I focused in on the hand position and direction of gaze of one of the taunters. It was slightly less threatening than the others in the image and she was looking slightly at the "leader" rather than the victim. The resulting investigation of those details led to a group revelation Tag Heuer Replica Watches about the nature of social pressures in high school settings. Kelly noted, "Sometimes we go along with saying something even when we're not comfortable with it, or else somebody might accuse us of being gay as well." The detail provided a moment of reflection and eventual transformation. Attention to such details permits more of a class construction of meaning rather than a trying to guess what the right answer is or attempting to divine the group's intention.