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How to Have
a Great Assembly
Great assemblies start with great audience
skills and an excellent assembly program. We provide the
top quality assembly, and you provide the audience. Our
company performs for over 150,000 audience members every
year, and we see a wide range in how schools teach audience
skills.
Here are some tips we have gathered from
schools where fabulous assemblies take place:
- Practice good assembly behavior at every school gathering.
- On assembly days, have the Assembly Coordinator greet
the performers at their arrival time if possible. This
is a good time to re-confirm the show times, and find
out the performers' needs.
- Inform all staff members of the assembly schedule,
and how recess or lunch schedules may change. Include
teachers, custodians and kitchen staff.
- Let teachers know when they are expected to arrive
at the event. Usually, leaving the classroom five minutes
before the scheduled assembly time works well.
- Have chairs placed at the perimeter of the audience
where teachers can see and monitor their students during
the assembly, including the front row.
- Teachers are role models for good assembly behavior.
Paying attention and responding to the performance lets
children know what's expected of them.
- If a class or an individual arrives late to the assembly,
or must leave during the assembly, sit at the back of
the audience.
- If possible, turn off recess bells, announcements or
other distractions that may disturb the assembly program.
- During the assembly, have a designated staff member
such as the Principal or Assembly Coordinator deal with
any distractions.
Theatre of All Possibilities provides an
introduction to be read by the Principal or a Teacher
before the show. This is a good time to remind the students
of the audience skills you've been working on.
Here is an example:
"Good morning everyone! I really appreciate
how quickly everyone came in and got seated. We have
a very special assembly for you today presented by the
Theatre of All Possibilities. Before we get started,
I want to remind you of how to be a good audience. We
want you to have fun and enjoy the show, and we show
our respect to the performers by not talking to your
neighbor during the show, and staying seated during
the assembly.
Pay close attention and see what you
can learn today. Laugh when it's time to laugh, cry
when it's time to cry (if you're game, you can act these
out), and when you especially like something, clap!
When you give a round of applause, make it a big round
of applause. This is how we thank our performers."
[Here is where you would read the introduction
our company provides.]
Let's welcome Theatre of All Possibilities
with a (your school's name) round of applause!
Theatre of All Possibilities assemblies
end with the actors wrapping up the show. They will
thank the appropriate people, and re-state the theme of
the show. You may choose to step in at this point to tell
the students to look to their teachers for dismissal. If
not, our actors will do so.
We invite your tips on how to have
a great assembly and teaching good audience skills, as well
as tips on upcoming articles listed in the newsletter. Please
email feedback@toap.org
Theatre of All Possibilities www.toap.org
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