Putting on a Class Production Part 5: Post-Show Reflection

This is the fifth part of a five-part class production series. Check out Part 1: What to Produce?, Part 2: Who Does What?,Part 3: Casting and Part 4: Problem-Solving.

Putting on a class production is challenging, but rewarding. Once the curtain has closed on your production, your class isn’t done yet. First comes cleanup (your students wouldn’t dream of leaving the theatre a mess, would they?), and then reflection. Reflecting on the process is important because it gives students the chance to think about how far they’ve come, what they’ve learned, and what they have accomplished. Students can go back over their successes and failures, and use the lessons they learned in their future classes, productions, and lives outside the drama classroom.

The following questions can be used for your students as an in-depth reflection assignment, or split up to use as reflections/exit slips throughout the entire process. Feel free to rearrange or omit questions as applicable.

Look back at the process of selecting what to produce.

• Were you satisfied with the production that was chosen? Why or why not?
• What was the reasoning behind the final selection? In other words, why was the piece your class produced chosen?
• Did you think the selection process was fair? Did everyone get an opportunity to contribute? Why or why not?
• What do you think was your greatest contribution to the production selection process? If you think you did not contribute effectively, how could you improve in the future?
  

Look back at the offstage role decision-making and production process.

• How were offstage roles assigned? What method was used?
• What offstage role were you responsible for? How effective were you in your role?
• Did you enjoy your offstage role? Why or why not? 
• If you had the opportunity to try another offstage role, what position would you try and why?
• What was your greatest success in your offstage role?
• What was the most significant thing you learned from completing your offstage role?
  

Look back at the casting process.

• What method of casting did your class employ for this production? Auditions, cold readings, “dream casting,” or another method? Was this an effective method of casting for your production? Why or why not?
• Were you satisfied with the casting process? Why or why not? What would you have done differently?
• Were you satisfied with the role you were cast in? Why or why not? What role would you have preferred to play? Why?
• How did your onstage role affect the backstage role you were responsible for? Or, how did the backstage role you were responsible for affect your onstage role? Would you change anything, and if so, what?
  

Look back at the rehearsal process.

• Was rehearsal time used effectively? Why or why not?
• What problems (if any) occurred? Describe a problem that occurred, from your perspective. How did the problem affect you?
• How was the problem solved? Were you involved in the solving? Was the solution effective? Why or why not?
• How could the problem have been solved in a different way? How would that have affected the production?

Look back at the process of creating your class production as a whole.

• What worked? What didn’t work?
• What was the best part of the process? Why?
• What was the most challenging part of the process? Why?
• How did your class work well together?
• What do you think was your greatest contribution to the production process?
• What would you do differently if you had the opportunity to re-do a portion of the project?
• Finally, if you had to rate the process on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), what would you rate it? Explain your answer.