Tableau

Use this lesson plan with students who have some background in tableau. Students will apply the tableau form to a nonlinear framework to communicate an emotion, to visualize a word, and to illuminate an issue.

Use this lesson plan to introduce to students the act of making a tableau and apply tableau work in groups. Students will start by examining the story of a photo and discussing how they could make that photo three dimensional. They are taught the three elements that make an effective tableau, the different spaces and shapes to use in a tableau picture, and how a group must work together. After exploring tableau through exercises, groups are given a tableau assignment to apply what they have learned.

Students will understand the use of the tableau as a theatrical device (to make a powerful statement). Students will learn to cooperate as they create both on-the-spot and semi-planned improvisations. In groups, students create a movie poster tableau for an “original movie.” After all the groups have had their turn, each group prepares and performs a scene from their movie.

For students to learn, demonstrate, and appreciate the use of positive and negative space onstage as they work towards constructing their own Tableaux. Students learn the concept of Positive Space (the space occupied by a performer) and Negative Space (the unoccupied space). They explore the use of positive and negative space when creating a collaborative image on stage.