CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ART (CCA)

GRADE 5 CLASS NOTES

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TOPIC: CASTING AND REHEARSAL IN DRAMA

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1. COMPREHENSIVE CORE CONCEPTS

Have you ever wondered how your favorite Nollywood movies or school stage plays are created? How does a writer’s story on a piece of paper transform into an exciting performance where actors speak, move, cry, or make us laugh?

This magic does not happen by accident. It is the result of two very important creative processes in theatre: Casting and Rehearsal. In this lesson, we will explore how actors get their roles, the different types of characters in a play, how actors practice, and the person who guides them all—the Director.

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Concept A: What is Casting?

Imagine you want to cook a delicious pot of Nigerian Egusi soup. You must carefully select the right ingredients: fresh egusi, spinach, beef, stockfish, and palm oil. If you use salt instead of sugar in a cake, or put bitter leaf where you need sweet scent leaf, the food will not taste right.

In drama, Casting is the process of choosing the right actors to play specific characters in a play, movie, or television show.

[ Play Script ] ──( Audition Process )──> [ Casting: Matching Actors to Roles ]

The Director and the Casting Team read the script and list all the characters. They then look at the actors who want to perform and decide who fits each role best based on:

• Physical appearance (does the actor look like the character? e.g., a tall, majestic actor to play an Oba or King).
• Voice and tone (does the actor sound like the character? e.g., a soft, gentle voice for a kind mother, or a booming voice for a village warrior).
• Acting ability (can the actor show the emotions of the character, like sadness, joy, or anger?).
• Age and chemistry (how well do the actors work together on stage?).

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Concept B: The Audition Process

Before an actor is selected (cast) for a role, they must go through an Audition. An audition is like a job interview for actors. It is an opportunity for actors to show the director what they can do.

Figure 1: Actors showcasing their skills during a performance assessment.

The audition process usually follows three main steps:

Step 1: Preparation (The Call-out and Script Study)

The director announces that they are looking for actors (an audition call). Actors are given a monologue (a long speech by one person) or a side (a short portion of the script) to study. The actor practices this piece at home, learning the lines and thinking about how the character should move and feel.

Step 2: The Presentation (The Audition Room)

The actor enters the audition room to perform in front of the director, producer, and casting director.

• Cold Reading: Sometimes, directors give actors a script they have never seen before and ask them to read it immediately. This tests how fast an actor can think on their feet and understand a character.
• Improvisation: The director might ask the actor to act out a scene without a script, making up words and actions on the spot (e.g., "Pretend you just found a hidden treasure chest under your bed!").

Step 3: The Callback

If the director likes an actor’s performance but wants to see how they interact with other actors or if they can take direction, they invite them back for a second audition called a Callback. After the callbacks, the final casting decisions are made, and the list of actors and their roles is published.

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Concept C: Types of Roles in a Play

Not all characters in a play have the same amount of work or importance. Just like a football team has strikers, midfielders, defenders, and a goalkeeper, a play has different types of roles that work together to tell a complete story.

                  ┌────────────────────────┐
                  │   TYPES OF ROLES       │
                  └───────────┬────────────┘
         ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
         ▼                    ▼                    ▼
   Protagonist           Antagonist            Supporting
  (The Hero/Lead)    (The Villain/Opposer)    (Helper Roles)

1. The Protagonist (Lead Role)

The protagonist is the main character or the "hero/heroine" of the story. The entire plot revolves around this character. They usually face a big problem that they must solve.

• Example: In the story of Moremi Ajasoro, Moremi is the protagonist who risks her life to save her people from invaders.
• Characteristics: They have the most lines to memorize, appear in most scenes, and have the deepest emotional journey.

2. The Antagonist (The Villain)

The antagonist is the person, group of people, or force that stands in the way of the protagonist. They cause conflict and try to stop the protagonist from achieving their goals.

• Example: In a story about an honest schoolboy named Chidi who wants to win the school spelling bee, the antagonist might be a cheating classmate who tries to steal the spelling questions.
• Characteristics: They create tension, drama, and excitement in the play. Without an antagonist, there is no conflict, and without conflict, a story is boring!

3. Supporting Roles (Minor Roles)

Supporting actors play characters that help advance the story. They are friends, parents, teachers, or helpers to the protagonist or antagonist.

• Example: The schoolteacher who encourages Chidi to study, or Chidi’s mother who cooks for him while he prepares.
• Characteristics: They have fewer lines than the main characters, but their roles are very important because they explain more about the main characters' lives.

4. Extras (Background Roles)

Extras are actors who do not have speaking lines but are needed to make a scene look realistic.

• Example: People walking in a busy market square, students sitting in a classroom, or villagers dancing at a king's coronation.
• Characteristics: They must be excellent silent actors, using body language to match the mood of the scene without distracting the audience from the main actors.

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Concept D: The Rehearsal Process and Its Types

Once the play is cast, the next phase is Rehearsal. Rehearsal is the organized practice sessions where actors and the crew prepare the play for performance. It is not just about memorizing lines; it is about building the world of the play.

Figure 2: A group of performers practicing their lines and expressions during a table read.

A professional play goes through four main types of rehearsals in this exact order:

1. Reading Rehearsal  ──>  2. Blocking Rehearsal  ──>  3. Technical Rehearsal  ──>  4. Dress Rehearsal

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Concept E: The Director’s Role in Rehearsal

If a play were a ship, the Director would be the Captain. The director is the creative leader who guides the actors and crew to bring the script to life.

During rehearsals, the director wears many hats:

• The Visionary: The director decides the "concept" of the play. For example, they might decide to set a traditional folk tale in a modern, futuristic Nigerian city.
• The Coach: The director guides the actors' performances. They help actors understand why their characters feel angry, sad, or happy, and give suggestions on how to express those feelings better.
• The Coordinator: The director works with the set designer, costume designer, and lighting crew to make sure everything matches the style of the show.
• The Quality Controller: During rehearsals, the director sits in the audience seats, watches the movements, listens to the sound, and takes notes. At the end of every rehearsal, the director gives feedback (called "notes") to help everyone improve before the opening night.

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2. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES

To see how casting and rehearsals affect us, let's explore three practical scenarios you might experience in your school, home, or community.

Scenario A: The School Cultural Day Drama

Every year, your school celebrates Cultural Day. Your class is asked to perform a drama about how three different Nigerian ethnic groups (Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa) lived in peace and traded together.

• The Casting: Your teacher holds auditions. Emeka, who is very energetic and speaks Igbo fluently, is cast as the Igbo trader. Amina, who has a calm and persuasive voice, is cast as the Hausa merchant. Tolani, who is expressive and friendly, is cast as the Yoruba market leader. This is perfect casting because their natural strengths match their roles.
• The Rehearsal: In the first week, you sit in a circle on classroom chairs for a Reading Rehearsal to understand the history. By week two, you are up on your feet for Blocking Rehearsals, learning how to walk around the classroom "market stalls." By the final week, during the Dress Rehearsal, everyone wears their traditional native attire (agbada, isiagu, and kaftan) to practice moving in heavy clothes.

Scenario B: Solving a Family Chore Dispute at Home

You and your siblings are always arguing about who should wash the dishes and who should sweep the living room.

• To solve this, your mother acts as a Director. She sits you down for a meeting (similar to a Table Read) to discuss the problem.
• She then "casts" you into roles based on your age and strengths: your older brother (who is tall and strong) is cast as the water-fetcher/sweeper, while you (who are detail-oriented) are cast as the plate-washer and organizer.
• You practice this routine for a week (Rehearsal) until it becomes a smooth, daily habit without any arguments.

Scenario C: The Community Health Awareness Campaign

A local health center wants to teach villagers how to prevent malaria. They decide to use a short street drama.

• They cast a well-known, funny community youth as "Mosquito" (the Antagonist) and a respected health worker as "Dr. Clean" (the Protagonist).
• Through a series of active outdoor rehearsals, they block the movements so that everyone in the village square can see the actions clearly. Because of this careful preparation, the drama is a huge success, and the community learns to keep their drains clean.

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3. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES

Let us put this knowledge into action! Here is how you can set up a mini-audition right inside your classroom or study group.

Guide: Setting Up a Classroom Audition

Objective: Learn how to run a fair, structured audition process for a short 1-minute scene.

[ Step 1: Prep Script ] ──> [ Step 2: Set Stage ] ──> [ Step 3: Run Auditions ] ──> [ Step 4: Cast Roles ]

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Step 1: Write a Short "Audition Side" (The Script) Write a simple three-line conversation on the board. For example:

   • Character A (Excited child): "Look! Up in the sky! It’s a shooting star!"
   • Character B (Wise grandparent): "Make a wish quickly, my child, before its light fades away."
   • Character A (Excited child): "I wish our school wins the football championship tomorrow!"

2. Step 2: Set Up the "Audition Room"

   • Arrange three desks at the front of the classroom for the Audition Panel (The Director, Assistant Director, and Timekeeper).
   • Set up an open space in front of the desks as the Audition Stage.
   • Create a waiting area outside the classroom or at the back of the room for actors who are waiting for their turn.

3. Step 3: Conduct the Auditions

   • Call up students one by one or in pairs.
   • The Audition Panel's Job: Watch how the students read the lines.
     • Are they speaking clearly and loudly?
     • Are they showing excitement with their faces and bodies?
     • Can they change their voice to sound like a young child or a wise, old grandparent?

4. Step 4: The Casting Committee Decision

   • The panel meets privately to discuss the actors' strengths.
   • Write down the final casting sheet on a paper and pin it to the class notice board:
     • Role of Character A (The Child): [Student’s Name]
     • Role of Character B (The Grandparent): [Student’s Name]

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4. SUGGESTED HOME PROJECTS (PROJECT-BASED LEARNING)

Project Title: "Living Room Theatre" — Directing a Family Folk Tale

Objective: Act as the Director to cast, rehearse, and stage a 3-minute family play at home based on a popular moral story (e.g., Why the Tortoise Has a Broken Shell).

                      ┌────────────────────────┐
                      │   HOME THEATRE STEPS   │
                      └───────────┬────────────┘
         ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
         ▼                    ▼                    ▼
   1. Choose Story       2. Cast Family       3. Run Rehearsals
   Find a simple tale.  Assign parent/sibling. Table, Block, Dress.

Materials Needed:

• A storybook or a self-written short script (1-2 pages).
• Pencil and paper (to write down roles and director notes).
• Everyday household items:
  • Colorful wrappers (Ankara/Lappa) for costumes.
  • A plastic bowl (to represent a tortoise shell).
  • A spoon or small stick (to serve as an Oba’s scepter).
• A smartphone camera (optional, to record your play).

Step-by-Step Procedure:

• Day 1: Writing and Casting Write down your short script. Gather your family members (parents, siblings, or cousins). Read the story to them.

  • Cast the Roles: Cast the funniest sibling as the Tortoise (Protagonist/Trickster), your parent or elder sibling as the Oba of the Birds (Antagonist/Supporting), and yourself as the Narrator/Director.

• Day 2: The Reading and Blocking Rehearsal

  • Sit your family members on the couch for a Table Read. Make sure everyone knows their lines.
  • Stand up and do a Blocking Rehearsal in your living room. Decide where the Tortoise stands when he is begging the birds for feathers, and where the birds will sit on the chairs (representing clouds in the sky).

• Day 3: The Technical and Dress Rehearsal

  • Bring out your props. Tie the Ankara wrappers around the "birds" as wings. Place the plastic bowl on the Tortoise's back.
  • Do a full run-through of the play. If you have a smartphone, set it up on a table to record the rehearsal so you can watch and see where to improve.

• Day 4: The Performance Perform your living room play for your family or record it to show your Cultural and Creative Arts teacher at school!

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5. LIFE SKILLS INTEGRATION & CAREER CONNECTIONS

Learning about casting and rehearsals is not just for people who want to work in theatres. It teaches us essential life lessons that help us grow into successful individuals.

Life Skills Learned from Drama:

  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │                        LIFE SKILLS                          │
  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  │ 🤝 Empathy: Stepping into other characters' shoes.          │
  │ 🗣️ Public Speaking: Projecting voice and building confidence.│
  │ 👥 Teamwork: Coordinating movements and timing with others. │
  │ 🧠 Active Listening: Reacting naturally to what others say. │
  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

• Empathy: When you act, you must "step into another person's shoes" (be a protagonist or antagonist) and try to understand why they feel the way they do. This helps you become a kinder friend who understands other people's feelings in real life.
• Public Speaking and Confidence: Performing in front of classmates during auditions helps you overcome stage fright. This confidence makes it easy for you to stand up and speak in public, present school projects, or share your ideas in a room full of people.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: A play cannot succeed if only the lead actor does a good job. Everyone, including the background extras and tech crew, must work together. This teaches you how to cooperate with classmates on group projects.
• Active Listening: Good actors don't just wait for their turn to speak; they listen closely and react naturally to what the other actor is saying. This makes you an excellent communicator in daily life.

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Career Connections:

                  ┌────────────────────────┐
                  │   CAREERS IN THEATRE   │
                  └───────────┬────────────┘
         ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
         ▼                    ▼                    ▼
   The Director        Casting Director       Stage Manager
  Creative lead of      Finds the perfect      Coordinates lights,
   the production.       talent for roles.      sound, and cues.

• The Director: The creative lead of a movie, play, or television show. They coordinate the actors, camera crews, and designers to make a movie successful.
• The Casting Director: A specialized professional whose sole job is to audition thousands of actors and find the perfect match for every role in a project.
• The Stage Manager: The director's right-hand person. They coordinate the technical crew, write down all the blocking details during rehearsal, and run the show backstage during live performances.
• The Talent Agent: A business professional who discovers talented kids and adults, represents them, and sends them to auditions for advertisements, voice-overs, movies, and plays.

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6. ASSESSMENT THROUGH APPLICATION & REFLECTION

Test your understanding of the lesson by completing these practical tasks and answering the reflection questions.

Performance Assessment Tasks:

Choose one of the options below to show what you have learned:

• Option A (The Director's Challenge): Look at your classroom or family. Write a short casting paragraph explaining which of your friends or family members you would cast as a King, a Soldier, and a Clever Detective. Explain why their voice, physical traits, or personality make them perfect for each role.
• Option B (The Rehearsal Diary): Create a colorful timeline poster showing the four stages of the rehearsal process (Reading -> Blocking -> Technical -> Dress). Draw a small icon or picture for each stage and write one sentence explaining what happens in that stage.

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Student Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think a play needs an Antagonist? What would happen to a story if the hero (Protagonist) had no challenges or opponents at all?
2. If you were a Director, how would you handle an actor who keeps forgetting their lines during a Dress Rehearsal just one day before the show?
3. During auditions, why is "Cold Reading" (reading a script for the very first time on the spot) an important test for an actor's skill?
4. How can practicing a Table Read (Reading Rehearsal) in drama help you when you are preparing for a group presentation in other subjects like Basic Science or Social Studies?