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Interviews

Context for this Strategy

Space: 
Room for a Circle
Materials: 

None

Age Group: 
Upper Elementary/Primary
Middle School/Secondary
High School/Secondary
Directions: 

This activity is a great way to help students get to know one another at the beginning of the year. Divide into pairs and choose who is “A” and “1.” “A” will interview “1” for approximately 5 minutes. Questions should be spontaneous and, ideally, responses should not be written down. The goal is to get to know the other person. Switch after 5 minutes. When everyone has been interviewed, gather into a circle and ask each player to introduce their partner to the group.

Reflection: 

Describe: Which did you prefer: interviewing or being interviewed? Why?

Analyze: What new (or surprising) things did you learn about our group?

Relate: What (dramatic or real life) situations might require interviewing?

Possible Side-Coaching: 

“Try to find out what makes your partner truly unique!” “Find at least 3 interesting things you can share about your partner.”

Possible Variations/Applications: 

Ask players to imagine they are introducing their partner on a TV show or in a documentary film. To flesh out a dramatic situation, try interviewing in role (i.e. as detectives and suspects, etc.).

Source Citations: 

Koppett, Kat. Training to Imagine: Practical Improvisational Theatre Techniques to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership, and Learning. Sterling: Stylus Publishing, 2002. Print.
Neelands, Jonothan, and Tony Goode. Structuring Drama Work: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.