Director’s Guide to Blocking
Contributing Educator: Karen Kidd
Director’s Guide to Blocking provides theatre educators with practical strategies and creative approaches for bringing a production to life through purposeful stage movement. From introducing foundational blocking terminology and techniques to directing full-length productions, this unit explores how blocking can strengthen storytelling, deepen character development, and build student confidence. Teachers will discover scaffolded activities for beginning through advanced performers, strategies for encouraging student creativity and collaboration, and techniques for refining competition pieces and larger productions. The guide also addresses rehearsal planning, script analysis, integrating technical elements, establishing performance pacing, and gradually transferring ownership of the production to student actors. Reflection tools and cast discussion templates help teachers and students evaluate their work, celebrate growth, and set goals for future performances.
Lesson Plans Included: 6
Materials: Printable resources and director’s checklists for key blocking concepts.
Grade Levels: 6-12
Lesson Plan Topics
- Blocking Basics - Exploring and developing your approach to blocking.
- Blocking in the Classroom - Scaffolded blocking instruction, beginning through advanced classes.
- Blocking Competition Pieces - Utilizing opportunities to explore advanced blocking concepts.
- Blocking the Full Length Production - Creating a vision for the audience’s experience.
- Full Length Production for a Paying Audience - Performance pace, utilizing the set, and releasing control of the show.
- Reflect to Inform Future Work - Documents and cast conversation templates to inform future work and set goals.
