Theatrical Elements and Personnel: Elements of a Play Production, Theatre Personnel, and Notable Nigerian Theatre Practitioners | Primary 6 (Basic 6) First Term Week 3 Cultural and Creative Arts

THEATRICAL ELEMENTS AND PERSONNEL: ELEMENTS OF A PLAY PRODUCTION, THEATRE PERSONNEL AND NOTABLE NIGERIAN THEATRE PRACTITIONERS 

CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ARTS (CCA)

PRIMARY 6 – FIRST TERM – WEEK 3 

THEME –  ARTS AND CRAFTS 

PREVIOUS LESSON – Rhythmic Pattern: Meaning of Rhythm, Types of Rhythm, and Bass Drum Rhythm of the Nigerian National Anthem | Primary 6 (Basic 6) First Term Week 2 Cultural and Creative Arts

TOPIC – THEATRICAL ELEMENTS AND PERSONNEL 

LEARNING 

1. Introduction

2. Elements of a Play Production

3. Meaning and Importance of Theatre Personnel, and Notable Nigerian Theatre Practitioners

4. Materials used in a Play Production

5. Weekly Assessment: Test Questions and Answers/Assignment

6. Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of a play production.

2. Identify the elements of a play production.

3. Mention the different theatre personnel and state their duties.

4. Identify some notable Nigerian theatre practitioners.

5. State the contributions of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners to the development of theatre in Nigeria.

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Pupils have previously learned about drama and theatre, acting, impersonation, and character development.

This lesson builds on that knowledge by introducing the elements of a play production, the people involved in producing a play, and famous Nigerian theatre practitioners.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

1. Drama script

2. Pictures or charts showing a stage and theatre personnel

3. Samples of costumes and stage props

4. Pictures of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners

5. Flashcards showing different theatre personnel and their duties

6. Multimedia projector (if available)

METHOD OF TEACHING

Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of Work

2. 9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

3. Course Book

4. All Relevant Material

5. Online Information

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

INTRODUCTION

Whenever a drama is performed on stage, many people work together to make the performance successful. Besides the actors and actresses, there are directors, producers, costume designers, stage managers, and other theatre personnel who help in preparing the play. Nigeria also has many famous theatre practitioners who have contributed greatly to the growth of drama and theatre.

In this lesson, pupils will learn the elements of a play production, the duties of theatre personnel, and some notable Nigerian theatre practitioners and their contributions.

LESSON 1 – ELEMENTS OF A PLAY PRODUCTION

A play production is the process of preparing and presenting a drama before an audience.

The major elements of a play production include:

1. Script – The written story or dialogue.

2. Actors and Actresses – People who perform the roles.

3. Stage – The place where the drama is performed.

4. Costumes – Clothes worn by the actors.

5. Props – Objects used during the performance.

6. Lighting – Lights used to improve visibility and create effects.

7. Sound and Music – Music and sound effects used during the performance.

8. Audience – People who watch the play.

THEATRE PERSONNEL AND THEIR DUTIES

Theatre personnel are the people who work together to produce a successful play.

1. Producer – Organises and finances the play.

2. Director – Guides and supervises the actors and the production.

3. Actor/Actress – Performs different roles in the play.

4. Stage Manager – Coordinates activities on the stage.

4. Costume Designer – Designs and prepares costumes.

5. Make-up Artist – Applies make-up to actors.

6. Lighting Technician – Operates the stage lights.

7. Sound Technician – Controls music and sound effects.

8. Prop Manager – Prepares and manages stage properties.

LESSON 2 – NOTABLE NIGERIAN THEATRE PRACTITIONERS

Some famous Nigerian theatre practitioners include:

1. Hubert Ogunde – Hubert Ogunde (1916–1990) was a Nigerian playwright, actor, musician, and producer. He is widely regarded as the father of Nigerian theatre because he established one of the first professional theatre companies in Nigeria and used drama to promote Nigerian culture and history.

2. Wole Soyinka – Wole Soyinka (born 1934) is a Nigerian playwright, poet, author, and professor. In 1986, he became the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. His plays and writings promote justice, culture, and human rights.

3. Ola Rotimi – Ola Rotimi (1938–2000) was a Nigerian playwright and theatre director. He wrote many popular plays based on Nigerian history and culture, including The Gods Are Not to Blame. His works are widely studied in schools.

4. Zulu Sofola – Zulu Sofola (1935–1995) was a Nigerian playwright and educator. She was the first published female playwright in Nigeria. Her plays focused on African traditions, family life, and moral values.

5. Moses Olaiya – Moses Olaiya, popularly known as Baba Sala (1936–2018), was a Nigerian comedian, actor, playwright, and theatre producer. He became famous for his humorous stage plays and films and made significant contributions to the growth of Yoruba theatre and comedy.

LESSON 3 – IMPORTANCE OF THEATRE PERSONNEL

Theatre personnel help to:

1. Produce successful stage performances.

2. Ensure every member performs his or her duty.

3. Make plays interesting and enjoyable.

4. Promote teamwork.

5. Preserve Nigerian culture through drama.

MATERIALS USED IN PLAY PRODUCTION

1. Drama script

2. Stage

3. Costumes

4. Props

5. Make-up materials

6. Lighting equipment

7. Microphones

8.  Speakers

WEEKLY ASSESSMENT: TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS/ASSIGNMENT 

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. A play production is the process of ______.

A. planting crops

B. preparing and presenting a drama

B. building a house

D. making furniture

2. Which of the following is an element of a play production?

A. Plate

B. Spoon

C. Script

D. Cup

3. Who directs and supervises actors during a play?

A. Carpenter

B. Doctor

C. Director

D. Tailor

4. Who watches a stage performance?

A. Costume designer

B. Producer

C. Stage manager

D. Audience

5. Which Nigerian theatre practitioner won the Nobel Prize in Literature?

A. Moses Olaiya

B. Hubert Ogunde

C. Ola Rotimi

D. Wole Soyinka

B. Fill in the Gaps

Complete the sentences using the words in the box: director, stage, costume, audience, script

6. The ______ is the written story of a play.

7. A play is performed on the ______.

8. The ______ supervises the actors.

9. The ______ watches the performance.

10. A ______ is the special clothing worn by actors.

C. True or False

11. Actors and actresses perform different roles in a play. ______

12. The producer organises and finances a play. ______

13. Hubert Ogunde is regarded as the father of Nigerian theatre. ______

14. Props are the people who watch a play. ______

15. Lighting helps the audience to see the actors clearly. ______

D. Match Column A with Column B.

Column A – Column B

16. Producer – A. Supervises the actors

17. Director – B. Organises and finances the play

18. Stage Manager – C. Coordinates stage activities

19. Wole Soyinka – D. Nobel Prize-winning playwright

20. Hubert Ogunde – E. Father of Nigerian theatre

ANSWER KEYS

1. B – Preparing and presenting a drama

2. C– Script

3. C – Director

4. A – Audience

5. D – Wole Soyinka

6. script

7. stage

8. director

9. audience

10. costume

11. True

12. True

13. True

14. False

15. True

16. B – Organises and finances the play

17. A – Supervises the actors

18. C – Coordinates stage activities

19. D – Nobel Prize-winning playwright

20. E – Father of Nigerian theatre

SUMMARY

In this lesson, pupils learned that a play production is the process of planning, preparing, and presenting a drama before an audience.

Pupils identified the elements of a play production, which include the script, actors and actresses, stage, costumes, props, lighting, sound and music, and audience. They also learned about the theatre personnel involved in a play production, such as the producer, director, stage manager, actors and actresses, costume designer, make-up artist, lighting technician, sound technician, and prop manager, together with their duties.

Furthermore, pupils learned about some notable Nigerian theatre practitioners, including Hubert Ogunde, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Zulu Sofola, and Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala), and their contributions to the development of theatre and drama in Nigeria.

Finally, pupils understood that successful theatre productions require teamwork, proper planning, and the cooperation of all theatre personnel to entertain, educate, and preserve Nigerian culture.

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction – The teacher displays pictures of a stage performance or shows a short video of a drama. The teacher asks pupils to identify the people and materials involved in the performance before introducing the topic theatrical elements and personnel.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils observe the pictures or video and identify what they see.

Step 2: Elements of a Play Production – The teacher explains that a play production is the process of preparing and presenting a drama before an audience. The teacher also discusses the major elements of a play production:

• Script

• Actors and actresses

• Stage

• Costumes

• Props

• Lighting

• Sound and music

• Audience

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils identify and explain the elements of a play production.

Step 3: Theatre Personnel and Their Duties – The teacher introduces the different theatre personnel and explains their duties:

• Producer

• Director

• Stage Manager

• Actor/Actress

• Costume Designer

• Make-up Artist

• Lighting Technician

• Sound Technician

• Prop Manager

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils match each theatre personnel with the correct duty.

Step 4: Notable Nigerian Theatre Practitioners – The teacher displays pictures of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners, including:

• Hubert Ogunde

• Wole Soyinka

• Ola Rotimi

• Zulu Sofola

• Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala)

The teacher gives a brief explanation of their contributions to Nigerian theatre.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils identify the practitioners and mention one contribution made by each.

Step 5: Practical Activity – The teacher assigns pupils different theatre roles such as producer, director, actor, stage manager, and costume designer for a short classroom drama.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils perform their assigned theatre roles during the activity.

Step 6: Group Activity – The teacher divides the class into four groups and assigns the following activities:

• Group 1: List the elements of a play production.

• Group 2: Identify the theatre personnel and explain their duties.

• Group 3: Discuss the contributions of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners.

• Group 4: Present a short role-play showing the cooperation of theatre personnel during a play production.

Each group presents its work to the class.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils discuss, role-play, and present their assigned activities.

Step 7: Lesson Summary – The teacher reviews the elements of a play production, theatre personnel and their duties, and the contributions of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer oral questions and summarise the lesson.

Step 8: Evaluation – The teacher asks oral and written questions and observes pupils during the group role-play.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the evaluation questions and demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a play production and the roles of theatre personnel.

CONCLUSION

To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson.

NEXT LESSON

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LESSON EVALUATION 

Teacher asks pupils,

1. Explain the meaning of a play production.

2. Identify the elements of a play production.

3. Mention at least five theatre personnel and state their duties.

4. Identify at least three notable Nigerian theatre practitioners.

5. State the contributions of notable Nigerian theatre practitioners to the development of theatre in Nigeria.

6. Demonstrate teamwork by participating effectively in a simple classroom play production.