Drama Workshop

Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors

By Chuck Neighbors

Available on Amazon here: Drama Workshop

Every theatre director should have this valuable guide on their bookshelf.” – John Lee Welton, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus Of Theatre, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, Tennessee

Jump-start your drama troupe, class, or next theatrical production with this fun, hands-on, interactive workshop to train your actors. The workshop covers the essential acting lessons that every actor needs to be at ease on stage. Easy to lead and implement, Drama Workshop will:

Serve as basic training for your actors. Even if you have team members with previous experience in theatre, the workshop will get everybody on the same page.
Give you an opportunity to establish the rules of the stage and rehearsal, and define the roles of the actor and the director.
Allow you to scope the talent in your group and can serve as informal audition.
Promote team-building. The very experience of being together for a day/week of intense training will accomplish much in unifying your team and building trust among the members.

Drama Workshop is the training that Chuck Neighbors has conducted for theater companies, schools, and church drama groups in 18 countries on 6 continents over the past 45 years. The workshop has helped train hundreds of actors, from beginners just starting out, to professional performers working in stage and film. It is a great resource drama teachers and directors, theater troupes, schools, churches and homeschool groups. Note: this book is an updated version of Drama Now! (Lillenas Publishing 2005).

Watch the Book Trailer

Reviews

“How wonderful it is to add drama to ANY curriculum! But not all teachers have the training. And the available resources can be overwhelming. This little book of basics by Chuck Neighbors is a GREAT practical tool to get started.”

– Jeff Barker, Professor of Theatre, Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa

“Drama Workshop by Chuck Neighbors is a guide packed with ideas and workshop exercises to help bring together beginning casts and directors, as well as being full of hints that can prove valuable resources for advanced companies. This workshop manual touches not only on theatre basics, but reaches into the minds of the actors to help them discover themselves as creative and expressive individuals, experiences that can then be transferred to the characters they struggle to represent in dramatic productions. Every theatre director should have this valuable guide on their bookshelf.”

– John Lee Welton, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus Of Theatre, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, Tennessee

“I have been in drama and creative arts work professionally my whole life, and seen many resources come and go. “Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors” is one of the best books on the subject ever! It is laid out so that whoever is conducting the training can do so easily and confidently, knowing that all aspects of teaching acting will be covered. Each chapter is comprised of “Purpose, Do This, Say This, Side Coach, Tip, and a Debrief with Questions for Discussion.” There are valuable handouts of diagrams and worksheets. Even inexperienced teachers could take this book and learn as they are leading their troupe through the exercises. I recommend it wholeheartedly and without reservation.”

– Christy Haines, Creative Arts Consultant/Freelance Editor, Franklin, Tennessee

“The brilliant thing about Chuck Neighbors’ book Drama Workshop is how it takes you through, step by step, the entire process of running a drama workshop! This is not just a list of ideas. He gives you suggested introductions, transition statements, and reasons. For those who are new to teaching (and for those who want a review!), the ‘Do This, Say This’ and ‘Side Coach’ instructions take the stress out of your preparation and facilitation. This book has a wealth of information for getting groups started in drama. He covers all the foundational aspects in an approachable way. You will love using this material as much as I have!”

– Dr. Julisa Rowe, ACT International- Kenya Director, Senior Professor of Ethnodramatology, Missional University, Professional Theatre Practitioner

“Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors is a ‘must-have’ reference tool for schools, churches and drama groups to have on their shelves. Chuck Neighbors weaves his 40-plus years of teaching and performing experience into one effective, easy-to-read, and enlightening manual. If you are a young actor or you work with beginning actors, I highly recommend this proven material from a veteran actor and skilled craftsman.”

– Jeff Smith, Director of Salt and Light Ministries

“Chuck Neighbors’ new primer on theater basics, Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors, gives guidance for communication wherever it plays out, onstage and off. It’s clear and straight forward theater basics for those in community, church or school productions. On a deeper level, it’s a valuable resource for teachers working with teens across disciplines in assorted classrooms populated with diverse cultures and, communication skills. In this age where digital communication makes human interaction more challenging, the acting basics are fun, non-threatening activities to help students better express themselves on stage, in the classroom, and even at home. If all the world is a stage, as Shakespeare wrote, and each of us plays many parts, then Drama Workshop: Teaching Drama to Beginning Actors is a must-read and gotta-use because sometimes it seems the drama never stops. So it’s good to have Neighbors like Chuck.

– Michael Edgar Myers, Founding Director, Kingdom Impact Theater Ministries / Teaching Artist, Wavelength Teacher Comedy, Elk Grove Village, Illinois

“About two years ago or so I attended the Drama Workshop. It was awesome! I was not bored one bit. Every semester I work with about 22 students and for the past two years I have used your book as a guide. I have been doing drama ministry for over 10 years now and I have yet to see a training book like yours. Everything that is in the book is simply powerful, engaging and excellent in every way. Every time I teach at a conference I tell people that Drama Workshop is a must have book. So I write all of that to say thank you so much for putting your workshop into a book format. It has been effective in training a little over a hundred students in the past two years.”

– Dustin Dauenhauer, Christ for The Nations Institute, Dallas, Texas

“I highly recommend Chuck Neighbors and his book Drama Workshop. We had Chuck come TWICE to put on this valuable workshop! The 1st time was when we started our program – since most of us didn’t have any training in dramatic practices – terms, staging, etc. The 2nd time was years later to help us hone our skills. We gained so much insight from both workshops with Chuck. As the director of the group, I purchased the book that went along with the workshop as a reference – which proved invaluable.”

– Chris Poppelreiter, Music Teacher, Director of His Light Company, Fair Oaks, California