GLOBAL SURGE

WORSHIP CENTER
PASIG DRAMA TEAM
YR.2020-2025

ACTING
WORKSHOP
MODULE

“PERFORMING TO AN AUDIENCE OF
ONE”
“TOUCHING LIVES,THROUGH ACTING
MINISTRY”
Workshopper’s Name: ______________________________________ Nick Name: ____________________________
Date: ______________________________
Facilitator: _____________________________
LEVEL 2

1ST SESSION
Main objective of workshop: 

 To know the meaning of mime and pantomime.

 To know the history and difference of Mime and Pantomime.
 To introduce relaxation exercises and understand Mime and Pantomime.
 To promote group work and co-operation.
 To know the basic movement of mime and pantomime.

The History of Mime

    Mime all began in Greece, at the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. Actors wore masks and performed outdoors , before
audiences of 10,000 or more, at festivals to honour the God of theatre, Dionysus.

When the Romans conquered Greece, they brought Greek art of mime back to Italy and set about making it their own.

The Romans, with their love of spectacle, soon took over the existing theaters in Greece and began renovating and
rebuilding them for their own spectacles, which included everything from pantomime to mock- naval battles. The remains
of the Theater of Dionysus which we can see in Athens today date to Roman times and not the fifth century BC.

Mime enjoyed much success and growth under Emperor Augustus of Rome.

After the fall of the Roman empire, the Christian church showed great opposition to the bawdy, and often indecent
associations of Mime, and excommunicated all performers, and closed down all the theatres. Despite this, the basic form of
Mime survived. As the Church began to relax its attitude, mystery and morality plays began to appear with religious
themes, many performed in mime.

What is MIME?
A mime artist or just mime (from Greek μῖμος, mimos, "imitator, actor")[1] is a person who uses mime as a theatrical
medium or as a performance art. Mime is a form of silent art that involves acting or communicating using only movements,
gestures, and facial expressions. A person performing mime is also called a mime.

Non-verbal communication dates all the way back to the first human beings. Before there was spoken language, gestures
and facial expressions were used to communicate. As spoken language developed, these gestures and facial expressions
were retained as a form of simple entertainment.

Mime replaces exactness with con- ventions, abstractions that communicate symbolic or lit- eral meanings. For example,
mimes do not walk as we ordinarily do. None of the mime walks—and there are several—look like normal walking. The
mime walk is an illusory walk, giving only the idea of walking. In addi- tion, mimes work from just five basic facial
expressions: happy, sad, surprised, angry, and afraid. Because mimes must rely so much on facial expressions to
communicate emotions, these expressions must be easily seen and interpreted by the audience. Mimes traditionally
emphasize their eyes and mouths with makeup to exaggerate their facial expressions and make them more visible.
 Relaxation exercises

Be a star: Lie sown on your back and spread your arms, palms up to the side and open your legs. Stretch the limbs
all together. Feel you are making a four pointed star. Suddenly the star collapses. Feel the tension disappear.

Be Hercules: In the same position, imagine that the body is being pushed down by a heavy weight so that all parts
of the body are being pressed into the ground suddenly the weight is removed. Feel yourself float on the ground.

Shake off the ants:  In the same position, imagine you are tied to the ground but you can wiggle. A colony of ants
finds and begins to crawl over you. Commence to wiggle the body until the last ant leaves you. Then collapse.

Be a rubber puppet: Imagine you are made of rubber and there are strings attached to your shoulders which
someone can pull from above. You are being pulled up and you find your limbs fly out in all directions. Even the feet
can be pulled off the ground at times, finally the strings are cut and the body relaxes.

 PASSING THE FACE

Apart from a drama activity, this can also be used by actors just prior to a performance, in the green room. It enables
the participants to overcome their fears, and become more relaxed and at ease with themselves.
 The whole group should stand in a circle, holding hands.
 One person in the circle begins by turning to the person on his/her right and making a face – it could be an
emotional face or a funny face.
 The next person then makes another face and passes it to the person next to him/her, and so on.
 The expressions should not be copied, but variations of a theme to be explored– such as each one thinking
of a different emotional or funny face.

Mime Activities: an object out of the box, for example a mouse,

a rotten egg, a cream cake, chewing gum,
lipstick or a puppy, and the children guess
 What’s in the Box: All the students sit in a large what it is. When they have guessed she
circle. The teacher asks them to imagine there passes the object around the circle. The
is a magic box in the centre of the circle. The children should react as if they were holding
teacher can ask what size is it? What colour is the actual object in their hands. Eventually the
it? Ask can everyone see it. This is a fun mime last child in the circle gets rid of the object and
game. Everyone sits in a circle. Ask the the teacher goes to the box and takes out a
children if they can see the box in the centre of new.
the circle. Ask them what colour it is? What  Locomotion: Get the students consider the
shape it is? Tell them it can be a different ways that people walk. The teacher gets the
shape and colour, depending on where you children to walk around the room. Then call out
are sitting in the circle. This is because it is a different ways of walking
magic box.  The teacher goes into the centre
of the circle first and mimes opening the box
and taking out an object. She then mimes Walk like  a …..
holding the object and the class must guess  Toddler
what it is. When the children guess correctly  child in high heels
the teacher mimes putting it back in the box  child wearing heavy wellington boots
and closing it. The child who guessed correctly  child splashing in a puddles
takes a turn at taking an object out of the box.  child stuck in mud
 Pass the object: This is a follow on from the  child walking on stony beach
Magic Box game. The teacher mimes taking  child walking on hot sand
  someone walking on fire  an old frail person.
 someone walking wearily
 What’s my job?  BODY TALK GAME
All sit in a circle.  Give everyone an occupation (e.g. With bodies and expression (no words) have children
policeman, astronaut, postman, teacher).  Use each take turns acting out the below commands. One at a
occupation twice, and make sure the occupations are kept time, each takes a piece of paper from a container. As
secret. youth pantomime it, the group or Team guesses the
Students use the space to mime their own occupation.  action.
Their task is to spot the person with the same occupation  Hooray!
as them.  When they have done this they should approach  I’m sorry.
 I didn’t do it!
their partner, and without speaking, check that they are
 Shame on you.
both miming the same job.
 I didn’t mean to do it.
They should sit down in their pair when they think they  What did you say?
have found them.  I don’t know.
The game continues until everybody is sitting down.  The  Come here, quick!
teacher should check they are all correct at the end of the  Good job!
game!  Oh No! and so on-

Lecture
Mime walk: In all the mime walks, there should be a lifting of the body just as the weight is shifted from one foot to the other.
This is very important to the illusion. The exaggerated arm movement is also important. Speeding up the walk, leaning the
body forward, and swinging the arms across in front of the body (much as in ice skating) will create the illusion of running

ROPE PULL
1. Stand with your left foot forward, knee bent, and your weight on it.
2. Reach out as far as you can with your left hand, and grasp a one-inch rope. Take the rope with your right hand just in front
of your left hip. Now pull. Your weight shifts to your right foot, and your left hand follows your right hand until your left hand is
in front of your right hip. The rope should be straight through your hands, which are parallel to the floor. The rope should
maintain its diameter throughout the pull.
3. Let go with your right hand, reach over your left, and grasp the rope about one foot in front of your left hip. Then, with a
quick movement, shift your weight back onto your left foot as you reach out as far as you can with your left hand to take the
rope for another pull. It is the quick one-two of the right hand-left hand switch that creates the illusion of pulling a large rope.
LADDER CLIMB
1. Bend the elbows slightly, raise your arms above your head, and grasp the rung of the ladder with both hands.
2. Lift your right foot, and then lower it.
3. Lift your left foot; as you lower it, bring your left arm straight down. Your left hand still appears to be grasping the rung of
the ladder.
4. Look up, see the next rung, take it with your right hand, lift your right foot, and bring hand and foot down together,
watching the rung as it passes before your eyes.
5. Coming down is a little more challenging because there is more illusion to create. Place your hands on the ladder rungs as
before. Lift your left foot and suspend it on the rung. Look down (about shoulder level) at the rung you are going to grasp.
6. Let go with your left hand, and take the rung below as you step down. As your left hand comes down, your right hand must
go up to the rung above position, and your right foot must be lifted, ready to step down. Obviously, your hands are passing
each other, but the illusion is that of descending.
CONVENTIONAL MIME MAKEUP AND COSTUME
The classic mime tries to neutralize the face by painting it with a white mask that stops at the jawline, the hairline, and in front
of the ears. The detailed makeup is individualized by each mime, but most mimes make up their eyes and mouths, the two
most expressive parts of the face.
 Basic Body Exercises for Mime http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAFupw4wBnI
 Basic movement for Mime https://youtu.be/ebT-mIGCINs
 How to Lean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9elTiSaiSQ
 How to drink from a glass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svY2E5YUUxc
 Mime is the art of creating the illusion of reality and the art of
imagining the world together with onthers.

The History of Pantomime

The origins of British Pantomime or “Panto” as it is affectionately known in the UK, probably date back to the middle ages, and
blend the traditions of the Italian “Commedia dell’ Arte, and the British Music hall to produce the art form that is Pantomime.
“Commedia dell’ Arte was a type of travelling street entertainment which came from Italy in the 16th century.
Commedia was a very physical type of theatre that used dance, music, tumbling, acrobatics and buffoonery. Commedia dell’art
troupes had a repertoire of stories that they performed in fairgrounds and market places. Often the touring troupes were
made up of family members who would inherit their characters, costumes, masks and stories from their parents or
grandparents.
What is Pantomime?
The word pantomime was adopted from the Latin word pantomimus, which in turn derives from
the Greek word παντόμιμος (pantomimos), consisting of παντο- (panto-) meaning "all", and μῖμος (mimos), meaning a dancer
who acted all the roles or all the story. The Roman pantomime drew upon the Greek tragedy and other Greek genres from its
inception, although the art was instituted in Rome and little is known of it in pre-Roman Greece.
Pantomime is an art form that makes use of bodily movements and facial expressions for communication of feelings and
emotions. Often there is music in the background to make for a dramatic performance. To differentiate with mime,
pantomime is sometimes referred to as simply panto. Pantomime actors wore masks to make it rather more difficult to
express feelings as they became completely dependent upon hand movements. Pantomime performances are common in UK
and are seen during Christmas and New Year.
Pantomime is an art form that makes use of bodily movements and facial expressions for communication of feelings and
emotions. Often there is music in the background to make for a dramatic performance. To differentiate with mime,
pantomime is sometimes referred to as simply panto. Pantomime actors wore masks to make it rather more difficult to
express feelings as they became completely dependent upon hand movements. Pantomime performances are common in UK
and are seen during Christmas and New Year.
Relaxation Exercises
1. Raise, lower, and rotate your head without moving your shoulders. Let it roll freely, without the slightest tension. Turn your
head to the left as if looking over your shoulder. Then, turn your head to the right in a similar manner. Lower your head so that
your chin touches your chest. Rotate your head to the left, trying to touch your shoulder without straining. Roll your head
back, then around to your right shoulder, continuing to the front starting position.
2. Rotate your shoulders forward, then backward.
3. Move your arms in wide circles, using a forward motion, first close to your body and then at shoulder height. Repeat, using a
backward motion.
4. Holding your arms straight down and slightly away from your body, rotate your lower arms from the elbow, clockwise and
then counterclockwise.
5. Rotate your hands from the wrists moving in a clockwise direction and then in a counterclockwise direction.
6. Lift your arms with wrists leading, first to the side, and then to the front.
7. Shake your hands vigorously, keeping them completely relaxed at your sides.
8. Open and close your fists, stretching the fingers apart and then drawing them together.
9. Do the “five-finger exercise.” Hold your hands out in front of you. Place the heels of your hands side by side with the open
palms facing you. Make each hand into a fist. Roll back each finger one at a time—little, ring, middle, index, and thumb.
Alternate one finger of your right hand with one finger of your left hand. Return hands to fists, closing one finger at a time. Try
to make a smooth, wavelike action, beginning with the left thumb and then releasing one finger at a time all the way to the
right thumb. Reverse the action.
10. Bend your body forward at the waist, then backward, then to each side.
11. Clasping your hands together, push your arms above your head. Then rotate your body to the left and to the right, keeping
your head within your arms.
12. Rotate each leg in circles, first to the right and then to the left. Kick as high as possible.
13. Rise on your toes. Slowly sink as you bend your knees until you are sitting on your heels. Very slowly reverse the process.
14. Rotate each foot at the ankle.
15. Pick up marbles with your toes.

PERSONALITY ACTIONS
strong-willed and confident stands tall • uses broad, emphatic gestures • moves with
authority and self-assurance • makes quick, definite
movements • directs actions away from the body

shy and retiring stands timidly, drawn in as if for protection • uses small,
weak gestures • moves slowly, with limited motion •
directs actions down and toward the body

IDEA OR EMOTION FACIAL EXPRESSION

Surprise Eyes widen. Brows lift. Mouth opens into an O.
Happiness Eyes squint. Brows lift. Mouth curves up, sometimes with
lips parting.
Sadness Eyes narrow and lids drop. Outer brow turns downward.
Mouth turns down. Facial muscles sag.
Anger Eyes narrow considerably. Brows furrow. Mouth twists
downward. Lips sometimes curl out and down into a sneer.
Jaw drops and sets firmly

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF BODY LANGUAGE

1. Your chest is the key to all bodily action.
2. Your wrists lead most hand gestures.
3. Move your elbows away from your body when making arm or hand gestures.
4. Except on specific occasions when it is necessary for communication purposes, do not gesture above your head or below
your waist.
5. Opposite action emphasizes physical movement. Pulling your arm back before delivering a blow makes the punch more
emphatic.
6. Arms and hands should move in curves, not in straight lines, unless you are deliberately trying to give the impression of
awkwardness, uneasiness, force, or strength.
7. Positive emotions, such as love, honor, courage, and sympathy, are evidenced by a high chest and head, free movements,
broad gestures, and animated facial expressions. 8. Negative emotions, such as hate, greed, fear, and suffering, contract and
twist the body and are evidenced by a sunken chest, tense movement, restricted gestures, and drawn features.
9. Facial expressions—the use of the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth—usually precede other physical actions.
10. Whenever possible, make all gestures with your upstage arm, the one away from the audience, and avoid covering your
face.
11. Some exaggeration of movement is often essential.
12. Always keep the audience in mind, and direct your actions to them. 13. All actions must be definite in concept and
execution, and all movements must be clearly motivated
LECTURE
POSTURE: Your posture is fundamental to your health and to your personal appearance. Often good posture carries an air of
confidence, maturity, and success, while poor posture suggests weakness, lack of poise, and insecurity. Therefore, the next
step in training your body deals with normal posture and movement. To stand properly, hold your body erect with chest high,
chin up, back flat, arms slightly bent, and legs straight.
Walking :Maintain good posture. Keep your shoulders square and your chest high. Keep the axis of your body
directly over your feet. Think “tall.”
FEET AND LEGS
1. A stance with feet apart and legs straight denotes arrogance, strong confidence, or defiance.
2. A stance with feet apart and legs bent denotes lack of bodily control, old age, great fatigue, or intoxication.
3. Tapping a foot depicts irritation, impatience, or nervousness; stomping a foot shows anger, frustration, or peevishness;
twisting a foot denotes embarrassment.
4. A stance with feet apart, head high, and hands or fists on hips represents conceit, scorn, contempt, self-assertiveness, or
challenge.
HEAD AND FACE
1. An expression with head raised, eyebrows lifted, eyes wide, and mouth open represents fear, horror, joy, or surprise.
2. An expression with head raised, eyebrows lifted, and mouth drawn down depicts comic bewilderment or inquisitiveness.
3. An expression with head down, eyebrows down, and mouth set or twisted by biting lips shows worry, meditation, or
suffering.
4. An expression with raised eyebrows, wide eyes, and smiling or open lips depicts innocence, stupidity, or flirtatiousness.
FINGERS AND HANDS
1. A pointed finger commands, directs, or indicates an idea or the number one.
2. A clenched fist emphasizes an idea, threatens, shows anger, or demonstrates forced selfcontrol.
3. Placing palms down indicates refusal, denial, condemnation, fear, rejection, horror, resistance, or other negative ideas.
4. Placing palms up indicates giving, pleading, receiving, requesting, presenting ideas, offering sympathy

CHARACTERIZATION in pantomime involves placing a character in a situation and showing that character’s
thoughts through nonverbal expression. This entails two mental processes: imitation and imagination. You must develop a
memory bank of emotions by carefully observing other people. When you see a person involved in a highly emotional situation,
observe facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Draw on your observations when creating parts to make your
characterization true to life. This is only the beginning, however, for you must use your imagination to place and maintain
yourself in the part you are playing

The art of pantomime is the language of the heart.

By;Marcel Marceau

PANTOMIME MIME
The action conveys only action; The action conveys the theme;. for example, snagging a kite
for example, flying a kite on a tree after struggling to get it soaring in the sky might be
a mime’s way of saying, “Our aspirations often become
entangled with the things of this world.”
The artist works with imaginary objects. The artist works with imagi nary objects but may also use
part or all of the body to become an object or express an
idea.
No sounds are used. Nonverbal sounds, such as escaping air, a telephone busy
signal, or the screech of tires, may be used. Mimes
All pantomimes are based on reality go beyond reality; they. are not limited to the real world.
The main goal is the exact pantomime of a specific action. The main goal is the express sion of an idea; themes can
often be expressed in simple terms: loneliness, young
dreams, or forgiveness
Emotion affects your body in various ways. Practice feeling the emotion first. Then let your face and body
respond.