Tableau: a depiction of a scene usually presented on a stage by silent and motionless costumed participants (ACTORS!). Creating tableaus by yourself or with others is a great exercise to hone your creative thinking!
- Think of it as a frozen pose. Like we did with the Mannequin challenge. There are levels to the tableau, you could be sitting on the ground, crouching, or safely standing on a stool or on your tippy toes.
- Think about creating a specific facial expression, it can be a big smile or a pouty sour face. Angry, confused, worried, determined, brave, etc
- Having a focal point is also important. A focal point means a specific spot on maybe the wall, ground, something else that you are looking at, or focused on. In your tableau-where are you looking? In what direction? At what? Or who?
- Do not have your back to the audience. Wherever you are performing, try to show as much of what you’re doing to the audience by facing forward! Just like you would if you were acting on a real, big stage. The audience wants to see what you’re doing!
- Now, let’s set the scene where your tableaus or tableau will take place. Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, try to think of places, people, things that are related to Valentine’s Day that you could transform into. You could be at a busy restaurant, a picnic at the beach, a candy store, a flower shop, get creative!
- What kind of people/things and poses would you associate with your place? Don’t be afraid to use levels like we talked about in #2. Are you an employee at a flower shop? Are you a sea turtle on the beach watching people on the sand? What pose or tableau could best show that?
- Remember focal point and facial expressions. Focal point helps you focus and a facial expression helps the audience better understand who you and how you feel!
- Remember to be creative! Try out a few by yourself or with friends or family. It can be very fun in a group because there could be so many moving parts to a tableau! For example, if you are the flower shop employee, maybe your friend is a customer wanting to buy flowers for their loved one. What would that tableau look like together?