…Even when you’re not in a physical classroom!
Commedia dell’arte is an absolute blast to perform.
It’s physical and playful, with tons of comedic potential.
But when it comes to teaching Commedia to your class?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed.
As fun and dynamic as it is, commedia is probably unlike anything your students have done before.
Not only is it a foreign form of theatre, but it’s highly exaggerated, super physical and all about slapstick humour.
And of course, it showcases a whole cast of complex character archetypes - which take time to identify and master!
With so many conventions surrounding character roles, movement, status and relationships?
It can be hard to wrap YOUR head around, let alone teach it to your students with confidence.
With so many different interpretations of commedia out there, a simple google search can soon have you drowning in conflicting information and advice.
So, if you’ve found yourself struggling to:
explain the history of commedia to your students
rattle off the character archetypes in a clear, easy to recall way
demonstrate the specific rules around physicality, stance and movement
come up with commedia scenarios where students can put their learning into practice
….you are not alone!
In this time of remote learning, it’s never been more important to take the overwhelm out of teaching.
We know you’re under more pressure to figure out how to translate drama to the digital world. Commedia might feel particularly challenging to teach online.
You might be asking yourself: Is it even possible to unlock the potential of commedia when you’re not even in the classroom?
We think YES. But it definitely requires:
- a super streamlined and simple approach to teaching
- clear, unambiguous and consistent information on the character archetypes
- creative ways to explore physicality and relationships, without being physically around each other
With so much already on your plate, you need professional development that you can trust.
Teaching materials that you can implement STRAIGHT away, with zero fluff and no complex theory.
Actionable, practical and super engaging resources that are adapted for remote learning (and still just as relevant when you’re back in the classroom!)
Introducing:
The ‘Teach Commedia Online Starter Course
Consider this your ultimate confidence booster when it comes to all things commedia!
Packed with lesson plans, video explainers, done-for-you demonstrations and PDF downloads, it will give you a no-fluff foundation in this amazing form of theatre.
With a focus on light, engaging content and clear, practical exercises, we’ll help you get your students experimenting with comedy, physicality and characterisation!
And best of all, there’s no need to search Google into the early hours and wade your way through conflicting information.
This course is designed by master Commedia practitioners who trained under Antonio Fava in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
(You can pretty much think of him as one of the masters who revives commedia from a dead art to its modern vibrant and thriving style)
That means you’re getting ONE comprehensive, consistent and trusted source of information about this form of theatre.
And because we’ve taught young people for a combined 20 years, we know exactly how to take the theory of commedia…and translate it into the (virtual) classroom!
We keep things relatable, contemporary, fun and SUPER simple.
When you purchase the 'Teach Commedia Online’ Starter Course, you can expect:
1. an overwhelm-free lesson plan that walks you through exactly how to use course content throughout the term
2. succinct, easy-to-understand overviews of the historical background of Commedia
3. clear, unambiguous explanations of the character archetypes
4. detailed deep dives into a foundational Commedia character (Zanni) - their status and relationships
5. practical and step-by-step video demonstrations of character physicality and movement
And it’s completely ready for you to implement ONLINE.
No complex lesson planning or endless research.
No need to demonstrate character stances, walks and physical quirks.
Everything is ready for you to deliver with:
multimedia teaching resources that can be shared with students
done-for-you performance scenarios and story scaffolds
individual in-class tasks and homework that are already thought out
virtual activities are adapted for one student and perfect for video
“This course has provided me with so many resources and a strong understanding of what it is that i need to ensure my students can do by the end of the unit. The videos have been a great way to build my own toolkit and Alethea and Shane are very personable.”
How much content is in the Teach Commedia Online Starter Course?
Think of this course as your foundational teaching resource for your Commedia dell’arte unit. It gives you the fundamentals you need to start teaching your students quickly, effectively and without overwhelm.
The Starter Course focuses on:
the historical context of Commedia and the elements of comedy an introduction to the character archetypes
suggested warm-up activities, games and group/solo canavaccio (performance scenarios)
a deep dive into the Servant character archetype (Zanni), including role, status, movement and relationships
It also gives you a ready-made lesson plan, walking you through exactly how to use the course content in your classes.
We’ve created this Starter Course to see you through the first 3+ weeks of the unit - and beyond!
You’ll have the terminology, tools and practical exercises to introduce your students to the history, characters and physicality of Commedia.
AND you’ll be able to teach your students about the Servant/Zanni character archetype in detail, so they can confidently experiment with movement, voice and comedy from the get go.
What’s included in each module of the ‘Teach Commedia Online’ Starter Course:
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
INTRODUCING COMMEDIA AND THE ART OF COMEDY
HOW TO USE THE BODY IN COMMEDIA
INTRODUCING THE SERVANT ARCHETYPE
+ In this module, you'll receive...
- a video explainer that walks your students through the historical and social context of Commedia dell’arte
- an introduction to slapstick and physical comedy, with practical prompts for students to try at home
- a video demonstration of thorough, easy warm-up stretches
+ In this module, you'll receive...
a video and PDF breakdown of fun warm-up exercises that get students thinking about movement, stance, gesticulation and gait
simple, physical video demonstrations that compare Commedia character archetypes to animals
straightforward prompts and at-home activities that highlight the relationship between a character's physicality and their nature
+ In this module, you'll receive...
- a comprehensive character guide PDF guide that explains the Zanni’s role, status, physicality and relationships
- a fun and detailed video demonstration of the Zanni’s stance and walk (considering pace, rhythm and gait)
- practical exercises and activities that students can submit via video to showcase their learning
- a ready-made canavaccio (Commedia scene) so students can act out the Zanni archetype at home
Plus, A Done-For-You Teaching Program:
This module-by-module breakdown will help you plan your remote lessons and make use of all the course content over 3 weeks.
Investment: JUST $69 AUD
PLUS: Check out these additional add-on courses to help you build out your curriculum
We’ve created THREE ADD-ON courses that perfectly complement our ‘Teach Commedia Online’ Starter Course.
Create even more lessons based around the core elements of Commedia and additional character archetypes!
Your students will grow their confidence with Commedia characters and learn how to build narratives by putting their new knowledge into action.
You can purchase all three, pick and choose, or simply get moving with the Starter Course first - it’s up to you!
These Add-On courses:
give you and your students even more insight into 3x more character archetypes (1x character archetype per course)
introduce essential Commedia concepts of ‘Lazzi’ (the fundamentals of physical comedy) and ‘Canovaccio’ (narrative scaffolds/scenarios)
offer an additional 3 weeks of teaching materials and in-class activities
You can buy all three, pick and choose or simply get moving with the Starter Course first - it’s totally up to you.
Add-On Course 1:
Introducing Pantalone and the Art of Lazzi
This add-on course introduces students to the character archetype of Pantalone.
It also gives a detailed explanation of ‘Lazzi’ **
+ In this add-on course, you'll receive...
- a comprehensive character guide PDF that explains Pantalone's role, status, physicality and relationships
- a fun and detailed video demonstration of Pantalone's stance and walk (considering pace, rhythm and gait)
- practical exercises and activities that students can submit via video to showcase their learning
- a ready-made canavaccio (Commedia scene) so students can act out the Pantalone archetype at home
- a video explainer of ‘Lazzi’
- a video demonstration of a ‘Lazzi’ featuring Pantalone for students to rehearse at home!
** Lazzi are the stock comedic routines that get people laughing in Commedia performances!
You can think of them like your go-to physical sequences, jokes and ‘gags' that can be planned or improvised in any scene. Once students know how to add multiple Lazzi to their repertoire, they can add comedy to every story they produce.
Add-On Course 2:
Introducing The Lovers and Using Canovaccio
This add-on course introduces students to the character archetype of the Lovers.
It also gives a detailed explanation of ‘Canovaccio’ **
+ In this add-on course, you'll receive...
- a comprehensive character guide PDF that explains the Lovers’ role, status, physicality and relationships
- a fun and detailed video demonstration of the Lovers' stance and walk (considering pace, rhythm and gait)
- a Lazzi demonstration featuring the Lovers that your students can replicate at home
- practical exercises and activities that students can submit via video to showcase their learning
- video explainers of ‘Canovaccio'with tips on how to write your own
- multiple PDF outlines of canovaccios that involve the Lovers character archetype, so students understand how to bring the characters to life within a narrative
** A Canovaccio is a standard Commedia scene. Think of them like your go-to story scaffolds that your characters take part in.
Once students have an understanding of canovaccio, they can flesh them out until they are complete narratives. From there, it’s all about adding Lazzis and characterisation to really make them shine!
Add-On Course 3:
Introducing il Capitano and Dottore
This add-on course introduces students to the character archetypes of il Capitano and Dottore.
+ In this add-on course, you'll receive...
- comprehensive character PDF guides that explain Capitano and Dottore's roles, status, physicality and relationships
- fun and detailed video demonstrations of Capitano and Dottore's stances and walks (considering pace, rhythm and gait)
- practical exercises and activities that students can submit via video to showcase their learning
- a ready-made canavaccio (Commedia scene) so students can act out the Capitano and Dottore archetypes at home
Meet Your Trainers
Meet Alethea and Shane; the course creators and your Commedia dell’arte trainers!
We’re passionate, qualified drama teachers, theatre nerds and master Commedia practitioners, based in Perth, Western Australia.
Together, we’ve studied under Antonio Fava - one of the fathers of contemporary Commedia dell’arte - in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Everything we teach is adapted from his method.
We don’t take ourselves too seriously - but we do respect the history of this incredible theatre and we always teach it with authenticity and pride!
As a key influence on so many performance styles since it’s conception, Commedia has so much to offer drama teachers and students alike.
But we know it can be an overwhelming practice to master….and a little intimidating to teach!
That’s why we’ve created the Teaching Commedia Online Starter Course and the additional 3x follow-up courses.
We want to make Commedia engaging, practical and super easy to understand - especially when you’re teaching in a virtual classroom!
BONUS: When you purchase our Starter Course and/or any of our add-on courses, you’ll join our private Facebook community.
We know that Commedia is a lot to wrap your head around. And that’s why we wanted to give you a forum where you can keep learning!
Want to brainstorm physical comedy activities that students are sure to love? Finding a particular character archetype hard to teach? Need ideas for how to implement fun and physical activities during this remote learning period?
Put it to the group and we’ll help you figure it out!
Under the guidance of Althea and Shane, you’ll be able to continuously work on your skills, trouble-shoot your challenges and meet like-minded teachers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ What is the difference between the Starter Course and the Add-On Courses?
The Starter Course introduces students to Commedia dell’arte. It incorporates a historical overview of Commedia, warm-up exercises and activities and a focus on physicality and introducing the character archetypes through fun and practical animal comparisons.
This course gets your students thinking about how the body is used in physical theatre and slapstick comedy, in ways they might not otherwise be used to. It also introduces them to the archetype of the Servant (Zanni) in detail.
The Add-On Courses each introduce a new character archetypes and concepts. The archetypes covered include: Add-On Course 1: Pantalone Add-On Course 2: The Lovers Add-On Course 3: Capitano and Dottore
Add-On Course 1 introduces the concept of Lazzi (physical sequences, jokes and ‘gags' that can be planned or improvised in any Commedia scene.) Through an explanation and accompanying demonstrations, students learn how comedic timing, rhythm and physicality can be used to enrich their storytelling and get the audience laughing.
Add-On Course 2 introduces the concept of Canovaccio (standard Commedia scenes that your characters take part in). Through an explanation and accompanying demonstrations, students learn how to bring their character archetype knowledge into a scene and develop a complete narrative).
You can purchase any of the add-on courses, in addition to the Starter Course - but we reccomend purchasing all of them or building your knowledge chronologically by purchasing Add-On Course 1 first, Add-On Course 2 second and Add-on Course 3 third.
+ Can I purchase the Add-On Courses if I haven't bought the Starter Course?
You can, but we really reccomend that you also purchase the Starter Course. We designed the Starter Course to be exactly what the name suggests - a foundational introduction to all things Commedia. It goes into more detail around the history and context of Commedia and the kind of physicality and movement students need to master before they can move into in-depth characterisation.
If you already have a strong understanding of Commedia dell’arte and feel very confident with how to teach physical theatre and slapstick comedy principles, you may find an Add-On course is sufficient. This will get you up to speed with a single character archetype, so it’s suitable if you feel like you need to ‘top-up’ your repertoire.
+ Do I have to do the Add-On Courses in a particular order?
If you purchase all the Add-On Courses you should do them chronologically because the concepts do build on each other. Follow this order:
- Add-On Course 1: Introducing Pantalone and the Art of Lazzi
- Add-On Course 2: introducing The Lovers and Understanding Canavaccio
- Add-On Course 3: Introducing Capitano and Dottore
+ What format are the course materials?
The Starter Course and the Add-On Courses combine:
- Video demonstrations where Alethea and Shane act out the different character archetypes and show examples of Lazzi and Canovaccio in action.
- Video explainers where Alethea and Shane talk through a particular concept in detail.
- PDF summaries of character archetypes.
- PDF summaries of lesson objectives, virtual activities and assignment tasks.
- Video demonstrations of warm-ups, physical exercises and games.
+ Can I share course materials with my students?
We have designed the video content so that it can be shared through screen sharing. The PDF materials can be downloaded and shared with he students at your leisure. Feel free to contact us if there are other materials you need to be able to teach your program to your students.
+ Can this count towards my professional development?
It sure can! We know how hard professional development is to fit into your busy school year, so our courses are intentionally online and easy to access.
We’ll happily send you an official certificate upon your completion of the course. In exchange, we ask that you leave a short review of the course, so we can use your feedback to keep improving it!
+ What are your qualifications?
We - Shane and Alethea - are qualified drama teachers, with over 20 years combined experience.
We’re Master practitioners of Commedia dell’arte and studied under Antonio Fava, in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Together. we formed Into The Mask Theatre and have spent many years delivering Commedia training, workshops and courses to teachers and school students.
Alethea also runs The Drama Club Perth, delivering a variety of fun, immersive drama classes for young people between the ages of 6 - 18.
+ How long do I have access to the course materials?
You’ll have full access to all materials (for whichever course you purchase) for up to two years from purchase. *subject to change
+ How long do I have access to the Facebook Group?
You’ll have full access to the Facebook Group forever