Give One Student the Designer Role

You don’t need a separate design lesson to get students thinking about theatre design. Try assigning one student the role of Think Like a Designer during a practical lesson.

I usually choose the student beforehand so they know they have a different responsibility that day. Give them the worksheet and ask them to focus on one group’s performance. They can observe the work, talk to the performers and sketch or record ideas for set, costume, lighting, and sound or music. They don’t need to fill every box: one well-considered idea is a useful starting point.

At the end of the lesson, give them time to feed back. They might speak to the group they observed, share an idea with the class, or talk it through with you. If they need support, try these sentence starters:

• “I would use… because…”

• “This would communicate… to the audience.”

• “One practical consideration would be…”

Over time, different students can take on the role. It gives design a place within practical work and helps students practise explaining the intention behind their choices.

Download the free Think Like a Designer worksheet to try the role in your next lesson. It has space for sketches, sound and lighting ideas, and a short reflection.

[Download the worksheet]