What are good acting warm ups?

Question

I am responsible for leading an acting warmup for 7 people, but i have no idea what to do...any suggestions?

It is a warm up for an acting class.

Answer 1

I like to do non-verbal and verbal acting warm ups...of course it is very dependant upon the age of the students.

For non-verbal, I say and emotion(happy, frustrated, excited, ect.) and ask them to make a face and show "bodily" how they react to that emotion. You can do the same exercise verbally and have them express vocally their feelings too.

I also do a game where they pick the "when, where, what, who" and they pantomime it out, but they are all adding their own story to one another's story and trying to make it fit.

I run through tongue twisters with them too to get their voices warmed up.
You can go online and find a lot of good info by Googling "theater warm up" or "theater games"

Answer 2

some jazzercise is good, or some aerobics, stretching and relaxation exercises are good, vocal warm ups, like counting to 10 starting very quietly and increasing the volumne a little each time until 10 is a yell.

Get eveyone to come early, and just do about 5 min. total and everyone should be ready to go.

I actually believe that it is the actor's duty to show up early and warm, ready to act and that warm ups should never take up rehearsal time.

Answer 3

Is this pre-Show? It really doesn't matter:

Ensemble Hold-Hands. Push the hand-squeeze around. Kinda like "telephone" Builds Communication and Trust. Roll your head around, eyes closed. Focus.

NNthsthsthsss(inhale through your nose. Hold it).............HAWw. Open : Huuuhh....HAAWWwww...Eyes closed. Focus. Shh. Shake your arms. Shake your legs. Feel your body coming alive. Loose as a Goose.

In and out. And you shake it all about. Bounce on your toes. Flatten your feet. Bend your knees. Streeeaatch. Up. Touch the Sky. Touch your Toes. Again.

BBLBBLBBL...........wah. bblwah. OPEN your mouth. BLPWAH! BWAH! AMLPWMPWAH! Taste the words. You know your lines. You know your blocking. You have the power to make people laugh and cry. You KNOW what you are doing.

Look At Me. I trust You

Let's Go.