Drama: Hot Seating

Hot Seating is a drama activity focusing on the element of role/character and improvisation. In this activity a student takes the role of a character and is questioned by other students about their background, experiences, behavior, and opinions. This activity can be used to help develop characters and students' ability to role-play and perform. The main focus of this is to find out what the characters knows or thinks and and to engage with that character's viewpoint.

What is required to do a hot seat is just some chairs. Designate one of those chairs as the hot seat that sits in front of the students asking questions also seated. Set up before hand what roles the people in the hot seat will be taking and what scenario they are in. You can also provide questions or directions for the students not in the hot seat for how to interact with the person in role. Some interesting story book roles we have done in class include: The Wolf from the Three Little Pigs, an evil step sister from Cinderella, and the baker from The Gingerbread Man. 

I have also used hot seating in my own lesson about combining history and drama. In my group's use of hot seating the person in the hot seat was actually a teacher taking the role of a person from province before Canadian Confederation. People were encouraged to ask questions about what we as ordinary people thought of Confederation.

 

I think this activity is most successful when the teacher takes an active role in it or facilitates it closely, as students can often get off topic or run out of ideas. Ultimately students are in control of how much or how little detail they want to use. This activity can be done improvisational or planned. I feel planned would be better for most classes.

Some accommodations to keep in mind if running this activity include: providing information wirtten and orally, model expectations, provide examples, and adjust groups based on readiness or ability.