

Revised January 2019
*Watching plays on television, video, or as a movie is not permitted.
Theater Worksheet
Requirements for the Theater merit badge:
- See or read three full-length plays.* Write a review of each. Discuss with your counselor the plot or story. If you chose to watch the plays, comment on the acting and the staging.
- Write a one-act play that will take at least eight minutes to perform. The play must have a main character, conflict, and a climax.
- Discuss with your counselor the safety precautions that should be practiced when working in a theater to protect the cast and crew.
Then do THREE of the following:- Act a major part in a full-length play; or act a part in three one-act plays.
- Direct a play. Cast, rehearse, and stage it. The play must be at least 10 minutes long.
- Design the set for a play or a theatrical production. Make a model of it.
- Design the costumes for five characters in a theatrical production set in a historical time.
- Show skill in hair and makeup design. Make up yourself or a friend as an old man, a historical figure, a clown, an extraterrestrial, or a monster as directed.
- With your counselor's approval, help with the building and painting of the scenery for a theatrical production.
- With your counselor's approval, design the lighting for a play; or help install, focus, color, program, and operate the lighting for a theatrical production.
- With your counselor's approval, help install, focus, equalize, program, and operate the sound for a theatrical production.
- Serve as the stage manager for a theatrical production. Document all cues and stage setups in your calling script.
- Mime or pantomime any ONE of the following chosen by your counselor.
- You have come into a large room. It is full of pictures, furniture, other things of interest.
- As you are getting on a bus, your books fall into a puddle. By the time you pick them up, the bus has driven off.
- You have failed a school test. You are talking with your teacher who does not buy your story.
- You are at a camp with a new Scout. You try to help them pass a cooking test. The Scout learns very slowly.
- You are at a banquet. The meat is good. You don't like the vegetable. The dessert is ice cream.
- Explain the following: proscenium arch, central or arena staging, center stage, stage right, stage left, downstage, upstage, stage crew, flies, portal, cyclorama, stage brace, spotlight, floodlight, lighting control board, sound mixing desk.
*Watching plays on television, video, or as a movie is not permitted.
Theater Worksheet
Comments:
Sep 26, 2016 - Christina
Would the #1 requirement be satisfied in part by attendance of a formal dance performance
like the Nutcracker?
Sep 26, 2016 - Scouter Paul@Christina - This is the Theater merit badge, not Dancing, so
attending a ballet would not fulfill a requirement.
Sep 28, 2018 - KatieBallets are theater. They are not a unconnected grouping of dances. They are a full length
theatrical performance telling a story.
Sep 28, 2018 - Scouter Paul@Katie - Requirement #1 specifically mentions a "play", as does #2
and #3. If you interpret a dance performance to be a "play", and
you are the merit badge counselor for Theater, then scouts using
you could fulfill the requirements through dance performances.
Dec 03, 2019 - AidanFor the first requirement, could I use a musical?
Dec 03, 2019 - Scouter Paul@Aiden - Requirement #1 specifically mentions a "play", as does #2
and #3. If there is a plot and storyline to follow through the
musical, then there's a good chance the merit badge counselor will
accept it. A concert would most likely not be accepted.
May 08, 2020 - DivyaCan I watch a play online instead of watching it in person?
May 24, 2020 - Sophie DingmanCan you design/model a set for an existing show, or does it have
to be original, like a set for your written play or a skit?
May 24, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Sophie - it can be for any play or theatrical production.
Jun 24, 2020 - Heather Has there been any change about watching play online or video
during the pandemic? A lot professional theater in this country
have announced they will not reopen until 2021.
Jun 25, 2020 - Jane@Heather - No, but requirement #1. says:
"See or read..."
So the requirement can also also completed by reading three full-length plays. If a Scout wants to complete this merit badge right now, this might be the best option.
Jul 05, 2020 - Ray"See or read..."
So the requirement can also also completed by reading three full-length plays. If a Scout wants to complete this merit badge right now, this might be the best option.
Does reading a play that you have performed count???
Jul 05, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Ray - requirement #1 doesn't say anything about performing in a
play that the scout reads. It doesn't matter if the scout read
the play and performed in it, or just read it. The scout only
needs to read the entire plays.

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