This document provides guidance on developing educational skits to address issues affecting young people. It discusses key elements of an effective skit such as developing a story, characters, plot, dialogue, and addressing challenges. Participants will be divided into groups to create 7-10 minute skits on identified sexual and reproductive health issues affecting youth. The skits aim to entertain and educate audiences while addressing causes, effects and solutions to the issues.

1. SKIT PRODUCTION
by
Chris Ssennyonjo Ssebunnya
ssebunya@mail.com

2. As an interactive learner centered
teaching method

3. In the presentation…
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What is a skit?
Important elements.
Making a skit story.
Scripting a skit.
Roles and responsibilities in skit production.
Challenges and solutions to them.
Our task in the next days.

4. What is a skit?
• A skit is a short piece of humorous writing or a
performance that makes fun of somebody or
something by copying them. It is a mode or
type of drama.
• Skits are mainly meant for correcting wrongs
in society in a humorous biting way.
• However, they can be purely educative
without really making fun of any situation.

5. Classification of skits
• The tragedy
• The omedy
• The tragiomedy

6. Skits for educational purposes
• These are skits set to communicate an
educative/developmental message in an
entertaining manner. They mirror out the
society i.e. the evils, ills, exemplary behaviors
among others
• These are the ones we are mainly interested in.
we need the issue, causes, effects, solutions,
repercussions.
• We need skits that will positively affect the
audience.

7. Skit ideas
Sources for skit ideas include
among others;
• Societal issues
• Personal experience
• Reading
• WSWM lessons
• Any other?

8. Story telling…
• This involves creating the skit story.
• The best way to create a skit story is by
brainstorming on the issue in detail.
• In discussing or brainstorming, people
should e given time to bring out as
much information as possible on the
issue.

9. Continuation….
• We develop our skits on the basis of
knowing the issue, its causes, its effects
and the solutions for the issue. So our
brainstorming sessions should aim at
addressing these.
• We shall have a session on “Digital story
telling” later on which will be the story
telling mode we shall adapt for our skit
production in this workshop.

10. Developing the story

11. Next steps: moving forward
Step 1: Situational analysis
Members of each group should
identify and discuss in details the one
or more SRHR affecting young
people that has or have been assigned
them to develop a skit on.

12. Discussing in detail…

13. Continuation….
Step 2: Creating a story
A realistic story similar to what is experienced by young
people should be created. This will help the audience to know
that the issue raised is actually their problem seeking a
solution and not a mere show.
Step 3: Conflict development
A conflict in a play creates sufficient curiosity and emotional
attachment among the audience to the issues discussed/ raised.
Two sides i.e. good (protagonist) and Bad (antagonist) should
be clashed. The conflict should be resolved by giving the
audience a way forward. It is the way forward which is the
learning point for the audience.

14. Important elements of the story
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The story is the basis for the plot and a good plotted skit has the
following;
Exposition to introduce characters, setting and mood
Rising action to introduce the conflict
Conflict to introduce the main character’s problem which may be internal
(eg. Guilt, greed) or external (eg. Poverty, an accident)
Climax, the moment of greatest emotion; the turning point of the story
when the conflict begins to be solved
Falling action and resolution, what the character decides to do. Bear in
mind the lessons to be learnt from your skit.
Having paid attention to all this, write a summary of the story down. This
is what we call a plot synopsis and it is the most immediate explanation of
any skit story. From this we develop the actual script.

15. Important elements of the whole
skit
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Story
Plotting
Setting
Time (duration)
Characterisation
Themes and ideas
Dramatic techniques

16. The story
• A narration or recital of that which has occurred; a description
of past events; a history; a statement; a record.
• A story forms the basis of the skit. It is the foundation upon
which all other elements of the script base. It can purely be
fictitious without really having happened but with prospects of
happening.
• Fiction is writing that uses characters, setting, and plot to
convey stories that are not real. Fiction-means not true.
• Your story must be generated from the ideas you decided
upon. So, again here you need to work as a group.

17. Plotting
• This is the sequencing of events in scenes and subscenes, each one contributing and developing the
theme to the climax. i.e. logical growth of the story
from beginning to the end. It thus involves the
sequencing of interrelated events arranging to form a
logical pattern and achieve an intended effect
• We break the story into more detailed parts and give
it a shape or rearrange the events in sequences that we
want them to take.
• A plot may move chronologically or otherwise
depending on how best the group thinks they will

18. Setting
• Setting is the place from where particular events
occur in a skit.
• Setting also encircles the time when particular events
take place.
• Setting also encircles the prevailing situation and the
people around.
• These should portray real life situations

19. Deciding on a setting
Things to consider:
• Nature of the skit. (general setting)
• Type of Activity. (abortion, dancing, an
outing )
• Available facilities (props)
• Time when the events take place. (period
and specific hours of the day.)
• People around (social setting)

20. Time (duration)
The total time for the skit determines:
• The number of SRHR issues to be raised. (The
fewer, the easier to handle.)
• The number of scenes
• The number of characters ( each character must
have sufficient reason for appearance.)
• Duration of each scene.
Note: Our skits should last between 7 and 10
minutes only.

21. Character and Characterisation
• A character is a person that takes on the action as
specified on the script.
• It is a process of making the character posses the
desired traits to bring out the message effectively.
Through what they say, what they do and what is said
of them by other characters.
• Clear characters that are similar to the people in the
community should be developed. This helps the
audience to identify themselves with the people on
stage.

22. How would you make someone acting rapist or
drug addict appear real?

23. What do we want?
In particular there should be:1.Good characters: Those that the audience
would like to emulate or copy.
1.Bad characters whose actions and character the
community should avoid.
2.Transitional characters: For an educative skit,
these should move from bad to good.
3.Supportive characters. These help the good
and transitional ones to sustain the good or
positive behavior.

24. Themes and ideas
• A theme is a subject or topic on
which a person writes or speaks.
• Ideas are other issues that may arise
in the process of building the main
theme of the skit.

25. Dramatic techniques, style and
language
Dramatic techniques
mean the ways used
in the skit to bring
out the message.

26. Style
Style is way an author chooses
words, arranges them in sentences
or in lines of dialogue or verse,
and develops ideas and actions
with description, imagery, and
other literary techniques

27. Language
Language refers to the way the writer chooses
to use the language in the skit. E.g there are
many words used in schools that only students
understand, another case is that used by the
ghetto people. What kind of language are you
going to use in your skit? Why? Language
communicates and so you need to use it
appropriately

28. Dialogue
Conversation
between two or
more characters.
Choice of words
should be
selected in such
way that they are
all useful,
meaningful and
educative as well
as entertaining.

29. Monologue
A long speech
made by a person
in a conversation.
However in Drama
it means along
speech in a skit,
spoken by one
actor/actress,
especially when
alone.

30. Soliloquy
This is a
technique
where an actor
speaks out his
thoughts aloud
when other
characters are
off stage.

31. Chorus
A group of
characters
utter/comm
ent certain
words in
unison to
emphasize
a message.

32. Flashback
Apart that
shows a
scene
earlier in
time than
the main
story.

33. Irony
This is a way
of acting
where the
characters
say
something to
men its
opposite.

34. Asides
• Here words are said on
stage by an actor/actress
intended to be heard by the
audience and not the other
characters on stage.

35. Others include…
• Sound effects (music and dance)
We may use sounds like music, drums beats,
screams e.t.c in a skit to create mood,
emphasis, relief, humor etc in the skit.
• Different situations in the skits require specific
sound effects in case the group has decided to
use this technique. The sounds hosen must be
well thought and effectively complement the
situation. For example….

36. Continuation
• Mime
An actor/actress communicates
without using words but through
expressions and gestures.
• Others include; understatement,
overstatement, foreshadowing,
metaphors, similes e.t.c

37. Scripting a skit
A script is a written document that
shows the actual words that
characters are supposed to say on
stage. A script, besides the words of
characters, explains the setting and
stage directions to be followed by
the actors of the drama there
written.

38. Continuation
• On the script we create the
words that we want our
characters to say. We make the
characters say those words
rather than explain what we
want them to say.

39. Continuation
• We also decide on the scenes; divisions on the script
that show change of setting, idea, characters e.t.c.
These are very important in making the action
develop and eliminating monotony. At the end of
this, each group should have a storyline where a
summary of each scene is given to help the post
production crew follow the story closely.
• Very important; all our skits MUST HAVE TITLES. A
title is a statement, sentence, word or phrase that
names the skit.

40. Continuation
• A script should be the final stage
of paper writing. It should be the
end of the “SPSS process”:
Where S=story, P=plot
S=storyline and S=script.
• For example….

41. Roles and responsibilities in skit
production
• A number of roles are usually available to
be taken by the people in the group.
However, it is important to know that
whatever role or responsibility has been
assigned, all group members must work
together to produce the skit. There must
be co-operation and teamwork.

42. No man is an island!
Lone struggle
Working together

43. Who will you be?
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The director
The actors and actresses
The costume designer
The location manager
A working committee

44. The director
Each group will need a director whose responsibility will be to supervise and
instruct the performers.
Roles
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Facilitates the process of script development.
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Interpreting the entire script, situations and characters.
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Blocking the skit into a meaningful sequence of acts and scenes
according to the plot.
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Proper castings and role definition for each character.
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Guiding the characters in interpretation of their roles through hot sitting.
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Harmonization of different dramatic technique to suit on skit.
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Interpretation and harmonization of different aspects of the skit. E.g.
music, dance, entries, exits, costuming.
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Determine the props and costumes to be used.
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Guiding actors/actresses to achieve their roles in the skit, the appropriate
setting and spectacle.

45. Actors and actresses
The role of an actor/actress is to take up a particular character in the skit.
Qualities of a good actor/actress:•
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Ability to memorize lines in a skit.
Understanding and interpreting the character you are to act.
Ability to interpret the different situations and internalize the story.
Ability to interpret different characters and how they relate to one another.
Ability to use body language to effectively communicate.
Ability to learn stage movements effectively.
Ability to use eye contact effectively.
Good communication skills ( one self, other people on stage-team work,
audience).
Ability to create and find solutions incase one has forgotten lines or something.
Skills in voice. (Projection, Varying voices, articulation and emphasis)

46. The costume designer.
Which costume is this?
Whose costume can this be?

47. The costume designer
• In charge of all costumes. (What
are costumes?
• Helps the director decide on who
should put on what and makes
sure it is available when needed.

48. The location manager
• Helps the director to identify the different
settings as specified by the scripts and sees to
it that they are appropriate for the action. (If
the script specifies a bar, let it be a bar.)
• Also sees to it that the props are available,
and are appropriately set.

49. A working committee..

50. A working committee
• Sees to it that the group has everything that it
needs and carries out assessment at the end
of every session to demand accountability
through finding out if everyone has carried
out their responsibility well.
• It is also very important in solving any
wrangles that may arise.

51. Possible challenges/problems

52. Continuation…
• Drama can be a very challenging activity as many
other activities in life. The challenges that come with
it can be viewed in the three forms here identified…
 General challenges
 Personal problems
 Technical problems
• These affect everyone and the project or task ahead of
us as a whole.
• To these there must be solutions

53. General challenges
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Poor time management.
Weather
Wealth
Lack of some resources- props in particular.
What other challenges do you anticipate?

54. Personal problems
• Attitude- unwillingness to work with others.
• Thinking that you know more than others
hence minimizing others.
• Misuse or poor use of available resources.
• Selfishness
• Gossip
• Any other?

55. Technical problems
• Failure to agree on a story and other issues.
• Failure to beat deadlines.
• Failure to do as our assigned responsibilities
specify.
• Any other?

56. We need solutions….

57. Solutions to the challenges
• We should be responsible- being in the right place at the right
time doing the right thing.
• Go for all the meals, it’s not wrong but very healthy.
• Respect each other and respect everyone’s views.
• Avoid making other people uncomfortable in anyway. Treat
them as you would like them to treat you.
• Work as a group.
• Keep to task.
• We have set ourselves well as you instructors co do not
hesitate to seek guidance please.

58. Our task in the coming days
• We are going to be randomly divided into 3 groups
and in our groups we are supposed to…
• To develop a 7-10 minute educational skit based on
the SRHR issues that you are going to identify as
affecting the young people in the areas we come
from.
• Each group will have an opportunity to choose the
issue they want to produce their skit about.

59. Probing questions as we work…
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What is the title of the skit? Is it appropriate?
What is the story?
Would you classify the skit as a skit? Why?
Who are the characters?
What do the costumes communicate about the characters?
How appropriate is the director’s selection of the characters?
What is the setting?
What are our major dramatic techniques?
What plans do we have to deal with challenges?
Is our skit interesting ?
What lessons do we have for the audience in our skit?
Are we proud of our work?

61. ………………..
THE END