Assume you have been cast in an upcoming production, and you're about to undergo a highly fascinating rehearsal session. Imagine you're working with a wildly creative director who wants to give you an experience--"rich in implications"--that will help you to get into the "world of the play."

Most simply put, the director wants you to discuss why this was or was not a valuable rehearsal exercise? What was the major purpose of the exercise? Were there any minor purposes built into the exercise as well?

PROCEDURE:

Class members will be divided into two groups. One group is called the Alpha Culture, the other group the Beta Culture. Once the members of each group have learned the rules of their new culture, observers are exchanged.

• Observers travel to the other culture and try to learn about it by listening and watching. After a short visit, they return home and report their findings.

• Visitors are then exchanged with charge to live among the "foreigner." Unlike the observers who were restricted to watching and listening, visitors are encouraged to speak and interact with their hosts. During all of the visits, no one is allowed to ask about specific rules of culture but must infer them from observations or experiences.

Once everyone has had a chance to be either a visitor or an observer, the game is ended. In the post game discussion, the participants discuss the ideas and feeling created by the experience.

THE DEBRIEFING SESSION:

Both "cultures" will be brought together for a group discussion. The Alphas will sit on one side, and the Betas on the other. The purpose of the discussion is to help cast members generalize about the experience they have had in the game to the real world. Much can be learned from this session, and even though most of the discussion will center on making parallels not with the play, but with the real world, much of the discussion will be a "rich" source of ideas for your report. Depending upon time, here are some questions that I (playing the part of the director, of course) might ask:

1.	(to Beta member)	Explain as best you can the Alpha culture?
2	(to Alpha member)	Explain as best as you can the Beta culture?
3.	(to Alpha member)	How did the Beta visitors appear to you?
4.	(to Beta member)	How did the Alphas visitors appear to you?
5.	(to Alpha member)	Describe your feelings and thoughts when you visited the Beta culture.
6.	(to Beta member)	Describe your feelings and thoughts when you visited the Alpha culture.
7.	(to Beta member)	Explain your Beta culture.
8.	(to Alpha member)	Explain your Alpha culture
9.	(to Alpha member)	Which culture would you prefer to live and why?
10.	(to Beta member)	Which culture would you prefer to live and why?
11.	(to anyone)	What can be learned from playing the game?
12.	(to anyone)	What does this simulation suggest about what to do when you are in a similar situation in the real world? What specific real-life situations does this simulation suggest? What are the underlying causes of the problems or difficulties?
13.	(to anyone)	What does this simulation suggest about what to do when you are in a similar situation in the real world?
14.	(to anyone)	Think about how you felt during the simulation experience. Try completing the following phrase, "I feel ______ because ______ ." Can you draw a meaningful comparison between your feelings, and those of the character you are playing?
15.	(to anyone)	What did you do during the game which "worked" for you?