This collection of short plays for young actors features a young person's point of view and is intended to be used as a sourcebook by students and teachers. The collection is designed to appeal to a wide variety of theatrical tastes and embraces a variety of styles and themes. Although the unifying factor of the collection is the aforementioned…

Suggests using the ancient Commedia dell' Arte technique of establishing characters and a plot and then allowing the actors to create their own play. Indicates that this improves student performances even in more traditional plays. (TJ)

Describes an effective secondary school theatre program. Covers values, curriculum, production, audiences, class operations, standards, student directors, and pressures. (PD)

To succeed in today's competitive opera world, a singer needs--in addition to a good voice--personality, acting ability, good appearance, musicianship, language facility, versatility, and experience. Especially important are sight reading skills, care of the voice, and the ability to express emotion. Part of a theme issue on opera. (Author/SJL)

Suggestions are presented for planning a successful dramatic production by adolescent deaf students. Suggestions deal with script selection, stage direction, scenery, props, costumes, use of American Sign Language rather than signed English, and the need for all actors' signed lines to be visible to the entire audience. (JDD)

Discussion of the use of creative dramatics with gifted students considers the value of creative dramatics; components of creative dramatics (structure, open-endedness, a safe environment, and feedback); the actor's elements (voice, body, character or imagination, and group work). Specific exercises to develop the actor's elements are described.…

Intended for teachers who have no particular experience or training in teaching theater, but who have a love of theater and enjoy a good play, this book discusses making theater with children. It explores improvisation, reading and acting with scripts, adapting plays for young actors, and writing plays. The examples presented in the text are…

Describes an acting exercise which can be used to introduce students to Shakespeare's plays. (RB)

Describes an effective technique the author uses in college productions to combat staleness in rehearsals and to help actors make new discoveries about their roles. (PD)

Tells how actors can be taught stage dialects. Covers pre-rehearsal procedures, auditions, initial dialect sessions, and rehearsal procedures. Includes a bibliography of standard texts and recorded materials. (PD)

An American press history teacher develops student interest in his topic by masquerading as major personalities in the history of journalism. (RL)

This resource presents scripts for eight Shakespearean plays. The scripts are adapted for classroom presentation by intermediate level students. Each play includes introductory materials, instructions for staging and costumes, a vocabulary list, and a cast of characters. Enough roles are provided for participation by every child in the class. Many…

This collection of new plays for young actors comes from the repertoire of the Young Conservatory, a professional theater training program for young people ages 8 to 18 at the American Conservatory Theater. Each of the five plays in the collection was developed in this way: an outstanding professional playwright is invited to create a new play…

Presents an outline of six basic preparation activities for student actors, including reading the play, doing historical research, elemental exercises, learning the part, creating the character, and exercises in movement and voice. (JMF)

Describes a yearlong project at 12 Catholic middle schools in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, to incorporate the plays of William Shakespeare into the curriculum. Teachers attended university lectures and directed students in performances of the plays. Concludes that Shakespeare can be understood and enjoyed by middle school students. (BCY)