Describes a production of Barry Kornhauser's play "This Is Not a Pipe Dream" that was intended to support increased audience engagement in the production both emotionally and aesthetically. (SR)

Asserts that there is a need for more empirical research in the area of theatre for young audiences. Discusses myths about empirical research. (MS)

Introduces "Le Theatre de la Marmaille" from Quebec to the American audience and provides brief descriptions of its drama processes, writing workshops, research studies, scripts, and productions. (VLC)

Nebraska's Omaha Magic Theatre (OMT) and playwright Megan Terry are concerned with producing socially relevant, issue-oriented musical plays, focusing on young people and the adults who influence their emotional lives. OMT's "Theatre of Process" focuses upon the performing artist to develop and test ways to make theater more meaningful,…

Discusses the 1996 edition of Montreal's Coups de Theatre. Questions whether festival productions should be juried, what criteria should be used, and how to compare new creations against established productions. Describes various festival productions, a total of 19 productions from 6 countries. Discusses what these plays say to young people. (CR)

Emphasizes the educational benefits derived from research in dramatics arts. Cites research indicating that role playing has a positive effect on oral language, moral reasoning, and self-esteem. Points out that teachers and administrators do not include dramatic instruction in their curriculum, and offers ways to make dramatic arts more appealing.…

Describes a study of fifth grade students' ability to process information from a play, and compares the results to related information from television research. (JC)

Investigates children's dramatic literacy and explores new testing methods. Supports the critical importance of dramatic actions for young audience's comprehension. Finds that over half the subjects recalled the linear, cause-and-effect, central actions in this "absurdist" plot, particularly when playing with analogous props. (SR)

While several developmental models of aesthetic understanding, experience, and appreciation exist in the realms of visual art and music education, few examples have been proposed in regard to theatre, particularly for child audiences. This author argues that children gaze upon theatre in differential ways by including age as a variable…

First grade students (38) viewed a theater production on the theme of friendship in a study designed to determine the degree of the students' dramatic literacy. General objectives of the study were to: (1) compare children's learning from live theater with their learning from television; (2) describe what children knew about the play they saw and…

Describes the theater arts teacher education program at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Asserts that "connected teaching," in which individual teachers and their students are colearners, forms the foundation for the program. Includes an appendix listing current Kansas standards for certification of drama teachers. (CFR)