Review (PDF) Theatre For Young Audiences: 20 Great Plays For Children
Presented with the right plays, children are the most honest and appreciative of audiences. This anthology, compiled by an authority on children's theatre, collects new and overlooked scripts that represent the best of modern playwriting for children. From works adapted from classic children's stories to original contemporary scripts, each play inspires the imagination as it entertains.With complete scripts for twenty plays plus a biographical sketch of each playwright, Theatre for Young Audiences is invaluable for anyone involved in children's theatre, from community theatre groups to teachers and students of dramatic literature.Plays included in this book:Charlotte's Web ... Joseph RobinetteThe Arkansas Bear ... Aurand HarrisReally Rosie ... Maurice SendakThe Secret Garden ... Pam SterlingWiley and the Hairy Man ... Suzan ZederAccording to Coyote ... John KauffmanThe Mischief Makers ... Lowell SwortzellThe Wise Men of Chelm ... Sandra F. AsherCrow & Weasel ... Jim LeonardThe Ice Wolf ... Joanna H. KrausHome on the Mornin' Train ... Kim HinesThe Falcon ... Greg PalmerThe Man-Child ... Arnold RabinHush: An Interview with America ... James StillBocon! ... Lisa LoomerThe Crane Wife ... Barbara CarlisleJungalbook ... Edward MastA Thousand Cranes ... Kathryn S. MillerThe Yellow Boat ... David SaarSelkie ... Laurie Brooks Gollobin
Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (March 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312337140
ISBN-13: 978-0312337148
Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #154,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #44 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Dramas & Plays > Anthologies #339 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Ecology #368 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Dramas & Plays > Regional & Cultural > United States
Coleman A. Jennings was a professor of mine at the University of Texas at Austin, and this collection was a required textbook for his class. Instead of selling back the book when the semester was over, I kept it, because the plays are such good ones. As the Booklist review says, the anthology includes original plays as well as adaptations of well-known folk and fairy tales.Quite the multicultural collection, many countries and cultures are represented: Cajun, Native American, African, Jewish, Eskimo, Southern Plantation, Russian, Central American, Japanese, and Scottish.The plays and authors included are: 1. Charlotte's Web - Joseph Robinette 2. The Arkansaw [sic] Bear - Aurand Harris 3. Really Rosie - Maurice Sendak 4. The Secret Garden - Pam Sterling 5. Wiley and the Hairy Man - Suzan Zeder 6. According to Coyote - John Kauffman 7. The Mischief Makers - Lowell Swortzell 8. The Wise Men of Chelm - Sandra F. Asher 9. Crow & Weasel - Jim Leonard 10. The Ice Wolf - Joanna H. Kraus 11. Home on the Mornin' Train - Kim Hines 12. The Falcon - Greg Palmer 13. The Man-Child - Arnold Rabin 14. Hush: An Interview with America - James Still 15. Bocón - Lisa Loomer 16. The Crane Wife - Barbara Carlisle 17. Jungalbook [sic] - Edward Mast 18. A Thousand Cranes - Kathryn S. Miller 19. The Yellow Boat - David Saar 20. Selkie - Laurie Brooks Gollobin
I love this book! The plays are deep and meaningful. Normally, my students would never want to read something so deep but since it is a play they are more motivated to do so. I like it a lot better than using novels because most of the plays are fairly short at least for 5th graders and up (They're about 10-20 pages long). This perfect for pulling lessons about story structure, characterizations, themes, and whatnot without having to read a full length novel or a lower level picture book.There is a lot to discuss in these plays. For example, we are reading The Ice Wolf in class today. This is a story about a little Eskimo girl who is rejected by her community because she looks different and was almost threw out in the snow to die by her own father. We were about to discuss the father's internal struggle to follow the ways of his people and the love of his own daughter with my 5th graders.Plays seem to be great motivators for my kids to read and discuss literature in a deeper way. These plays allow you do so in a 'just right' manner. You are putting the kids over their heads with Shakespeare or dumbing it down too much with other kiddie plays out there. I would recommend this for Intermediate/Upper Grades.
This book has many different and interesting plays for kids of all ages. Though, for most of them you need a lot of people, they are still pretty good. Thats why I give it 4 stars.
Coleman Jennings is known in the theatre world for his vast knowledge of plays for young audiences, and this collection of plays is an excellent one. Jennings combines great plays in this book, ones that audiences and actors love! Great scenes for the classroom or for enjoying at home. EVERY classroom teacher should own this book!
I am a 4th and 5th grade English teacher who was in search of a book that would offer age appropriate plays. Although the ages listed indicate 4th and 5th, I would tend to disagree on a lot of the selections-as they tend to be more for junior high aged kids. The plays are also extremely long and not schedule friendly unless you have them for an hour or so. I did do a search and found Aaron Shephard plays/books that was much more up my alley. You can also print some free scripts from his website! The kids enjoy his stuff.
Taking a class in children's theater and this book was recommended. Reading these really gives a good perspective on types of plays that are good for children
This book is a great resource for kids theatre and has some fun and also touching pieces that are enjoyable for kids of all ages.
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