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A bit of History

Creative drama: developing the skills of imagination, and spontaneity. It is about the PROCESS (the moment) not the END PRODUCT (memorized lines, show) . A bit of History. In the United States - early 1900's.

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A bit of History

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  1. Creative drama: developing the skills of imagination, and spontaneity. It is about the PROCESS(the moment) not the END PRODUCT (memorized lines, show)

  2. A bit of History In the United States - early 1900's. China and Russia, only the best actors and actresses would be allowed to act for children. WHY?

  3. Major influences 20th century... The children will be perfectly candid with regard to their responses to a particular performance

  4. Charlotte Chorpenning She typically adapted fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, or The Emperor's New Clothes. This was primarily based on the premise that children would desire to go see plays in which they recognize the titles.

  5. Charlotte Chorpenning In fairy tales she saw the typical issues of growing up, and if children could identify with a character, or characters, in a play, then they would have more interest in the play. This concept is quite true and followed even today. There is even a children's literary award given to playwrights called the Charlotte B. Chorpenning Award

  6. Objectives: 1. create living tableaus based on the plot of a fairy tale. 2. communicate through effective body language without using their voices.

  7. Fairy tale activity! play a statue game At the sound of an instrument (drum or triangle), strike a pose as a piece of sculpture — and hold that position Create a scenario by deciding on four to five statements that tell the plot Next, decide what pictures are needed to tell the story, and then create these pictures with your bodies and without using words. “cast” your stories,-- you can also be props and settings. For example, you can play a door or a tree. buzzer will signal the transition to the next tableau 15 min.

  8. Use a well-known fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel,” 3 “Jack and the Beanstalk,” 3 “Little Red Riding Hood,” 3 “The Three Pigs.” 4

  9. Performing for childrenWhat to consider: Audience age- RATE OF SPEECH Type of play Broad gestures Audience participation? Pause for laughs/top the laughs Slapstick/ physical comedy Respect the audience/respect the material

  10. average adult speaks at a rate of almost 150 words per minute. But the average 5- to 7-year-old processes speech at a rate of only 80-100 words per minute. The average high-schoolerprocesses speech at a rate of about 140 to 145 words per minute, .

  11. Pace is probably the most important thing a director can impose on his/her actors. I'm not only referring to the lines—but also blocking. Directors should make sure the blocking is lively, but MOTIVATED

  12. STYLE. Don't be afraid to be silly and use slapstick humor. Children love slapstick (adults really do, too, but they don't like to admit it). Slapstick consists of one-liners and puns, physical humor (falls, bumps, slaps, etc), and situational incongruities (working up to a sneeze and then hiccupping, crying loudly and stopping abruptly to say something, etc).

  13. GIVING AND TAKING FOCUS. During the time an actor is in the sight of the audience, he or she is ALWAYS either giving, taking, or sharing focus. The skilled actor can help the director guide the audience's attention to where it's supposed to be This is even more essential when the pace is as quick as that in a children's play. There is so much for the kids to look at, it is easy for them to get distracted.

  14. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION WHY USE IT? The audience participation is good for checking retention and reinforcement, so don't plow through it. Unless consistency is reached, the kids will think they are being teased or will otherwise get out of the habit of answering back at the actors. Actually listen to their responses--you may be impressed. keep in mind that there is a fine line between just enough and too much response. Too much will destroy the show's pace.

  15. REGAINING AUDIENCE CONTROL The audience should NEVER think the actors don't have complete control over them and their responses or you'll have ANARCHY. Letting the response go on (even three seconds) too long can destroy the pace of the scene. Here are ways to regain control: a Look like you're getting ready to say something important. b Begin talking (or mime gibberish). When they notice that they're missing something, they'll quiet down. c Stop and give them a look of "Guys, you know better than this." Be careful of being condescending. d (Last resort:) Hold your hands out to quiet them or put your finger to your lips, doing the "shh" gesture. Resist the temptation to verbally tell them to be quiet. (You usually have to break character to do it, and it announces to the world that you've lost control.)

  16. Winifred Ward Began her 32 years as a Speech professor at Northwestern University. It was during her work here that she is credited with being the founder of Creative Drama. She was the first to offer courses in the discipline at the university level, and she taught a generation of teachers.

  17. 1944: Founded the first national child drama organization which is still thriving and is now called the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE).

  18. Aurand HarrisA Man of Style His plays though will live on forever as he is the most produced children's playwright in the United States.. Aurand Harris is a man who has written a tremendous body of contrasting plays for young audiences. The Arkansas Bear, which tells the story of a young girl coping with the loss of a family member

  19. He is the only playwright to win the Charlotte Chorpening award twice. But truly, he is well deserving of the award both times. first ever production of an American children's play in China. The play, Rags to Riches, was translated into Chinese and performed by Chinese actors

  20. Suzan Zeder She has taken real life issues that children face and made them into stories that help a child to understand difficult issues. For example, her play Doors tells an extremely realistic story of divorce, from the child's perspective. Her plays give credit to children for being extremely insightful and intelligent, particularly when it comes to recognizing truth on a stage.

  21. CT http://www.childrenstheatre.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111&Itemid=250 http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Childrens_Theatre/Childrens_Theatre_Biblio.htm

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