Theatre for Children A Guide to Writing, Adapting, Directing, and Acting

by Wood, David; Grant, Janet

• ISBN13: 9781566632324
• ISBN10: 1566632323
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-03-15
• Publisher: Ivan R. Dee

Summary

David Wood has been called by The London Times the national children's dramatist. Presenting theatre for children as a seperate art form, Mr. Wood analyzes the skills involved in entertaining and involving audiences of children everywhere.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	x	(2)
Foreword	xii	(2)
Introduction	xiv
Part 1 Theatre for Children: A Unique Art Form, What an audience! Why do children need their own theatre? The quest for quality. Pioneers and practitioners. Raising our standards.	1	(12)
Part 2 The Nature of the Beasts: What Children En Masse Respond to	13	(50)
The Dynamics of a Children's Audience, How Children Differ. A Children's Audience -- Common Characteristics.	15	(15)
Stories and Themes that Children Love: Ideas that Work on the Stage, Fantasy within Reality. Myths and Legends. Old Wine in New Bottles. Tales of the Anthropomorphic. The Quest. Toys and Inanimate Objects. Real Life. Contemporary Themes. Fairy tales.	30	(8)
Suddenlies and Other Ingredients of Good Theatre for Children, Suddenlies. Humour. Characters. Life or Death Situations. Language. Silence. Audience Participation. Scale. Puppetry. Magic within the Plot. Colourful Look on Stage. Lighting. Sound. Music. Mime and Movement. Climaxes and Cliffhangers. Justice and Fairness. Taboos.	38	(25)
Part 3 Writing Original Plays	63	(60)
The Craft of Writing an Original Play, Writing a Synopsis. Nine Steps towards a Synopsis. Steps towards a Synopsis for The Gingerbread Man. Synopsis for The Gingerbread Man. Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis. Steps towards a Synopsis for The See-Saw Tree. Synopsis for The See-Saw Tree. Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis. The Writing of the Play.	65	(58)
Part 4 Adaptation	123	(30)
From Page to Stage: Adapting a Children's Book, Writing a Synopsis. Four Steps towards a Synopsis. Steps towards a Synopsis for The BFG. Synopsis for The BFG. Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis.	125	(28)
Part 5 Directing and the Production Team	153	(66)
The Challenge	155	(64)
Section 1: Pre-Production, Sets and Costumes -- Designer. Choreographer/Movement Person. Composer/Musical Supervisor. Sound Designer. Lighting Designer. Production Manager/Stage Management. Casting. Director's Homework	155	(17)
Section 2: Rehearsals, Blocking and Focus. Pace. Respect for the Play and the Audience. The Script: Interpretation and Clarity. Sincerity. Characterization. Directing Suddenlies. Directing Climaxes. Positive Negative. Humour. Audience Participation. The Technical Rehearsal. The Dress Rehearsal.	172	(28)
Section 3: The Opening Performance and Beyond, Different Types of Audience. After the Opening Performance. Interpreting Audience Reaction.	200	(19)
Part 6 Acting in Children's Theatre	219	(18)
Twice as Difficult, Twice as Rewarding, Skills. Attitude. Cynicism. Actors' Pitfalls. Characterization. Audience Participation. The First Performance.	221	(16)
Part 7 The Business Side	237	(12)
The Market, Sources of Information. Professional Children's Theatre Companies. Amateur Theatre Companies. Acquiring the Rights to Adapt a Book in Copyright. Getting the Play Published.	239	(10)
Afterword	249