ALL THE STAGE IS A WORLD
Each script includes an improvisational prompt, an acting exercise, and a behind-the-scenes project.
Every title in the collection is now available through DRAMA NOTEBOOK.
Click on a title to see production notes and recommendations.
Every title in the collection is now available through DRAMA NOTEBOOK.
Click on a title to see production notes and recommendations.
Production NotesLevel One
Fancy Nancy & the Ants Spider Besider Mum’s the Word Lady Scottish Play Level Two A Merry Interlude at Camelot Penny from Heaven Couth North Paws Level Three By Jove The Magpies The Dragon & the Pearl The Weaver Girl & the Cowherd Level Four The Honest Impostor Jackie & the Beans Talk The Cat Noir Trade Trade Secrets Level Five Pantalone's New Pantalones Polly Peachum & the Pirates Persephone The Vixen |
Acting Project |
Behind-the-ScenesCostume Design Rituals & Ceremonies Live Sound Effects Sound Design Properties Front-of-House Publicity Lighting Design Research a Theatre Artist Directorial Concept White Model Directing for the Camera Character Makeup Building a Puppet Blocking Projections Publicity Specialty Lighting Standard Makeup Improvised Script Ballad Opera Dramaturgy Scenic Art |
In both middle school and high school, students enter drama class at different levels of experience and ability. It is up to the instructor, then, to assess the appropriateness of a play for a specific group. The levels delineated above do not correspond to specific grade levels; they merely divide the whole body of plays from the least to the most challenging.
General Production Notes
Conventions
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Becoming an expert in the theatrical styles represented in these plays would be daunting; fortunately, it is not necessary. The emphasis, instead, should be on exploring the specific conventions that define each style. Even so, some conventions will need to be ignored. Ideally, participants will walk away from the experience with a clear understanding of a few key concepts, rather than a vague understanding of many.
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Cultural Sensitivity
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Directors are encouraged to be mindful of the cultural boundaries of their own communities. It is not enough to say that dialects are off the table; if that were the case, Shaw’s Pygmalion would be impossible to produce. On the other end of the spectrum, however, are Bones and Tambo from Penny from Heaven. The racial stereotypes of their minstrel-show origins would certainly make for an invigorating classroom discussion; however, no racial stereotypes should be present in a performance.
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Age of Audience
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As any theatre history buff knows, the dramatic literature of the world is not without its bawdy humor; neither are these plays. Still, if only minor changes are needed to make a play more appropriate for a certain audience, directors should not hesitate to do a little editing.
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Flexible Casting
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The casts are large—usually ten or so—and several are variable in size. With a bit of creativity, each play can easily be performed with more females than males; directors are welcome to change gender-sensitive pronouns and nouns.
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Sets & Props
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Scenic requirements have intentionally been kept simple, but directors are encouraged to explore different stage configurations, such as three-sided thrust and theatre-in-the-round. Most of the required props can be found in stock or constructed easily.
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The plays in this collection are not intended to be studied; the plays on which they’re based are. These plays are intended to be performed. In several cases, they make the performance of classical works more viable. The Magpies is a good example; it takes its premise from Lysistrata, but it is better suited to young actors. For monologues and duets, actors would do better to mine the original plays; for an audience of outsiders, however, these short plays might be just the thing.