Web Sites

Carrick, Lila. (2001, July/August). Internet Resources for Conducting Readers Theatre. Reading Online, 5 (1). <www.readingonline.org/electronic/carrick/index.html>
Although this focuses on using RT in the classroom, it is still a valuable source of online script and script idea sites. The 5 day implementation schedule could be used to get ready for the performance.

Shepard, Aaron. Aaron Shepard's Homepage. <www.aaronshep.com/rt/index.html>. This is a collection of all things readers theater or theatre or reader's theater.

Books and Articles (Also check out the MVCC library catalog--they have a great collection)

Barchers, Suzanne. Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers.

-------------. Scary Readers Theatre. (MVCC)

Bauer, Caroline Feller. Presenting Reader's Theater.

Dubrovin, Vivian. Storytelling Adventures: Stories Kids Can Tell.

Fredericks, Anthony. Frantic Frogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales for Readers Theatre.

Fujita, Hiroko Fujita. Stories to Play With: Kids' Tales Told With Puppets, Paper, Toys, and Imagination.

--------------. Readers Theatre for American History.

Haven, Kendall. Great Moments in Science: Experiments and Readers Theatre. (MVCC)

Kohl, Herbert R. Making Theater: Developing Plays with Young People. (MVCC)
Includes some basic and cool acting warm up exercises (15), as well as a chapter on developing original scripts written by someone who "doesn't have to take it too seriously." (xi)

Latrobe, Howard. Readers Theatre for Young Adults: Scripts and Script Development.
Includes high school reading list classics such as A Tale of Two Cities and Wuthering Heights. The section of suggested scripts to develop focuses more on YA literature.

Laughlin, Mildred Knight. Readers Theatre for Children: Scripts and Script Development.
"The positive reaction of the audience to the presentation is the best evidence of its success." (Laughlin, 8) The audience won't notice the scene you skipped or the line you bungled. Just go for it!

O'Neill, Alexis. "Hassle-Free Drama: The Joy of Reader's Theater." Book Links, September 2001. This lengthy article is geared toward participants of elementary age, so it is perfect for preparing for the elementary audience even if teens are the performers. Lists of books to dramatize are included.

Slower, Shirley. Readers Theatre: Story Dramatization in the Classroom. (NYSL)
Includes a great list of suggested tales to adapt as well as acting exercises.

Stewart, Cherilyn. "Stand Up and Deliver." SLJ, May 2001. Although an article about teens as storytellers, the principles can be applied when teens are involved in readers theatre. Training and funding are covered in this short, practical article.

Positive outcomes of Readers Theatre:

Audience:

• Increased awareness of library's offerings from materials to services to programs.
  • Before you begin, announce upcoming events
  • Hand out schedules of events
  • Encourage prospective members to join the TAG by targeting the parents who brought their younger children. They probably didn't know of the program for teens before this performance.
• Increased interest in reading including, but not limited to, the story or stories dramatized
  • Provide bibliographies of readalikes
  • Have books on display for check out after the performance
  • Create linked word puzzles to go home with the children
    • http://www.puzzlemaker.com
    • http://www.kidcrosswords.com
• Creation of regular library users or lifelong learners. (Once they come to a great performance, they're likely to come back.)
• Increased desire to write creatively
• Increased appreciation of a sense of humor
• Development of listening skills

Participants:

• Increased interest in reading
• Increased interest in creative writing
• Development of stage presence
• Development of self-confidence
• Feeling of ownership in a community agency
• Opportunity to create a contribution to the community
• Meet new people

Library:

• Creates a wonderful PR opportunity. Notify the local paper so they can take photos and do a feature story.
• Opportunity to publicize future events to increase attendance
• Creates quality low cost programming

Created 9/12/01 by Lisa Matte for Even for the Faint of Heart: Getting Teens to Participate in a Teen Advisory Committee to be presented on 11/7/01 at Jervis Public Library in Rome, NY.

Updated 11/5/01

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