At Play: Teaching Teenagers Theater |  | Author: Elizabeth Swados
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Category: Book
List Price: $17.00
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Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 28262
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Pages: 312
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.4 x 1
ISBN: 0571211208
Dewey Decimal Number: 792.0712
EAN: 9780571211203
ASIN: 0571211208
Publication Date: June 13, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Young people and improvisational theater should be a natural combination--so why do we so rarely find this combo in today's classrooms? According to Elizabeth Swados--playwright, director, composer, poet, author of children's books and of an acclaimed family memoir--improvisational theater is the perfect creative outlet for junior-high and high-school students . . . if only they can be given the tools and the guidance to make the most of this natural yet rigorous art form.
Drawing on her own experience teaching inner-city children in the groundbreaking musical Runaways and in teaching the techniques of improv theater in schools around the country, as well as on her own background in experimental theater, Swados provides a step-by-step guide to bringing out the natural creativity and enthusiasm key to young people creating--and enjoying--improvisational theater. Covering the basics--from freeing the imagination to learning about how to work with an ensemble, from how to master different forms of movement and sound to how to create different kinds of characters--this is the book for teachers and students eager to learn how to express fully the creative talent that all children are born with.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
 Amazing book June 8, 2008
Panda Wickers (Brooklyn, NY)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I've been teaching theatre for over 10 years now. This book is the one book that I carry with me to all of my classes. It is a great reference, not only with teaching theatre games, but in creating an ensemble, dealing with teenager issues, and creating theatre that is meaningful and powerful. It is the best investment I've made in a while, and I've been recommending it to everyone.
Leaning the language of drama... September 23, 2006
Luan Gaines (Dana Point, CA USA)
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Beginning with her personal experiences and attraction to the world of the theater, Swados bridges the gap of her own life with the common experiences of a group of youngsters as they create their own musical theater piece about the dangerous world they inhabit and the small redemptions of daily life as they accomplish their goals. Specifically structured, the exercises begin with personal experiences and expand to include the group as a whole, each phase furthering the creative community: direction, voice, movement, characters, improvisation, discussion, time, space, music and choreography, the conclusion, their own show.
This very accessible handbook is directed toward a specific audience, young people from twelve to the early twenties, ages mixed for maximum benefit from the experience. From middle and high school, young people can perform these exercises before their peers at public and private schools and local community centers, all directed toward channeling creative energy in a positive manner, the resulting performance a theatrical experience for the students involved. All of the categories outlined lend to the expansion of students' awareness, but a teacher/reader can improvise as necessary to accommodate his group for a performance outside of school, inside school, as a training ground for young actors in a dramatic school or community environment, even as exercises for a limited class time.
In the context of the theater, mentoring focuses on the sense of family created by mutual experience, a spirit of togetherness that may yield lifelong friendships and artistic collaborations. This hands-on guide to theatrical performance is practical and effective; if followed, it will enrich the lives of students who participate in the process. Practical and specific, At Play is a valuable teaching tool; even more, it is the diagram for success in a field that enhances students' life experiences and collaborative endeavors with their peers, the result empowering. Luan Gaines/2006.
Extraordinary, useful book August 8, 2010
Bing (Los Angeles, CA USA)
This is easily one of the best books I've found on teaching acting exercises. It has so many useful & engaging exercises, all very efficient at teaching key skills and reducing teenagers self-critical nature. What a relief to see a book taught by a teacher who is also a professional and knows which skills are most helpful to young actors! She also includes many excellent reminders for how to run the classroom or rehearsal.
Also, the book is far more than a collection of fun exercises. Every exercise has a clear purpose that inextricably links personal growth and acting skills. The book gives a natural framework for teaching and adding in the exercises you already teach. If you love your own teaching method, there is still much to gain from this book.
The later part of the book shows in practical detail how to create a play or musical. This comes as a natural outgrowth of previous chapters on voice, movement, character, etc. If you're teaching skills rather than creating a play, most of the book is still extraordinarily useful and inspiring.
If you can find a better book on how to teach acting exercises since Spolin's, I'd love to know!
A very useful text September 22, 2007
Kochu (Japan)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I looked at a lot of reviews before purchasing this book, and along with this book I also bought Gavin Levy's 112 Acting Games. I liked this book the best of the two (though both have strengths). I liked this book for two reasons. First I liked the clear explanations that came with the activities, including a little about the "aim" of the activity. Secondly, and more importantly, I liked the activities themselves. They seemed more mature than the activities in 112 Acting Games, and since I work with university ESL students, this was better for me. In the end, I think many of these activities have a nice depth and meaning to them that was clear to me. I would highly recommend this book for teachers working with junior/senior high school students or university esl students. Very nice book.
Useful! September 10, 2007
E. Farmer (Lehigh Valley, PA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I help run a small theater group at my kid's middle school. I don't have any acting background, but wanted the kids to be able to do a play and get more direction than "talk lounder!". This book has a lot of exercises and games to do with the kids to get them thinking about timing, expression and movement and voice. Be warned to read before doing this with the kids, since it also explores much larger, more serious topics(prejudice, sex, drugs). However, there is PLENTY of stuff that kids can do at a younger age.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
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