Born Storytellers: Readers Theatre Celebrates the Lives and Literature of Classic Authors

by Ann N. Black

Overview

Students in grades 6-12 assume the roles of authors of classic literature and characters from their books, as well as of storytellers who react to the subject matter and clarify the times. Excerpted and paraphrased passages from the books provide the flavor of the featured works. In contrast to Classic Readers Theatre for Young Adults (Barchers and Kroll), this collection focuses on the lives of the authors.

Students in grades 6-12 assume the roles of authors of classic literature, characters from the books, and storytellers. Through the dialogue, the audience will have a glimpse into the life of the author and reactions and thoughts of the characters. The storytellers assume a contemporary voice to react and clarify the times, while passages from the books are paraphrased or woven into the play to provide a flavor of the literature class. In contrast to Classic Readers Theatre for Young Adults (Barchers and Kroll), this focuses on the lives of the authors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594690037
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/30/2005
Series:	Readers Theatre
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	11 - 17 Years

About the Author

Ann N. Black is a former Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. A native of Iowa, Black graduated from Northwestern University, where she received a B.S. from the School of Communication, then worked as an actress and a writer and producer of children's radio dramas. After marrying a theatre professor, she, too, switched to the academic life, still specializing in drama and often serving as a Critic Judge for the Interscholastic League One-Act Play Contests in Texas. Her experiences from directing, teaching, and writing led her to a M.A. in English and Oral Interpretation from the University of North Texas, then to her teaching position at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Louisa May Alcott: Louisa May Alcott and Little Women—Double Image
Daniel Defoe: The Surprising Aventures of Daniel Defoe and Robinson Crusoe
Charles Dickens: The Class Act of Charles Dickens and Great Expectations
Rudyard Kipling: Rudyard Kipling Unveils the Mist from the East
Edgar Allan Poe: Edgar Allan Poe Weaves a Dark World
William Shakespeare: William Shakespeare and his Phantasmagoria of Fantasies
Mary Shelley: Mary Shelley Creates a Novel of Horror with Frankenstein
Robert L. Stevenson: Robert Louis Stevenson, Tusitala, Spins Treasure Island
Harriet B. Stowe: The Path to Uncle Tom's Cabin with Harriet Beecher Stowe
Jules Verne: Into the Depths of Jules Verne and Captain Nemo

Editorial Reviews

Here are ready-to-use scripts for teems who are studying Shakespeare, Defoe, Dickens, Stevenson, Poe, Kipling, Alcott, Shelley, Stowe, and Verne. Index this book in the catalog to ensure that it is instantly available.” —Teacher Librarian

“The information in the scripts is compelling, including details about the authors' lives, the times they wrote in, and samples of their work….[p]resents a solid overview of each author's life and work. Turbaning classic literature into an informative performance is a solid concept, and this book provides one possible tool for putting that concept into action.” —VOYA

From the Publisher