The policies, purposes, and guidelines of "Stage 40," an educational repertory company for students, are presented in this paper, which also explains how the company functions. The paper discusses the company's history, the relationship between the company and academics, and the responsibilities of a company member. Letters by the board…

For four years Colorado Caravan has brought plays and workshops to an average of 60,000 people a year in all parts of the state, focusing on performing in schools but also reaching out to mental institutions, community centers, prisons, hospitals, and homes for the elderly. This document contains four training manuals which provide practical…

A student learning to work on stage sets needs to become familiar with standard materials and equipment, the ways in which they operate, and ways to piece them together to create a set for a scene. This package contains the following three lessons for acquainting the learner with such information: resources and equipment, piecing together some…

"Style" in theatrical production may be defined as a working, developing consensus, a meeting of the minds of a disparate group of artists who make up a full production crew. Some strategies for the use of "style" in production are as follows: (1) allow for the individual imagination and creativity of each member of the production group; (2) ask…

An organic approach to style in acting can lend credibility and power to performances and can enhance the clarity and extent of what is communicated to audiences about other social worlds. The organic approach is based on the following principles: mental experience and expressive behavior are inseparable and reciprocal; experience in either mode…

This booklet provides instruction, for junior high and senior high school actors and their teachers, in the basic concepts and vocabulary of theatrical communication. Suggested exercises include practice in combining dialogue and movement, mastering knowledge of stage areas and body positions, and working with scripts on stage. Criteria for…

This course outline designed for beginning theater students includes a statement of the premise and the assumption behind the course, the task to be accomplished, and the method to be used. The activities include a review of theater practice, a study of modern drama, and studio projects. (LL)

This booklet provides instruction, for the director of junior high and senior high school plays, in the effective arrangement of characters on stage. Suggested exercises include the construction of still-picture tableaux on stage (using scenes from fairy tales and Chekhov's "The Bear") and the implementation of "blocking"…

The purpose of these lessons is to provide learning experiences which facilitate junior high and senior high school actors' mastery of stage movements when working with scripts. Suggested exercises include practice in finding motivation for actors' stage movements, acting a scene (from "West Side Story"), and interpreting and acting scenes of…

Once an actor or actress has gained experience with basic stage movement and speech, convincing character portrayal may be the next skill to be developed. This package is designed to provide a deeper understanding of character development through careful reading, research, thought, and experimentation. The two related lessons--from research to…

Developed with the recognition that many playwrights have theater in their blood (e.g., Eugene O'Neill was the son of a famous actor), the three lessons in this package present, through experience, the fundamentals of dramatic structure. These lessons for the beginning playwright focus on elements of dramatic plot, conflicts, and crisis and…

Although drama should be a central, indispensable activity not only in language arts programs but in college and university programs preparing teachers of language arts and reading, few teachers have had opportunities for the workshop and theater experiences that would enable them to introduce their students to the world of drama. This booklet…

The National Endowment for the Arts, an independent agency of the federal government, was created in 1965 to encourage and support U.S. arts and artists. It fulfills its mission by awarding grants and through its leadership and advocacy activities. This booklet is designed to help individuals and organizations become familiar with the Endowment…

The guide presents a rationale, objectives, activities, and resource lists for incorporating dance into elementary and secondary curricula. Dance gives students an opportunity for creativity and self-expression, even if they are physically or mentally handicapped. Types of dance include creative, folk, square, ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and…