A report from the Educational Resources Information Center at the National Council of Teachers of English; ERIC abstracts of pertinent documents are included. (RD)

Cites 157 projects representing 29 institutions in the United States. (Author/RD)

Discusses the arduous task of casting and directing untrained middle and secondary school actors in terms of auditioning, getting started, planning for the first meeting, focusing on the obvious, rehearsing, learning the lines, becoming the character, running work-through rehearsals, and doing run-throughs and performances. Notes not to forget to…

Describes how a theatre educator brought together her acting students and her playwriting students so that the playwrights could see their work performed and acting students see the relationships among performer, director, and playwright. Discusses matching plays to players, customizing scripts, "showtime," and adapting the project. (RS)

This comprehensive guide for instructors and students is designed for both beginning and advanced courses in directing for the theater. The guide presents the basic concepts of directing progressively and is the only directing text that combines theory with "hands-on" participation units. The exercise-driven guide's approach is totally…

Although the situations in which and for which drama teachers are trained vary widely, six principles can be applied to virtually all drama education programs. First, drama teacher education must be based upon the contexts in which the students will be teaching. Second, drama teacher education should be based upon the interpersonal skills both of…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of cognitive complexity and directorial style on changes in actors' perceptions of self-worth and in their cognitive complexity and effects on their attitudes toward a particular theatrical task. Authoritarian and democratic directorial styles were examined. Subjects, 32 members…

Confronted with the problems imposed by the stage presentation and interpretation of ancient Greek theatre to contemporary audiences, scholars have developed four major approaches to the presentation of Greek drama over the past 70 years. The first approach, referred to as modificationist or realist, claims that communicating ancient Greek drama…

Focusing on the contemporary theatre in Southeast Asia, this journal issue sheds light on the intercultural relationships that exist between that part of the world and the Western world. In addition to a transcript of a Balinese "topeng" (storytelling) performance, the journal contains eight articles that provide information on the…

A production of Tom Stoppard's radio play, "Albert's Bridge," by high school students in Washington, D.C., showed that stage production and film effects could be used together effectively and that high school students were competent to handle difficult productions. Students were given the responsibility for photography, sound, and other technical…

In 1974, a committee was established to explore various facets of professional drama training in Britain. This report of the committee to the sponsoring foundation includes information on background and on apparent trends in employment available for people involved in theatre and allied fields; it describes the existing system of drama training;…

A resident college summer theatre can choose between the stock or the repertory forms of production scheduling. In stock, plays are rehearsed and presented in consecutive order, one each week. In repertory, a few plays are presented on a "night-about" rotation basis. Bases for selecting one form over the other include location, type of…

Henry James, the nineteenth-century American novelist, also served on occasion as a theatre critic. Between 1875 and 1890 he reviewed several productions in Boston, New York, London, and Paris for "Atlantic Monthly" and other periodicals. The reviews are of interest because of James' high standards regarding acting and his often…