Theatre for children : guide to writing, adapting, directing, and acting

277 Pages·1999·6.14 MB·English

by  David Wood

Theatre for Children
Guide to Writing, Adapting, Directing and Acting
Plays and Musicals by David Wood
(published by Samuel French Ltd)
ALADDIN, THE BFG (based on the book by Roald Dahl), BABES IN THE
MAGIC WOOD, CINDERELLA, DICK WHITTINCTON AND WONDER-
CAT, DINOSAURS AND ALL THAT RUBBISH (based on the book by
Michael Foreman), FLIBBERTY AND THE PENGUIN, THE GINGER-
BREAD MAN, HIJACK OVER HYGENIA, THE IDEAL GNOME EXPEDI-
TION, JACK AND THE GIANT, JACK THE LAD (co-written with Dave and
Toni Arthur), LARRY THE LAMB IN TOYTOWN (co-written with Sheila
Ruskin, adapted from the stories of S. G. Hulme-Beaman), MEG AND
MOG SHOW (from the books by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski),
MORE ADVENTURES OF NODDY (based on the stories by Enid Blyton),
MOTHER GOOSE'S GOLDEN CHRISTMAS, NODDY (based on the stories
by Enid Blyton), NUTCRACKER SWEET, OLD FATHER TIME, OLD
.
MOTHER HUBBARD, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT WENT TO SEE..
(co-written with Sheila Ruskin), THE PAPERTOWN PAPERCHASE, THE
PIED PIPER (from Browning's poem, co-written with Dave and Toni
Arthur), THE PLOTTERS OF CABBAGE PATCH CORNER, ROBIN HOOD
(co-written with Dave and Toni Arthur), RUPERT AND THE GREEN
DRAGON (based on the Rupert stories and characters by Mary Tourtel
and Alfred Bestall), SAVE THE HUMAN (based on the story by Tony
Husband and David Wood), THE SEE-SAW T.R . .E, E, THE SELFISH
SHELLFISH, THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN TICKLE (one act), THE
WITCHES (based on the book by Roald Dahl)
also:.
THE OLD MAN OF LOCHNAGAR (based on the book by HRH the Prince
of Wales; published by Amber Lane Press), ROCK NATIVITY (with music
by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent; published by Josef Weinberger Ltd)
also by Janet Grant
THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A WRITER (Free Spirit
Publishing, Minneapolis, Minn., USA), THE WRITING COACH (Pem-
broke Publishers, Markham, Ontario, Canada), THE KIDS' GREEN PLAN
(Pernbroke Publishers), KIDS' WRITERS: BOB MUNSCH, JEAN LITTLE,
DENNIS LEE AND LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY (Fitzhenry & Whiteside,
Markham, Ont., Canada)
Theatre for Children
Guide to Writing, Adapting,
Directing and Acting
David Wood
with Janet Grant
Ivan R. Dee
CHICAGO
THEATRE FOR CHILDREN. Copyright (D 1979,1999 by David Wood and Janet
Grant. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form. For information, address: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 1332 North
Halsted Street, Chicago 60622. First published in Great Britain by Faber and Faber
Ltd. Manufactured in the United States of America and printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-PublicationD ata:
Wood, David, 1944-
Theatre for children : a guide to writing, adapting, directing
and acting I David Wood with Janet Grant.
p. cm.
-
ISBN 1-56663-232-3 (cloth : alk. paper). ISBN 1-56663-233-1
(pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN: 978-1-56663-233-1 (pbh)
I. Children's plays-Presentation, etc. 2.. Theater-Production
and direction. I. Grant, Janet, 1957- 11. Title.
PN3157.Ws7 I999
792'.0226d~21 98-46033
This book is dedicated to everyone
for whom working in children's theatre is,
was, or will be special.

Contents
Acknowledgements, x
Foreword, xii
Introduction, xiv
Part 1 Theatre for Children: A Unique Art Form, I
What an audience! Why do children need their own theatre?
The quest for quality. Pioneers and practitioners. Raising our
standards.
Part 2 The Nature of the Beasts: What Children En Masse
Respond to, 13
The Dynamics of a Children's Audience, 15
How Children Differ. A Children's Audience - Common
Characteristics.
Stories and Themes tHat Children Love: Ideas that Work
on the Stage,.30
Fantasy within Reality. Myths and Legends. Old Wine in
New Bottles. Tales of the Anthropomorphic. The Quest.
Toys and Inanimate Objects. Real Life. Contemporary
Themes. Fairy tales.
Suddenlies and Other Ingredients of Good Theatre for
Children, 38
Suddenlies. Humour. Characters. Life or Death Situations.
Language. Silence. Audience Participation. Scale. Puppetry.
Magic within the Plot. Colourful Look on Stage. Lighting.
Sound. Music. Mime and Movement. Climaxes and Cliff-
hangers. Justice and Fairness. Taboos.
viii Theatre for Children
Part 3 Writing Original Plays, 63
The Craft of Writing an Original Play, 6s
Writing a Synopsis. Nine Steps towards a Synopsis. Steps
towards a Synopsis for The Gingerbread Man. Synopsis for
The Gingerbread Man. Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis.
Steps towards a Synopsis for The See-Saw Tree. Synopsis for
The See-Saw Tree. Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis. The
Writing of the Play.
Part 4 Adaptation, I23
From Page to Stage: Adapting a Children's Book, 125
Writing a Synopsis. Four Steps towards a Synopsis. Steps
towards a Synopsis for The BFG. Synopsis for The BFG.
Subsequent Changes to the Synopsis.
Part 5 Directing and the Production Team, 153
The Challenge, 155
Section 1: Pre-Production, 155
Sets and Costumes - Designer. Choreographer/
Movement Person. ComposerIMusical Supervisor.
Sound Designer. Lighting Designer.
Production ManagerIStage Management.
Casting. Director's Homework
Section 2: Rehearsals, 172
Blocking and Focus. Pace. Respect for the Play
and the Audience.
The Script: Interpretation and Clarity.
Sincerity. Characterization.
Directing Suddenlies. Directing Climaxes. Positive Negative.
Humour. Audience Participation.
The Technical Rehearsal. The Dress Rehearsal.
Section 3: The Opening Performance and Beyond, 200
Different Types of Audience.
After the Opening Performance.
Interpreting Audience Reaction.
Part 6 Acting in Children's Theatre, 219
Twice as Difficult, Twice as Rewarding, 221
Skills. Attitude. Cynicism. Actors' Pitfalls. Characterization.
Audience Participation. The First Performance.
Part 7 The Business Side, 237
The Market, 239
Sources of Information. Professional Children's Theatre
Companies. Amateur Theatre Companies.
Acquiring the Rights to Adapt a Book in Copyright.
Getting the Play Published.
Afterword, 249