"As a guest gift for the wonderful wine, I will eat you last," yawns Polyphemus the Cyclops, in Joanne Keegan's wonderous, phantasmagoric comedy based on Homer's epic poem, the "Odyssey."

Laying down a comedic play for school-age students on a classical substrate may seem ambitious for some, but for others, it is an opportunity to expand the imagination.

The result is more than just a clever piece of drama-it is an inspired work of art in its own right, a wild ride to open up students' dramatic talents and expose them to an age-old classic.

"The Odyssey" provides age-appropriate and accessible material, parts for over twenty students, and strong roles for both male and female actors, all while retaining the flavor of Homer's classic in the context of an original and imaginative play, with adventure, humor, and, of course, a cast of colorful characters

"A master at engaging students in the process of performing a Shakespeare scene." Janet Field-Pickering, head of education, Folger Shakespeare Library Richard III: The 30-Minute Shakespeare This edition of Richard III features seven scenes, opening with the Duke of Gloucester's villainous "Winter of our discontent" speech and followed by his audacious wooing of Lady Anne. Queen Margaret's chilling curses, Richard's string of murders, and the haunting chants of his victims' ghosts are stage drama at its best. The climax is a gripping battle in which the Earl of Richmond slays Richard and becomes King of England. There is also an essay by editor Nick Newlin on how to produce a Shakespeare play with novice actors, and notes about the original production of this abridgement at the Folger Shakespeare Library's annual Student Shakespeare Festival. The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin, containing helpful advice on presenting Shakespeare in a high school setting with novice actors, as well as an appendix with play-specific suggestions and recommendations for further resources.

This third edition of Beginning Drama 4-11 is fully updated and revised in light of the renewed Framework for Teaching Literacy, and provides an introduction for early years and primary school teachers who are new to drama and for student teachers who wish to specialise in the teaching of drama.

It offers step-by-step guidance to help teachers and children grow in confidence in their use of drama, and shows clearly how drama can contribute to work in English, and learning across the curriculum, as well as to the broader cultural life of the school.

The authors have an international profile and this third edition builds on the work's reputation of as one of the most accessible texts on primary drama available.

Written in 1836, Woyzeck is often considered to be the first truly modern play. The story of a soldier driven mad by inhuman military discipline and acute social deprivation is told in splintered dialogue and jagged episodes, which are as shocking and telling today as they were when first performed, almost a century after the author's death, in Munich 1913. This edition contains introductory commentary and notes by Laura Martin from the University of Glasgow. METHUEN DRAMA STUDENT EDITIONS are expertly annotated texts of a wide range of plays from the modern and classic repertoires. A well as the complete text of the play itself, this volume contains: * A chronology of the play and the playwright's life and work * an introductory discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created * a succinct overview of the creation processes followed and subsequent performance history of the piece * an analysis of, and commentary on, some of the major themes and specific issues addressed by the text * a bibliography of suggested primary and secondary materials for further study.

This classic edition of Mike Fleming's The Art of Drama Teaching provides a multitude of practical ideas for teachers of drama and for those who are interested in using drama to teach other subjects. It takes the form of detailed discussion of twenty-five drama techniques including but not limited to: beginnings and endings monologue and narration off-stage action and reported action mime irony time shifts minor characters Each technique, topic or convention is illustrated by a carefully chosen extract from a play and accompanied by a commentary and practical examples of lesson tasks. This book not only demonstrates drama as an art form and provides ready-to-use material for drama teachers, but highlights how dramatic techniques can be used to inform classroom teaching and develop teacher practice. Featuring a brand new preface by the author to contextualise the book within the field today, this Routledge Classic Edition is an indispensable resource for drama teachers in both primary and secondary schools.

Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, 1887. At East London's Tilbury Docks, Rani Das and Abdul Karim, step ashore after the long voyage from India. One has to battle a society who deems her a second-class citizen; the other forges an astonishing entanglement with the ageing Queen Victoria who finds herself enchanted by stories of an India over which she rules, but has never seen. Through narrative, music and song, The Empress blends the true story of Queen Victoria's controversial relationship with her Indian servant and 'Munshi' (teacher), Abdul Karim, with the experiences of Indian ayahs who came to Britain during the 19th century. With private romance being mapped onto world history, the action cuts between the ship and different royal residences, offering bright contrasts as well as surprising affinities. In doing so, the play uncovers remarkable unknown stories of 19th-century Britain and charts the growth of Indian nationalism and the romantic proclivities of one of Britain's most surprising monarchs. The Empress, which premiered at Stratford-upon-Avon's RSC in 2013, is published here as a Methuen Drama Student Edition with commentary and notes by Professor Jane Garnett, Wadham College, University of Oxford, UK.

The Heart of Teaching is a book about teaching and learning in the performing arts. Its focus is on the inner dynamics of teaching: the processes by which teachers can promote-or undermine-creativity itself. It covers the many issues that teachers, directors and choreographers experience, from the frustrations of dealing with silent students and helping young artists 'unlearn' their inhibitions, to problems of resistance, judgment and race in the classroom,. Wangh raises questions about what can-and what cannot-be taught, and opens a discussion about the social, psychological and spiritual values that underlie the skills and techniques that teachers impart. Subjects addressed include: Question asking: which kinds of questions encourage creativity and which can subvert the learning process. Feedback: how it can foster both dependence and independence in students. Grading: its meaning and meaninglessness. Power relationships, transference and counter-transference The pivotal role of listening. The Heart of Teaching speaks to experienced teachers and beginning teachers in all disciplines, but is particularly relevant to those in the performing arts, from which most of its examples are drawn. It brings essential insight and honesty to the discussion of how to teach.

Using drama activities based on a range of classic and modern stories, this inspiring resource equips SENCOs, primary school teachers and speech and language therapists alike with simple, practical and effective tools to improve children's speech, language and communication. Key features include: a huge range of activities so that the resource can be used in focused support for those with SGBPN or in mixed ability classrooms topical links to the English programmes of study so that activities support core curriculum learning distinct sections for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 make the book relevant from Reception to Year 6. Unlike alternative resources, this book uses drama techniques to address speech, language and communication needs and can be used for both therapy and mainstream primary education.

Most students encounter drama as they do poetry and fiction - as literature to be read - but never experience the performative nature of theater. How to Teach a Play provides new strategies for teaching dramatic literature and offers practical, play-specific exercises that demonstrate how performance illuminates close reading of the text. This practical guide provides a new generation of teachers and theatre professionals the tools to develop their students' performative imagination. Featuring more than 80 exercises, How to Teach a Play provides teaching strategies for the most commonly taught plays, ranging from classical through contemporary drama. Developed by contributors from a range of disciplines, these exercises reveal the variety of practitioners that make up the theatrical arts; they are written by playwrights, theater directors, and artistic directors, as well as by dramaturgs and drama scholars. In bringing together so many different perspectives, this book highlights the distinctive qualities that makes theater such a dynamic genre. This collection offers an array of proven approaches for anyone teaching drama: literature and theater professors; high school teachers; dramaturgs and directors. Written in an accessible and jargon-free style, both instructors and directors can immediately apply the activity to the classroom or rehearsal. Whether you specialize in drama or only teach a play every now and again, these exercises will inspire you to modify, transform, and reinvent your own role in the dramatic arts. Online resources to accompany this book are available at:https://www.bloomsbury.com/how-to-teach-a-play-9781350017528/.

Drama-based Pedagogy examines the mutually beneficial relationship between drama and education, championing the versatility of drama-based teaching and learning designed in conjunction with classroom curricula. Written by seasoned educators and based upon their own extensive experience in diverse learning contexts, this book bridges the gap between theories of drama in education and classroom practice. Kathryn Dawson and Bridget Kiger Lee provide an extensive range of tried and tested strategies, planning processes and learning experiences, in order to create a uniquely accessible manual for those who work, think, train and learn in educational and/or artistic settings. It is the perfect companion for professional development and university courses, as well as for already established educators who wish to increase student engagement and ownership of learning.

Paper doll fans and Shakespeare enthusiasts can dress two dolls in charmingly detailed period costumes for Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Ophelia, Othello and Desdemona, Anthony and Cleopatra. Also includes apparel from The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Henry V, Richard III, and six other celebrated plays. A great way to introduce youngsters to Shakespeare. Includes brief synopses of plays. 30 costumes.

The English Teacher's Drama Handbook is a rich, thought-provoking introduction to teaching drama within the English classroom. Divided into two sections, the first part of the book explores deological influences that have shaped drama's relationship with English over the past 250 years and aims to help you locate your own practice within a theoretical and historical context. Starting with Rousseau's seminal text Emile, it considers the theories of key thinkers and practitioners and a range of complex issues including the construction of 'childhood', children's play, the teacher and student relationship, the implications of linking drama and English and the impact of national curricula on drama and English teaching. The second half of the book offers a collection of comprehensive, practical schemes of work to inspire and support you and your students to realise the power of drama in bringing English language and literature vividly to life. Suitable for a range of ages and abilities, each activity makes explicit links to the key thinkers and issues explored in the first part of the book and explores a particular aspect of work in English - from grammar and spelling to poetry and play texts. Together with guidance on how to begin and progress the activities, each sequence includes ideas for exploring issues further in the English classroom. Written for English teachers at any stage of their career, The English Teacher's Drama Handbook offers new ways of looking at drama and English that will ensure meaningful and enjoyable teaching and learning.

Drama is increasingly being recognised as a valuable pedagogy for language learning as it can harness childrens imaginations and stimulate their desire to communicate. Second Learning Language through Drama draws on current theories of additional and foreign language learning and illustrates through practical case studies how drama can be used to support the four key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Drawing on the work of an international group of practitioners who are all highly experienced in using drama for the purpose of second language learning, the book clearly explains key drama conventions and strategies and outlines the innovative ways they have been used to create enjoyable and stimulating classroom activities that allow for multiple ways of learning. Throughout the book the emphasis is on making language learning accessible and relevant to children and young people through creative, physically active and playful approaches. The strategies described are all highly flexible and readily adaptable to different teaching contexts. Specific themes include: * Using stories and drama to motivate learners at all levels * Drama, language learning and identity * Assessment opportunities through process drama * Issues of language learning and cultural empowerment * Digital storytelling * Film & drama aesthetics Second Language Learning through Drama will be of great interest to those studying on undergraduate and postgraduate courses and will serve as a highly valuable text to practitioners looking to incorporate the approaches described into their lessons and classroom activities.

Doorways by Charmaine Kendal is the English winner of the 2014 Maskew Miller Longman Literature Competition. It is a play about Avu, a Grade 12 girl who has taken her own life. She arrives in an after-life world guarded by The Sentinel. He reads from a book of records of people's lives, and sends them on the relevant path to the judge. Three other characters from Avu's past also arrive. In their conversations with The Sentinel, the events leading up to her suicide are unravelled, and one sees their part in her death. The play deals with themes like taking accountability for one's actions, facing consequences and friendship. In The Club by Stephen Finn we meet Gaga, a bully who is in deep trouble after hitting another boy with a club. But is there more than one club? And who's the real bully? This play explores the dynamics of bullying in high school, with the characters representing types that will be familiar to all readers. Although tense and often dark, The Club is interspersed throughout with much humour and ends positively.

Teaching Through Embodied Learning positions drama as an under-utilised but valuable tool for enhancing the learning of information in primary science texts. Creating a 'tableau' is an established drama practice for exploring key moments in fiction texts and historical events but less frequently applied with non-fiction texts. Based on doctoral research that studied the impact of having students create a tableau in response to reading informational texts about the solar system, it presents the idea that using drama with informational texts causes students to read purposefully and respond aesthetically; thus, positively impacting reading behaviour, comprehension and social behaviour. The book addresses the neglect of the body in learning and positions this against a narrow curriculum that is focused on print and 'seated learning'. Within a current context, it acknowledges increasing concerns by educational leaders and academics of the need for a 'broad and balanced curriculum' and pedagogical practice. In support of these concerns, the book places tableau as an embodied learning mode that broadens curriculum experience and discusses recent research that highlights the role of drama and the body in enhancing cognition. Teaching Through Embodied Learning will be essential reading for academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of education and drama education. It will also greatly appeal to teacher educators, drama teachers and academics in literacy departments.

Process drama is now firmly established, internationally, as a powerful and dynamic pedagogy. This clear and accessible book provides a practical, step-by-step guide to the planning of process drama. Grounded in theory and illustrated in practice, it identifies and explains the principles of planning and shows how they can be applied across age ranges and curricula. Drawing on the authors' wide-ranging practical experience and research, examples are built up and run throughout the book, at each step showing how and why the teachers' planning decisions were made. This second edition features: a wider range of examples illustrating the planning principles in practice two completely new chapters: one deals with planning for diverse learner groups and the other moves the reader on from the pre-action planning phase to the 'planning on your feet' required as the drama unfolds. incorporated new material to reflect recent understanding of how learning takes place Written as a conversation between reader and authors, Planning Process Drama will help practitioners to update and refine their practice and strengthen their understanding, skills and confidence. Planning Process Drama will be an essential guide for students undertaking initial teacher training at primary level, in addition to both Drama and English at secondary level, and a Masters in Drama in Education. It will also prove to be valuable reading for specialist and non-specialist teacher in both the primary and secondary sectors who teach, or wish to teach, process drama.

Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2010, Keith Gray's hit novel features a group of three friends who embark on a remarkable journey from Cleethorpes to Scotland with a stolen urn containing the ashes of their best friend... Now adapted for the stage by Birmingham Rep for a production by their Youth Theatre in 2011, Ostrich Boys is ideal for KS3 and KS4 English and will appeal strongly to boys as well as girls. This educational edition in Methuen Drama's Critical Scripts series has been prepared by national Drama in Secondary English experts Ruth Moore and Paul Bunyan. Building on a decade of highly effective work and publications endorsed by national organisations and supported by teachers and consultants across Britain, each book in the series: meets the new requirements at KS3 and GCSE (2010) features detailed, structured schemes of work utilising drama approaches to improve literary and language analysis places pupils' understanding of the learning process at the heart of the activities will help pupils to boost English GCSE success and develop high-level skills at KS3 will save teachers considerable time devising their own resources.

The Really Useful Drama Book offers busy primary school teachers a collection of step-by-step drama sessions, inspired by high-quality picturebooks, that will engage children and promote enjoyable learning across the curriculum. Lively and thoughtful, the interactive drama sessions are structured around a wide range of texts, including wordless picturebooks, postmodern picturebooks, short stories, well-known texts by recognisable authors and some you may not have come across before, all chosen for their power to foster curiosity. The step-by-step sessions can also be adapted to incorporate your own ideas and passions, allowing you to structure them for the topics you're exploring with your class. Each session is structured around two texts and offers a guide to the drama strategies used, teaching objectives, ideas for writing opportunities, problems, emotions and challenges to explore, and a clear guide to exploring each text. Ten key themes are explored: Suspense Prejudice Friendship Rhyme and rhythm War and conflict Nature Overcoming fear Possessions and obsessions Dreams Short stories With a focus on the crucial role of imagination in the classroom, The Really Useful Drama Book helps reclaim a purposeful, passionate pedagogy and shows teachers how drama can place children right at the heart of a story, encouraging their desire to ask questions, solve problems and search out new information.

There is no one-size-fits-all way to keep pace with the changes affecting students and those who educate them. That's why Joan Lazarus has gathered here the insights of hundreds of theater teachers and teaching artists on how they have responded to the shifting demands of theater education in today's schools. She paints a portrait of active, dynamic professionals who build vibrant programs and confront challenges in a variety of ways--from inclusive, interactive lessons to comprehensive programs that address the impact of poverty, race, gender, and spirituality on students' lives. In the process, she shows how real teachers bring about real change. An accessible and up-to-date guide to best practices in theater education, this expanded and revised edition encompasses new hands-on activities--drawn from the author's in-depth interviews and research.

This book introduces the application of drama and arts-related activities to the teaching of English as a second or additional language in early education. Joe Winston draws on both his own scholarly expertise and experience as a practitioner to provide a theoretical rationale, practical examples, tips and easy-to-read teaching guides intended to help busy professionals apply drama related methods in an efficient and accessible way. Detailed examples of schemes of work are included for all year groups and developmental stages between the ages of 3 and 7 years of age. Each scheme centres on a popular and easily obtainable picturebook or children's story. Detailed guidance on how to plan and structure lessons with specific learning objectives is offered, as is extensive advice on issues of classroom management. The practical approaches have been used successfully in early years settings in China and primary and pre-primary settings in the UK, and are adaptable to a variety of national and cultural contexts.

The revised second edition of this practical manual is filled with easy-to-follow exercises and activities designed to facilitate creative drama sessions for people with learning difficulties. The activities in this book bring together music, theatre, movement and storytelling to not only develop fun and engaging group sessions, but to build confidence, increase self-esteem, and develop social and emotional awareness in group members. Highly sensitive to the range of learning needs and physical abilities of group members, the activities have been created to be engaging for a broad range of individuals regardless of age and ability, and can be adapted for use in a multitude of sectors such as education, psychology and speech and language therapy. Key features of this edition include: * New chapters exploring mindfulness, and the importance of reflection * Fully photocopiable resources including a session notes template to evaluate the impact of the creative drama group and collect useful data for the writing of reports * Activities organised around key elements of creative drama, such as sensory work, life skills role-play, improvisation and de-roling With its wealth of guidance, practical and adaptable activities and easy-to- follow structure, this is an invaluable resource for anybody leading or supporting children, young people and adults in creative drama.