A complete step-by-step guide to producing theater in any school or community setting, organized into six sections Play Selection, Pre-Production, Rehearsals & Performances, Audience Development, and Directory. Includes proven strategies for working with students, over 55 reproducible checklists, forms, samples, and more.

Stephen Unwin's A Guide to the Plays of Bertolt Brecht is an indispensable, comprehensive and highly readable companion to the dramatic work of this challenging and rewarding writer. Besides providing detailed accounts of nineteen key plays, it explores their context and Brecht's dramatic theory to equip readers with a rich understanding of how Brecht's work was shaped by his times and by his evolving thinking about the function of theatre. Bertolt Brecht's work as a director, his critical and theoretical writing, and above all the remarkable plays that emerged from one of the most turbulent periods in history have had a profound and lasting influence on theatre. Central to theatre studies courses and whose plays are frequently revived on stage, Brecht is nevertheless perceived as a difficult writer. This companion is divided into two sections: the first seven chapters outline the tumultuous historical, cultural and theatrical context of Brecht's work. They explore his theatrical theory and provide an account of his approach to staging his plays which informs an understanding of how they work in practice. The second section provides an analysis of nineteen plays in six chronological groupings, each prefaced by a brief sketch of Brecht's life and theatrical development in that period. For each play, Stephen Unwin offers a synopsis, a critical commentary and an account of the work in performance. The book concludes with an examination of Brecht's legacy and a chronicle of his life and times. Written by experienced theatre director Stephen Unwin, this is the perfect companion to Brecht's plays and life for student and theatre practitioner alike.

Can you really write a play that lasts a minute? The one minute play offers a unique challenge to actors, directors and writers: how do you create a whole world, where actors have room to perform and where audiences have a true experience all in 60 seconds? One Minute Plays: A Practical Guide to Tiny Theatre demystifies the super-short-form play, demonstrating that this rich, accessible format offers great energy and variety not only to audiences but to everyone involved in its creation and performance. This handbook includes: An anthology of 200 one-minute plays selected from the annual Gone in 60 Seconds festival. A toolbox of exercises, methodologies and techniques for educators, practitioners and workshop leaders at all levels. Tips and advice on the demands of storytelling, inclusivity and creative challenges. Detailed practical information about creating your own minute festival, including play selection, running order, staging and marketing. Drawing on a wealth of experience, Steve Ansell and Rose Burnett Bonczek present an invaluable guide for anyone intrigued by the art of creating, producing and performing a one minute play.

"Plants have magical effects on children and add a critical dimension to any play environment, whether it's a city park, a school playground, or a backyard. In Plants for Play, the author shares his years of experience in selecting plants that support children's play activities. More than 200 plant species are listed in eighteen plant function tables: Fragrance; Texture; Play Props; Fall Color; Fruits, Herbs & Nuts; Winter Flowers; Shade Quality; Wildlife Enhancement; and more. Plants are coded by climatic zone and a special section identifies and discusses poisonous plants."--The back cover.