dimanche 20 avril 2014

What To Consider When Choosing Play Scripts For Kids

By Anita Ortega


For many people, the highlight of the school calendar is the annual school play. This is the one time that every child can have a chance to shine, even if it's in a minor role like that of a tree or a rock. Staging the production can be a stressful experience if you're the teacher entrusted with the job but if you know how to choose the most suitable play scripts for kids, half the battle is won already.

When faced with a variety of possible plays, you first need to think about who will be watching the performance. Grown-ups and older children can appreciate a more sophisticated production. Children under about 10, however, prefer simpler shows. These shows also need to be relatively short or your young audience will get bored in no time.

It's also important to think about the skills of your actors. If they're in high school, they're usually perfectly capable of learning longer, more difficult lines and can easily handle a Shakespeare play or another theatrical classic. The younger your actors are, however, the simpler the script should be because they not only need to understand it but also to remember their dialogue.

Even in professional theater, the budget is a major factor in determining which production to stage. If you don't have a lot of money to work with, it's probably not a good idea to opt for an elaborate period musical because the more cast members there are, the more costumes need to be made. Think about the practicalities of creating the set and how easy it will be to create costumes with cheap and readily available materials.

The venue should also have an impact on your decision. The smaller the space you have in which to stage your production, the smaller the production should be. A huge theater auditorium works best for large productions like musicals. An open-air venue can be perfect for a fairy tale or a story set in the outdoors, since you can then use the natural surroundings as part of the set. However, it will be more difficult to transform a park setting into a desolate alien planet or the streets of New York and plays with a futuristic or city theme are best performed indoors.

It's also a good idea to think about what you want the children and the audience to learn from the production. For instance, if bullying is an issue that needs to be addressed in your school district, the play offers you a great opportunity to do so in a fun way. Choose a script that conveys a positive message that the children and their parents can relate to.

There are many benefits to allowing and encouraging children to take part in a stage production. They get to express themselves artistically and creatively and they can develop their verbal as well as their physical skills. Moreover, they learn important life skills such as how to work well with others to achieve a shared goal.

It's not very difficult to find a script that is perfect for your needs. If you'd rather not write your own, you'll easily find plays in the library or online. Bear in mind that many require a performance license, so if your budget is tight, you may prefer to opt for a free script instead.




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