Reader's Theatre

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To be or not to be . . .
Reader's Theatre
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About Readers Theatre

• Readers Theatre introduces drama into literacy
  learning.
• Unlike traditional theatre, Readers Theatre does
  not require costumes, makeup, props, stage sets,
  or memorization.

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About Readers Theatre

• For Readers Theatre, the student will only need
  voice, great facial expressions, and body
  gestures.
• You will interpret the emotions of the characters
  through your acting!

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To Decide on Parts

• As a group, look through the entire script.
• Pay attention to characters you may be interested
  in and how often the character speaks.
• Count how many parts are in this play. Will one
  person need to play 2 parts?
• Decide on a fair way to choose parts.

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To Decide on Parts

• Designate one person as the director. The
  director will be in charge of placement of
  characters and providing feedback to the actors.
  
• The director may or may not have a part in the
  play.
• The director must be someone who has great
  leadership skills!

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To Prepare

• Highlight your part in the script copy. Mark
  only the words you will speak.
• Underline the words that tell about anything
  youll need to act out.
• First, read through your part silently. If there
  are words youre not sure of, look them up in the
  dictionary.

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To Prepare

• Read through your part aloud. Should you try a
  funny voice? How would the character feel about
  whats happening in the story? Can you speak as
  if the character is feeling that?
• Now add faces and actions to your script!

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Rehearsing

• Talk slowly. Speak each syllable clearly.
• Talk loud! You have to be heard by everybody!
• Stand and sit straight. Keep you hands and feet
  still if they are doing nothing useful!

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Rehearsing

• When you do look at the script, move just your
  eyes and keep you head up.
• When you are moving around, face the audience as
  much as you can. When rehearsing, always think
  about where the audience will be.
• Remember to be your character, even when youre
  not speaking.

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Performing

• If the audience laughs, stop speaking until they
  can hear you again.
• If someone talks in the audience, dont pay
  attention.
• If someone walks in the room, dont look.
• If you make a mistake, pretend it was right.

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Performing

• If a reader forgets to read, see if you can read
  their part instead, or make something up, or
  maybe just skip over it. But DONT whisper to
  the reader.

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