What is Reader's Theatre (RT)? According to Aaron Shepard it is minimal theater in support of literature and reading.

There are many styles of reader's theater, but nearly all share these traits:

• No full memorization. Scripts are held during performance.
• No full costume. If used at all, costumes are partial and suggestive, or neutral and uniform.
• No full stage sets. If used at all, sets are simple and suggestive.
• Narration provides the framework for dramatic action.

Readers theatre is a way of sharing stories, poems or parts of plays and novels aloud with others.

If you were to watch a readers theatre presentation, you would notice certain things. First, a group of readers, varying in number, read from scripts. They sit on stools, boxes, ladders or on the floor, and dress informally or in a fashion which suggests character or setting. Movements by the readers are kept to a minimum, and, when they occur, are intended to clarify action or reinforce relationships between characters. Finally, minimal lighting effects and other sound cues, including music, may be used to give an indication of setting or mood. Another way of thinking of readers theatre is as group story reading with a difference*.

Plenty of resources exsist on the web and you will find the links to them in the following narratives. Take one of your Fairy tales and convert it to an RT production.

Look at a sample script to get a feel for a Reader's Theatre production. There are many to choose from, review the elements and flow of the story. Read at least three to get a feel for what an RT production entails.

After getting a feel for an RT production, you will need to write your own. Many resources are available to help you. When your ready to start working on your script, follow this flow chart to help you organize. Do everything in pencil and don't be afraid to make changes. Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "it is easier to use a pencil on the blueprint then taking a pickaxe to the foundation."

The team members will need to read through their story, identify the roles, and divide the roles among themselves. Then they decide who will read what. Each reader underlines his or her own speaking parts -- in pencil, to allow changes -- and also crosses out anything the whole team agrees to cut. Need more help? Some sample scripts can be downloaded for your use.

Your piece will be evaluated, so follow these guidelines please!

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