"Stories on Stage" is a collection of reader's theater scripts for young readers, adapted from stories by fifteen different authors, including Louis Sachar, Nancy Farmer, Russell Hoban, Wanda Gag, and Roald Dahl. Coming from such genres as humor, fantasy, and multicultural folktales, stories were selected for their dramatic quality, literary value, and appeal to young people. With a focus on ages 8 to 15, the collection features a wide range of reading levels.

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CONTENTS

"Three Sideways Stories From Wayside School," by Louis Sachar (from Sideways Stories From Wayside School)

"Mr. Twit's Revenge," by Roald Dahl (from The Twits)

"Millions of Cats," by Wanda Gag

"Tapiwa's Uncle," by Nancy Farmer

"How Tom Beat Captain Najork," by Russell Hoban

"Harriet," by Florence Parry Heide (from Tales for the Perfect Child)

"Mr. Bim's Bamboo," by Carol Farley

"Talk," by Harold Courlander (from The Cow-Tail Switch, and Other West African Stories)

"The Jade Stone," by Caryn Yacowitz

"The Bean Boy," by Monica Shannon (from California Fairy Tales)

"The Kid from the Commercial," by Stephen Manes (from It's New! It's Improved! It's Terrible!)

"The Fools of Chelm," by Steve Sanfield (from The Feather Merchants, and Other Tales of the Fools of Chelm)

"Mouse Woman and the Snails," by Christie Harris (from Mouse Woman and the Vanished Princesses)

"Westwoods," by Eleanor Farjeon (from The Little Bookroom)

"The Legend of Lightning Larry," by Aaron Shepard

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FROM THE INTRODUCTION

There are many styles of reader's theater. In the most traditional style:

-- Readers are arranged in a row or a semicircle, standing up or sitting on high stools. Typically, narrators are placed at one or both ends, and major characters in the center.

-- Scripts can be held in hand or set on music stands.

-- Readers look straight out toward the audience or at an angle, rather than at each other.

-- Characters "exit" by turning their backs to the audience. (Narrators don't normally exit.)

-- "Scene changes" -- jumps in time or place -- can be shown by a group "freeze," followed by some kind of collective shift.

Chamber Readers, the group with which I trained and performed for five years, employs a style that is quite different, designed to appeal to young audiences. (For more details, see my book Readers on Stage.)

-- Characters portray the action described in the story. Where possible, the portrayal is literal, with characters moving around the stage much as in a play. Where necessary, it's instead suggestive, as with simple mime devices like walking in place.

-- Though narrators look mostly at the audience, characters look mostly at each other.

-- Scripts in sturdy binders are held in one hand, leaving the other hand free for acting.

-- A set of low stools and perhaps one or more high stools serve as versatile stage scenery or props.

-- "Exits" and "scene changes" are handled much as in traditional reader's theater.

These scripts should lend themselves to either approach, or to any other you might choose. Feel free to create your own! There are rules in reader's theater, but luckily there is no one to enforce them.

Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of numerous children's books and magazine stories, as well as three books on reader's theater, "Stories on Stage," "Folktales on Stage," and "Readers on Stage." He spent five years as a professional actor in reader's theater, performing in schools and conducting workshops for teachers, librarians, and students. He now hosts Aaron Shepard's RT Page, the Web's most popular reader's theater destination, with visits by thousands of teachers and librarians each week.



READER'S THEATER BOOKS BY AARON SHEPARD



STORIES ON STAGE: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater, With 15 Scripts From 15 Authors (2nd Edition). Scripts adapted from stories by fifteen different authors, including Louis Sachar, Nancy Farmer, Russell Hoban, Wanda Gag, and Roald Dahl. Coming from such genres as humor, fantasy, and multicultural folktales, stories were selected for their dramatic quality, literary value, and appeal to young people.



FOLKTALES ON STAGE: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater, With 16 Scripts From World Folk and Fairy Tales and Legends. Scripts adapted by Aaron from his own folktale retellings. A wide variety of countries and cultures is represented, including Native America, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Southeast Asia, and China.



READERS ON STAGE: Resources for Reader's Theater, With Tips, Scripts, and Worksheets. Resources for scripting, directing, and teaching reader's theater, primarily with ages 8 and up. Whether you're working with young readers, training teachers, or directing a professional company, you'll want this unique, detailed guide.