At the February 2010 "J" meeting, our colleagues, Donna Peasley, Mary Clare Scheg and Anne Hicks presented an informative program regarding Reader's Theatre. Feel free to add what works for you and what didn't. If you're a member of PUBYAC, see the archives for 4-2-2012 for other suggestions.

see also: READER'S THEATRE RESOURCES

• HAVE FUN WITH THIS--it should be a collaborative effort
• Decide on your age range, it should be for the fairly independent reader, (recommended ages 7-11) 
• Schedule time for practices, about 50 minutes long, NO FOOD, usually between 4:00 -5:00 pm
• Great success with FUN scripts
• Performance is optional
• 1st reading: Round Robin
• Gives the librarians a sense of individual's reading level and "ham" factor
• Have children read a specific line expressively (with joy, sadness, surprise, anger...)
• Work on voice projection
• Supply folders/binders
• Information Sheet: Name, Age, Address, Phone #, Previous Plays and Parts, on the flip side--What role/character would you like this time round? NO GUARANTEES
• Hand out specific information sheet for parents & kids, spelling out expectations and dates of meetings.
• 2nd & subsequent readings: Parts assigned (May pair a weak reader with a strong reader)
• Have children underline/highlight their parts
• NO MORE than 12 children participating in readings (Stage gets too cluttered, and children lose focus.)
• Have children track readings, using rulers as guides, if needed
• Clipboard to side for words the children don't know the meanings of, how is it used in the context of the story? Stage directions & storyboards
• Props are a distraction, not needed for Reader's Theatre
• SPEAK--clearly, loudly, slowly (Face & Voice are the instruments for the Storytelling)
• Use music stands so as not to have the scripts rise and cover the faces
• Separate narrators--place on opposite sides of the stage (Otherwise, the fidgeting and flow may be a distraction)
• PRACTICE...PRACTICE...PRACTICE
• Performance
• Rehearsal for final production is recommended
• Get someone to help you direct, be a "runner"
• If possible, get microphones (Evens the field, especially for the soft speaker.)
• Be sure the equipment works
• Have the children PRACTICE with the microphones BEFORE the performance
• Posters and flyers may be appropriate according to your space allotment
• Playbills are a nice touch
• Plan on extra copies of script if you are going to do a performance
• Plan ahead for children unwilling to "perform" the day of the show (have jobs as ushers, sign holders for sound effects...)