International Plays for Young Audiences: Contemporary Works from Leading Playwrights - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1566080657 ISBN 13: 9781566080651

Publisher: Pioneer Drama Service, 2000

Synopsis

Colleges, universities and high schools nationwide are seeking up-to-date writing on themes related to cultural diversity. Roger Ellis' previous multicultural anthologies of plays, scenes and monologs have been in popular use for several years. This unique anthology of complete plays is directed specifically to young audiences from new writers of the multicultural experience. Many international cultures are represented including African American, Native American, Central and South American, Caribbean, Pacific Island, Maori, Viking, Irish, Spanish, Gypsy, Canadian, Jewish, Muslim, Pakistani, East Indian and more. Each of these plays contain a significant number of roles for young actors. A valuable text for multicultural, literary or speech classes; or for theatrical applications.

About this title

About the Author:

Roger Ellis earned his M.A. in English and Drama from the University of Santa Clara, and his Ph.D. in Dramatic Arts from the University of California at Berkeley. During that time he was also guest stage director for several colleges and universities. He has authored or edited eight books in theatre, plus numerous articles, essays and short stories. In 1991 he initiated an ethnic theatre program at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, creating guest artist residencies and staging plays celebrating cultural diversity.
In addition, he has been director of the University's Shakespeare Festival since 1993. He has worked professionally as an actor or director with various Michigan and California theatres and has served as President of the Theatre Alliance of Michigan for the past six years. He is currently a Professor of Theatre at Grand Valley State University.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 7 Up-Drama classes are often hard-pressed to find interesting, timely material suitable for study and performances. This collection from a variety of nations and cultures offers something new to students of the stage. The 12 short plays feature young characters in a variety of settings and situations. While some of the selections are straightforward in style (such as Gustavo Ott's Minor Leagues), others require a creative stretch in order to be able to read and produce them (such as Neil Duffield's racial fable Skin and Bones). A few of the plays call for more elaborate costuming, sets, or staging than some student productions could effectively handle. Some plays may also be considered too unconventional for young American actors and audiences (Skin and Bones; Kendel Hippolyte's The Song of One, or the Journey of Ti Marie). All, however, have characters that would be intriguing to young people and all deal with themes of cultural conflict and understanding. The works present students with ideas they can relate to as they read and perform. Anyone interested in using the individual plays for public performance will need to seek permission from the playwright's agent and pay any applicable royalties (this information is included at the end of the collection). This anthology provides many opportunities for short scenes and cuttings for in-class, small-group drama assignments, and is also a solid choice for schools with speech and drama classes or forensic teams.-Toni D. Moore, Simon Kenton High School, Independence, KY

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pioneer Drama Service
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1566080657
• ISBN 13: 9781566080651
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 424
• Editor: Ellis M.A. Ph.D. Roger