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Everything you need to bring a story to life–together!

Readers Theatre is just that–reading! No need for a director, audience or memorizing lines! It increases reading comprehension and literacy, provides opportunity for cooperative, integrated learning, And it’s fun, engaging and will create memories for years to come.

Request a supply kit, use supplies to make simple props for each character, the get comfortable wherever you like- couch, floor, kitchen table, front porch… and perform your play–for each other!

THEATRE WARM UP EXERCISES

Acting is physical, vocal, mental, and emotional work that requires preparation in order to operate at peak performance. Here are some warm ups to get you ready to perform.

DEEP BELLY BREATHES

Breath control is important for performers because it affects the range, volume, and speed of both speaking and singing. Practicing skills to improve breath control technique can vastly improve your speaking and singing abilities, and can also help calm your nerves!

 

  • Stand with your feet flat on the floor and keep your shoulders back and relaxed. Imagine a string coming out of the top of your head that keeps you standing straight and tall.
  • Place your hands on your stomach. Practice taking a breath from your diaphragm. Imagine your lungs and diaphragm filling up with air like a balloon. Feel your stomach expand and contract as you inhale and exhale. Make sure not to hunch up your shoulders around your ears or gasp. Keep your inhale controlled!
  • Breathe in for a count of four, and then exhale though your teeth with a “ssssss” sound for a count of four. When you come to four, stop the exhale crisply. You’ll probably have lots of air left, but the exercise is going to become more challenging!
  • Breathe in for a count of four, and repeat the exhale for a count of eight. Repeat the exercise exhaling for longer counts (ten, twelve, fourteen). The more you practice this exercise, the longer you will be able to hold the sound.

FACIAL WARM UPS

Warm up your facial muscles by yawning, massaging your jaw, chewing gum, or doing the big face/little face exercise in this video!

BODY WARM UPS

Now warm up the rest of your body, then you’ll be ready for the performance!

READERS THEATRE HELPS...
  • develop fluency through repeated exposure to text
  • increase comprehension
  • integrate reading, writing, speaking, listening in an authentic context
  • engage kids
  • increase reading motivation
  • create confidence and improve the self-image of students
  • provide a real purpose for reading
  • provide opportunities for cooperative learning

 VOCAL WARM UPS

Tongue twisters are great for concentration and working on all your articulation muscles. Try these!

 

  • Toy boat–can you say it fast 5 times?
  • You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York!
  • Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
    A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
    If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
    Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
MAKE YOUR PROPS

 

NARRATOR

1/2 piece of black paper and a piece of yarn

  • Create a jungle silhouette (the dark shape and outline of something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light).
  • Cut out a tree or other jungle creature silhouette
  • Use the yarn to hang around actors neck

 

MORE COSTUME IDEAS

  • Use a brown paper bag to make vests for characters, especially for brown bear and moose
  • Cut out different silhouettes and glue to a paper bag vest for the narrator
  • Use a brown paper bag to make a mask

BEAR CLAWS

1 piece brown and some black paper

  • Fold brown paper in half long ways (hot dog fold)
  • Cut in half along the fold
  • Glue each strip into wrist bands
  • Cut triangles out of black paper leftovers
  • Glue into the inside of the wrist bands for claws

ZEBRA

1 half of the black paper and some white paper

  • Cut out zebra tail shape
  • Make crease down the middle
  • Make little cut at the bottom, then glue together to give the tail a 3D look
  • Cut out triangle for the tails fringe
  • Cut lines create fringe and attach to the bottom of the tail
  • Fold the top and glue the yarn on to make a belt
  • Cut a few strips of left over white paper
  • Glue white stripes to black tail to give your zebra its stripes!

SHEEP

1 piece white paper and 1 piece of yarn

  • Cut out white paper like a cloud or fluffy sheep shape
  • String the yarn through to hang around the actors neck

MOOSE 

1st piece of brown paper

  • Fold one piece brown paper in half (hamburger fold)
  • Trace hand
  • Cut out hand- you should end up with 2 cutouts (2 antlers!)

2nd piece of brown paper

  • Cut strips of brown paper several inches wide
  • Glue strips into a band that goes around the head
  • Glue the antlers to the head band- Ta-da!
SHOW TIME

Choose your parts. There is 1 script per character. The characters lines are highlighted for ease of reading. Now get comfortable wherever you like—couch, floor, kitchen table, front porch… and perform your play, for each other!  Switch characters and play again!

 

MORE THEATRE FUN

 

CREATIVE AND FOCUS GAMES

Compound words: Person A says a simple word (for example “cup”). Person B says another simple word (for example “drum”).  Person C (or Person A again if you’re playing with 2 people) creates the definition of the compound word “Cupdrum.  A cupdrum is a…” Whatever they want!

MIRROR

 

 

GIBBERISH IMPROV 1 person speaks only gibberish, the other person translates!

 

CIRCLE STORY As a group take turns telling a story. Each person adds on a few sentences or paragraphs. You can ALSO each draw a picture of your favorite part of the story, or even act it out!

MORE ABOUT THE SCRIPT

The Very Cranky Bear was originally a book by Nick Bland. Check it out from the library, or listen to the read aloud below!

LOCAL THEATRE COMPANIES FOR KIDS

Did you have fun performing the play? Check out these local options to watch or participate in live theatre!