Lesson 4 - Experience
Reader’s Theatre
The Grown-Up Scoop
Books Alive! Student Entertainment (BASE) Reader’s Theatre is designed to engage participants in social emotional learning and apply lessons taught through reading and stories.
Creating Your Production
Together create your own version of Last Stop on Market Street in its entirety or part. To help you through this process, follow these five steps:
1. Think about a journey you will take. Use VOICE/WORDS, to describe a plan, divided into three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Just a sentence or two will do!
Which passengers from CJ and Nana’s trip might you highlight (guitar player, woman with jar of butterflies, etc.?)
How can you recreate the bus in your space? (seats, driver’s seat, bus stop, etc.)
Where will your journey take place? (In your own city or an imaginary one?)
2. Next, think about the BODY and the movement /music for the journey:
How can your child(ren) recreate the movement of the bus?
What sounds from the bus ride can you incorporate? (guitar, bus door opening and closing, etc.)
Would your child(ren) want to sing a verse of “The Wheels on the Bus”?
3. Use your IMAGINATION, creating/collecting some props/costumes from around the house/classroom. Go back to your plan, the middle of your journey:
Can you access certain items seen in the book (umbrella, guitar, jar, coin, knitting needles, etc.)? Could you design them with materials around the house/classroom?
Are you able to recreate the outfits of the different characters? Could you bring in different hats to represent characters like the driver, Trixie, or the guitar player?
Using a paper roll and markers, think about the amazing city backdrop you can create for your production!
4. Now FOCUS:
How are the child(ren) feeling about this endeavor? Why? Are they able to verbalize their favorite thing about this process? What feels easy? Are there problems?
5. PRACTICE: run through your production in full costumes and using all your props.
COOPERATION for your own dress rehearsals: Not all children may want to perform, solo or in a group. All members of a family, classroom, or community can contribute to a performance. Cooperating comes in many forms: gathering props; drawing artwork for scenery, invitations, programs; creating outfits; singing/dancing; providing background sounds; adjusting lighting; distributing flyers; and LISTENING!
Perform!
You’ve created your play, now it’s time to perform it! When your group feels ready, invite an audience. Your audience could be family members, friends, other students/classes, or community members!
