First Class Acts

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Because of the many complaints from teachers in elementary and middle
schools that they could not find plays written specifically for children
to perform, the Playwrights Union of Canada (PUC) compiled this book of
five plays to meet that expressed need. Written between 1981 and 1991
and having running times between 20 and 50 minutes, the plays’ subject
matter, which ranges from the science fiction of “Grasshopper Pie”
to the social realism found in “Be My Friend,” should appeal to the
intended juvenile audiences/performers. Additionally, one offering,
“What a Difference a Day Makes,” introduces students to the medium
of the radio play. None of the plays requires elaborate sets, and at
least three of them should allow everyone in an average-sized class to
have an acting part.

In keeping with the PUC’s goal “to make it as easy as possible for
teachers to mount class productions of their own,” the book contains a
number of practical pre-performance aids, such as staging, costume, and
rehearsal hints, as well as a variety of postproduction activities,
including ideas for improvisation. And consistent with the “literature
across the curriculum” philosophy prevalent in today’s schools, the
book also contains ideas for “Extensions,” whereby the plays’
contents can be linked with other curricular areas. Potential purchasers
in today’s tight-budget climate should note that, as the copyright
page states, “Teachers who purchase the book have limited permission
to make copies for use within their classroom only.” Recommended.