Building Plays: Simple Playbuilding Techniques at Work

David E. Kemp is a professor of drama at Queen’s University and the
author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

The authors of this excellent book describe the process of building
plays as one in which student actors try out ideas, analyze, evaluate,
practise strategies, take leadership roles, learn to listen, and work in
harmony with others. Their book provides a theoretical and practical
framework for building plays. Examples of students’ work are included.
Canadian Stories, a prize-winning collective creation based on immigrant
experience, is both assured and moving and provides an excellent
illustration of just what can be achieved if the teacher is confident
and the students motivated.

Full of ready-to-use ideas and supported by sound educational precepts,
Building Plays is a must-read for drama educators and nonspecialist
educators alike.