The Drama and Speaking Center should be in a corner that can devote space to a small stage, at least 8’ X 10’ with a shower curtain and spring rod, or else a real stage curtain. If a small platform must be used, it should be sturdy plywood and at least 6” high, 4’ X 8’, and covered with tile or indoor/outdoor carpet. Scripts from plays such as those which can be bought from Music Theater International, or American Girl scripts, books that are written like plays (like Mexicali Soup),  student-made scripts, or appropriate TV/Movie scripts downloaded from the computer (see http://www.script-o-rama.com, or http://www.miningco.com).  Costumes, masks, and props will be needed for acting out plays or stories. A video camera can capture finished plays, Reader’s theater, or any work in progress.

            Also, a puppet show can be made from a sheet of laminate or thin wood, with a window cut in the middle. Handmade curtains can be strung across the window. A variety of puppets will be needed, and students can make puppets from any materials.  Student drawn “stick” puppets, string puppets, hand puppets, paper bag or recycled materials puppets, yarn-doll puppets, or sock puppets can all be made in the Drama Center.  At least 2 director’s chairs, small stools or carpet squares for the audience, a taller stool for Poetry Readings, a megaphone for giving directions, and a Karaoke (portable amplifier/player/recorder) machine with 2 microphones for practicing lines will be needed.

          For plays and poetry readings, students will need to make Playbills and play summaries, posters, and brochures for their productions. For Reader’s Theater, an easel will be used, along with large cards for the audience to read. The cards should state elements of the story, beginning, middle, finale’, action, curtain call, Part 1, Part 2, Introduction, Cast of Characters, or any other caption students need. Silent pantomimes of stories, commercials, comedies, fables, conflicts, and even vocabulary words, or parts of speech could be acted out. Adverbs are fun because students could perform any action they choose, and do it according to a chosen adverb, such as frantically. One student could then guess the adverb!

          Last, students could make cue cards, do interviews, “talk shows” around a theme,
public debates, mock court sessions, recite speeches, sing, dance, make announcements, or give a book review.