Theatre Games for Young Performers: Improvisations and Exercises for Developing Acting Skills (Contemporary Drama) [Paperback]

Maria C. Novelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1985 | Series: Contemporary Drama

The basics of pantomime, improvisation, voice control, monologues and dialogues presented in game formats with exercises and work sheets.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maria Novelly has been a teacher at the junior high through college levels and was a drama coach in Germany. A drama enthusiast who has participated in numerous plays, she currently lives and works in Stockport, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Meriwether Pub; 1st edition (June 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916260313
• ISBN-13: 978-0916260316
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #535,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for the middle school drama classroom!, September 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Theatre Games for Young Performers: Improvisations and Exercises for Developing Acting Skills (Contemporary Drama) (Paperback)

This book contains many challenging exercises which are right on track for the middle-level student of drama. The students enjoy the cooperative nature of most activities contained in the book. Teachers will find it easy to use and assess students' work thanks to the clear, concise directions and the included worksheets students use to plan the activities.

The index in the back also is extremely helpful in locating just the right type of exercise; entries are listed in categories such as "no preparation," "noisy rehearsal," "beginner level," and many other cross-references.

When I started teaching drama five years ago, this book was my lifesaver in planning classroom activities!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than SPOLIN, August 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Theatre Games for Young Performers: Improvisations and Exercises for Developing Acting Skills (Contemporary Drama) (Paperback)

Viola Spolin's works tend to be the benchmark for theater students, and after reading this one, I am a convert to Novelly. Her ideas are useful, concrete, creative, and apply DIRECTLY to working onstage, not to hocus-pocus theater jargon. As a professional actress and drama instructor, I recommend this highly.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Classroom Resource!, April 13, 2005

By 

R. Vanden Eynden "roseofavalon" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Theatre Games for Young Performers: Improvisations and Exercises for Developing Acting Skills (Contemporary Drama) (Paperback)

After nearly fifteen years of being away from the classroom, I was a bit nervous about teaching drama again. In searching for a resource that would get me back in the swing of things, I debated between this book and the classic Viola Spolin books. I finally decided on this one, and I couldn't be happier! The lessons in this book are easy to follow, easy to prepare (there's not much to preparation at all!), and, best of all, fun for the kids in class! The lessons are also easily adaptable to different circumstances, such as short class periods, environmental concerns (like needing a quieter activity), or needing a quick activity to warm the kids up. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in integrating drama into a classroom, or as a stand-alone resource in a full-fledged drama curriculum.