Kids Take the Stage: Helping Young People Discover the Creative Outlet of Theater

Though I've been a middle school coach for the past 12 years, I still am interested in getting new ideas to get my young actors/ actresses more involved with the drama process. I also taught a 3 week long Creative Drama class this summer with 3rd-5th graders and the many sound ideas in this book gave me a wealth of activities to choose from. Whether you're a first time Drama Coach or a long in the tooth coach like me, this book is a MUST BUY! I particularly like how the authors used "famous actor" quotes to help back up the many acting activities in this book. I love the chapter entitled "Rehearsals with Heart" because this idea of treating young actors as people with talents to share comes shining through in EACH chapter! The "Leader's Guide" (near the end of the book) lays out a 10 session "suggested" guide for the novice or the veteran drama person to follow (wonderful idea!) In a nutshell, THIS BOOK ROCKS and I've now got even MORE ideas to use with my kids when the spring production rolls around this year! Well Done! Ralph :)

I read this book after receiving it at a conference that Lenka Peterson spoke at. In reading the book, I realized that she had put most of the information covered in an 8-hour session plus enough to fill another week of 8-hour sessions. The book truly takes actions and in-person teaching lessons and makes them readily available to anyone anywhere.

In this wonderful new book, Lenka Peterson and Dan O'Connor draw on more that 30 years of experience to reveal how to teach and direct plays with children. Their sophisticated yet accessible guide covers everything form the basics of acting to mounting and staging a production. It includes plenty of child-friendly sample scenes and relaxation techniques for kids. Perfect for established children's theater groups as well as churches, schools and camps, Kids Take the Stage shows how we can help kids realize their creative potential...and, in the process, create a new generation of theater lovers. - Stage and Screen, bookclub of the performing arts

In this wonderful new book, Lenka Peterson and Dan O'Connor draw on more that 30 years of experience to reveal how to teach and direct plays with children. Their sophisticated yet accessible guide covers everything form the basics of acting to mounting and staging a production. It includes plenty of child-friendly sample scenes and relaxation techniques for kids. Perfect for established children's theater groups as well as churches, schools and camps, Kids Take the Stage shows how we can help kids realize their creative potential...and, in the process, create a new generation of theater lovers.

This is a magical book, full of exercises and anecdotes that teach children to celebrate what they have to offer as potential artists, but mainly as human beings. I recommend it to anyone who wants to introduce children to acting and the theater. It is joyful, rewarding, wise and a lot of fun to read. Bravo/Brava!