-

-

|
- The
Topic:
- Skits,
Plays, &
Scripts
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- Easier - A play is
a story that is written to be acted on a stage or
in a theater. A skit is a short play that is
usually performed in a more informal setting like a
club meeting or a classroom. Skits are often funny.
Acting is to perform, to play a part, to pretend to
be a character in a play for theater, a movie,
television or radio. The written text for a skit or
play is called the script.
-
- Harder - Theater
happens when an actor or actors perform on a stage
while an audience is watching. These four
essentials - - actors, audience, space (stage), and
performance - - are theater. It is a live
performance before an audience. The actors present
a story about some aspect of human experience. The
performance is usually a type of play - - a
tragedy, comedy, or musical, where the actors
follow or interpret a script. But theater
performances can also be a circus, vaudeville,
puppetry, pantomime, or other forms of
entertainment.
-
- Improvisational
Theatre Structures by H. MacLeod
- http://www.staircase.org/structures/
- This page explores all manner of improvisation
structures including warm-ups, exercises,
long-forms and ask-fors. These pages are aimed at
those who practice the art of improvisational
comedy theater.
- Other Improv Sites:
- 2) Improv Page http://www.improvcomedy.org/index.html
- 3) Improvisation Situations (Grouped for Grades
K-4, Grades 5-8, and Grades 9-12)
- http://www.byu.edu/tma/arts-ed/home/improv.htm
- 4) Living Playbook from Unexpected
Productions
- Framed version: http://www.accessone.com/~up/playbook/framed/index.html
- Unframed: http://www.accessone.com/~up/playbook/
- 5) New Improv Page by F. Gerdes http://www.lowrent.net/improv/
- 6) Three Words (Grade 7) by M. Buchanan
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~mcoady/matless3.htm
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- Children's
Creative Theatre (Gold Award, 1999
ThinkQuest Junior Project)
- http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5291/
- This site was designed to introduce the visitor
to the world of childrens theater. Major
areas of concentration are: theater history
(brief), theater terms, theater games, resources,
an original skit, and a tour of a real
childrens theater. An original skit, written
by the team, provides ideas for costumes and makeup
(Note: This site was developed by kids for
kids).
-
- Readers
Theatre from Gander Academy
- http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/langrt.htm
- This is a great site for both students and
teachers interested in Readers Theatre, sample
scripts, scriptwriting, and much, much more.
- Related Websites:
- 2) All-Of-Us Express Children's Theatre
http://www.allofusexpress.org/crews.html
- 3) Classroom Theater from Fiction
Teachers
- http://www.fictionteachers.com/classroomtheater/theater.html
- 4) Example of Script Formatting from
Humboldt State University
- http://www.humboldt.edu/~jmf2/floss/323rt.script.example.html
- 5) Music for Readers Theater by R. DeVries
http://www.uni.edu/coe/regentsctr/theater.html
- 6) Reader's Theatre http://www.acps.k12.va.us/hammond/readstrat/Page21ReadersTheatre.html
- 7) Reader's Theatre at Baie Comeau High
School
- http://www.qesnrecit.qc.ca/schools/bchs/rtheatre/index.html
- 8) Reader's Theatre Concepts http://www.comm.unt.edu/histofperf/rt2.htm
-
- Reader's
Theatre Basics
- http://bms.westport.k12.ct.us/mccormick/rt/RTHOME.htm
- Readers Theater involves children in oral
reading through reading parts in scripts. Unlike
traditional theater, the emphasis is mainly on oral
expression of the part. It involves children in
understanding their world, creating their own
scripts, reading aloud, performing with a purpose,
and bringing enjoyment to both themselves and their
audiences.
- Not-To-Be-Missed Sections:
- 2) Reader's Theatre Scripts http://bms.westport.k12.ct.us/mccormick/rt/rtscriphome.htm
- 3) Riddles in the Dark by J. R. R. Tolkien
(Script adapted from The Hobbit, Houghton Mifflin,
1966) http://bms.westport.k12.ct.us/mccormick/rt/rtscripts/rtshobbit.htm
-

- After visiting several of the
websites, complete one or more of the
following activities.
-
- Start A Reader's Theater Group.
Visit several of the websites to insure
that you understand the concepts and
procedures that define Reader's Theater.
Once you form a group of interested
participants, you can find ready-made
scripts at the following websites:
- 1) Reader's Theater Scripts and
Plays
- http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/9893/readerstheater.htm
- 2) Free Sample Scripts from
Storycart® Press http://www.storycart.com/SampleList.html
- 3) Reader's Theater Collection (Grades
K-3) http://www.readerstheatre.ecsd.net/collection.htm
- 4) Reader's Theater Scripts (Download
page for 'RT Script Pack')
- http://www.geocities.com/rtscripts/index.html
- 5) Reader's Theater Scripts http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/readersmine.htm
- 6) Readers Theatre Scripts of the
Month by L. Blau
- http://www.lisablau.com/scriptomonth.html
- 7) Reader's Theater Titles by R.
Swallow http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/rcswallow/
- 8) Scripts & Tips for Reader's
Theater by A. Shepard
- http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/index.html
-
- Act Out! Try acting out some
plays or skits. You can find scripts at
the following websites. You might also
search at your school or community
library.
- 1) Orville and Wilbur Wright: First in
the Air by T. Nolan
- http://www2.scholastic.com/teachers/authorsandbooks/teachingwithbooks/producthome.jh
- tml?productID=11980&collateralID=5613&displayName=Extension+Activity
- 2) Crazy Critters by L. Walker (Grades
4-5) http://loiswalker.com/catalog/freert2.html
- 3) Grasshopper and the Ant by L.
Walker (Grades 4-5)
- http://www.loiswalker.com/choralgh.html
- 4) Plays by M. Buchanan http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/3765/Myplays.html
- 5) Theatre Script of Great
Expectations adapted by K. Rickman, The
Dickens Project
- http://humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/DEA/GEresources/Readers.Theatre.Script.GE.html
- 6) Zoom Playhouse Scripts from
PBS http://pbskids.org/zoom/playhouse/index.html
-
- Write Your Own Script. Decide
if you want to write a monologue or
dialogue for a skit or play. Tell a
favorite story or make up your own. Or you
could use the approach found at Acting
Out. Decide if you want to have
costumes for your skit. Do you need
scenery? Sometimes a few props are all
that are necessary. Perform your skit at
your school and for families and
friends.
-
- Write A Play, Enter A Playwriting
Contest. First write an original play.
Use the play writing websites to help with
the process. Then enter the annual
National
Playwriting Competition at Young
Playwrights Inc. The deadline is December
1st and entrants must be under 18 years in
age.
-
- Write And Perform A Radio
Script. You might want to start with a
radio program. You can get ideas and find
help with writing at sites like (1)
How
To Write A Radio Play from BBC
World Service and (2) How
to Write a Radio Play by M.
Klingensmith. You might also want to visit
the 42eXplore project titled (3) Listen
To The Radio.
-
- Form A Drama Group. Explore
different types of drama such as
improvisation, monologue, dialogue, plays,
and skits. Once you have identified your
membership, find out who is interested in
writing, performing, designing sets,
costumes, etc. Have fun, learn, and
stretch your talents and abilities.
-
- Complete A Dramatic WebQuest.
Follow or adapt the procedures found at
one of the following webQuest sites:
- 1) Medieval Morality Play: A WebQuest
by C. Irby and J. Murphy
- http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/webmoralityca.html
- 2) On the Costume History Catwalk
(Grades 9-12) by B. and D. Fleming
- http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/webquests/summer99/northside/costume1/default.html
- 3) Origins of Greek Drama (Grades
9-12) by K. Reno http://auden.webster.edu/~renoren/index.html
- 4) Retelling the Classic Tales
http://www.mtbaker.wednet.edu/mbjh/somera/fairytale/
- 5) Retelling the Classic Tales: A
Drama Webquest (Grades 5-8)
- http://www.beechwood.k12.ky.us/webquests/jgasser/default.htm
- 6) Theatre History 101 (Grades 10 and
Above)
- http://www.ga.unc.edu/NCTA/NCTA/WebQuests2001/SouthPoint/theahistory/Introduction.html
- 7) Theatrical Webquest http://www.u46.k12.il.us/tms/proctordaniel/295.htm
- 8) Which Way Is Up? (Grades 9-12) by
B. and D. Fleming
- http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/webquests/summer99/northside/physical_plant/default.html
|
- Websites By Kids For Kids
- Art
and Science of Theater (1998 ThinkQuest
Internet Challenge)
- http://library.thinkquest.org/21722/
- Study the history of western theater from the
time of ancient Greece to the twentieth century.
Learn how to stage a theatrical production. You'll
need to find a script, audition actors, build a
set, and design the lighting.
- .
- More Websites for Plays, Skits, and
Scripts
- ABWAG to Learn
Acting
- http://www.abwag.com/
- Learn acting subjects from the late drama
coach, Don Richardson. The site design is a bit
overwhelming, but it really has some great
resources.
- Other Similar Websites:
- 2) Acting Workshop On-Line (AWOL) http://www.redbirdstudio.com/AWOL/acting2.html
- 3) Dramatic Education http://www.angelfire.com/nm/marston6/
- 4) History and Science of Acting http://www.linksnorth.com/acting/
- 5) Method Acting Procedures from
TheatrGROUP http://www.theatrgroup.com/Method/
-
- Children's
Theatre History and Background from
Northwestern Univ. Dept. of Theater
- http://faculty-web.at.nwu.edu/theater/tya/history.html
- This site provides a brief history of
Children's Theatre in the United States.
-
- Copyright
Law for Theater People by L.E. Catron
- http://faculty.wm.edu/lecatr/copy.htm
- This webpage attempts to clarify the copyright
law for theater folk, most especially aspects of
copyright that relate to producing play
scripts---copyright laws for Playwrights,
Directors, and Sound Designers.
-
- Costume
Site
- http://www.milieux.com/costume/
- This site has online resources for historical,
science fiction, and fantasy costumers.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Costume Gallery http://www.costumegallery.com/
- 3) Costume History from The Costume
Page
- http://members.aol.com/nebula5/tcpinfo2.html#history
- 4) International Theatre Design Archive from
United States Institute for Theatre
- Technology and Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville http://www.siue.edu/ITDA/
- 5) Museum of Costume http://www.museumofcostume.co.uk/
- 6) Shan's Costume History and Theatre History
http://members.aol.com/msj1140/index.html
- 7) Timeline of Costume History http://www.costumes.org/pages/timelinepages/timeline.htm
-
- Creative
Drama
- http://www.susancanthony.com/Resources/creativedrama.html
- Here is some background with easy ideas and
activities to get started in informal dramatic
interpretation.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Children's Theatre / Creative Drama by M.
Buchanan
- http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/3765/mainframe.html
- 3) Drama Guide http://expage.com/page/dgone
- 4) Drama in Education http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~mcoady/index.htm
-
- Dialogue,
a Few Sins and a Sinner by A. Keegan from
Writers Write
- http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jan98/keegan4.htm
- Good dialogue represents, but does not mimic
real speech. Get some ideas about how it is done at
this website.
- Other Sites For Ideas On Writing
Dialogue:
- 2) Dialogue: Writing What People Say http://www.visualwriter.com/HowTo/Dialogue.htm
- 3) How to Write A Dialogue http://www.carolgreene.com/education/vent/dialogue.html
- 4) Writing A Scene http://www.learner.org/exhibits/cinema/screenwriting/
-
- Drama
in Medieval through 19th Century Japan: Kyogen,
Noh, Kabuki, and Puppets (Bunraku)
- http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/japan/DanceDrama/Japanese_Drama_Noh.html
- Learn about the history of drama in Japan.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Kabuki for Everyone http://www.fix.co.jp/kabuki/kabuki.html
- 3) Theatre of Japan http://www.theatrehistory.com/asian/japanese.html
-
- How
Can my Students Create RT Scripts? from
Baie Comeau High School
- http://www.qesnrecit.qc.ca/schools/bchs/rtheatre/teach2.htm
- Here are guidelines for students creating
scripts for Reader's Theater.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Example of Script Formatting
- http://www.humboldt.edu/~jmf2/floss/323rt.script.example.html
- 3) Scripting for Reader's Theatre http://www.humboldt.edu/~jmf2/floss/rt-notes.html
-
- How
To Write A Play Review from The Goodman
Theatre
- http://www.goodman-theatre.org/review.html
- This site contains a brief outline for writing
a play review.
- Related Websites:
- 2) How To Write A Play Review from Mission
Viejo High School Drama
- http://www.mvhsdrama.com/play_review.htm
- 3) Writing A Play Summary from Mission Viejo
High School Drama
- http://www.mvhsdrama.com/play%20summary.htm
-
- Makeup
Effects by L. Carsson, Gothenburg,
Sweden
- http://www.makeup-fx.com/Indexeng.html
- This site provides an introduction to the
makeup artist's work.
-
- Monologues
(Grades 6-8) by M. Buchanan
- http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/3765/mono.html
- Visit this site to see a few monologues written
for middle school students.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Dramatic Monologues http://www.gretchen.and.brett.com/monologues.html
-
- TheatrePedia
from East Los Angeles College Theatre
Arts
- http://www.perspicacity.com/elactheatre/library/library.htm
- This mega-theatre site provides information and
resources including biographies, play sources, and
much more. They also have an ask-the-theatre
expert.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Theatre Central http://www1.playbill.com/cgi-bin/plb/central?cmd=start
- 3) Theatre History on the Web by J.
Wolcott
- http://www.videoccasions-nw.com/history/jack.html
- 4) Theatre Resources (Links-site) http://www.newschool.edu/library/theatre.htm
- 5) Theatre Through the Ages by E.R. Mergenthal,
Jr. http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Balcony/7634/
- 6) Virtual Library for Theatre and Drama
http://vl-theatre.com/
- 7) Virtual Theatre (On-line lesson)
- http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/scrapbook/misc99/Vtheatre/default.htm
-
- Writers'
Block? Try This from Young Playwrights,
Inc.
- http://www.youngplaywrights.org/page10.html
- This brief page outlines a process to help in
writing plays.
- Another Helpful Resource at Young
Playwrights, Inc.:
- 2) Format Play http://www.youngplaywrights.org/page11.html
- Other Websites for Playwriting:
- 3) Playwriting Resources at ELAC
- http://www.perspicacity.com/elactheatre/library/writing.htm
-
- Websites For Teachers
- Acting
Out Historical Events by M. Sparks (Grades
4-5)
- http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSHistoricalEventsActing45.htm
- It is somewhat difficult to remember all the
happenings of certain events from throughout
history, but it can be made much easier if you act
out what you have learned about some of them.
-
- All
the World's a Stage (Grades 9-12)
- http://205.146.39.13/success/lessons/Lesson10/HFAe3_L.HTM
- In this lesson students review theatrical
techniques and discuss the effect they have on the
audience. Then students research and report on a
present-day theater form.
-
- Acting
Up across the Curriculum: Using Creative Dramatics
To Explore Adolescent Literature by J.
Kaplan from The Alan Review, Spring
1997
- http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring97/s97-42-Kaplan.html
- This biographical article remind of the
importance of teaching creative dramatics and
speaking, acting, improvising.
-
- 'Cap
o' Rushes' Lesson Plan (Readers' Theater)
by J.D. Rusting (Grades 4-8)
- http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/caprush.html
- Students will read and/or listen to the English
folk tale, perform as a Readers Theater
piece,respond to writing prompts, identify basic
drama literary terms, compare/contrast with another
Cinderella variant, and create a graphic response
to the story.
-
- Creating
Plays From Children's Stories (Grades
9-12)
- http://artswork.asu.edu/AAERC/Teaching_the_Arts/children.html
- Students are to write and perform an original
one-act play with developed characters, specific
setting, conflict, and resolution.
-
- Creative
Drama and Theatre Education (Pre-school to
grade 4)
- http://www.creativedrama.com/
- Creative drama can include dramatic play, story
enactment, imagination journeys, theater games,
music, and dance. 'Let's pretend' is the norm.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Art of Creative Dramatics Through the Eyes
of a Young Child by G. Martin
- from Yale-New Haven Teachers
Institute
- http://130.132.143.21/ynhti/curriculum/units/1993/3/93.03.01.x.html
- 3) Creative Drama Guidelines http://www.kmrscripts.com/cdguide.html
- 4) Creative Drama Activities: Grades Preschool
- 1
- http://ohia.com/ohia/roadshows/ocean/activities/creativedramaP.htm
- 5) Creative Drama Activities: Grade 2 - 3
- http://ohia.com/ohia/roadshows/ocean/activities/creativedrama2.htm
- 6) Creative Drama Lesson Plans by
M.Buchanan
- http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/3765/lessons.html
- 7) Creative Dramatics Cookbook: Recipes for
Playmaking by K. ORourke
- from Yale-New Haven Teachers
Institute
- http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1990/2/90.02.01.x.html
- 8) Creative Dramatics in the Language Arts
Classroom (ERIC Digest Number 7)
- http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed297402.html
- 9) Creative Drama in the Second Language
Classroom by D. Dodge
- http://educ.queensu.ca/projects/action_research/11drama.htm
- 10) Drama Workshop: Ideas For Teaching Drama by
A. McCann
- http://www.dramateachers.co.uk/
- 11) Introduction to Directing http://www.byu.edu/tma/arts-ed/units/1dirunit.htm
- 12) Theatre Education Literature Review
(Links-site) http://www.aaae.org/theater/thfront.html
- 13) Theatrix Web Centre http://theatrix.freeyellow.com/
-
- Drama
Teacher's Resource Room (Grades 4-12)
- http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/erachi/index.html
- This is a place where you can kick back and
find some ideas for your classroom or
production.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Drama Fillers http://www.angelfire.com/pe/MakeLearningFun/drama.html
- 3) Drama Library from Teachit http://www.teachit.co.uk/teachit/drama.htm
- 4) Dramania! by J. Smith http://www.public.asu.edu/~atbrl/dramania.html
- 5) Unit Lesson Plans http://www.byu.edu/tma/arts-ed/units/unithome.htm
-
- Dramatic
Play and Creative Movement Skills
Activities from PBS
- http://pbskids.org/arthur/grownups/activities/dramatic.html
- Marc Brown offers this short list of activities
teachers can use with their students to promote
creative expression and movement in conjunction
with the Arthur series of books; includes Flea,
Fly, Flamingo, Pencil Power and The Beat Goes
On.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Musical Freeze Improvisations by M. Buchanan
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~mcoady/matless4.htm
- 3) No, You Can't Take Me! by M. Buchanan
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~mcoady/matless2.htm
- 4) Theater Games http://www.byu.edu/tma/arts-ed/home/games.htm
- 5) Warmup Activities from Kids 4
Broadway http://www.pacificsites.com/~kidsplay/free.htm
- 6) Yes, But Dialogue Game (Grades 3-6)
http://www.track0.com/canteach/elementary/drama1.html
-
- Internet
Resources for Conducting Readers Theatre by
L. Carrick
- http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=carrick/index.html
- This article provides a brief description of
Readers Theatre and its many benefits for literacy
learning, and goes on to describe Internet sources
for scripts and for information on implementation,
additional classroom applications, and
assessment.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Readers Theatre: A Reading Resource, a
Teaching Tool, a Performance Vehicle, and a
- Chance to Play With Language! by L. Walker
http://loiswalker.com/catalog/teach.html
- 3) Dramatic Storytelling in the English
Classroom by D. Pizarro and R. Buchanan
- http://www.aspa.asn.au/Projects/english/rtheatre.htm
- 4) Readers Theatre by P. Johnson http://pajps.haltonbe.on.ca/grass/homeroom.htm
- 5) Readers Theatre by S. Sebesta from
Teachervision
- http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6526.html
- 6) Readers' Theatre http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/ela/ela_thea.html
- 7) Readers Theatre Evaluation (Form) http://www.humboldt.edu/~jmf2/floss/rt-eval.html
-
- Teacher
Tips for Readers Theater
- http://www.scriptsforschools.com/ALL_SCRIPTS/FREE_TEACHER_AIDES_/Teacher
- Tips_for_Readers_Theat/index.html
- Here you find tips for primary, intermediate,
and teen and adult readers.
- Related Websites:
- 2) Readers Theatre from Ideas for Teachers
http://www.mts.net/~ftp001jd/lessons/readers/
- 3) Using Readers Theatre with K-2 Students
http://www.owu.edu/~mggrote/pp/child_lit/c_readers.html
-

play
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skit
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script
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scriptwriting
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poetry
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drama
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puppetry
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makeup
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storytelling
|
blocking
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acoustics
|
sound effect
|
backstage
|
cue
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dresser
|
house lights
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footlights
|
company
|
spotlight
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dress rehearsal
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debate
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prop
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technical rehearsal
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proscenium arch
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stage right
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dance
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pantomime
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stage manager
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role
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stage left
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cast
|
audition
|
set
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Kabuki
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costume
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sound check
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Globe
Theatre
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dialogue
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house
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character
|
stage direction
|
theater
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theater
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monologue
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ad-lib
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antagonist
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actor
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mask
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'break a leg'
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scene
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choreographer
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protagonist
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radio
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soliloquy
|
acting
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improvisation
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Broadway
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entertainment
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tragedy
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writing
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-
-
- Created by
Annette
Lamb and
Larry
Johnson,
1\02.
|