Children's responses to a specific theatrical presentation
Date
1984
Authors
Reid, Leona Elaine
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Abstract
This research is an analysis of two children's responses to a specific children's theatre presentation. The study was conducted using naturalistic research methodology--observations, interviews and drawings. Additional data were gathered through letters submitted by students of the grade six class from which the two subjects were chosen.
The results indicate that children respond very differently to a theatrical presentation. For example, twenty-six dissimilar responses were given to the question, "What thing did you like the most in the play?" Differences were also found in the extent to which children grasped the message intended by the play. It is important for a company purporting to communicate a message of educational worth in a learning institution to provide an educating and not just an entertaining experience. It was also found that children, for the most part, do not like plays for their seriousness. This raises questions concerning the appropriateness of presenting realistic social problems in children's theatre productions. Finally, it was concluded that more cooperation is needed among children's theatre companies, teachers, schools, school districts and government before the quality of these presentations.