Boleslavski, Richard. Acting: the first six lessons. (Theater Arts Books, New Edition, 2003)
Brown, Thelma Sharman, ed. Treasury of Religious Plays. (New York: Association Press, 1947).
Dundes, Alan. Holy Writ as Oral Lit; the Bible as Folklore. (Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 1999)
MacDonald, Margaret Read. The storytellers’ start up book. (August House Publishing, 1993)
Navone, John. Towards a Theology of Story. (Slough, England: St. Paul Publications, 1977)
Song, C.S. The Believing Heart; An Invitation to Story Theology. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999)
Book on Narrative theology and story telling. Chapters on theory and chapters full of stories. Really Good Book.
Set up with each chapter giving a story in a way to facilitate learning, as well as ways of understanding.
Looks at the oral tradition...the beginnings of the bible. Looks at variants of stories.
"Uses the analytical framework of folklore to unearth and contrast the multiple versions of nearly every major biblical event, including the creation of woman, the flood, the ten commandments (there were once as many as eleven or twelve), the names of the twelve tribes, the naming of the disciples, the Sermon on the mount, the Lord’s Prayer, and the words inscribed on the Cross, among many others.” Interesting Book.
Navone calls the Bible a book of travel stories, the outer journey can be seen as an allegory or metaphor for inner journeys of transformation. This book explores some of the work that has been done in narrative theology, including biography as theology. Very interesting.
The author uses the rabbinic form of storytelling called haggadah to “represent the biblical narrative by weaving together stories both ancient and modern. Multiple meanings emerge...”
Song asks the reader to look at new ways to think theologically and to encounter God, through stories, both Christian and those of other religions.
Good little book that provides ideas for storytelling and many stories for different occasions.
This is one of the best books on the actor that I have found. The focus is on the individual performer and the inner tools each person has at their disposal to create a character or deliver lines in a clear, believable manner. The skills reviewed here are transferable to the art of storytelling and would enhance the abilities of a storyteller. Boleslavski was a director at the Theater of Moscow (considered by many to be the birthplace of "method acting"). He strips away the jargon and boils the art of performance down to its basic nuts and bolts—memory of emotion, dramatic action, characterization, observation and rhythm. It is written in the form of a dialogue between a teacher and a student and is easy to follow and comprehend. I recommend this as a book for beginners, as it gives a starting point for exploration. I also recommend it as a book for the more experienced, as it has depth and can help one focus on the essentials of performance. In all forms of performance, this book should be required reading.
This is a long title for a basic introductory book to the art of storytelling and presentation. The book is a good starting point, although many of the points addressed are not germane to recreating text orally for an audience. The book is a how-to guide on becoming a professional or amateur storyteller and, as such, much of it is concerned with the business end of the craft (copyright restrictions, contracts, etc.). It is filled with experiences of many professional storytellers presented in a roundtable discussion manner, complete with much anecdotal evidence. The storytellers’ comments are divided in a way that allows the reader to get diverse views on each topic discussed. The book’s strength is that it shows that there is more than one solution to any given situation. The book gives the storyteller permission to tinker with the text, while remaining true to the text. It discusses the importance of word choice and deals with matters such as dealing with stage fright and crafting a story from a prose source. Humor is derived from some of the bad experience stories shred by the storytellers, although the emphasis is that, despite the bad experience, they continue telling stories (much like a minister after a poorly received sermon.) There are many good sections of the book, but there is also much that goes beyond the focus and goal of the work done in class.
This book focuses on the art of storytelling for a younger audience and using storytelling as a tool in the elementary school classroom. The resulting study takes a broader, simpler approach to the topic, lacking in depth. It explores storytelling basics such as being aware of how words sound when linked together, using sounds as well as words when telling a story, the use of specific details and opportunities to allow audience participation. The author feels the way one memorizes the material reflects directly upon the flow of the story’s narrative. He urges studying the story via the plotline, rather than the words. While not directly tied to the type of work done in this course, some of the skills explored are useful particularly for developing children’s sermons in a worship service.
This book contains an extensive bibliography of resources for storytellers and that is its strongest asset. The information lacks depth and is designed for the very beginner, explaining storytelling as the art of acting out, not just reciting. The book gives an international and historical perspective to storytelling. The author encourages using audience participation and offers encouragement to those who have never attempted storytelling, but would like to try. Statements in the book include, "There is no correct version of a folktale" and "No two tellers present their tale in the same way and all are useful." There is a brief couple of paragraphs on adapting biblical stories but, like the rest of the book, it doesn’t give much in the way of specifics. The last half of the book is a collection of international folktales adapted for the novice storyteller.
This book focuses on using the art of storytelling in business situations as a tool for getting a point across and easing tense situations, as well as gaining trust of co-workers and subordinates. The theme of the book appears to be that people are not looking for information, as much as they are looking for information presented in a manner in which they can have faith. The strength of the book for purposes used in class is the sections that focus on body language and facial expressions.
This is the best overall textbook detailing the art of storytelling. While the title indicates it goes beyond the basics (which it does), it does not ignore the basics. Written in very direct language, the opening pages of the book effectively summarize the skills and techniques explored in the other introductory books. Emphasizing the importance of the oral tradition in our past and for keeping that tradition alive, the author covers a great deal in a relatively few pages. Areas of focus include creating verbal images, the rhythm of a story and how to pace a story to its best effect. The author details how the storyteller can use his/her best tool—the voice and body with direction and exercises to help improve techniques. Areas that this book goes into deeper detail on, when compared with the other storytelling books on this list, include using the available space to its best advantage, outlining a text to highlight its focus points, and connecting with an audience. The book also explores dealing with stage fright, tips for memorization and working on stories with others. Of all the books I looked at for this list, this is the only one that cautions against over rehearsal, as it can eliminate the feeling of spontaneity in the telling of the story. I don’t necessarily fully agree with this concept as I feel performing is partially an act involving illusion and the appearance of spontaneity is part of that illusion, but he does state his case well. I highly recommend this as a required text for this type of course.
Scripture Windows: Toward a Practice of Bibliodrama, was written by Peter A. Pitzele. Pitzler, PH.D., is a writer, teacher and institutional consultant. He has developed a form of improvisational theater for the teaching of biblical narrative called Bibliodrama, has written Our Fathers’ Wells: A Personal Encounter with the Myths of Genesis, published by Harper SanFransisco and now available in paperback.
Bibliodrama is a method of Biblical instruction that engages students through their imaginations and transforms the Bible into a mirror through which participants confront spiritual aspects of their lives while they immerse themselves in the Biblical stories. Bibliodrama is a form of role-playing in which the roles played come from the biblical texts. In Bibliodrama available roles may include objects or images that can be embodied in voice and action. Bibliodrama has also been called a form of Midrash,drawing from its Jewish heritage. The book defines the methods for presenting Bibliodrama and provides examples of its application and use as psychodrama and drama therapy. It is used as a creative instrument for interpreting and experiencing biblical narratives. It engages participants to connect to their sacred stories.
I enjoyed reading this book. Bibliodrama is a creative and engaging tool that can be used to connect the 21st century audiences more intimately with the Christian story by engaging the imagination through story-telling, commentary, imaginative interpretation and "midrash." It is a way one can enter into conversation with the Bible in contemporary life. Although the art of Bibliodrama showcases the Bible, its techniques could be transferred to stories from other faith traditions as well. It is a tool that a theology student could engage in writing, sermon preparation, as well as in the arena of performance arts.
Richard R. Ward is currently Associate Professor of Preaching and Performance Studies at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. He was the first occupant of the Clement-Muehl chair in Communication Arts at Yale Divinity School prior to coming to Iliff. He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.
Richard F. Ward writes to his audience about speaking from their hearts to
the hearts of listeners. He draws upon the discipline of performance studies,
historical analysis and contemporary homiletic reflection to present his
message. Ward writes about subjects such as believability in preaching and
tapping the preacher’s origins.
"The process of becoming a more credible speaker begins with looking and
listening to the deep interiors of self, to the chorus of voices assembled in
texts, and to the cries of the community." (p. 27) Ward notes that the
origin of any piece of creative work of the imagination is in the creator’s
experience. (p. 27) "But for the long journey from text, to idea, to
sermon, to pulpit, to listeners we need to return to our own origins, to the
substance of our own stories. We need to take the time to walk over the terrain
of our own experience, and to drink from our own wells as they are fed by the
streams of God." (p. 29) Ward touches not only the core of good preaching,
but also of good writing in general. "The deepest connections between self
and sermon are lodged in our interior landscapes; they can be recovered only by
taking the time to develop our capacity to look, listen and remember in a
cultural setting where memory has nearly become irrelevant." (p. 31)
Richard Ward’s book, Speaking from the Heart, was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the Bible verses he provided at every chapter heading. I appreciated his themes and the way he communicated. To me, he was a storyteller that I could learn from as well as put into practice what he preached. His book and presentations connected well with my own interests in public speaking, liturgical theater and creative writing. I enjoyed his words and the images they provoked. Ward’s book is a "how to" book I will keep at my finger tips as I continue to write. It is resource for good writing in general as well as a practical guide for sermons.
The book provides a collection of religious drama by some of the leading writers of the 20th century. Showcased in the book are plays entitled, "For the Time Being," by W.H. Auden; "The Firstborn," by Christopher Fry; "David," by D.H. Lawrence; "The Zeal of Thy House," by Dorothy Sayers; and "The Bloody Tenet," by James Schevill. The plays presented have their roots in the liturgy of the Christian church. Yet their form has taken on new life in a contemporary presentation of theology that speaks to the human situation in existential language. The plays demonstrate the power of Christian symbols and myths out of our past and illumine the present while they define the issues of life in the 20th century. The plays probe the reader’s mind, and many times ask questions rather than provide answers. While drawing from the symbols and mythology of the past, they speak to a contemporary audience on a contemporary stage.
I enjoyed reading this book and found it useful as a resource for contemporary religious drama. It is important to be able to assess the development of religious drama throughout the ages, and this book provides insight into the theology of some of the contemporary names in 20th century literature.
Religious Drama 2 provides a sampling of medieval morality plays. All of the plays are written in verse, some simple and some elaborate. The authors have written the stories in terms of their own circumstances. The texts used are all edited texts from Middle English. A play from a remaining early fragment has also been included in the collection. One play based on the story of Abraham and Isaac is a poignant exposition of human emotions. The book contains three plays about the adult life of Jesus, one which dramatizes both Jesus and Satan, another which portrays the woman taken in adultery, and the last, a play about palm Sunday which includes miracles and incidents leading to the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. According to Browne, the play about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is "one of the finest pieces of late medieval poetry." (p. 19) The collection provides a variety of plays portraying style and verse forms from the medieval era.
This was valuable to me in providing an early glimpse of the importance of liturgical drama in the middle ages. The plays are still timely, and their themes ring true in any age. One has only to appreciate the idiosyncrasies and nuances of the language of the times in which they were written. An understanding of the sociological context in which they were written is also helpful for gaining true appreciation and further insight into the particularities of the plays. The plays are prefaced with information about the regions from which they come.
The book is designed to provide plays arranged in a convenient form for use as religious drama. A variety of well-known and timeless plays are provided. Selection includes "The Birth of the Song, ‘Silent Night,’" by Florence Felten French; "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens; "White Christmas," by Dorothy Clarke Wilson; "The Shepherd’s Story," by Harry Greenwood Grover; "A Child is Born," by Dorothy Clarke Wilson; "Where Love is," by Leo Tolstoy, and others.
When I first saw that this book was published in 1947, I almost didn’t check it out of the library. However, after reading and reviewing the book, I found it to be the treasure that its title infers. The majority of the plays run about twenty, thirty or forty minutes which would be extremely appropriate for a beginning drama group to undertake. I was wonderfully pleased to see that this book contained some of the classics such as "A Christmas Carol" and "The Birth of the Song, ‘Silent Night.’" This book is definitely a treasure for all times and is a pleasure to read.