Drama Games

Drama Games and Improvs: Games for the Classroom and Beyond
Justine Jones & Mary Ann Kelley
This handy book provides a semester-long curriculum of drama games and improvs, classroom-tested and proven to be intellectually stimulating and creatively successful. You'll find it useful for a variety of creative situations--the drama classroom, rehearsals, or as creative prompts for original student plays. Softcover, 223 pp. $27.95.

Acting Alone: A Drama Teacher's Monologue Survival Kit
Demetra Hajidiacos
In reading Acting Alone, you - the drama teacher - will acquire a whole new way of looking at monologues and their multiplicity of uses in the classroom. You may choose to create a small unit devoted to monologue work in order to prepare your students for audition situations, or you may choose to use monologues to teach units on character development, movement, voice, acting, writing and directing. Softcover, 124 pp. $19.95.

Games for Language Learning
Andrew Wright, David Betterridge & Michael Buckby
This completely revised edition of the 'classic' title Games for Language Learning has been restructured to enable busy teachers to navigate it with ease and select the activities most suitable for each of their classes. The games can be integrated easily into existing coursework. There is a new section on solo games for independent learners and the games have been selected to cater for a variety of learning styles. Softcover, 193 pp. $30.95.

112 Acting Games
Gavin Levy
This is a comprehensive collection of performance-tested theatre games for learning and acting skills. The games are designed to help develop a variety of performance skills, including: body awareness, memorization, improvisation, motor skills, trust, nonverbal communication and observation. This is a perfect resource for use in the classroom. Softcover, 237 pp. $24.95.

More Theatre Games for Young Performers
Suzi Zimmerman
Teaching and learning good acting skills have never been so easy or so much fun! All of the basic concepts of pantomime, improvisation, character development, voice and body control are presented in game and exercise format. Experienced theatre arts teachers and actors share valuable tips in using theatre games to improve both in the classroom and on-stage. Softcover, 227 pp. $23.95.

Play-Acting: A Guide to Theatre Workshops
Luke Dixon
Whether from the starting-point of Japanese Butoh, Shakespearean verse-speaking, children's games, or African rhythms, this collection of exercises and games will help to bring together groups to explore ideas and themes through performance. Actors, teachers, and directors will all benefit from this wonderful guide to theatre workshops. Softcover, 188 pp. $25.95.

The Jumbo Book of Drama
Deborah Dunleavy
Now you can be the star of your very own show! With 200 pages of theatre games, activities, plays and more, this book provides all the inspiration you and your friends need to really get your act together! Featuring sections on magic, clowns, dance, puppets, radio plays, and much more, The Jumbo Book of Drama is the perfect book to stimulate your interest in the performing arts. Softcover, 208 pp. $18.95.

101 Movement Games for Children
Huberta Wiertsema
This third book in the SmartFun series (which also includes 101 Dance Games for Children, and 101 Drama Games for Children) offers a large selection of noncompetitive games which focus on pure movement, rather than dance or music, and stress excitement, humour, challenge, surprise and cooperation.
Softcover, $19.50.

Edward Gorey's Dracula: A Toy Theatre
A magnificent toy theatre based on the set and costume designs of Edward Gorey for his award-winning Broadway production of Dracula. These die-cut, scored, and perforated fold-ups and fold-outs include a full cast of eight (fifteen figures in all), bits and pieces of furniture and props, and three sturdy, sort-of-three-dimensional 16x12" sets, one for each act. Paper cut-outs in a box set, $34.95.

Can of Squirms -- Primary/Elementary
A role-playing game of fun and discovery. Each can comes with a Leader Guide both to help facilitate the mechanics of the game, and to provide discussion question to extend the learning opportunities. For each level, the Can of Squirms game encourage self-discovery through dialogue; while the intermediate, junior high, and high school cans include "squirm situations" that focus on dialogues between people, the primary/elementary version of the game sets up dialogues between the child and an animal. Teachers are also encouraged to develop their own "squirm situations" which may them be added to the can.
$24.95 P/J (1999).

• Can of Squirms -- Intermediate (1999) - $24.95.
• Can of Squirms -- Junior High (1999) - $24.95.
• Can of Squirms -- High School (1996) - $24.95.

Show Time!
Music, Dance, and Drama Activities for Kids
by Lisa Bany-Winters
More than 80 activities to help young performers develop their skills as singers, dancers, and actors. From one or two kids to whole classrooms, teachers will find everything they need to put on a musical or variety show, from tapping out ideas to the final curtain call. Includes several easy-to-read scripts, as well as activities to help them learn how to memorize lines, discover the difference between up-tempo songs and slow ballad, or creating good stage pictures. $22.95 P/J (2000).

Also by Lisa Bany-Winters:

• On Stage: Theatre Games & Activities - $22.95
• Funny Bones: Comedy Games & Activities for Kids - $22.95

Games for Actors and Non-Actors
by Augusto Boal
The three main categories of the Theatre of the Oppressed are discussed in this book: Image Theatre is a series of exercises and games designed to uncover essential truths about societies and cultures without spoken language. Invisible Theatre involves the spectators as active participants in the drama, and is founded on the idea of the theatre event. Finally, Forum Theatre is a theatrical game in which a problem is presented, and the audience is invited to suggest and enact solutions. The book is filled with exercises and "actions" which extend the boundaries of theatre into the realm of social therapy and social activity. Softcover, $34.95 I/S Theory/Examples/Activities (1992).

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Games for Everyone
by David Booth
More than 100 games * old favourites, as well as new * are described around general areas of learning: Joining In, Cooperating, Building Groups, Imagination, Problem Solving, Movement, Communication, Drama and Sense Exploration. Each game included important learning goals and a clear, concise description of how to play the game, as well as extensions to help create new opportunities for learning. $12.95 P/J (1986).


Handbook of Recreational Games
by Neva L. Boyd
This book contains the rules for many common games that children play, often without knowing the full extent of the game, and instructions for many other games they probably have never heard of. Eighteen categories of games are covered with up to 59 games in a category. The categories include: Pursuit and Escape Games, Hopping and Jumping Games, Hiding Games, Sense Games, Bouncing Ball Games, and Intellectual Games. Softcover, $11.50 P/J (1945).
 

Acting Games: Improvisations and Exercises
by Marsh Cassady
The book is divided into four sections from simple exercises to those that require more planning and practice. The first section includes games for relaxing and focusing, while the games in part two emphasize creative awareness. The third section begins by showing how space can be used in building scenes and characters. It also includes improvisations to help develop situations, scenes and characters. The activities in the final section involve analyzing and playing specific characters. Softcover, $23.95 I/S (1993).


House of Games: Making Theatre from Everyday Life
by Chris Johnston
The techniques which are discussed draw widely from the best of contemporary theatre practitioners. Following on from Keith Johnstone and Augusto Boal, this book takes the reader into the essential challenges of drama. The books is divided into three sections: Foundations, in which the author discusses the underpinnings of drama work; Facilitation, which looks at the responsibilities and challenges of facilitating a group, and Animations, the games and exercises for impro, narrative, imagework, movement and devising performance. Softcover, $34.99 Theory/Activities S (1998).

Innovative Games
by Brenda Lichtman
35 ready-to-use activities for students in grade six to twelve, each of which is designed to meet psychomotor goals and keep motivation high. The book features games that put new twists on familiar games, such as hockey, soccer and basketball. For each activity, the book provides a brief introduction followed by complete playing information, including game objectives, equipment requirements, and the rules and details for introducing the activity. Some of the activities also provide adaptations for younger participants. Softcover, $30.50 I/S (1993).

Also by Brenda Lichtman: More Innovative Games (1999) $29.95.

Creative Play Activities for Children With Disabilities
by Lisa Rappaport Morris & Linda Schulz
Over 250 games and activities designed to help infants to 8-year-olds with all types of disabilities grow through play. Many activities come with special adaptations for physically, visually, and hearing impaired children and for emotionally and mentally challenged children. Each chapter focuses on a particular "world," or activity theme, including exploring the world of the senses; active games with rolling, crawling, walking and more; building and creating; music play and outdoor games.
Softcover, $34.95 P (1989).

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Theatre Games for Young Performers
by Maria C. Novelly
The first chapter of the book defines basic theatre vocabulary and discusses goals actors should strive for. The second chapter offers suggestions for building a dramatics program and provides tips for organizing and governing junior high-school aged performers. The final three chapters consist of the activities themselves, and focus on three major areas of drama: pantomime, voice, and improvisation. Except for the poems and tongue-twisters recommended for practice, not scripts are necessary.
Softcover, $23.95 I (1985).

The Cooperative Sports & Games Book: Challenge Without Competition
by Terry Orlick
The idea behind this book is simple: people should play together, not against each other. The author has created and collected over one hundred games based on cooperation. The book groups together games meant for specific age group, although many of the games can be adapted for younger or older children. Orlick has also put together a second volume of cooperative games, which introduces an entirely new round of over 200 active games. The second volume presents both original games as well as new ways to recycle such traditionally competitive sports as dodgeball or field hockey. Large-format softcover, $32.00 P/J (1978).

The Second Cooperative Sports & Games Book (1982) -- $31.00.

101 Drama Games for Children
by Paul Rooyackers
The first part of this book explains what is meant by the words drama, play and game; it explores the role of the leader and how drama games play a part in the social development of group members. Also covered are ways to select. games, and build an activity to a satisfying conclusion. The second part of the book contains drama games divided into ten sections, each based on a certain theme or use of materials. The games in each section gradually increase in difficulty. $19.50 J/I (1998).

Theatre Games and Beyond
by Amiel Schotz
A teacher's handbook of over 140 theatre games to stimulate creativity in performers of all ages. The essentials of creative acting skills with games and exercises are organized into twelve units: Group Orientation, Trust, Warming Up, Developing the Senses, Coordination & Interacting, Cooperation, Reality, Sensitivity, Transformation, Characters & Stories, Drawing to Music, and Creative Quotations. Softcover, $23.95 J/I (1998).

Theatre Games for the Classroom
by Viola Spolin
This book is a step-by-step guide to the organization of theatre-games workshops in the classroom. Special attention is given to focus, sidecoaching and evaluation. Each game's stated focus is a problem that is essential to the playing that can be solved by the players. Sidecoaching is the calling out of just that word, that phrase, or that sentence that keeps the players on focus. Finally, the evaluation questions listed in the games deal with the problems the focus poses and ask whether or not the problems have been solved. The games themselves are organized under headings such as Warm-ups, Transformation games, Sensory games, Puppetry, Storytelling and many more.
Large-format softcover, $33.95 P/J (1986).

Also by Viola Spolin:

Improvisation For The Theatre -- $23.95

Theatre Game File (1989) $115.95.

Theatre Games for The Lone Actor (2001) $21.95

Theatre Games for Rehearsal: A Director's Handbook (1987) $28.95

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Last modified July 15, 2003 .
Please note that all prices are in Canadian dollars. All prices are subject to change without notice.