All About Me

(Well, not ALL about me.) I am a playwright specializing in Theatre for Young Audiences, an experienced director and set designer, and a teacher of Creative Drama and Theatre Arts. I have an MFA in Children's Theatre and Creative Drama, with an emphasis in Playwriting, and a BA in Music. I currently teach Drama at The Montgomery Academy in Montgomery, AL, where I have been since the fall of 1999.Ê (Before that I taught Lower School Drama for a number of years in Pennsylvania, which is where most of the lessons for younger children found in my site were created.Ê My new job doesn't seem to allow me as much free time as the old one did, but I will try to keep updates coming.)Ê While as an artist I now concentrate mostly on playwriting, I still direct fairly regularly, and occasionally design.Ê I have even been know to act once in a while.. My plays have been produced in several states, by adult and student companies. I grew up in Massachusetts, am 36 years old, and am unmarried. When I have time for recreation (RARE!) I enjoy photography, composing and performing music, watching educational television, and (sorry) reading cheap mystery fiction.Ê (Sorry about the picture--I was playing with my graphics software. I don't really look quite so much like a remnant from the seventies, but I couldn't resist.) (Prize--or anyway, kudos--to the first person to guess how I made the picture.)

Resumes

Although I have lately concentrated mostly on Teaching and Playwriting, I still maintain four resumes. Here are the online versions.
TEACHING RESUME (This is the one I use as a general resume, and for teaching jobs.)
PLAYWRITING RESUME
DIRECTING RESUME
TECH RESUME (For set design and other technical work.)

FAMILY AND FRIENDS
This is a little corner of my site that's not about drama. It's mostly for family and friends to keep in touch, but feel free to check it out.

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E-mail me! matt_buchanan_88@post.harvard.edu

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-----------------------------128882635733131 Content-Disposition: form-data; name="userfile"; filename="books.html" Content-Type: text/html Useful Books about Children and Drama

USEFUL BOOKS!

Theatre for Young Audiences / Creative Drama / Theatre / Directing / Playwriting / Teaching / Picture Books

Below find many books I have found useful on a variety of subjects relating to Drama with and for Children and Youth. (Some of these books have been in my library for fifteen years, and many are in newer editions now than the ones I have.)

Most of these books are available from AMAZON.COM. Titles in blue are clickable--click to order.

BOOKS ABOUT THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

THEATRE, CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Jed H. Davis and Mary Jane Evans. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, Inc., 1987.
The standard textbook in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences, and a very useful book. Anyone interested in making theatre with or for children should have this book in their collection.

SIX PLAYS FOR CHILDREN BY AURAND HARRIS
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1986.
Until his death a few years ago, Aurand Harris was the unchallenged elder statesman of American Theatre for Young Audiences. His Androcles and the Lion and The Arkansaw Bear are classics of the genre. This is an early anthology. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.

WISH IN ONE HAND SPIT IN THE OTHER: A Collection of Plays By Suzan Zeder
Ed. Susan Pearson-Davis. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1990.
When it comes to challenging, innovative Theatre for Young Audiences, Suzan Zeder is the standard against which others are measured. Her plays are never easy, often controversial, and always wonderful. This anthology contains most of her best-known works.

THEATRE FOR YOUTH: Twelve Plays with Mature Themes
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings and Gretta Berghammer. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1986.
A collection of challenging contemporary Theatre for Young Audiences. "Mature Themes" here does not necessarily mean the plays are intended for older children (although some certainly are), but rather that many address themes that used to be considered taboo in Children's Theatre--but are, I think, exactly those themes we should be addressing. Expertly edited with commentary by Dr. Coleman Jennings, a leading authority.

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. St. Martin's Press, 1998.
A new collection of the best plays for young audiences. Many of the plays included here are unfamiliar, but all are destined to become classics. An excellent anthology.

PLAYS CHILDREN LOVE
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. St. Martin's Press, 1992.
A collection of classic and new plays for young audiences. This anthology is especially good for very young audiences, and contains mostly older, "classic" plays for children.

DRAMATIC LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN: A Century in Review
Ed. Roger L. Bedard. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1984.
A definitive history of the Children's Theatre field in the United States, from turn-of-the-century Settlement Houses to Harris's The Arkansaw Bear. Read this book for the HISTORY here, which is fascinating and important, more than for the plays.

Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT CREATIVE DRAMA

CREATIVE DRAMA FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
Ruth Beall Heinig. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1993.
A college textbook for Creative Drama teachers. Using straightforward language and clear descriptions of actual lessons, this book will get you started really teaching Drama in the classroom.

CREATIVE DRAMA RESOURCE BOOK for Grades K-3
Ruth B. Heinig. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.
Real lessons direct from the classroom. The focus here is on practice, not theory. You can immediately TEACH the lessons and activities in this book. Very clear explanations and easy reference.

CREATIVE DRAMA RESOURCE BOOK for Grades 4-6
Ruth B. Heinig and Ruth M. Heinig Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.
Real lessons direct from the classroom. The focus here is on practice, not theory. You can immediately TEACH the lessons and activities in this book. Very clear explanations and easy reference.

DRAMA WITH CHILDREN
Geraldine Brain Siks. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.
Another college textbook for Creative Drama teachers. A little old-fashioned, but very easy to follow, with lots of practical lessons. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.

IMPROVISATIONS IN CREATIVE DRAMA
Betty Keller. Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1987.
A collection of Creative Drama lessons-enough for at least a year's work. The focus here is mainly Theatre training, but with a healthy dose of process-oriented work. If you are looking for ready-made lessons that WORK, this book has them.

DRAMATHEMES: A Practical Guide for Teaching Drama
Larry Swartz. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1988.
An excellent text that will help you construct Drama lessons to support a wide variety of themes and curricular areas. The book includes actual, useable lessons, but its strength is in the way Swartz makes Drama out of subject matter.

THEATRE GAMES FOR YOUNG PERFORMERS
Maria C. Novelly. Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1985.
A collection of classic "Theatre Games" for teens. All the activities in this book are intended to train young actors in performance technique. Lots of fun.

STRUCTURING DRAMA WORK: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama
Jonothan Neelands. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
An absolutely information-packed book discussing and contrasting conventions and approaches to the teaching of drama. Contains lots of useful activities-mostly appropriate for older kids. A really thorough overview of the different ways drama teachers work.

ROLE DRAMA
Carole Tarlington and Patrick Verriour. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1991.
Role Drama is a technique pioneered in England. It is a Creative Drama form in which students explore themes or stories in role-usually with the teacher also in role. This is the easiest to understand book about this exciting and challenging form that I have seen.

LEARNING THROUGH THEATRE: New Perspectives on Theatre in Education
Ed. Tony Jackson. New York: Routledge, 1993.
A collection of articles about the British form Theatre in Education. This is the best book I have found on the subject.

Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT THE THEATRE

HISTORY OF THE THEATRE
Oscar G. Brockett. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1990.
THE textbook for Theatre History, now in its 8th edition. If you've ever had a college class in the United States on the history of the Theatre, you've seen this book. "The Brock" is the best-researched and easiest to follow history survey I know of, and an essential reference for any Drama teacher.

HOW TO READ A PLAY
Ronald Hayman. New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1983.
This oddly-titled book is great for teachers introducing the literature of the theatre to High-School students. In clear and entertaining language it takes students through the elements of a written play so that they can bring the drama to life in their imagination as they read. (Anyone who has ever read Shakespeare with an English teacher who didn't understand the Theatre will appreciate the need for this book.)

Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT DIRECTING

FUNDAMENTALS OF PLAY DIRECTING
Alexander Dean and Lawrence Carra. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980.
Dean and Carra used to be the standard text in beginning directing classes. If you are just starting out as a director this book will make an invaluable reference. (PLEASE do not try to direct a play with young performers unless you know how to direct! This book will help you learn.) Experienced directors who teach High School may also want to use this book to teach directing.

CREATIVE PLAY DIRECTION
Robert Cohen and John Harrop. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984.
Another directing manual. A little less "textbooky," but also a little less thorough. Very easy to read.

DIRECTORS ON DIRECTING: A Source Book to the Modern Theater
Toby Cole and Helen K. Chinoy. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1990.
A fascinating collection of writings by directors about the history and process of directing. A must-read for any serious director or student director.

GETTING THE SHOW ON: The Complete Guidebook for Producing a Musical in your Theater
Lehman Engel. New York: Schirmer Books, 1983.
Tips on directing a musical from a broadway legend. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.

Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT PLAYWRITING

PLAYWRITING: The Structure of Action
Sam Smiley.
A tried-and true playwriting manual recommended to me by Suzan Zeder. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND IT.

Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT TEACHING

MAKING CONNECTIONS: Teaching and the Human Brain
Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994.
This book examines the recent trends in brain research and applies them to what the authors see as a need for a wholesale re-thinking of the way we educate children. The kind of active teaching they propound is easily accomplished through drama. An excellent reference.

Go back to the top.

USEFUL PICTURE BOOKS Click here to see a short list of children's picture books that I use in my Creative Drama classes.

OR SEARCH FOR OTHER BOOKS AT AMAZON.COM!

BACK TO MAIN MENU

USEFUL BOOKS!
Theatre for Young Audiences / Creative Drama / Theatre / Directing / Playwriting / Teaching / Picture Books
Below find many books I have found useful on a variety of subjects relating to Drama with and for Children and Youth. (Some of these books have been in my library for fifteen years, and many are in newer editions now than the ones I have.)
Most of these books are available from AMAZON.COM. Titles in blue are clickable--click to order.

BOOKS ABOUT THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

THEATRE, CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Jed H. Davis and Mary Jane Evans. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, Inc., 1987.
The standard textbook in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences, and a very useful book. Anyone interested in making theatre with or for children should have this book in their collection.
SIX PLAYS FOR CHILDREN BY AURAND HARRIS
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1986.
Until his death a few years ago, Aurand Harris was the unchallenged elder statesman of American Theatre for Young Audiences. His Androcles and the Lion and The Arkansaw Bear are classics of the genre. This is an early anthology. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.
WISH IN ONE HAND SPIT IN THE OTHER: A Collection of Plays By Suzan Zeder
Ed. Susan Pearson-Davis. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1990.
When it comes to challenging, innovative Theatre for Young Audiences, Suzan Zeder is the standard against which others are measured. Her plays are never easy, often controversial, and always wonderful. This anthology contains most of her best-known works.
THEATRE FOR YOUTH: Twelve Plays with Mature Themes
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings and Gretta Berghammer. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1986.
A collection of challenging contemporary Theatre for Young Audiences. "Mature Themes" here does not necessarily mean the plays are intended for older children (although some certainly are), but rather that many address themes that used to be considered taboo in Children's Theatre--but are, I think, exactly those themes we should be addressing. Expertly edited with commentary by Dr. Coleman Jennings, a leading authority.
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. St. Martin's Press, 1998.
A new collection of the best plays for young audiences. Many of the plays included here are unfamiliar, but all are destined to become classics. An excellent anthology.
PLAYS CHILDREN LOVE
Ed. Coleman A. Jennings. St. Martin's Press, 1992.
A collection of classic and new plays for young audiences. This anthology is especially good for very young audiences, and contains mostly older, "classic" plays for children.
DRAMATIC LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN: A Century in Review
Ed. Roger L. Bedard. New Orleans: Anchorage Press, 1984.
A definitive history of the Children's Theatre field in the United States, from turn-of-the-century Settlement Houses to Harris's The Arkansaw Bear. Read this book for the HISTORY here, which is fascinating and important, more than for the plays.
Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT CREATIVE DRAMA

CREATIVE DRAMA FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
Ruth Beall Heinig. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1993.
A college textbook for Creative Drama teachers. Using straightforward language and clear descriptions of actual lessons, this book will get you started really teaching Drama in the classroom.
CREATIVE DRAMA RESOURCE BOOK for Grades K-3
Ruth B. Heinig. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.
Real lessons direct from the classroom. The focus here is on practice, not theory. You can immediately TEACH the lessons and activities in this book. Very clear explanations and easy reference.
CREATIVE DRAMA RESOURCE BOOK for Grades 4-6
Ruth B. Heinig and Ruth M. Heinig Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.
Real lessons direct from the classroom. The focus here is on practice, not theory. You can immediately TEACH the lessons and activities in this book. Very clear explanations and easy reference.
DRAMA WITH CHILDREN
Geraldine Brain Siks. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.
Another college textbook for Creative Drama teachers. A little old-fashioned, but very easy to follow, with lots of practical lessons. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.
IMPROVISATIONS IN CREATIVE DRAMA
Betty Keller. Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1987.
A collection of Creative Drama lessons-enough for at least a year's work. The focus here is mainly Theatre training, but with a healthy dose of process-oriented work. If you are looking for ready-made lessons that WORK, this book has them.
DRAMATHEMES: A Practical Guide for Teaching Drama
Larry Swartz. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1988.
An excellent text that will help you construct Drama lessons to support a wide variety of themes and curricular areas. The book includes actual, useable lessons, but its strength is in the way Swartz makes Drama out of subject matter.
THEATRE GAMES FOR YOUNG PERFORMERS
Maria C. Novelly. Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1985.
A collection of classic "Theatre Games" for teens. All the activities in this book are intended to train young actors in performance technique. Lots of fun.
STRUCTURING DRAMA WORK: A Handbook of Available Forms in Theatre and Drama
Jonothan Neelands. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
An absolutely information-packed book discussing and contrasting conventions and approaches to the teaching of drama. Contains lots of useful activities-mostly appropriate for older kids. A really thorough overview of the different ways drama teachers work.
ROLE DRAMA
Carole Tarlington and Patrick Verriour. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc., 1991.
Role Drama is a technique pioneered in England. It is a Creative Drama form in which students explore themes or stories in role-usually with the teacher also in role. This is the easiest to understand book about this exciting and challenging form that I have seen.
LEARNING THROUGH THEATRE: New Perspectives on Theatre in Education
Ed. Tony Jackson. New York: Routledge, 1993.
A collection of articles about the British form Theatre in Education. This is the best book I have found on the subject.
Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT THE THEATRE

HISTORY OF THE THEATRE
Oscar G. Brockett. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1990.
THE textbook for Theatre History, now in its 8th edition. If you've ever had a college class in the United States on the history of the Theatre, you've seen this book. "The Brock" is the best-researched and easiest to follow history survey I know of, and an essential reference for any Drama teacher.
HOW TO READ A PLAY
Ronald Hayman. New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1983.
This oddly-titled book is great for teachers introducing the literature of the theatre to High-School students. In clear and entertaining language it takes students through the elements of a written play so that they can bring the drama to life in their imagination as they read. (Anyone who has ever read Shakespeare with an English teacher who didn't understand the Theatre will appreciate the need for this book.)
Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT DIRECTING

FUNDAMENTALS OF PLAY DIRECTING
Alexander Dean and Lawrence Carra. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980.
Dean and Carra used to be the standard text in beginning directing classes. If you are just starting out as a director this book will make an invaluable reference. (PLEASE do not try to direct a play with young performers unless you know how to direct! This book will help you learn.) Experienced directors who teach High School may also want to use this book to teach directing.
CREATIVE PLAY DIRECTION
Robert Cohen and John Harrop. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984.
Another directing manual. A little less "textbooky," but also a little less thorough. Very easy to read.
DIRECTORS ON DIRECTING: A Source Book to the Modern Theater
Toby Cole and Helen K. Chinoy. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1990.
A fascinating collection of writings by directors about the history and process of directing. A must-read for any serious director or student director.
GETTING THE SHOW ON: The Complete Guidebook for Producing a Musical in your Theater
Lehman Engel. New York: Schirmer Books, 1983.
Tips on directing a musical from a broadway legend. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MAY BE ABLE TO FIND IT FOR YOU.
Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT PLAYWRITING

PLAYWRITING: The Structure of Action
Sam Smiley.
A tried-and true playwriting manual recommended to me by Suzan Zeder. THIS BOOK IS OUT OF PRINT, BUT AMAZON.COM MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND IT.
Go back to the top.

BOOKS ABOUT TEACHING

MAKING CONNECTIONS: Teaching and the Human Brain
Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994.
This book examines the recent trends in brain research and applies them to what the authors see as a need for a wholesale re-thinking of the way we educate children. The kind of active teaching they propound is easily accomplished through drama. An excellent reference.
Go back to the top.
USEFUL PICTURE BOOKS Click here to see a short list of children's picture books that I use in my Creative Drama classes.
OR SEARCH FOR OTHER BOOKS AT AMAZON.COM!

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© 1998 matt_buchanan_88@post.harvard.edu
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