Musical Theater Arts

THEATER ARTS VOLUME 1

 

 

 

School Library Journal, 8/1/2009

AUGUST ISSUE 2009

A Star Review!

 

Multimedia Review

Performing Arts

Alice "I Feel So Me Now!" (Musical Theater Arts Series). 3 DVDs. range: 40–64 min. with 3 CDs. range: 45–69 min. Prod. by Incite Prods. Dist. by Academic Distributing. 2009. $79.99.

Gr all levels—Everything needed to cast, rehearse, and produce a play is included in this multimedia program. The play is based on Alice in Wonderland, but also portrays Alice as a young girl who grows up to discover who she is. Despite the chaos and confusion in Wonderland, Alice keeps her head (sorry!) and stands up to those who she feels are wrong. The first DVD features a group of children putting on a remarkably well-choreographed and beautifully costumed play. The "Birth of a Play" segment provides a history of the Pasadena (CA) Playhouse and explains the steps involved in presenting a play. The DVD also includes a data folder that contains all of the printable materials for the production—from lists of characters, the script, and promotional materials to instructions for producing miniature theater plays and sections on playwriting and radio plays. There are even bonus Lewis Carroll activities, dramatic presentations of select scenes from Alice in Wonderland, and resources for organizing a Mad Tea Party. The "Production Tools" DVD contains extensive and well-presented vocal warm-ups, dance stretches, characterization exercises, and instructions for creating costumes from foam rubber, spray paint, and glue (the same instructions are included in the printable materials on the first DVD). The "Miniature Theater" DVD offers a history of miniature theater and instructions for orchestrating a miniature production and creating the stage from a cardboard box. The three CDs each contain the play in a different stage of production. On the "Script" CD, the play is read by a full cast of adults and children, with stage directions, sounds, and background notes. The "Rehearsal" CD includes vocal warm-ups and the songs from the play. The "Performance" CD has 37 tracks of music and sound effects. The script can be downloaded at inciteproductions.com, where a video overview of the complete set and a preview of the lushly illustrated printable material is available. With time and a creative crew, this package will inspire young actors and make a theater production amazingly accessible.

 

—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY