What brings the past alive better than stories performed by live actors?
The 25 plays in this collection are short theatrical pieces that aim to bring to life moments in American history from the early nineteenth century to the 1970s. Most of the characters in these plays are not famous figures or even factual people. They are ordinary Americans who did not make history, but rather, lived it, and we can learn a great deal by experiencing the past through them. Each play runs between eight and ten minutes, and cast sizes range from two to eight. The plays can be read aloud, simply staged in the classroom, or fully staged with the help of complete set and costume descriptions included with each scene. To enhance the educational value, each play includes background information of the historical situation as well as the aftermath that explains what happened after the dramatized event. Ideal for middle school or high school drama classes wanting more relatable period pieces or for American history classes wanting to make past events and times “real” for today’s students, these engaging scenes capture the essence of the American spirit of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
(208 pages, 5½ x 8½, paperback)
Hardcover edition also available. Please call for pricing and details.
Parts available
The 25 plays in this collection are short theatrical pieces that aim to bring to life moments in American history from the early nineteenth century to the 1970s. Most of the characters in these plays are not famous figures or even factual people. They are ordinary Americans who did not make history, but rather, lived it, and we can learn a great deal by experiencing the past through them. Each play runs between eight and ten minutes, and cast sizes range from two to eight. The plays can be read aloud, simply staged in the classroom, or fully staged with the help of complete set and costume descriptions included with each scene. To enhance the educational value, each play includes background information of the historical situation as well as the aftermath that explains what happened after the dramatized event. Ideal for middle school or high school drama classes wanting more relatable period pieces or for American history classes wanting to make past events and times “real” for today’s students, these engaging scenes capture the essence of the American spirit of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
(208 pages, 5½ x 8½, paperback)
Hardcover edition also available. Please call for pricing and details.
Parts available
| Textbook | 978-1-56608-225-9 | $20.95 |
Hear what directors and critics are saying:
Educators seeking powerfully-crafted scenes that hold high interest for students normally resistant to learning history could do no better than to choose this versatile, compelling collection as their foundation text for not just teaching drama, but adding life to the American history learning experience. D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
...a highly recommended collection of short 10-minute plays that are particularly well-suited for middle to high school presentation under all kinds of conditions. Students will absorb historical facts and the social sentiments of various times; audiences will receive food for thought through hard-hitting aftermaths that cement the lasting impacts of these events. D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review