Dramatizing the Story
It’s time to create
a play about life in Old Tempe. We like to videotape our plays. There are several things to do to get ready
to tape your plays. We did some things individually,
by ourselves, and we did even more things in groups. We chose to work
this way so that we got everyone to be a creative as possible; we wanted
everybody’s good ideas. But then, theatre is a group art. Playwrights,
actors, scene designers, directors all have to work together. And so did
we!
We’ve put what you’ll do by yourself in blue
and what you’ll do in a group with four or five of your classmates
in orange.
Each step is explained later!
- Select a photograph of life in old Tempe; study
it; write
a description of what you see.
- In your group share your descriptions; choose one
of
the pictures for your group to create the play about.
- Write a scenario about what might be happening
in the
photo – or what else might happen in this place or with these
people in Old Tempe.
- Create one scenario from the ideas from your group.
This is the scenario you will videotape.
- Design the settings and costumes you will need for
your play.
- Cast your play, decide who will play which part.
- Get the costumes, props, and furniture you’ll
need for
the play.
- With the help of your teacher, warmup, rehearse
and
videotape the scenes. Perhaps your teacher or a parent will edit your
tape.
- Watch! Have fun! Then critique what you have done.
1. The photo
Select a picture from the history that gives you
ideas for characters, setting,
and a problem about life in old Tempe.
Click on the picture to enlarge it and then print it.
The pictures gave our students lots of ideas. Here are
some examples:
San Pablo. The San
Pablo story allowed students to use both English and Spanish for
the dialogue. In the past, some of the students really liked being
able to do this.
The first businesses. Students
found the stories about the ferry fun to do.
The schools. One group made up
a play about needing a school to train teachers. Then they needed
to find someone to pay for the school!
Living in Tempe. The children’s
games and the mischief they got into were ideas our students liked
to use.
Farming in Tempe. Ostriches gave
us an idea for a comedy.
Business in Tempe. The students
liked the mercantile stores as a setting for their dramas.
Transportation. Nobody’s
used this idea yet. Do you have some ideas? How about those new
cars?
Technology. Other students made
up stories about getting a telephone or electricity.
The flood. This has been a popular
topic for dramas.
Government. There is only one
picture about the wagon bridge, but in the past students liked to
make dramas about the constable catching crooks.
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After you choose your photo:
- Look at it very carefully.
- Are there people in the picture? Who do you think
they might be?
- How are the people dressed?
- What are the people doing?
- What are their jobs?
- What is the setting like--the land and the roads,
the outside of the buildings, the inside of the buildings?
- What do they use for transportation? How do they
travel from one place to another?
 
- How is this different than what you and your family
do today?
- What things are similar to what you do today?
- Read the story by your picture. Let it help you describe
what is in the photo.
- Write a short description for your photo. Tell the
readers:
o who (character) is in the picture.
o where (setting) it is happening and
o what (problem or plot) is happening.
Want to see an example that one of our kids wrote? Click
on Photo Description and find out! You’ll
also find a form you can print. It will help you get your answers organized.
Now, it’s time to share your ideas with your classmates.
Together you can decide what to make your plays about. Then it will be
time to write a scenario.
  
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