Most of the following books were used in doing research in writing this unit. They are good reference books for both the teacher and students. Books especially relevant for students are marked with an asterisk (*).
*Albee, Edward.
The American Dream and The Zoo Story
. New York: NAL, Signet, 1961.
This is the play book that I will use for this unit.
*Atkinson, Brooks.
The Lively Years, 1973
.
Brief discussions of the outstanding plays of 1920-73 by the former New York Times Drama critic.
Barnfield, Gabriel.
Creative Drama in Schools
. New York: Macmillan 1971.
This is a concrete teaching book which emphasizes movement, dance and the technical aspects of theater.
*Bentley, Eric.
The Life of the Drama.
New York: Atheneum, 1970.
This book examines the elements of drama.
*Bigsby, C.W.C.
Albee
. Edinburgh, Scotland: Oliver and Boyd. LTD., 1969.
A thoughtful study of Albee’s drama up to
A Delicate Balance
.
Duke, Charles R.
Creative Dramatics and English Teaching
. Illinois: NCTE, 1974.
This book contains lists of references and sources of information and materials.
Ehrlich, Harriet W. ed.
The Creative Dramatics Handbook.
Philadelphia: N.C.T.E.
Written by Philadelphia teachers, it provides an affective curriculum which uses creative dramatics in the regular classroom.
*Esslin, Martin.
Theatre of the Absurd
. New York: Doubleday, 1969. A study of absurdist drama by a scholar of the theater.
*Fitzgerald, Scott F.
The Great Gatsby
.
Jay Gatsby seeks his love and the American dream in swinging Long Island during the Jazz Age.
*Fuller, Charles.
A Soldier’s Play
. New York: Hill and Wang, 1982.
The play book that I will use for this unit.
Hodgson, John and Ernest Richards.
Improvisation
. New York: Grove Press, 1979.
This helpful resource book explains how improvisation can be developed in the classroom.
Hoetker, James.
Theater Games
:
One Way Into Drama
. NCTE, 1975. Descriptions and directions for playing theater games.
Howes, Alan B.
Teaching Literature to Adolescents
:
Plays.
Chicago: Scott Foresman and Co., 1968.
Contains many stimulating guidelines for involving students with drama.
*James, Henry.
The American Scene
1907.
Henry James describes America after an absence of twenty years.
*Kernan, Alvin B.
Character and Conflict
:
An Introduction to Drama
, New York: Harcourt Brace and World, Inc., 1963.
A very useful handbook with many ideas that can easily be adapted for this unit.
McCaslin, Nellie.
Creative Dramatics in the Classroom
. David McKay, 1974.
It contains a thorough bibliography of books and pamphlets on drama and a list of films to use in teaching drama.
*Melville, Herman.
Billy Budd
.
The handsome, innocent sailor, encounters the evils of the world as embodied in Claggert, the captain. Charles Fuller who wrote
A Soldier’s Play
was inspired by the
Billy Budd
story.
*Miller, Arthur.
All My Sons
.
Joe Keller, a manufacturer of airplane parts during World War Il must decide what is the right thing to do.
*———.
A View From the Bridge
.
A play about the common man who dies for what he fanatically believes.
*———. “Tragedy and the Common Man .” An essay in which Miller states that the common man can be a tragic hero.
*Rutenberg, Michael E.
Edward Albee: Playwright in Protest.
New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1969. A comprehensive study of Albee’s plays by a director. He gives many insights into interpretation and production techniques.
Spolin, Viola.
Improvisation for the Theater
. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1972.
A classic study of stimulating improvisations and theater exercises.
*Wilder, Thornton.
Our Town.
Drama of life in a New England town at the beginning of the 20th century as seen by the omniscient stage manager.
*Williams, Tennessee.
A Streetcar Named Desire.
A study of the conflict between illusion and reality in a changing society.
*Wolfe, Thomas:
You Can’t Go Home Again
.
George Webber, a writer, searches for a sense of meaning and purpose in his life during America’s depression.
