Preface T he following adaptations of some of the most well-loved Robert Munsch stories have been retold and performed in a variety of styles by students of all ages for many years Children have improvised in groups or as a class using mime and movement as an alternative to designed set pieces They have experimented with innovative casting and performed the stories in groups as small as four and larger than twenty Groups have used more than one narrator and enjoyed multi casting Performances have taken place indoors and out on stages in corridors classrooms gymnasiums and in tents These adaptations have challenged students to come up with innovative ideas in every form of presentation from standard proscenium to theater in the round The art of narrative and timing especially when there is audience participation the use of sound and silence many oppor tunities for arts crafts stage design and costuming and the use of found materials have enriched the dramatic experience and enhanced class collaboration 7
Storytelling through drama and working together in large groups where everyone has an important role to play has been as satisfying to the participants as it has to the audience Performers as young as seven and eight have worked as happily and harmo niously as teenagers and often in a drama club as part of a mixed age group The following suggestions for casting staging set design props and costumes are intended as a starting point one pos sible way You and your students will discover many others Let the power of Robert Munsch’s stories and your own creativity be your guide Running Time Each play can be performed in 8 to 10 minutes but much depends on the space kinds of participation costuming and changes and size of cast Presentations if two or three of the stories are put together can be given in 20 to 30 minutes allowing for a change over of cast Enjoy Irene N Watts 8
