Acting in classroom drama : a critical analysis

Classroom drama is now a widespread component of the language arts, either on its own or in support of cross-curricular goals. Yet there has not been an overall analysis of theory, practice, and assessment until the publication of this book by Gavin Bolton. Acting in Classroom Drama, by an acknowledged expert in the field, analyzes acting from an historical perspective. Each chapter presents an account of significant pioneers and trends in drama education. Bolton also argues convincingly for a reformation of classroom acting behaviors. He espouses diversity, exposing false dichotomies between "process" and "product," "play" versus "drama," "drama" versus "theater." While acknowledging conceptual differences, Bolton exposes overlooked and highly significant commonalities. Given that our work ranges along a continuum between improvisation and staged plays, his approach is immediately useful - a reformulation that makes a case for embracing many kinds of acting behaviors, from "stage" acting to acting out. We recommend this book to all those engaged in any aspect of drama education.