An Immodest Proposal: Uniting the Camps through Dramatic Literature for Children

To those few devotees and practitioners of both children's literature and children's theatre it has long been apparent that between the specialists of each discipline an awareness gap exists. Until recently it could be argued that neither camp had sufficient time to indulge in study of the other, engaged as each has been in the furious fight with the established academic disciplines for legitimate recognition and a rightful position. Now, though the skirmish is far from resolved, periodical cease-fires have at least allowed these underdogs of academe to take notice of each other and to explore their mutual interests. Such exploration must needs be focussed on and radiate from the investigation of the respective literatures. The children's dramatists have regularly utilized for theatrical inspiration the literature of childhood; while this has not always led to knowledgeability or critical appreciation of the intricacies of the fiction from which they borrow, it has at least drawn the playwrights often within the perimeters of literature's camp. The literary specialist, in general, has proven less adventurous.

As a fundamental step toward narrowing this gap a proposal, immodestly presented to both sides, seems at present quite timely and proper. Both sides can share mutual ground for a time, through an introduction to and immersion in the dramatic literature for children. The theatrical minds may nourish their stage ideas with those emerging from literary awareness and analysis: the literary minds may expand as the richness of the page is shown newly enhanced by the life-giving richness of the stage. Within the groves of academe must this course of study be nurtured, as a serious inquiry by proponents of literature, education, and theatre into the intricacies, idiosyncrasies, and implications of dramatic literature for children.

To discuss such a proposition intelligently it first becomes necessary to define terms. As "children's theatre" is an often ill-defined and misinterpreted phrase, it must be clarified to ensure a clean foundation upon which knowledge may build. Rallying around the generic flag of "children's theatre" can be found three major variants: creative dramatics, children's drama, and children's theatre proper. Creative dramatics (also called at times theatre with children and developmental drama) consists of dramatic, creative activities, usually utilizing game playing, role playing, mime, movement and improvisatory exercises, and other like techniques, initiated by adult leaders for and with children. Creative drama is not production-oriented; the value comes from the enrichment given the children through their participation in the activities. Theatre by children (sometimes referred to as children's or child drama), frequently evolving from creative dramatic activities, is the term most usually associated with that branch having child actors presenting scripted dramatic pieces to an audience. There is both a self-enrichment as the child prepares lines and character for presentation, and audience enrichment as such child productions are also meant to entertain a (usually highly partisan) contingent of parent-playgoers. As is readily perceived, these two variants have definite literary counterparts. (The burgeoning academic interest in the issues of the child as creative artist—writer, actor, etc.—provides yet another avenue of intellectual pursuit.) We come lastly to theatre for children or simply, children's theatre. Mirroring its children's literary counterpart, this is the product of an adult playwright writing a play which comes to life through the artistry of a predominantly adult contingent of actors, directors and technicians, in a consciously theatrical presentation for the enjoyment of a predominantly juvenile audience. It is for this medium and for this audience that the dramatic literature with which we must deal is created.

Children's theatre should be approached both from the historical perspective—to show its development as an artform at once independent of its adult counterparts and interdependent, an evolution closely mirroring that of its non-dramatic cousin—and from the literary critical perspective, to better realize and appreciate the internal workings of the playwrights' compositions.

An entire course could be devoted to dramatic precursors of the modern children's play. Just as with its literary cousin, few boundaries were drawn...