Alice Savage - Introducing Rob

ISBN: 978-1-948492-43-0 (print) 978-1-948492-46-1 (ebook)

Copyright 2019 Alice Savage

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Do not copy, photocopy, or reproduce this book or any part of this book for use inside or outside the classroom, in commercial or non-commercial settings. It is also forbidden to copy, adapt, or reuse this book or any part of this book for use on websites, blogs, or third-party lesson-sharing websites.

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Discounts on class sets and bulk orders available upon inquiry.

Cover Design and formatting by Walton Burns.

Alphabet Publishing Logo by Joshua Comen.

Country of Manufacture Specified on Last Page

First Printing 2019

Foreword

T here is probably little need for me to present and extrapolate on the manifold benefits of the use of drama in the English language teaching classroom but it is worth mentioning that there is a body of research which shows how much well-organised theatrical events can improve student-centred learning, encourage collaboration amongst peers and increase exposure to consistent real-world language. Of course the process isnt magical and all concerned must be engaged and challenged to work together for the ultimate aim of generating a work of art together and thats exactly what Alice Savages handiwork aims at.

Alice Savage provides a much-needed response to the lack of dramatic material which is already prepared for classroom use, as opposed to adaptations of already existing plays or creating productions from other types of literature. The author has cleverly relieved busy teachers of the drudgery of changing a masterpiece into something English learners can access by creating her own mini masterpieces which are already accessible and graded or gradable.

Not only are her plays beautifully crafted in terms of the scripting but they also carry important messages which are perfectly aimed at the age group for which these works are intended. Significantly, these tenets are not presented in obvious or condescending ways but are a subtle by-product of the story line.

The stories themselves are engaging page-turners with the reader (and presumably the audience) waiting with bated breath to see how the situation might be resolved. Sometimes, in the style of the best mysteries, there is no obvious resolution, which naturally motivates players and indeed audiences to consider and discuss a possible solution.

As well as the plays themselves, the Alphabet Publishing support website (http://www.alphabetpublishingbooks.com/istd) provides numerous aids for students and teachers to access before, during and after the production, once again supporting the teacher in what is a thoroughly worthwhile endeavour: drama in the English language teaching classroom.

There is invaluable advice on how to approach a production as well as extremely useful information on the use of language, pronunciation, pragmatics and more. There is a plethora of materials attached to the plays themselves which will guide teacher and students into some vital development.

It is worth noting that being involved in such drama activities, whether as actor, prompter, stage hand, director or whatever, the benefits to language development are clear but there is no doubt that there are considerable advantages in terms of personal growth too. Shy students can become more self-assured, bossy students more collaborative, disruptive students more focused and students with poor self-esteem can become more confident.

I imagine that teachers will welcome this innovative addition to their resource library and probably be waiting impatiently for the next play in the series!

Steve Hirschhorn

MA, PGCHE, FHEA

Budapest, Hungary

January 2019

To the Student

T his play is full of conversations. When you work with a script, you get to try out these conversations. You can become someone else for a short period of time. You can say what they say, feel how they feel, and want what they want. If you like the way a character says something, you can take that phrase and use in your own life.

Two sisters make very different choices in the play, Introducing Rob . Cassie is a cheery, traditional mother with a husband and children. The more serious Lola, on the other hand, has put much of her life into her career at a tech company. So when Lola finally brings a man home to meet the family, Cassie and their parents are delighted. Yet, all is not what it seems, and Cassie becomes more and more alarmed at the prospect of having Rob for a brother-in-law.

Of course, creating that performance may take a bit of work. Youll need to practice pronunciation and speak with the emotion of your character. At the back of the book, youll find some support. Production Support has specific ideas for structuring your work and troubleshooting. Pronunciation Tips for Actors helps you develop strategies for working on the sounds and rhythm of English, and other suggestions for preparing your play. Finally, there is a list of Theater Vocabulary with commonly used words and terms.

Finally, there are many additional supporting materials and teaching ideas on the Short Plays for English web page on the Alphabet Publishing website, http://www.alphabetpublishingbooks.com/spel. You will find engaging activities and icebreakers for getting comfortable with your classmates as well as some monologues and short sketches that you can use for practice.

And if you like this play, you might want to try another one. Theres something magical about performing a story with an audience, and people often want to continue. In fact, theres even an expression for it: Youve got the theater bug.

Alice Savage

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