The Magic of Readers Theatre: Bringing Stories to Life

When I first saw the announcement for the CALL Readers Theatre Interest Group -I was intrigued and curious -- what is "Readers Theatre" and why would a group of CALL members be interested in participating? I began with some research and  thought about my personal experiences related to Readers Theatre.   Then, I enjoyed a delightful conversation with Sally Shah, CALL member who founded the Interest Group.

What is Readers Theatre?

Readers Theatre is a form of dramatic presentation in which the performers read scripts aloud without costumes, props, scenery, or special lighting. Instead of acting out scenes physically, participants use their voices, facial expressions, and minimal gestures to bring characters and narratives to life.

The focus is on expressive reading, making the narrative accessible and engaging for both performers and audiences. Readers Theatre is particularly appealing to those who love reading aloud.

The freedom from memorizing lines and mastering stage movements enables people of all ages and skill levels to participate, making it an inclusive activity.

Personal Experiences

When I first thought about Readers Theatre the closest experience I had was my introduction to oral storytelling through listening to popular radio drama series.

If you are of a ‘certain age’ you might recall the days when families gathered around the radio to listen to mysteries, comedies, soap operas or thrillers, read by actors and accompanied by sound effects. One well-known radio drama was The Shadow with the famous opening line, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

CBC and Radio-Canada broadcast many popular series such as W. O. Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid, Thomas King’s The Dead Dog Café Comedy Hour and Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café.

In the 1990s I took my Mom to see a Readers Theatre performance. It was a unique experience to see the performers, scripts in hand while they read a play based on an old radio drama. It was a very nostalgic experience and Mom shared that she relived many moments of her youth when radio was her only entertainment.

Interview with Sally Shah

Sally Shah is a CALL member and volunteer. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sally about Readers Theatre, an Interest Group that she founded in 2018.

I asked Sally to tell me how she first heard about Readers Theatre and what motivated her to start the CALL Interest Group.

Sally has always loved reading aloud; first to her children when they were young and then to groups of other children. When she was teaching in Saudi Arabia, she looked for ways to use reading to help English Language Learners. She noticed that some learners struggle with getting the rhythm of their new language.

She started an after-school Readers Theatre group to motivate them to enjoy reading, become more familiar with the text and, more importantly, to learn the intonation of the language.

Years later Sally joined the CALL Short Story Interest Group, where members read short stories aloud. At one meeting, she was reading "Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe and this experience reminded her of how much she enjoyed reading aloud.

Sally proceeded on the premise that if she was interested then likely some other CALL members would share her interest and, in January 2018, she took the steps needed to start a new group -- Readers Theatre.

In a previous blog post we described Peer Learning.  Sally's experience provides a great example of that.

Sally did indeed find several like-minded individuals who shared her passion for storytelling and reading aloud. Finding meeting space was easy because CALL rents room 310 in cSPACE Marda Loop. CALL also offers ways to publicize the group via the regular newsletter articles and email blasts sent to all members for special occasions.

The Readers Theatre group has regularly entertained CALL audiences at CALL Cafè and other special presentations.  Recently, the group collaborated with the Calgary Music Makers Senior Choir to give a performance at a summer concert. The audience provided very positive feedback.

The success of the Interest Group is demonstrated by several things:

• Four members of the group have remained since the beginning.
• Pivoting to Zoom during COVID allowed the group to continue
• When the group has performed in front of an audience, the response has been very positive. Audiences appreciate the sense of intimacy and the opportunity to engage their own imaginations.
• Everyone enjoys the collaborative and supportive culture of the group during rehearsals and performances. Yes -- rehearsals are necessary for the reader to get to know the character, the story, and how to portray the emotional tone.
• Some have expressed appreciation for the group as a "friendship circle".

Sally noted that Readers Theatre is perfect for seniors for several reasons. Many do not like the idea of memorization demanded by acting in a play. Those with mobility issues can still enjoy performing while seated or standing, without coping with movements on a stage. She added a comment about the diversity of roles that a senior can play:

"You can't look like a 25-year old but you can be the voice of one. Your voice is your instrument."

Challenges for the Group

Sally acknowledged some challenges that the Interest Group faces. First, finding opportunities to offer performances to an audience requires a lot of time and organization.

Another challenge is managing group membership. The group needs to be large enough to have sufficient readers but also small enough to manage. There is turnover for all the reasons one could predict: aging, health issues of member or family, moving, travelling, or other changes in circumstance. One way to do this is through a 'waitlist'. Not ideal but it does address a way to balance the needs of the group and the desire of other members to join.

Every facilitator's challenge is to replace him/herself. Sally was fortunate to hand over the group to the capable hands of Marg Semel and Susan Anderson to take on the group.

Summary

Performers are drawn to Readers Theatre by the creative challenge of conveying a story through tone, pitch, rhythm and emotion. It is an opportunity to return to the very roots of storytelling.

Audiences enjoy the experience as it is often more personal, focusing on emotions evoked by the spoken word. In a world of high-tech entertainment, the simplicity of Readers Theatre can feel refreshing.

Resources

Readers Theatre: A Story of Tradition. Readers Theatre has been at Calgary Academy for over 20 years. This annual event is a cornerstone of Calgary Academy’s Junior School experience, Hundreds of students have practiced and read their stories over the years, preparing them for future learning.

If you are interested you can learn more about CALL Readers Theatre Interest Group.

Author

Maureen Osis

Maureen retired from her career -- first as a Gerontological Nurse and then a Marriage/Family Therapist in private practice working with mid-life and older adults. Maureen has published numerous articles and books, related to her professions. She is a member of CALL because she is passionate about learning. She is a volunteer with CALL, doing social media and the primary author of the blog, because she likes to face new challenges.

Guest Author

Sally Shah

Sally intended to be a teacher of modern languages, trained as an ESL teacher at the British Council in Doha, Qatar. She taught French, German and ESL at international schools in the Middle East. She retired from teaching ESL to adults at the YWCA. She joined CALL because she needed a venue to co-facilitate a memoir writing group, Our Lives, Our Stories. From that start, she has gone on to volunteer as a facilitator, member of the Program Committee and now a member of the Communications team.

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