The Multiple Forms of Children's Theater: An Insider's Narrative Inquiry

• Main Authors: Tung, Shu-Chen, 董淑貞
• Other Authors: Chang, Li-Yu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/45911493907884203846

碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 戲劇創作與應用學系碩士班 === 102 === As most of the research on Taiwanese children’s theatre nowadays is carried out from an outsider’s perspective, few studies are derived from the children’s theatre actors’ inside observation, their acting experiences and discoveries as well. In this study, as an actor in the New Visions New Voices Theatre Company’s play for young audiences -- “Jiu Gu: Legend of the Sea, Sky and Birds”, I explore the play through the method of narrative inquiry, and discuss the meanings and the values of children theatre’s existence, its possible performance forms, and the changes of my thoughts in the process of joining the Jiu Gu play. In order to examine the narrative inquiry from different angles, I have interviewed the audience of Jiu Gu: both parents and their children, and the school drama teachers. The director and actors are also my interviewees. The research shows that the existence meaning of the children’s theatre can be observed from three aspects: interaction, education, and text. The new and multiple forms of children’s theatre can be created and presented with symbol objects, script structure and theatre space. Before joining the Jiu Gu play, I tended to think that the children's theatre was boisterous and exaggerative, and it was usually customized to please the young audience. As the researcher and one of the actors in the Jiu Gu play, I find that the children's theatre is, in fact, not so “simple” as I thought before, and the ideal theatrical forms for children and their parents can be presented in manifold styles to inspire children’s creativity and imagination, to offer aesthetics, and to fulfill educational functions.