This unit, Recipes for Playmaking, attempts to explore the oral tradition as it exists in folk tales and to connect theater and folk literature together through the use of creative dramatics. The theories of Bruno Bettelheim in The Uses of Enchantment are discussed. Through the dramatization of folk tales students can learn not only the rudiments of theater but to express their own inner selves. Folk tales can be the catalyst for introspection asking a child to see what in himself is like the character in the story. Though folk tales appear to be simple with uncomplicated, stereotyped characters and predictable situations, that simplicity is deceptive.
Folk tales possess the wisdom of the ages.
These stories were created long ago by people who used the tales to educate their children while entertaining them. Bruno Bettelheim brought the power of folk tales back into the lime-light with his writings. Folk tales speak to children in a magical way sharing with them the soothing message, that we are all alike, we all have problems and these problems can be solved when we look inside ourselves for the answers. Acting takes this process one step further. Drama is an art form that requires a person to use his inner feelings and past experiences to create art.