Telling the truth. Talk with students about the similarities and differences between a play and a story. Explain that in Shakespeare's time, plays were produced in outdoor theaters during the day. Invite students to turn a familiar story into a play. With younger students, you might wish to work with the whole class and have students dictate the lines for you to record on chart paper.
Older students can work together in small groups to write the script.
Once the script is ready, groups can work cooperatively on simple costumes, props, and scenery. If time is short, suggest students perform the play as a readers' theater rather than speaking the lines from memory. In readers' theater, simple costumes, a prop or two, and minimal scenery are used. The emphasis is on expressive oral reading, facial expressions, and simple gestures.