Plays from Hispanic Tales: One-Act, Royalty-Free Dramatizations for Young People, from Hispanic Stories and Folktales
Gr 4-8-Eleven royalty-free one-act plays that borrow their themes from Hispanic folklore. The stories depict a variety of compelling characters including tricksters, villains, mischief makers, princesses, ghosts, and talking animals. In The Sleeping Mountains, the origin of two dormant volcanoes is explained as the result of an ill-fated romance between a beautiful Aztec princess and her lover, the son of a rival king. Latin Trio consists of three playlets, one of which presents the tale of the husband-seeking Senorita Cucaracha in pantomime. Pronunciations of proper names are not always provided. Each selection is preceded by an introduction that gives background on the story and the way in which it fits into Hispanic folklore and culture. Winther often draws parallels to other countries and cultures when introducing themes and characters. Each play is under 30 minutes and usually divided into a few brief scenes. The useful production notes include suggestions for costumes, properties, setting, lighting, sound, cast requirements, and running time. The brevity and liveliness of the plays would work well in the construct of an international-day celebration. The book will also be useful in social studies and language arts curriculums, in schools with significant Hispanic populations, and especially in schools with ESL programs.-Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NCCopyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.