Theater Kits

Theater Kits are kits for performing a play for each Historical Character of the time.

These were one of the four activities included in the American Girls Pastimes sets.

Overview

A Theater Kit has the scripts and directions for putting on a roughly twenty-minute play consisting of about four to five acts, focusing on the plot (in part or in whole) of one book in a Historical Character's Central Series. Each play has no more than six characters--including the main Historical character--and is arranged so that it can be performed by as few as four people. All the plays were adapted by Valerie Tripp.

The kits came in envelopes. Each includes four play scripts and a Director's Guide. The scripts have, on the back cover, tips for the actors on how to give good performances, and a few pages sometimes for notes. The director's guide offers tips on how to plan the play, details about the characters in the play (and how to have two characters played by one person), using stage hands, how to lay out the stage set, design costumes, using props, simulating sound effects, and occasionally information on how to make certain props. On the back cover are a ticket and program that can be copied. The Director's Guide also includes historical facts and trivia about live performances of the era.

For legal reasons, all theater kits include text that states the plays can be performed without royalties by young people at home, by schools, and by nonprofit organizations (provided that the latter two will not charge admission). Any other performance rights are strictly reserved and any inquiries for rights should be addressed to the Book Editor at American Girl.

American Girls Theater Kit

See also American Girls Theater Kit

The first American Girl Theater Kit included Kirsten Larson, Samantha Parkington, and Molly McIntire. The kit, part of the Portfolios of Pastimes collection, includes four script books that have all three plays and a Director's Guide. Every play focuses on the plot of the character's meet book. The set was discontinued in 1994 as by then sets for other Historical Characters had been released.

Individual Theater Kits

When the American Girls Pastimes sets were released after the release of Addy Walker, individual Theater Kits were included. The kits also included Paper Dolls, Craft Books, and Cookbooks. The Theater Kits were now color coordinated and include four scripts, a director's guide, and a playbill poster to advertise the play.

Theater kits were discontinued around the release of Kit Kittredge, possibly because she was not going to receive a craft book, cookbook, or theater kit.

Educational Edition: Plays For Girls and Boys to Perform

The plays were released as a single volume under the title Five Plays: For Girls and Boys to Perform in 1995. After Josefina was added in 1998, the book was re-titled Six Plays: For Girls and Boys to Perform. The book was a supplement to the American Girl Teacher's Guides and intended for teachers, schools, and other educational facilities. Along with blackline masters of the plays, tips for putting on the play from the director's guide to copy (both in single sheet rather than booklet form) tickets, and programs, there is information on using drama in the classroom setting and elsewhere.

List of Individual Historical Characters Theater Kits

Felicity Merriman: Felicity's Theater Kit with Play: Tea for Felicity (Felicity Learns a Lesson)
Josefina Montoya: Josefina's Theater Kit with Play: Josefina's Gift (Happy Birthday, Josefina!)
Kirsten Larson: Kirsten's Theater Kit with Play: Home Is Where the Heart Is (Meet Kirsten)
Addy Walker: Addy's Theater Kit with Play: Friendship and Freedom (Addy Learns a Lesson)
Samantha Parkington: Samantha's Theater Kit with Play: Actions Speak Louder Than Words (Meet Samantha)
Molly McIntire: Molly's Theater Kit with Play: War on the Home Front (Meet Molly)