Readers’ Theater In The Church

Readers' theater is a form of drama well-suited to the church. It attempts to present a text rather than to represent or portray an event. It minimizes the staging that may be difficult in some worship spaces. This article describes both the history of readers' theater and gives suggestions for its use in the church. Readers' theater is a dramatic hybrid which combines the oral interpretation of literature with the theatricality of performance art. Readers' theater has been a viable expressive art form for centuries. The Greeks used a chorus of chanters to link stories and episodes in their plays. The chorus served as a reminder of plotlines or as a transition from scene to scene. The performers in chorus might comment also on the philosophical nature of the play or give a moral pronouncement evident in the performance. The ancient Hebrews composed group chants, praises, and prayers to augment their public worship. Many of the Psalms have verses intended for antiphonal or call/respon…