Life outside of school may be considered as a true project in a natural setting. It is made up of many associated interests. Realizing this, we, as educators, are striving to make school with its handicaps of traditions and limitations of organization as nearly real life as we can make it. One obvious principle of education to effect this is creative self-expression, with correlated interests.
With the above item in mind, experimentation has shown that children with their dramatic and play instinct, with their love of the story element, of color, of creative work, find in the toy theater an art problem wholly absorbing and endless in exciting ramifying interests such as true life has, for such a project correlates the familiar story (whether historical or literary) with studies of interior design, of color, of research into historic arts, in cooperative effort in the creation of furniture, textiles, costumes and other accessories.
In the construction of these theaters illustrated herewith, the only items which were standardized by the supervisor for the various schools undertaking this type of problem were the materials of the theater itself, and its dimensions; and this was done only for the sake of obtaining an harmonious ensemble when they should later be exhibited together. The material consisted of one standard sized wooden box. The proscenium arch in each case was made of scrap wood, but its contour and/or relief work was carried out according to individual choice. The figures/puppets scale chosen measured no larger then 6 inches.
Among the interesting stories chosen by the respective sixth grade classes for illustration in miniature drama which combined artistic and literary elements were "The Enchanted Tower" (Moorish), "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" (Chinese), "The Blue Bird" (Dutch), and "The Magic Prison" (Medieval Chinese).
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| Figure 1. "The Enchanted Tower" students miniature theater project. |
"The Enchanted Tower" by Washington Irving, illustrated in Figure 1. by a scene from the interior of the Alhambra, was carried out under the instruction of Miss Blanche Spalding. This unit gave opportunity for much research work in Moorish design. The enthusiasm with which girls as well as boys engaged in decorative applications, most of which was done in the art room, the absorbing search for authentic details of the period made by the pupils themselves, the beautiful painted panels in color, the elaborate gesso relief work which the committees even begged to do weekends at home proved that historic art need not be a dry-as-bone subject, but rather a means of developing a life interest in their "art heritage of the ages."
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| Figure 2. "The Magic Prison" students miniature theater project. |
"The Magic Prison," shown in Figure 2, an intriguing story with a Chinese setting, was similarly developed under the guidance of Mrs. Leonel Deal. The arches were decorated with gesso and oil paints blended together. The "marble" floor was painted with beautiful veinings by a boy who had helped a professional painter one summer. The upholstery of the wooden furniture and the pillows were simulated by the use of Chinese paper brought by the supervisor from Chinatown. Pipe cleaners formed the princely skeleton and cotton the sinews of the central figure, while head and hands were modeled from clay, and the costume wrought from gorgeous silks which were contributed from the homes of the skillful little artists. The final accessories in the form of floor vases were created from clay and brightly colored.
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| Figure 3."The Blue Bird"students miniature theater project. |
The spotless Dutch interior in Figure 3, "The Blue Bird," was produced by pupils of Mrs. Jean Praeger. The youngsters made extensive use of illustrations from the art department of the Public Library in order that the details from the furniture, the hood of the fireplace with dried apples hanging from it, and the wooden shutters, to the Dutch costume, and cross-stitch sampler on the wall might be "authentic." It is of interest that the tiles of the fireplace were made of cement colored with blue enamel.
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| Figure 4."Aladdin" students miniature theater project. |
Miss Helen Morrill, whose pupils created "Aladdin," will relate the story of the adventure in her own words (see Figure 4): "The 6A Class voted by ballot to decide which story of those studied in literature could best be worked out on the stage of their little theater. The story of 'Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp' was the choice by a large majority. Then came the choosing of the particular indoor scene to be enacted. The episode chosen was the one in which Aladdin goes to the Emperor's palace with his servants bearing bowls filled with gold in order to win the Emperor's daughter in marriage.
"The boys made the divans, the throne, and tall arched doorways of wood in the manual arts shop. These were painted gold, green, and Chinese red with a mottled effect. A Chinese design was worked out on the columns and divans in gesso and then painted.
"The girls hemmed a wide black satin strip and edged it with gold for the carpet leading up to the throne. On each side of the throne and between the arched doorways were beautiful wall hangings to represent tapestry. These the girls painted in oil paints on black satin edged with gold. Much research work was done before choosing a real typical Chinese design for each. The bright oil colors of the dragons, etc., made a very rich and gorgeous appearance. Sitting on the throne was the Emperor whose body was made of a silk stocking stuffed with batting. The head was of modeled clay and painted. Aladdin, who knelt before the throne, was similarly made by another one of the girls. The royal robes were wrought by using material contributed by the children from their homes. The servants, who stood at each side of the throne, bearing their golden bowls, were made of cardboard and clad in cut paper costumes of orange, green, gold and black. The tiny bowls were salt dishes purchased at the five and ten cent store and painted gold. Each one was filled with small stones gilded to represent gold nuggets. Hanging in the archways were gorgeous lamps made out of small electric light bulbs and beautifully painted beads.
"The exterior arch of the theater had gesso relief work painted green and gold all around the edge. The curtain was of green silk with gold edges. Two showy Chinese parrots, done in brilliant cut paper, formed a decoration for each side of the stage. The word 'Aladdin' done in green and edged with black and gold formed the center decoration at the top of the entrance.
"At the end of each divan and near the throne one on each side-stood a black raised perch upon which 'hopped' a beautiful painted parrot. These perches were of silver and gold. The bottoms of the standards were made of clay and gesso while the perches and cages were made of twisted and painted wire." Wadsworth.
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