Telling History

A Manual for Performers and Presenters of First-Person Narratives

Joyce M. Thierer

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2009
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9798216315674
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Teaching History

Telling History is a manual for creating well-researched and engaging historical presentations. As museums and other informal learning institutions work to create new and appealing programs, many are turning to dramatic impersonations accompanied by informed discussions to educate their audiences. This book guides the performer through selecting characters, researching and writing scripts, performing for various kinds of audiences, and turning performance into a business. For museums, historic sites, and community organizations, it offers advice on training and funding historical performers, as well as what to expect from professionals who perform at your site.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Introduction, or, “Readbefore Dissembling andthe Story of This Book”
• Ch01. The Significance ofHistorical Performance
• Ch02. How to Choose a HistoricFigure to Portray
• Ch03. Researching for aFirst-Person Narrative
• Ch04. Creating Your Script
• Ch05. Telling History
• Ch06. The Business of DoingFreelance HistoricalPerformance
• Ch07. Enhancing Museumsand Historic Sites withHistorical Performance
• Ch08. Dreams and Plans
• Appendix A. How to Create aFirst-Person Narrative
• Appendix B. Structuring the First-PersonNarrative Script
• Appendix C. Setting and Clothing
• Appendix D. Sample Contract
• Appendix E. Sample Invoice
• Appendix F. Youth Registration Forms
• Appendix G. Local Arrangements for Workshops
• Appendix H. Ride into History’s HistoricalPerformance Definitions
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Author