Manners Matter!
Live Performance Etiquette
(Collected and adapted by Sharon Kirk Clifton, with thanks to Richard Marsh, a storyteller from Ireland; "Granny Sue," a West Virginia storyteller; and Mary Garrett, as well as other tellers who participate on Storytell listserv.)
Most children today have grown up with television, which often merely provides background noise for other acitivities, including eating, homework, games, and conversation. As a result, some children are not sure of what is expected of them during a live performance.
Storytelling differs from some other forms of live performance in that it is very interactive. There is no "fourth wall" between the teller (or tellers, in the case of a tandem or team performance) and the audience. The teller, the story, and the audience work together to form a web of communication. All three are essential for the performance to be "successful." Good audience manners are a way of showing the performers and other people that one is considerate and ready to partake in the storytelling experience. And everyone can have a good time.
If families attend the performance, many tellers prefer to have the children sit with their parents, rather than having them segregated and seated with other kids in a group up front. This allows the performance to be truly a shared experience for the family.
Here are some suggestions to share with younger audience members:
- Turn off cell phones, watch alarms, and pagers.
- Do not talk during the performance, except for appropriate interaction with the teller.
- Do not throw objects, participate in horseplay, or fidget with things.
- Do not play video games, etc., during the performance.
- Pay attention to the teller; do not lie down, lean on your neighbors, or sleep.
- Applaud at the end of each story and at the end of the performance.
- Watch your teachers, parents, and the other adults around you. They are role models and will demonstrate how to behave during a performance. Notice that they are not talking or doing other activities while the tales are being told.
- If you must leave or enter the area where the program is in progress, do so between stories, if at all possible. Try not to draw attention to yourself. Do not walk in front of the audience or in the performance area, unless the teller invites you up to be a part of some activity.
- If the teller invites the audience to ask questions at the conclusion of the show, you are welcome to ask serious questions. If the teller is portraying someone from an earlier period in history, don't take up the questioning time by trying to prove that you know the current year. For example, if the teller is portraying a pioneer woman, she is aware that a woman of the 1800s would know nothing about electronic microphones. Yet, she uses one so that all of you may be able to hear. If you ask such questions, the teller probably will refer you back to your teacher, who will address those questions when you return to your classroom.
Remembering a few good manners helps everyone to enjoy the stories. Now, let the telling begin!
Contact Sharon Kirk Clifton at
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or 812-346-7930 and...
Let the telling begin!
