PLAYS FROM AFRICAN FOLKTALES: With Ideas for Acting, Dance, Costumes and Music

Korty, who works in children's theater, has adapted four snappy traditional animal tales for easy dramatization, with a narrator to bridge the rough spots. ""The Man Who Loved to Laugh"" gets in trouble with his wife because he can't reveal that he is laughing not at her but at the animal talk he can suddenly understand. . . ""Mr. Hare Rides Mr. Leopard"" like a horse, thus cagily fulfilling his earlier boast. . . ""Anansi's Trick Does Double Work"" when the other animals use it to get back the goods he's taken from them. . . and ""The Turtle Who Wanted to Fly"" is almost cooked in the attempt but realizes that his singing is just as useful a talent. Korty's brief and general but sound advice on acting, costumes, scenery, dance and music emphasizes simplicity, spontaneity, authenticity and purpose, and she appends a helpful bibliography and discography of suggested resources.