Tell it with zest: The generative influence of storytelling on the origin of creative drama

ABSTRACT

In previous discussions of the factors that influenced the genesis of creative drama, the art of storytelling has been largely overlooked. Our archival studies indicate that Winifred Ward was steeped in oral traditions and storytelling from early childhood throughout her life. We have followed course descriptions and syllabi to determine that it was modifications of her initial storytelling classes that led to her work in creative dramatics. The legacy of this initial impact of storytelling can be observed in her narrative-based approach to drama with young people. This article presents storytelling as a missing piece of the puzzle, and invites us to consider implications for the future of our field.

En discusiones previas acerca de los factores que influyeron en la génesis del drama creativo, el arte de contar historias ha sido en gran medida pasado por alto. Nuestros estudios archivísticos indican que Winifred Ward estaba impregnada de tradiciones orales y narraciones de cuentos desde la infancia, y a lo largo de toda su vida. Hemos seguido las descripciones de sus cursos y planes de estudio, para determinar que fueron las modificaciones a sus clases iniciales de narración oral las que le llevaron a trabajar en el drama creativo. El legado de este impacto inicial de la narración de cuentos se puede observar en su enfoque-basado-en-la-narración,del drama dirigido a los jóvenes. Este artículo presenta la narración de cuentos como la pieza perdida del rompecabezas, y nos invita a considerar sus implicaciones para el futuro de nuestro campo.

Notes

¹ “My Environment,” essay by Winifred Ward for English IV at the University of Chicago, January 11, 1918, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, folder 1, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

² Tom Congleton, “Children’s Theater Leader Looks Back on Long Career,” The Evanston Review (June 8, 1950), Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 1, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

³ “My Environment,” Winifred Ward Papers.

⁴ “Children’s Theater Leader Looks Back on Long Career,” The Evanston Review, Winifred Ward Papers.

⁵ Program for A Sweet Girl Graduates, June 4, 1902, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 1, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

⁶ Program for the University of Chicago Finals for The Julius Rosenwald Prize for Oratory and Florence James Adams Prize for Artistic Reading, June 6, 1918, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 1, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

⁷ Note: the term storytelling in current usage is now spelled as one word; when we are speaking of it in historical context, we will honor the way it was spelled in the early part of the 1900’s—two words with each word capitalized.

⁸ Student notebook, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 5, Folder 3, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

⁹ For further discussion of this, see The Power of Storytelling: Teaching through Storytelling by Collins and Cooper.

¹⁰ Presumably, since the curriculum described in Saks’ notes makes reference to radio adaptation, this notebook is either from sometime in between 1946 (when Story Telling became The Interpretation of Children’s Literature and began to feature radio and recording aspects) and 1950 (when Ward retired from Northwestern), or from one of Ward’s post-retirement guest teaching appointments at other universities throughout the country.

¹¹ “Story Telling” notebook by Jeanne Saks, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 5, Folder 3, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

¹² “Winifred Ward Trades Books with First Lady of Ireland,” The Evanston Review, October 16, 1952, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 9, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

¹³ Ibid.

¹⁴ Sinead de Valera to Winifred Ward, February 21, 1962, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 9, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

¹⁵ Sinead de Valera to Winifred Ward, October 10, 1952, Winifred Ward Papers, Box 1, Folder 9, Series 11/5/3/89, Northwestern University Archives, Evanston, Illinois.

¹⁶ Sinead de Valera to Winifred Ward, February 21, 1962, Winifred Ward Papers.

¹⁷ “Winifred Ward Trades Books with First Lady of Ireland,” The Evanston Review, Winifred Ward Papers.

¹⁸ Ibid.