People love a performance.

At the Connecticut League of History Organization's (CLHO) 2010 Annual Conference in Hartford at Connecticut's Old State House, keynote speaker Dale Jones provided insights on how theatrical performance can enhance historical interpretation at museums and historical societies.

Jones, with a background in folk studies, theatre, oral history, historical interpretation, and visitor studies enthralled the audience with tips and stories culled from his work bringing history to life at institutions ranging from the Baltimore City Life Museums (where he started doing theatrical performances with a budget of only $10 for costumes), to Conner Prairie, Old Sturbridge Village, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

If you are considering offering performances at your institution, here are Jones' keys to doing a great museum theater performance:

• Who is your audience?
• What is your format?
• Plan the program length (5-12 minutes is common).
• Incorporate audience interaction.
• Rehearse!!!
• Get a theatrical director for the piece.
• Make sure the product is interesting.

As Jones concluded, start small, strive for quality, have a mindset for historical plausibility, and you can do great things with museum theater.

If you missed Jones when he was in Hartford, never fear! He will be sharing more insights with the CT museum community in the upcoming summer issue of the CLHO Bulletin newsletter in an article entitled "Enriching Historic Site Interpretation with Theatrical Techniques." Look for the Bulletin to be hitting your mailbox this August.

In the meantime, check out Jones' Web site Making History Connections today. Here, Jones shares several great articles under the site's "Resources" tab including "Theatre 101 for Historical Interpretation"--an AASLH History News article written by Jones in 2004.