What has changed; the theater or the readers?

As we approach the final week of intensive reader's theater, I have taken a few moments to look around and marvel at the students. During our practice time the room buzzes with the energy of the students saying their lines with expression, adding movement, and helping one another with dramatic emphasis. The students are all engaged in the activity, and I observed almost all students contributing ideas to the group. Yesterday I stopped for a few minutes to just look around the room and compare what I saw to our first week of reader's theater. The major shift was the work and energy came from the students, rather than me, the teacher. My first week I felt like I was doing all of the work for all of the students. Now, I could have graded papers for thirty minutes while my students took charge of their work. The second major change I noticed was the confidence level of the students as they said their lines. Eyes were lifted from scripts, voices were strong and expression was meaningful as the student read their lines. My students have become performers.

As exciting as this change was to observe, I have to wonder about what has caused this shift. As we have progressed through our weeks of reader's theater, I am realizing how crucial the selection and the pre teaching has been. As I have gotten to know my students, and understood more about what they need to be successful in reader's theater, the scripts and mini-lessons have become more tailored to their needs. This leeds the students to be more engaged and more effective with their role.

My question now is: are the students "getting better" because I am choosing more appropriate material, and introducing it effectively? Or are my students "getting better" because they have had more opportunity to read out loud and increase their oral fluency skills and reading confidence?