PLAYWRITING INTO PERFORMANCE
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Playwriting into Performance is a very exciting, rewarding, and memorable artist-in-residence experience in which we work with students and teachers to develop and perform an original play based on any curricular unit or theme.
"I've never worked so hard in my whole life. I felt like quitting lots of times, and I've never been so proud of myself, as I was today after our performance."
~7th grade student, Springfield, MA
Over the course of 12-25 days, participants develop a production concept based on a chosen theme while learning fundamental performance skills- i.e., techniques in improvisational movement, collaboration, and self-presentation. Students are guided through a process of researching, interpreting and writing scenes based on their studies, including storyboarding, content editing and revising their writing. The rehearsal process involves learning both verbal and non-verbal acting skills, including active listening, staging and physical interpretation, and expressive reading skills. Depending on time and the production concept/needs, participants design and construct their own simple sets, props, and costumes. The residency culminates in an original performance for their the school, community friends, and families.
"This program exceeded our expectations. The sense of pride that the students experienced was phenomenal. The fact that the 5th grade students performed a play, and that they wrote it, was important for the entire school community."
~Principal, Jackson Street School, Northampton, MA
Playwriting into Performance, is interdisciplinary in nature, integrating theater arts with creative writing, English language arts, music, visual arts, and often, either social studies, science or math, into one cohesive unit.
Playwriting into Performance enables students and teachers to think creatively and understand that creativity can be utilized with any subject matter, to make learning exciting, relevant and compelling. This artist-in-residence program has been proven to help students learn academic content, increase their classroom participation, enhance their ability to communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with their classmates. Teachers receive embedded professional development and gain the experience and confidence needed to integrate theater arts into their future classes.
For booking availability and pricing information, contact Celine at (413) 534-3789.
