This
page (Page #2) has great articles from newspapers and school
newsletters. Check out all these great comments about ArtReach
popular titles: Wizard of Oz, The
Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland, Kid
Frankenstein,
Aladdin, Treasure
Island, Snow White, We are the Dream, Sleepy
Hollow, Christmas Peter Pan, Emperor's
New Clothes, Robin Hood, Mulan,
A Thousand Cranes, Amelia Earhart,
Pinocchio.
FAME
Academy at Brookhill presents ArtReach's The Wizard of Oz
By
C.P. Bailey, The News Courier, Athens AL
Second
and third graders at FAME Academy at Brookhill recently presented
their production of "The Wizard of Oz" to the student body,
parents, teachers, and guests. After months of rehearsals and a dress
rehearsal attended by their peers Thursday, May 4, Dorothy and her
friends took the stage Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, to deliver
two spectacular performances. The play was directed by FAME
Academy's Integrated Arts Specialist Nathan Woolard.
"Second
& third graders a presented 'The Wizard of Oz.'"
ArtReach's
The Wizard of Oz - FAME
Academy at Brookhill
"This
is the first year we have had this position at the school. A big
part of that was bringing in the theater program, and we tried to
have a play that could have a lot of kids get involved but also be at
their level. It was a much larger undertaking than I originally
thought, but it worked out very well," Woolard said.
The
show included multiple scenes and set changes, wonderful costumes,
and brilliant performances by all who participated.
Woolard
noticed a big change in his students from the first rehearsal until
the performances. Many were timid in the beginning, but they
"really went for it" during the performances.
Kaine
Colze played the Wizard of Oz and, having seen the movie, he was
familiar with the character. He was excited to earn the role but also
said it was challenging at times.
"I
had got the role I wanted which was Dorothy. I was so happy."
ArtReach's The
Wizard of Oz - Hullabaloo Performing Arts Youth Theatre, Heath OH
"There
was one line that wasn't really in my binder - 'And here's a medal
for a symbol of you courage,'" Colze said.
Kensli
Harris played a Munchkin named Curly, one of the three lead
Munchkins. Originally, she was cast as one of the six extra Munchkins.
"When
I learned I was in the play, I was so happy. Then when I learned I
was playing Curly, I had to get my lines together. I practiced really
hard at home, got my lines together, and did really good,"
Harris said.
Dorothy
(No. 1) was played by Sadie Macy, and she had seen the movie
"many times."
"A
play that could have a lot of kids get involved
- at
their level."
ArtReach's The
Wizard of Oz - Hullabaloo Performing Arts Youth Theatre, Heath OH
"I
was very excited to learn I was in the play. I have always liked to
pretend to be like someone else while also being myself. I like to be
in front of audiences, and I like expressing myself very much. I was
happy to learn I was in the play and that I had got the role I wanted
to play which was Dorothy. I was so happy," Macy said.
The
cast first began rehearsing for The Wizard of Oz in February and
their final dress rehearsal was in front of the entire school. The
response was filled with laughter and applause throughout the scenes.
"At
first it made me very nervous, but it also made me feel like they
knew we were going to do great. They could just feel it. I knew I
didn't want to let them down. I was going to do great for them,"
Macy said.
Colze
hopes to have the opportunity to be in more plays as he moves on to
Athens Intermediate School. Macy will be moving to Athens Bible
School next fall where she hopes to try out for more plays. Harris
has one more year at Brookhill and is excited to learn what play will
be selected next year, and she has plans to audition for it.
"I
knew it
was going to be great for them."
ArtReach's The
Wizard of Oz - Wyalusing Public Library, PA
"For
now, we are just doing one big play a year. We do a talent show the
first half of the year. We are trying to help kids to get out and
help with their speaking skills or, as Sadie said, learn to express
themselves," Woolard said. "We had art and we had music,
theater is the natural one to help round it out and help us truly be
an arts school."
Woolard
wasn't ready to reveal the show they will do next year. He said,
"We will do another play that will get a lot of the kids
involved. It will be a similar fun play like this one."
Auburn
Area Community Theater grows with ArtReach's "The
Jungle Book"
The
Auburn Villager
AL - Allison
Blankenship, Associate Editor
The
Auburn Area Community Theatre recently wrapped up performances of
its latest children's production, "The
Jungle Book" packing the house for each showing.
At
the last performance on Monday night, community members lined up
outside the door in hopes of being let in. "People were
waiting in line for 15 minutes after showtime just to see if they
could get a seat for it," said Terry Kelley, AACT board
president. "The more we accelerate what we offer, the worse it
has been."
"AACT
has seen the number of participants grow substantially."
ArtReach's The
Jungle Book - Emerald Heights Academy, Bellevue WA
"The
Jungle Book" was the theater's 52nd production since its
inception 14 years ago. In the last decade, AACT has seen the number
of participants and audience members grow substantially.
"When
we first started, we didn't do kids' shows. Once we did, we would
have maybe 30 to 40 kids (audition), and now, for any show, we have
80 or more," said Cora Connelly, AACT board member and
volunteer. "We now have a history of kids who've grown up in
this theater ... You see a lot of kids who came through here and are
now actually in the professional acting world. Then, so many didn't
become actors, but they learned so much about being confident, being
a part of a team and, for a lot of kids, it's about finding a place
you belong."
The
cast of "The Jungle Book" was made of 40 children, and
after counting all the parents and volunteers, about 125 people
worked on putting the show together. "It truly is community
theater," Connelly said. But what happens when the
community outgrows what the theater is currently able to offer?
The
community theater currently holds its educational classes,
rehearsals and performances at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center.
The AACT has to coordinate its activities with local clubs, city
programs and the like, and has sought storage elsewhere for set
materials, props and costumes because of a lack of space.
"We
now have a history of kids who've grown up in this theater."
Auburn Area
Community Theatre, Auburn AL
- Ardtornish School, St Agnes, SA Australia
"We
have all of our props and sets stored in five different little
storage units," Kelley said. "If we do a performance, we
have to build the set in my backyard or somebody's garage."
Because
sets are built off-site, they are installed the Saturday before
performances start, and once the curtain falls on the final
performance of a series, the entire set is taken down and toted back
to storage units. "It's amazing the quality that AACT has
produced with those limitations," Kelley said.
The
board is actively looking for more space in which to operate and is
"waiting with bated breath" to hear the results of the
Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan - a city initiative that
will help prioritize future recreation, cultural arts and library
projects. The results will be shared in a public forum, for which a
date has yet to be announced. "We were hoping for a little
bit more from the master plan, but we can't rely on that," said
Kelley, who expects the plan to focus more on athletics. "We
have to look on our own.
"We
really appreciate what the city of Auburn has done for us; they've
been huge supporters, but we're outgrowing the space for performance."
Aside
from finding more space in which to function, Kelley said he would
like to expand the programs AACT offers - its performances and classes.
"We'd
love to do adult acting classes," he said. "Earlier this
year we had a stage management acting class for adults and had a
wonderful turnout for that. We want to offer that and directing
classes ... We just want to expand what we do to serve the community
because we're all part of the community."
"Theater
allows people to expand their minds."
Emerald Heights
Academy, Bellevue WA
- Ardtornish School, St Agnes, SA Australia
Kelley
and Connelly agreed that working with the AACT is a labor of love,
as it is for most of the volunteers who work hours on end to sew
costumes, build sets and choreograph dances, among other things.
"Theater
allows people to expand their minds. It allows them to see things
that they may not see just by watching television," Kelley said.
"It allows the actors and behind-the-stage folks and directors
to put their talents to work to create something wonderful."
Kelley
got involved in theater in high school and hasn't looked back since.
"I was a shy and introverted person in high school," he
said. "My junior year, I stepped on stage, and I fell in love
with theater. Acting helps me overcome that shyness and has had a
profound effect on the rest of my life ... I think it's helping kids
a lot. We have shy children that will show up and by the end, they're
talking, asking, 'What else can we do? How can we help?' "
As
AACT works to elevate its programs and theater space, Kelley and
Connelly encourage Auburn residents to get involved. Volunteers are
always needed and residents who wish to contribute monetarily can
donate to become a member of the AACT. The theater's membership
program is new and is the result of the board and volunteers working
to increase fundraising instead of simply relying on ticket sales to
get the nonprofit through each performance season.
"They
put their talents to work to create something wonderful."
ArtReach's The
Jungle Book - Osceola Children's Theatre, IA
"Up
until this point, we have been entirely surviving off ticket sales
and breaking even that way," Connelly said. "This is the
first year we've started with really deliberate fundraising. We just
started membership and donor levels, but I think a lot of people -
they come to a show and they don't realize the show is a part of
something bigger."
Colorful,
whimsical 'Alice' showcases creativity of Stage Kids
ArtReach's
Alice
in Wonderland is whimsical show for young performers
Wenatchee
World, WA
WENATCHEE
- Stage Kids programs tend to fill up quickly and performance
tickets go quickly, too. Registration for spring and summer classes
and camps opens Feb. 28.
All
10 performances of the Stage Kids production of "Alice
in Wonderland" sold out tickets more than a week in advance
of the whimsical show. It will be performed at the Beacon Hill Grange
in Wenatchee on Feb. 23-25 and March 2-4.
Feb.
14 was the first run-through of the show while wearing costumes. The
show is double cast with 44 total actors. Young performers sat in
newly purchased chairs that surround the stage on three sides at the
Grange to ask questions at the top of rehearsal. Stage Kids had also
purchased with grant money new tiered-seating platforms to improve visibility.
"The
show is double cast with 44 total actors."
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Stage Kids, Wenatchee WA
Picture:
Alice, played by Rosemary Holcomb, left, and the Queen of Hearts,
played by Vivian White, rehearse a scene for Stage Kids' production
of "Alice in Wonderland," Tuesday. The lead role of Alice
is shared between eight young actors. The sold-out show will be
performed at the Beacon Hill Grange in Wenatchee on Feb. 23-25 and
March 2-4.
Picture:
Mad Hatter, played by Charlie Campbell, left, and March Hare, played
by Marie Campbell, drink tea during a scene at dress rehearsal,
Tuesday, for Stage Kids' production of Alice in Wonderland.
The
seating surrounds three sides of the stage area, which has scenic
backdrops of mushroom houses fit for a Caterpillar (Ruby Johnson,
Oren Fuwiler) to lounge on, and which might make a girl change sizes
if she takes a nibble from either side.
The
lead role of Alice is shared between four actresses (Katherine
Hendrickson, Brooklyn Eberth, Aniya Madariaga, Ellie Parker in Cast A
and Rosemary Holcomb, Nellie Bruno, Auggie Smith and Emerson Thomason
in Cast B); all are all in blue dresses with white aprons.
The
first Alice introduces the Lewis Carol story by chasing the White
Rabbit (Ella Grass, Gianna Hisey) down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.
The second Small Alice drinks a potion and shrinks to fit through a
door with a talking doorknob. The third grows tall by climbing a
ladder representing a tree top, and encounters the Cheshire Cat (Maci
Devine, Coralie Kummer) with a grin.
"It's
a really good life skill to be more confident and brave."
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Warner Middle School, Xenia OH
For
a lot of people in the cast, this is their first show, though they
must have at least taken the Musical Theatre 1 class. At the
rehearsal, before lights and sound are installed, much time was spent
directing the actors to move quickly between scenes.
Some
have been with Stage Kids for several shows. Malari and Makaila
Musgrove are sisters who play Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in
"Alice in Wonderland." They have also performed with Stage
Kids in "Elf," "Charlotte's Web," "Seussical
Jr." and "Willie Wonka."
Makaila
Musgrove said she likes that "I can be myself."
Auggie
Smith plays Little Alice, and said she likes to play with dramatic
personalities to show a different part of herself. She said,
"Stage Kids is so creative. We improvise. It's a really good
life skill to be more confident and brave."
"Audiences
will like the funny, interactive parts."
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Warner Middle School, Xenia OH
Emerson
Thomason plays Tall Alice, and says the audiences will like the
funny, interactive parts of this play. Actor Salem Winterstein said -
while smiling with her friends and castmates - the environment is
"healthy," with "no judgements and no mean comments."
Director
Michelle McCormick said for this show she let go a bit so the young
actors could choose their own brightly colored costumes for their
roles from the stock at the Stage Kids costume storage unit.
"All
10 performances of "Alice
in Wonderland"
were sold out."
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Stage Kids, Wenatchee WA
Director-in-training
Anni Evans will direct the winter show, which has not yet been
announced. Evans wrote scenes to add to this play script, including a
rhyming intro to encourage audience participation. The hope is to
encourage the audience to laugh out loud when the Mad Hatter
(Annesley Edwards, Charlie Campbell) and the March Hare (Addison
Edwards, Marie Campbell) have their staring contest.
Upcoming
classes for 3rd-8th graders include intros to theater, puppetry,
contemporary dance, clowning and props training. PreK-2nd graders get
a workshop based on "Beauty and the Beast." This summer's
teen show is "Newsies Jr." in August.
James
Strath students ready to bring 'Frankenstein' story to life on March 5
WhatsOn
by Lance Anderson, Peterborough This Week, Ontario
"Kid
Frankenstein" is a funny, charming story."
James Strath
student Mitchell Shedden, as The Monster, rehearses a scene from the
school's latest production titled Kid
Frankenstein.
Approximately
30 students have been working on the play since January. The play is
based on the famous Frankenstein story.
James
Strath Public School students are bringing new life to the famous
Frankenstein story.
Since
January, approximately 30 students in grades 7 and 8 have been
preparing to stage the play Kid Frankenstein, a fun take on Mary
Shelley's frightening story about a scientist who brings a monster to life.
"Kid
Frankenstein" is a funny, charming story about Frankie, a young
scientist, and Irving (aka Igor), her long suffering friend. Frankie
receives a mysterious book called "How I did it" by Doctor
Frankenstein, and so begins her quest to create life. She thinks she
has put the brain of a recently deceased brilliant monkey into her
creature, but has she?
"A
mysterious book from Doctor Frankenstein."
James Strath
students Peter Caldwell, Sarah McGinn, Georgia Dueck, Mitchell
Shedden and Eunsae Lee
rehearse a
scene from the school's latest production, Kid Frankenstein.
ArtReach's
Kid Frankenstein was
written by Kathryn Schultz Miller. The play is being staged at
the Brealey Drive school in Peterborough on March 5 at 7
p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door which goes back into the
James Strath drama program to help fund next year's production.<aml>
Calling
all children: "Aladdin"
like you have never seen it
The
Paly Voice,
Palo Alto (CA) - Maddy
Jones, Author
Children
and parents alike will be able to watch and enjoy Palo Alto High
School Theater Department's adaptation of ArtReach's
"Aladdin" retold from a whimsical and quirky perspective.
"It's
about 45 minutes in length, very lively and creative with minimal
sets, fun costumes, multimedia, live and recorded sound effects and
even some audience participation," director Nancy Sauder said.
Showtimes
are at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Sept. 29, and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Oct.
1, in the Haymarket Theater. The performances on Saturday are open to
the public and the performances on Tuesday are only for visiting
students. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door, while the
student matinees on Tuesday will be free.
"It's
a very creative and lively adaptation."
Palo
Alto High School Theater Department's production
of ArtReach's "Aladdin"
"We
wanted to offer elementary schools in the district the opportunity
to bring their students to Paly for student matinees at no
charge," Sauder said. "These types of performances are many
times a child's first experience of live theatre so it's significant
for all involved."
According
to Sauder, the play is aimed at a younger audience and will
hopefully attract kids from the local elementary schools to come get
a taste of what theater is like. While the play is aimed towards
children, Sauder said that there will still be something in it for
the parents viewing it too.
"Our
goal was to give our high school actors the opportunity to play to
young audiences, which is a highly rewarding experiences, and very
different than playing primarily to adults," Sauder said.
Aladdin
has been adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller for Paly's Theater
Department and will differ from the Disney version. The play features
new "wacky characters" and some of the names of main
characters are different, according to Sauder.
"The
play itself is very whimsical and quirky."
Palo
Alto High School Theater Department's production
of ArtReach's "Aladdin"
"It's
not a musical, but we have added some musical touches of our
own," Sauder said. "It's a very creative and lively
adaptation written by Kathryn Schultz Miller."
The
play features characters that are silly and is humorous, according
to freshman cast member Claire Eberhart.
"The
play itself is very whimsical and quirky," Eberhart said.
"And hopefully, we can interest some of the children watching to
join theatre and maybe do [theater] at Paly down the line."
Rainbow's
End Afterschool Drama Club presents ArtReach's Treasure
Island
Admin
| Blogs, Home Page News
From
January through March 42 students from as young as six-years-old to
as old as thirteen-years-old gathered every Friday to create magic
together. The magic invoked was theater at its finest complete with
pirates, heroes, and villains. This fun twist on the old Treasure
Island classic by Robert Louis Stevenson featured Josie, an
adventurous and courageous young girl, as the main character.
"Thirteen-years-old
gathered to create magic together."
ArtReach's Treasure
Island - SCVi Charter Schools, Santa Clarita CA
The
theme of the play was one of empowerment, imagination, and
actualization as Josie learns that in the end it truly is always her
adventure no matter what obstacles and challenges come her way. As
the performance drew nearer it became clearer and clearer that these
youngsters were transforming and evolving not only as confident young
actors and techies, but also as an extremely multi-aged and connected ensemble.
"42
students are
friends, artists, storytellers, performers and family."
ArtReach's Treasure
Island - SCVi Charter Schools, Santa Clarita CA
Whispered
cues were hurriedly exchanged backstage as actors reminded each
other of their blocking, while stagehands stepped into their less
visible yet powerful roles of supporting the production as a whole.
By the time the curtains closed on that epic first and last
performance, those 42 students stood together as friends, artists,
storytellers, performers, and family. Huzzah and congratulations to
these brave pirates!
STARS
presents 'Snow White'
School Play
Unita
County Herald, Evanston WY, By: Kayne Pyatt
EVANSTON
- Once again, the STARS Dance & Musical Theatre under the
direction of Laurel Higdon and Caddie Welling produced a fun and
entertaining evening for an audience that filled the Davis Middle
School auditorium on Friday, Dec. 6.
Seventy-four
children danced, acted and enthralled the audience with their
acrobatic feats in a play titled "A
Snow White Christmas," written by Kathryn Schultz Miller.
The story was based on the Snow White fairy tale, with seven elves,
animal friends, the evil queen, the Prince and Snow White, and even
added Santa Claus to the cast.
"We
had some of the best talent this year as many of the children have
been in our program for several years now and are seasoned
performers. This was a really fun show to produce," Welling said.
Other
instructors at STARS include Ashli Johnson, Jenni Hogman and Jaeli
Higdon who teach acrobat, ballet, tap and hip hop; ShanDee Welling
and Monique McInnis are in charge of cheerleading; Amanda Bounds
teaches tumbling and RoShawn Jones is the clogging instructor. Voice
instruction is given by Jenni Hogman.
"This
was a really fun show to produce."
ArtReach's Snow
White
and the Seven Dwarfs - Rising
Stars Youth Theatre, Palatine IL
Welling
said she is thrilled with the community support for their program.
Classes meet once a week at the Aspen Church and they produce two
shows a year. They are a nonprofit organization and do fundraising to
support the program. They keep the ticket fee for shows at only $5
per person so families can afford to attend.
The
spring show will be based on the story of Alice in Wonderland.
Anyone interested in joining the STARS classes can call Welling at
(307) 679-7369.
"Being
involved with theater and music from a very young age gives kids an
advantage when they are in the higher grades. It helps them get over
fear and shyness, build confidence, learn to work together as a team,
and all the time they just have fun," Welling said.
We
Are The Dream: The Legacy of Martin Luther King Performance
St.
Francis of Assisi School Marks Black History Month
By
Sister Annette
Our
Black History Program began with Principal, Mrs. Lewis, welcoming
the families and friends of our students who had come to enjoy the
production of ArtReach's "We
are the Dream: The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr." by
Kathryn Schultz Miller. According to tradition, the performance was
preceded by the audience, faculty, staff and student body joining
together in the singing of the Black National Anthem, "Lift
Every Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson.
"Audience,
faculty, staff and student body joining together."
ArtReach
Children's Theatre Plays: We
Are the Dream the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A
prelude was offered by Sr. Kathleen's Pre K and Kindergarten. They
performed "Siyahamba", singing the lyrics in Swahili and
accompanying themselves with rhythm sticks. This was followed by the
dramatic presentation of the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther
King. Students of Pre-K through Grade 6 made up the choir and
the cast of characters. The program opens with a teacher
explaining to her class the dream of Martin Luther KIng and
announcing that he would be coming to visit their school. The
play unfolds by offering vignettes of various events in the life and
growth of Dr. King. He is first portrayed as a young boy and
the script offers insight into some of the early experiences of
Martin as he learns the effects of segregation. The plot moves on to
Martin's proposal to Coretta Scott.
"Students
of Pre-K through Grade 6 Performed."
Young Martin
with his parents considering the purchase of new shoes.
Coretta is
unsure of her desire to leave her cultured life to share in the dream
of Martin.
Dr.
King really began his public pursuit of racial equality in the wake
of Rosa Parks' courageous stand on the bus in Montgomery,
Alabama. Thus her story became part of the performance.
Woven throughout the story of Dr. King's life, were renditions of
spirituals and Civil Rights era songs by the student choir.
Selections in included "My Lord, What a Morning", Nobody
Knows the Trouble I've Seen", Oh Happy Day", "We
Shall Overcome" and "Free At Last".
"Woven
throughout Dr. King's life, were renditions of spirituals."
Rosa Parks was
tired of being discriminated against.
Sister Kathleen
Directed and guided the students throughout the program.
After many
hours of practice and concern the students of St. Francis “did
her proud”!
The
cruelty dealt to the youth who participated in the Birmingham
Children's March was portrayed powerfully by the students as a sound
track from the actual event played in the background. The
audience was solemnly silent as this moment was replayed before them.
"Children's
March was portrayed powerfully by the students."
The students
fell to the floor as the scene in Alabama of the fire hoses and dogs
attacking the children was enacted.
Martin Luther
Kings speech “I Have A Dream” was was the crowning point of
the program.
The
scenes of the drama continued with the latter part of Dr. King's
life and the apprehension he and his family endured due to his
activism. A recording of Dr. King's voice boomed out over the
audience in the well known words of his "I Have A Dream"
speech. Our student actor froze in witness form as this speech
played. The members of the choir, as well as the rest of the
student body, sang the spirituals from their hearts and in full voice.
"The
little
ones sang their hearts out!"
The choir sang
Spirituals and Civil Rights era songs. The little ones sang
their hearts out!
All the members
of the cast joined together in the closing song; “We Shall Overcome”.
As
the last notes of the closing song rang out through the church, all
breathed the joyful words, "Free at last, thank God almighty, we
are free at last!" There was much to be proud and happy
about in the St. Francis School community.
Crane
Attraction: 'Legend
of Sleepy Hollow' comes to life at Covey
Review, Daily
Herald, Provo UT
The Covey
Center for the Arts' production of "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow" combines humor with horror to
create a unique experience for audience members. Washington
Irving's classic story, as dramatized by Kathryn Schultz Miller and
directed by Jarom Brown, is perfect for getting into the Halloween
spirit this season.
"Just
the right mix of comedy, suspense and thrill."
ArtReach's The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow - The Covey Center for the Arts
The play takes audiences back
to Puritan New England where stories of witches, demons and ghosts
haunt the town. The new school master of Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod
Crane, finds himself in frightening predicaments as he navigates
life, love, fear and the church bridge.
The set was in a black-box
theater and conveyed a creepy country town, but it was the lighting
that changed the mood from a warm autumn afternoon to a dark night
through the use of black-lights and warm amber lights. This setting
was the perfect atmosphere for the actors to get into character and
become the boys and girls of Sleepy Hollow.
"The
most frightening was the Headless Horseman."
The set for “The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at the Covey Center for the Arts.
Before the opening-night
performance of "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow" began, a storyteller told two
stories to frighten the audience. Unfortunately, the stories felt out
of place and detracted from the theme of the evening. The lack-luster
opening was the only downside of this particular performance however.
Funny character quirks and
rhythm the actors embodied seemed natural, as did the
seventeenth-century body movements.
Shelley Boyd, the dramaturg
for "The Legend
of Sleepy Hollow," said that she helped the actors
understand the proper etiquette of the time period. She said she
worked with the actors on a variety of movements, including how to
point and bow properly.
Tyler Fox, with his sharp
movements and nervous demeanor, played an impeccable Ichabod Crane.
Fox's performance was the highlight of the evening and his
interactions with and reactions to the other actors were natural and hilarious.
"The
entire performance had some good scary moments."
ArtReach's
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at the Covey Center for the Arts.
While the entire performance
had some good scary moments, the most frightening was the appearance
of the "Headless Horseman." The costume for the horseman
was great, but the unknown actor inside was able to instill fear into
the audience with the large pumpkin he held as his makeshift head.
Douglas Bowen, who attended
with his wife for their second anniversary, said the performance was
"just the right mix of comedy, suspense and thrill." His
wife Callie said it was funnier than she had expected.
DAVIS
SCHOOL PRESENTS "A
CHRISTMAS PETER PAN"
Edgar B. Davis
K-8 School's "Lights on for the Arts" program staged a
festive production of "A
Christmas Peter Pan."
More than 100
students participated in the production, which was adapted from J. M.
Barrie's story by Kathryn Schultz Miller. Lights on for the Arts is
an after-school program that provides Davis School students with
opportunities to realize their potential in drama and artistic
expression. The Davis School Singers, under the direction of Music
Teacher Susan St. Pierre, provided the musical accompaniment to 31
actors and 45 dancers.
"The
students' talents shown through."
Gorton Center,
Lake Forest, IL - Christian Needs Center, LaMars IA
The story is
about how the Neverland Pirates, led by the evil Captain Hook and his
sidekick Smee, try to hijack Christmas. Aided by the pluck of a
couple of elves, the insouciant Tinker Bell and the three Darling
children, Peter Pan is able to save the day.
The students'
talents shown through thanks to the direction of Davis School Teacher
Steven Alves and his army of educators who helped with everything
from choreography and sets to stage lighting and back-stage direction.
New
Stage Theatre Presents School-Time Matinee
ArtReach's
Comedy
'Emperor's New Clothes'
Delta State
University (MS): Bologna Performing Arts Center
The Bologna Performing Arts
Center will present a School-Time Matinee performance of "The
Emperor's New Clothes," as part of the New Stage Theatre
Arts-in-Education statewide touring program for elementary school
groups and families on April 8 at 9:30 a.m.
Adapted by Kathryn Schultz
Miller from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, "The
Emperor's New Clothes," is packed with action, laughs and
magic tricks. Lots of fun is in store when Peter, the mischievous
tailor, comes up with his sure-fire get-rich-quick scheme to
embarrass the vain emperor and make off with a basket of gold! Peter
uses all his wit and magic to convince the court he can make magic
clothes. Only those who are very smart can see the clothes, he tells them.
"Action,
laughs and magic tricks!"
New Stage Theatre
Arts-in-Education - ArtReach's
Emperor's New Clothes
Following the performance, the
acting company and the students will have an open discussion about
literature, themes of the play and the experience of acting. A study
guide will also be available for teachers to use in their classrooms
before and after the performance.
"The
Emperor's New Clothes," is directed by Joshua Phillips and
performed by New Stage's Professional Acting Company members Jamaar
Blanchard, Catherine Mounger and Jasmine Rivera. New Stage
Theatre is a professional not-for-profit theatre. New Stage Theatre's Arts-in-Education
tours are supported in part by Entergy, the Chisolm Foundation and
the Mississippi Arts Commission.
Admission is free, but
reservations are required. For more information, contact Whitney
Cummins at 662-846-4844, or visit www.bolognapac.com to reserve seats
for your family or school group.
Robin
Hood brings Adventure to Adirondack Families!
"Kids can
expect to be put right in the middle of the story."
GLENS FALLS - The Post Star
Daria Mathis wasn't sure she
should take her son Quinn, 4, and daughter Adeline, 2, to see a play.
Her nanny bought the kids
tickets for their April birthdays to the Adirondack Theatre
Festival's "Robin Hood" at the Charles R. Wood Theater's
PB&J Cafe, which kicked off its month long dinner theater for
kids Wednesday afternoon.
The Mathis kids were both
familiar with the story of Robin
Hood.
"They've seen the Disney
movie and we have the books," Mathis said. "She's obsessed."
Mathis' fears were laid to
rest as she held Adeline on her lap while the toddler lunched on
peanut butter and jelly posted stickers on a piece of paper.
"That's the show right
there," Adeline yelled out, pointing to the stage.
"They
can expect a fun adventure with Robin Hood."
Adirondack Theatre
Festival’s “Robin Hood”
at the Charles R. Wood Theater’s PB&J Cafe
Young theatergoers like Quinn
and Adeline were encouraged to participate in the very kid-friendly
dinner theater, which takes place at noon until July 27. Kids can
order a meal from the cast of characters, participate in an art
activity, dine during a live theater performance and leave with
autographs from the actors.
"They can expect a fun
adventure with Robin Hood complete with fights and love stories and
comedy," said Director Henry Hanson. "And kids can expect
to be put right in the middle of the story."
Literally.
At one point in the funny love
story, the actors pulled kids from the audience to participate in an
archery tournament. Robin Hood, played by John Anthime Miller, often
encouraged the crowd to cheer him on, shouting "Down with Prince John!"
At one point, Miller asked
8-year-old Clark Seeley to stand up and pretend he was a tree, and
then proceeded to "chop" the boy down.
"Fall down now," he
whispered to the boy with curly blond hair, eliciting laughter from
the audience.
"There's
just stuff you can't do while watching Netflix."
Adirondack Theatre
Festival’s “Robin Hood”
at the Charles R. Wood Theater’s PB&J Cafe
This is the fourth year the
Adirondack Theatre Festival has offered a show specifically geared
toward children, said Chad Rabinovitz, the producing artistic director.
"So this gives kids the
opportunity to learn what it's like to have a live performer in front
of you, to experience it as an adult would experience theater,"
Rabinovitz said.
Most of the entertainment kids
experience these days is on a screen.
"There's just stuff you
can't do while watching Netflix," Hanson said. "You can't
join in the actual archery contest when you're on Netflix. You have
to be in a space with the characters. There's something magical about that."
"Robin
Hood" is preparing the young audience members to be
lifelong theatergoers, and there's a lot of value to be gained by
seeing live theater, Rabinovitz said.
"There's also just a
different element of appreciation of social skills," he said,
"of teaching people how to show respect for someone who is
sharing their talents with you, whether it's on stage or in a classroom."
LMS
Presents "Mulan" May 9-12
"The
flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of
them all."
Lansing Central
School District: On May 9 to May 12, Lansing Middle
School will bring "The Legend
of Mulan" to the Lansing Central School District. The play
will take place in the LMS Auditorium. "The Legend of Mulan"
is from the Ancient Chinese Poem adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller.
Over 28 students from Lansing Middle School are taking part in
helping "Mulan" bloom to life.
"She
just wants to leave the world a better place."
Lansing Middle School, "The
Legend of Mulan"
"This play is about the
fearless effort of a young woman to save her father from being
drafted into the army," said Audrey Hummel, who is directing the
musical. "She inspires us to be the best we can be through her
honesty, bravery and tenacity. She knows it doesn't matter if she is
a boy or a girl - she just wants to leave the world a better place, a
mark of a true hero! Mulan serves as a model, encouraging us to grow
up and achieve any occupation we desire - regardless of gender. Come
and experience the culture of ancient China with us and you might
even be asked to join the cast on stage!"
"Mulan"
will take place May 9, 10, and 11 at 6:30 p.m., and May 12 at 12
p.m. Tickets are $7 each and can be purchased at the LMS auditorium
door. The show will be directed by Audrey Hummel and Kimberly
Williamson, with assistance from Julie MacMartin. The show will
feature lighting design by John Phillips, set design by Jase Baese,
Emily Franco, and Lee Ianone, choreography by Priscilla Hummel, and
graphic design by Heather Hamilton.
'A
Thousand Cranes': Young actors tell a sad but hopeful story
Ashville,
NC, BlueRidge.com, Times-News Online
They
may not be professionals, but the children and young adults in Flat
Rock Playhouse's Studio 52 youth theater program have achieved that
rare acting ability to elicit simultaneous and contrasting emotions
through onstage storytelling.
Their
current production of "A
Thousand Cranes" in the Playhouse's downtown Hendersonville
theater is both terribly sad and inspiringly hopeful.
There
are few sadder events in life than the death of a child. In this
true and simple story, the child is 2-year-old Sadako, a Japanese
girl who survived the initial blast of the atomic bomb that the
United States of America dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945,
killing some 140,000 people.
Although
they were at ground zero, she and her family thought they had been
spared any radiation sickness, only to be told 10 years later that
Sadako was quickly dying of leukemia. And - spoiler alert - she does.
"A
worldwide and enduring tribute to an
inspiring life."
ArtReach's
A Thousand Cranes at Flat Rock Playhouse, Ashville NC
Star
of the play this past Saturday night was Asian child actress Jia
Hind. Her parents were played by teenagers Andrew Johnson and Aniela
Lane. Hind was a natural in this role, ever optimistic with more
concern for others than herself, her strong voice and character
engulfment endeared her to the audience that was disappointingly
sparse. Both Johnson and Lane took their parental roles seriously,
displaying convincing sorrow that was masked to lessen the reality of
impending death for their daughter.
These
were but three of many youthful actors who were called upon by
Director Dave Hart to carry the weight of the play through the
character development and interaction. The set was starkly bare with
a slightly raised stage and a simple Japanese arch and two large
panels in the far background.
Throughout
the play only the simplest props - a few boxes and makeshift
hospital bed - were brought forth to aid the actors. The set's color
scheme was mostly gray to symbolize the gray ash that fell upon the
city after the bomb and to accentuate the color red that was used to
symbolize life and hope. Overall, it was very Zen.
Instead
of elaborate sets, lighting and special effects, the actors had to
rely on each other and creative delivery to advance the story. With
the exception of the spector-like Kabuki dancer and Sadako's
cherry-blossom kimono, most of the costumes were simple, plain and
drab. It was obvious this play was used as a teaching tool to help
the budding thespians in their acting, as well as their understanding
of Japanese cultural and modern history.
A
great deal of factual information was needed to give the audience
enough understanding of World War II to appreciate the historical
significance. Many times this information was delivered by the actors
by simply standing at apt attention and shouting out dates and
statistics. Hart is commended for challenging both his actors and his
audience to appreciate a play that required both imagination and
acceptance of the Far East mindset.
"A
message as gentle as the wings of a paper crane."
ArtReach's
A Thousand Cranes at Flat Rock Playhouse, Ashville NC
Although
the story's foundation is profoundly sad, its true message is one of
hope. As Sadako lay hopelessly dying in a hospital bed, she was
reminded of the ancient Japanese legend that if a dying person were
to fold 1,000 paper - origami - cranes, the gods would cure the
person of her disease. As the story goes, cranes are symbols of long
life in Japan, as it was once thought that cranes themselves lived to
be 1,000 years old.
Despite
Sadako's enduring spirit and origami efforts, she dies, but her
spirit lived on - both figuratively and in reality. The final scene
of Sadako's spiritual ascent is a tribute to good acting, good
directing and traditional Japanese thinking.
In
reality, Sadako lives on. Through the efforts of her
classmates, manifested as a statue of her in Hiroshima Peace
Park. And every year since, children from around the world make and
send paper cranes to the park as their statement to the world that no
child should ever have to die because of war. At the base of the
statue, it reads: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth."
Hart
and his cast of young actors took many but thoughtful liberties with
this modern classic play to present a message that is as loud as an
atomic blast, yet as gentle as the wings of a paper crane.
"A
Thousand Cranes" will show again this weekend, Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-20. Don't miss this opportunity to
witness the power of youth as it struggles to survive in a world at war.
DHS
One Act Play advances to Bi-District
The
Devine News, TX
"Every
cast member & one crew member received awards."
Photo:
The
cast and crew of DHS One Act Play (back row, left to right): Amada
Guardiola, Abbey Paulson,
Ariana
Russell, Miguel Palma, Emilie Dudley, Charlize Benavidez, Josephine
Taitano, and Mrs. Taitain.
Front
row, left to right: Jose Guardiola, Paige Reyna, Jillian Courtade,
Paige Williamson, and Gaby Romano.
This
year’s production is A
Thousand Cranes, by Kathryn Schultz Miller. The play is being
produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company.
The play is based on the true story of a girl in WWII-era Japan, who
falls ill with leukemia ten years after the bombing of Hiroshima.
The
cast and crew have attended several clinics in preparation for
competition. At the Wimberley Festival last month, our team competed
against four other schools for acting awards. Of the four cast
members, two received accolades: Senior Jose Guardiola made All-Star
Cast, and Senior Ariana Russell received Best Actress of the day.
At
the UIL One Act Play District competition this month, every cast
member and one crew member received awards: Sophomore Jillian
Courtade made All-Star crew, Sophomore Amada Guardiola received an
Honorable Mention award, Seniors Jose Guardiola and Abbey Paulson
made All-Star Cast, and Ariana Russell was named Best Actress.
Devine
High School advanced to the UIL One Act Play Bi-District competition
to be held on Friday, March 24 at Lytle High School. Five other
schools will perform that day. The first show will begin at noon,
with shows running back to back. Show times usually average between
30 and 40 minutes. The event is open to the public and everyone is
encouraged to attend. Devine High School is scheduled to perform
third in the lineup.
The
public performance of the play at Devine High School will be
scheduled after the completion of the UIL competition cycle.
Review:
'Amelia Earhart:
Taking Flight' in Goshen
By
James F. Cotter - Times Herald Record - Goshen NY
GOSHEN
- "Amelia Earhart:
Taking Flight" stars Rebecca Robbins as the heroic pilot whose
flight around the world ended in the disaster of her mysterious
disappearance in 1937.
Cornerstone
Arts Alliance is hosting a revival of Kathryn Schultz Miller's
one-act play, sponsored by Goshen Public Library and Historical
Society at the newly renovated Goshen Music Hall. Directed by Ken
Tschan, it is an absorbing account of Earhart's personal story as a
confident individual who consciously represented herself as an
independent woman and a pioneering pilot eager to prove her worth and
daring, the first woman to win the Distinguished Flying Cross and
worldwide recognition as "Queen of the Skies" and
"First Lady of Flight."
As
"Lady Lindy," she was the first woman to fly across the
Atlantic, first as passenger in 1928 and then as a solo pilot in
1932, after Charles Lindbergh's famous 1927 flight.
Robbins
looks the part with her lean handsome face and slim figure in a
leather flight suit and cap. She glides across the stage and seated
astride a bench holds on to her controls for dear life.
"An
absorbing account of Earhart's personal story."
ArtReach's
Amelia Earhart - Morehead State University, KY
She
embodies the flapper of her era, who in real life designed her own
clothes and sold her own line of woman's wear. She set the style of
the liberated woman of her time. Robbins gives an impressively
authentic performance with her determined gaze and
straight-from-the-shoulder delivery.
Earhart
married her agent, George Putnam, a publisher and publicist who made
sure she got the attention of the press and had her story in print.
Drew Nardone portrays Putnam as a larger-than-life male with a
booming voice and forceful manner. He proposes six times to Earhart
before she accepts and then only on her own conditions, that she
remain a risk-taking pilot and free spirit.
Their
explosive relationship makes for good drama and increases the
tension, since the audience knows that he is right to advise her to
take precautions. If she had been more patient with details of radio
signals and communications, her tragedy might have been avoided as
she flew to Howland Island in the Pacific.
"I
recommend it highly."
ArtReach's
Amelia Earhart - The Rev Theatre (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse-
Auburn NY
Ben
Hudson plays a present-day reporter who is still fascinated by
Earhart's disappearance 75 years earlier, and who then finds himself
playing various roles, including those of a reporter and radio
operator, during her life. He is an agile, involved actor who is a
fine foil for Nardone's inside role.
Hudson
stands outside as an observer and steps into the action for a moment
when necessary. A screen to the side of the stage shows us scenes of
the era, from presidential portraits to photos of airplanes and
Earhart herself. The production creates a fascinating history lesson
that brings the past to life through the person of Earhart.
In
the past decade, artistic director Tschan has staged a series of
biographical plays, among them of Vincent Van Gogh, Emily Dickinson,
Albert Einstein and Daniel Webster. Certainly this portrait of
Earhart takes an honored place in that theatrical gallery. I
recommend it highly, but be sure to reserve tickets beforehand as
seating is limited.
Youngsters
delight with production of Pinocchio
UK Kids Perform
ArtReach's
play
about a puppet who becomes a real boy
ILKLEY
Playhouse became a puppet-makers workshop last weekend as their
Junior Greenroom drama students performed the children’s classic
Pinocchio at sell-out performances.
Audiences
were delighted with the colourful and charming retelling of the
story and the Greenroom tutors Andrew Leggott and Lisa Debney were
very proud of all the hard work their students put had in.
"Audiences
were delighted with the charming story."
ArtReach's
Pinocchio
- Ilkley
Playhouse, Buckinghamshire, UK
Greenroom
drama classes run on Saturday mornings at Ilkley Playhouse.
Thanks to photographer Dawn Morgan for the photo.
