When "Children's Theatre" Grows Up

One of my greatest passions in life is theatre.  Since my first leading role as Mrs. Claus in my own 3rd grade play, Santa Claus Takes a Vacation, I have been hooked, (line and sinker!), so much so that my undergrad degree is actually in Theatre.

If James Lipton, of the Inside the Actor's Studio fame, asked me what profession I would do other than teaching?  Simple.  Anything theatre.  Anything.  I could live in a theatre, on a stage, with only the ghost light on.  In my world, it's pure magic.  I feel theatre with my whole being that it's as much a part of me as motherhood.  My rival passion for teaching is equally as strong, so what happens when these two collide?  Children's theatre.

Ok, let's be honest, sometimes "children's theatre" has a stigma of being kitschy or cutesy in a way that it falls into a "not-real-theatre" category.  I've had to work hard to get over that silly stigma in my own mind in order to create an environment that truly allows students to experience the magic I see for myself.

In the fall, I hold weekly meetings that follow a workshop model, using a lot of improv to teach creativity, imagination, thinking and speaking on the spot, and getting comfortable in front of others.  After each activity, game, scene, etc. we reflect with positive and specific comments of what was working and what we liked about the choices the actors made.  It's a very supportive, collaborative, and hilarious experience for all participants- myself included.  The workshops are my way of getting to know the strengths and potential in these children.  Then in the winter we begin rehearsals for our spring play.  Many of them have participated in 3rd grade or in a summer workshop, so by the time they're in 4th grade and part of the cast for the play they have a solid foundation in performing on stage.

This past wednesday I held auditions with the 4th graders who will be the main cast for our spring play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I had them fill out an audition interest form to gather information about their special talents, performing experience, intent to participate, and finally the type of character they would like to play.  Typically, I'd give them a cast of characters and let them rank their top three.  But let's face it, Charlie..., is a delicious story with some of the most memorable characters in the Roald Dahl collection, and they all wanted to be one of five main characters.  Instead of the cast list, I described the characters by type:
- calm and logical
- extreme and loud
- inspirational and creative
- an elderly person
- good at sharing information
- wise and loving
Students ranked these types of characters and then responded with why they wanted to play their number one choice of character.  Reading through their responses to these questions, I find myself going back and forth between hilarity and being humbled.

Question: I want to be part of this production of Charlie... because:
Student Answers:

• I think plays just make me feel great and relaxed
• I love being onstage because it makes me feel special
• I love to act in front of large audiences (this student underlined large on her paper)
• I like acting and now I have something to do after school
• It makes me feel free

Question:  I would like to play this type of character because...
Student Answers:

• I would like to be extreme and loud because I want to show something I am not.
• Being creative and inspirational is what I want to be in life and even on stage.
• (student chose "extreme and loud") It gets the inner me out in the fun.
• (student chose "inspirational and creative") It sounds like what I love in a person.

Question: What are your special talents:
Student Answers:

• limited hula-hooping
• shopping
• meeting people
• smiling
• winning 50pp in Mario Kart 7
• making high-pitched sounds

The final question on the page is "I also want to tell Mrs. Hunter..." so they can write whatever it is they need to write.  This group was very sweet with their compliments and sharing that they do, after all, like me.   But there was one response that really stood out, it was simply "I trust you."

Suddenly "children's theatre" becomes a self-defining, legitimate, life-changing and hilarious experience.

Stage to Page?

My first love began in 3rd grade when my teachers, Mrs. Heller and Mrs. Stapleton, announced that our class would be performing the play "Santa Claus Takes a Vacation."  In that moment, my little 8-year-old self knew what I wanted more than anything:  to play the role of Mrs. Claus.

One by one, teachers called out the parts and students raised their hands to volunteer.  I remember vividly sitting on the rug, watching who had volunteered for each part, waiting eagerly to raise my hand.  Finally, finally after what seemed like an eternity, Mrs. Heller said, "And who would like to play the role of Mrs. Claus?"  I literally jumped up and my heart nearly burst as I shouted, "I do!"  Mrs. Heller and Mrs. Stapleton changed the direction of my life in that moment, they introduced me to the stage.  My love of the stage, performing, creating characters, letting go, and taking risks, all of these things are still very much a part of me today.

This week I have the privilege of directing an acting and improv camp for 4th - 6th graders.  It is always amazing to me to watch a group of 20 kids who barely know one another come together and share their creativity with such transparency.  On stage today I witnessed students overcoming fears to take risks and let go of restraint to be real and fearless.  It was exhilarating!

Then I had one of those light-bulb moments.  If these drama and improv games encourage such open thought and creativity for the stage, why couldn't these same games and exercises encourage the same open thought and creativity for my class with writing.  Ding!  Lightbulb.

In our first day of camp, we explored walking in different ways, like animals, through weather, unusual scenarios, and then move into walking to show an emotion.  When actors move on stage there is always a purpose, a motivation.  So we work quite a bit on motivation for emotions and movement.  Then we transition into pantomime scenes where the focus of the scene is not the action but the motivation, relationships, and beginning-middle-end.

All of this ties into creative writing (and part of me is wondering why I didn't make this observation sooner!).  I am very excited to incorporate improvisation games and exercises into my classroom to support our writing endeavors.  Students struggle with ideas for writing, desperately at times, and I think some of these games are a fantastic source for character development and plot.  It would also be fun to try a workshop environment to actually act out students' in progress writing as a tool for revision.

One of my favorite resources is Improv Ideas: A Book of Games and Lists.  Full of detailed directions and lists upon lists of ideas, places, emotions, objects, etc... this book is a tremendous resource to both the acting teacher and the classroom teacher with a flair for the dramatic.

Thank you Mrs. Heller and Mrs. Stapleton for the opportunity that has inspired me for a lifetime.
Break a leg!