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This
page (Page #1) has great articles from newspapers and school
newsletters. Check out all these great comments about ArtReach
popular titles: Alice in Wonderland, A
Christmas Peter Pan, A
Thousand Cranes, Treasure Island,
Laura
Ingalls Wilder, Mulan,
Peter Pan, We are the Dream, Sleepy
Hollow, Alice in Wonderland, The
Jungle Book, The Wizard of Oz
ArtReach's
'Alice in Wonderland' Named #1 Best High School Play
WeAreTeachers:
40 Showstopping High School Plays for Your School
Katelyn
Katz, May 31, 2023
#1.
ArtReach's Alice in Wonderland Best High School Play
 
"WeAreTeachers is your
everyday stop for trusted ideas, stories, and resources to empower teachers."
Photo: Harding Theatre, Searcy, AR
- ArtReach's
Alice in Wonderland
"Alice
in Wonderland is a beloved classic from every student's childhood.
The script, costumes, and set allow for a very creative and energetic
play to take place. With digestible themes and a happy-go-lucky plot,
this play is definitely a classic for a large cast of high schoolers."
Everyone loves well-done high
school plays. When the actors and director are engaged in the
storyline and the blocking is done correctly, a play can deeply
impact everyone involved, from the cast and crew to the audience. The
struggle is: Which plays are best to perform in high school? There
are seemingly endless options for high school plays, and thinking
about which one to put on can be overwhelming. That's why we put
together this list of 40 of the best high school plays with a range
of genres, plots, and lessons to help make your decision just a
little bit easier.
Alice in Wonderland is a beloved
classic from every student’s childhood. The script, costumes,
and set allow for a very creative and energetic play to take place.
With digestible themes and a happy-go-lucky plot, this play is
definitely a classic for a large cast of high schoolers.
Cast: 11–20 roles, large
ensemble. Licensing: ArtReach
Children's Theatre Plays
Molokai
children's theater program teaches more than performance
The Hokulani
Children's Theatre presents ArtReach's 'A
Christmas Peter Pan'
Hawaii
Public Radio | By Catherine Cluett Pactol
Hokulani
Children's Theatre of Molokai participated in the island's lighted
float parade last Saturday, promoting their Christmas Peter Pan play
this weekend.
Vicki
Boswell says there's magic in the theater program she launched on
Moloka'i less than a year ago.
"There's
something magical going on here. I really believe it's magic in the
best kind of way because it's developing our humanity and helping us
to feel safe in this world."
"There's
something magical going on here."
 
ArtReach's
A Christmas Peter Pan
- Hokulani Children's Theatre of Molokai - Vicki Boswell leads practice.
The
Hokulani Children's Theatre of Molokai is preparing for its third
play of the year this weekend, Christmas Peter Pan. Thirty-one keiki
between the ages of 4 and 16 have spent weeks learning their lines
and rehearsing together. But Boswell says it's about more than just
the performance - it's personal growth, gaining confidence and
building life skills.
"That
is the true magic," she said. "It's the community building
that's going on. It's the investing in our kids. And giving them a
place to feel good about themselves. That's what I'm proud about. The
performance is over in a day or two, but it's all the groundwork."
Vicki
Boswell leads practice for the upcoming Christmas Peter Pan.
Boswell,
who serves as founder and director of the organization, spent
decades working as a social worker and school counselor. She says the
kids in the theater program come from diverse backgrounds that
include foster care, special needs and challenging circumstances.
"This
is the most preventative social work I've ever done," Boswell said.
"You
feel loved, like they're another family of yours."
 
Hokulani
Children's Theatre of Molokai - Joao plays Captain Hook in the play.
For
eighth grader Kawena Joao, the program has turned friends into family.
"When
you go to this kind of theater, you feel like you're loved, like
they're another family of yours," she said.
"It
builds up confidence for me," she continued. "When I
wasn't doing theater, I was not very good at speaking to people, and
now I'm a little better."
Fourth
grader Kaceelynn Yasso plays Wendy. This is her third play with the
program and she says she's learned a lot.
"To
always try your best for something, and it doesn't matter if you're
quiet or not -- you can just use your body language," she said.
"It's
a fun experience, you make tons of friends, and it's amazing,"
said Hina Vines, a sixth grader who takes on the role of Santa Claus.
"For the kids, join - you'll have fun. And for all the adults,
come and see this thing, because it's hilarious."
Kawena
Joao practices her role as Captain Hook.
The
Children's Theatre is the first organization of its kind on Molokai.
It's one of the island's only performing arts opportunities.
"This
is what I teach the kids: 'You are doing in this community what has
never been done before. You're a community builder,'" Boswell
told HPR. "And I can't express enough that these kids are
blowing me away because they get that message."
The
nonprofit operates on donations and volunteers - and Boswell's
personal contributions. But she says it's all worth it.
"I
thought I was going to help kids and I had no idea that they were
helping me more than I could help them," she said.
"You
make tons of friends and it's amazing."
A
Christmas Peter Pan - Riverfront Theatre Company, Windsor ON
For
Boswell, theater has been a meaningful part of her own life since childhood.
"Drama
was what kept me in school," she said. "I would have never
graduated from high school without participating in speech and drama
tournaments. I was special ed. So my mother put me into acting to
help me with my diction after I had surgery on my ears. It really
boosted my confidence."
Christmas
Peter Pan performances will be held in Kaunakakai at Home Pumehana
Hall on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Boswell
says the program has big plans for next year. In February, they will
launch a keiki and k?puna comedy program. They'll also partner with
the L?na'i Academy of Performing Arts for a camp and performance
exchange on the two islands.
"Kids
have dreams. One girl wants to be a playwright, somebody else wants
to be an animator," Boswell explained. "They just don't fit
in with what Molokai had to offer, and that's just what we're trying
to do -- expand opportunities for growth."
Noriko
Tosaka, World Ambassador for "A Thousand Cranes"
ArtReach's
Sadako Play Performed in Orkney Islands, Scotland
In
2004 I received a phone call from a young Japanese woman, Noriko
Tosaka. She explained that she had been working with the Stella
Adler Studio in Los Angeles where she was involved with a performance
of my play, A Thousand Cranes.
She said she was recently divorced and her 2 children were US
citizens but she was Japanese so she expected to be deported back to
Japan soon.
In
spite of her troubles, Noriko said that she needed something for her
soul. She said that I might be able to grant her this
soul-wish. If she had to go back to Japan she wanted to go to
Hiroshima and perform A
Thousand Cranes there on the anniversary of the bomb, Aug 6.
But she wanted more. She wanted me to grant her royalty-free
rights to pursue performances of the play for the rest of her
life. She wanted to make this play and its message a mission
for all of her life.
"Noriko
said that she needed something for her soul."
 
She
wanted to make this play and its message a mission for all of her life.
Despite
all of the legal and logistical copyright tangles such a proposal
might bring, I felt her request was so heartfelt and extraordinary
that I must agree. And so I did. I said yes and asked her
to keep in touch with me through her journey.
Over
the years, Noriko has been a world ambassador for A
Thousand Cranes. She translated the play to Japanese and
shared it many multi-arts productions in Japan and the US. Last
year she contacted me about a special project she was doing with the
Orkney Japan Association of Scotland.
OJA
Director, Yuka Johnston, Stromness, Orkney, wrote in October: "I
am delighted to inform you that our public event Orkney Japan Mini
Festival and Noriko's production "A Thousand Cranes" had
great success! Noriko worked so hard on this project. She
brought wonderful positive vibes up to Orkney and passed Sadako's
powerful message on to people in Orkney beautifully, including
children who will make the future of this world. Usually, this kind
of event can only get a small audience as it's such a small
community, but about 200 people came to see her performance and left
us great reviews."
"Over
the years, Noriko has been a world ambassador."
 
Orkney
Japanese Association - Orkney Japan Mini Festival - A
Thousand Cranes
Yuka
added in a follow up email: "It was an uncanny coincidence that
the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in March this year. We can
hear the sound of war and people's crying from the distance. We
believe this is the time we play "A
Thousand Cranes" and share a moment to think and pray for
world peace."
I
was asked to write notes for the program:
When
Sadako began her journey, she was just an ordinary girl with
ordinary dreams for the future. When war brought Sadako a
future she did not expect, she made a wish. Her wish was not
for herself only; she spoke for children all over the world.
This is why the Orkney Japan Association's project is an excellent
endeavour that perfectly honours Sadako's memory. It brings
elegant Japanese culture to the beautiful and proud Scottish Islands,
joining hands across the globe.
Noriko
Tosaka has devoted much of her career to this play, A
Thousand Cranes, and Sadako's message. It seems to
me that Noriko is much like Sadako herself. Through her
thoughtful direction she brings us together with Sadako's wish: This
is our cry, this is our Prayer, Peace in the World.
"The
time has come to fold a thousand cranes again."
Orkney
Japanese Association - Orkney Japan Mini Festival - A
Thousand Cranes
The
October, 2022, of this project and Yuka's writing, my husband was
undergoing emergency, frightening surgeries that kept me from my
work. About 8 months later I am happy to say he is almost fully
recovered. It was quite a while before I was able to look at
all the material concerning this production and even longer before I
could do so with dry eyes.
"We
share a moment to think and pray for world peace."
 
Orkney
Japanese Association - Orkney Japan Mini Festival - A
Thousand Cranes
Somehow,
many years ago, I had the great fortune to stumble on Sadako's
story. The little play that came after has led me to some of
the most heartening and fulfilling moments of my life. I'm so
very grateful to Sadako for her brave, wise and eternal wish.
With all my heart I thank Noriko, Yuka and all the teachers,
directors and children who have carried the message of Sadako and her
cranes around the world.
Kathryn
Schultz Miller
Playwright,
A Thousand Cranes
Real
treasure revealed amid plenty of pirate fun, ArtReach's
Treasure Island
The
Free Weekly, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC
BY
LARA JO HIGHTOWER
It's
not surprising that Arts Live has chosen Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure
Island" as its next production: Pirates, a hidden island
and buried treasure are elements that make the classic tale
irresistible to children, whether they're on the stage or watching
from the audience.
"Kids
love to be pirates," says the show's director.
 
Arts Live Theatre,
Fayetteville AR - ArtReach's Treasure
Island
"Kids
love to be pirates," says the show's director and Arts Live
teaching artist Natalie Lane. "Several of [my actors] have said,
'I have a bunch of pirate stuff at home! Can I bring it in?' A couple
of them get to have hook hands and eye patches - it's really fun,
costume-wise. They get to play-fight and pretend they're on a big
pirate ship. This is one of those times when I've had kids make
character choices on their own, before I've had to help with that.
It's easy for them to jump in and say, 'Oh, I'm this kind of pirate.'"
Lane
says that the Arts Live production opens with the protagonist Jim
Hawkins in the present day.
"Storyteller
pirates help Hawkins tell his tale."
 
Arts Live Theatre,
Fayetteville AR - ArtReach's Treasure
Island
"He's
having a hard day in school," explains Lane. A group of
storyteller pirates helps Hawkins tell his tale. He prefers to live
in the world of pirates and adventure instead of being in his
everyday life, where his dog eats his homework. He would rather be on
the high seas, fighting for gold. The next thing you know, there's a
knock at his door. He thinks his mom is coming to his room to yell at
him about not eating his tofu patty dinner, but actually it's Billy
Bones [from 'Treasure Island']."
But
it's not all just about swashbuckling pirates and flashy coins of
gold. Lane says there's a lesson to be learned in the fact that Long
John Silver's charming personality masks a devious soul.
"Pirates,
a hidden island and buried treasure are irresistible."
 
Arts Live Theatre,
Fayetteville AR - ArtReach's Treasure
Island
"With
Long John, it's the [Stephen Sondheim musical] 'Into the Woods'
thing where 'Nice is different than good,'" says Lane. "It's
sort of a 'Be careful of what you wish for' kind of lesson - Jim
goes from going along for ride to having to be brave and standing up
to the villain."
Voices
Of History: Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder resonates today
Arts Live
Theater presents ArtReach's
"Laura Ingalls
Wilder: Voice of the Prairie"
The Free
Weekly, Fayetteville, AR, by Monica Hooper
When Laura Ingalls Wilder
first published "Little House in the Big Woods," things had
begun to change slowly for women at the time. The 19th amendment was
12 years old, and Hattie Caraway had become the first woman elected
to the Senate, but vocations were still limited for women. Trying to
make ends meet during the financial hardships of the Great
Depression, Wilder reluctantly wrote the books detailing her early
life on the plains. Her first book was a hit, which led her to write
more, which together eventually served as the basis for the
"Little House on the Prairie" TV series, which ran for nine
seasons from 1974 to 1983.
"Theater
and all the arts are excellent at teaching history."
Arts Live Theater,
Fayetteville AR - "Laura
Ingalls Wilder: Voice of the Prairie"
Arts Live Theater will share a
production titled "Laura Ingalls Wilder: Voice of the
Prairie" April 15-16 and April 21-24 at the Shiloh Museum of
Ozark History in Springdale. In the outdoor show, the grounds of the
museum will provide a fitting backdrop for the life of Laura Ingalls
Wilder. The best part? The play will be in the hands of Sophie Moody,
15, and Raedyn Courtney, 13, both of whom will serve as assistant
directors. The duo were asked to step up as veterans of the theater,
who've acted in more than 40 shows combined despite their young ages.
"There is a wonderful
cycle in any youth program, of watching the kids grow up. As last
year's leaders move on, the next batch of leaders steps up to fill
the space. Sophie and Raedyn are that. As assistant directors, they
are not only a huge help in organizing and logistics, but they are
both actors, so they can offer those observations, also,"
enthuses director and teaching artist Jules Taylor.
"Arts Live means a lot to
me because I've been doing it for so long. And it's just been like, a
really big part of my life," Raedyn says. Sophie explains that
it's a promotion of sorts, "kind of like a buildup of trust as
you go along. If you do well as an actor, [then] a director, whenever
their other assistant director goes off to college, they'll be like,
'Hey, I'm looking for a new assistant director, and I fancy you.'"
 
Arts Live Theater,
Fayetteville AR - "Laura
Ingalls Wilder: Voice of the Prairie"
"They just asked us to do
it because they've known us for a long time, because we've been in
other shows, and they trust us with this job and they think that
we're the right fit for it," Raedyn says. For the role of
assistant director, Raedyn says that "we kind of help manage
everything. We make sure everyone's focused at all times, make sure
[the actors are] running their lines, make sure they're remembering
everything. And we help with the rehearsal itself, and we write down
their blocking, and we just kind of help everyone know where they're
supposed to be and what's happening."
Both are taking cues and
learning the ropes from Taylor, who has not only been teaching them
how to direct a play, but has been explaining the history behind the
story and the motivation for the characters' actions.
"Arts
Live is a really big part of my life."
Arts Live Theater,
Fayetteville AR - "Laura
Ingalls Wilder: Voice of the Prairie"
When asked how she feels kids
today relate to this story, Taylor says "on one hand, being
here, at (what we hope is) the very beginning of the post-pandemic
age, they see that hardships exist through out history - they just
went through one of their own that will have historical significance.
And, on the other hand, theater and all the arts are excellent at
teaching history, so they get to understand more about the formation
of America at that time with this particular show. And it also helps
them understand that there are some basic qualities that exist in
human relationships no matter their time period."
Both assistant directors say
that they can see why Wilder's stories have endured from generation
to generation. "It's very cool to see the way that people
grew up in the 1800s. Especially a woman writing a book, because
that's not that common in that day and age," Sophie adds. She
will also fill in as Rose, the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The
show won't focus just on her time on the prairie, it also includes
Wilder's life during the time that she wrote her famous books, a
revolutionary act in itself.
"Wilder's
stories have endured for generations."
Julia Hill, left, is Laura;
Daniel Wilhite is Pa and Haleigh Ann Staley is Mary in "Laura
Ingalls Wilder: Voice of the Prairie,"
presented outdoors at the
Shiloh Museum by Arts Live Theatre. (Courtesy Photo)
"It's [a story of]
woman's rights &ldots; That's what the end of the story is about,
it's is what they're fighting for and striving for and the protests
and stuff that are happening - the generation that Rose is a part
of," Raedyn explains. She adds that the play allows young people
to "realize the stuff that they went through to to be where we
are today and the growth that had to happen for us to even be here
right now. And I think that's an important lesson for a lot of kids
to learn and know."
Kids'
production a big hit at Cultural Park Theater
Wolf Creek
collective presents ArtReach's "The
Legend of Mulan"
By
CJ Haddad - Cape Coral
Breeze
This
past weekend at Cultural Park Theater, it was the kids calling the shots.
"It
was the kids calling the shots."
ArtReach's
"The Legend of Mulan"
- Wolf Creek Collective, Cape Coral FL
A
full show staged, directed and choreographed by members of Wolf
Creek Collective - an all-kids performing arts group - hit the stage
as "The Legend of Mulan"
was performed in front of a socially distanced and sold-out audience.
Wolf
Creek Collective, spearheaded in the Cape by Bridey Kearns, allows
the students to use their imaginative and creative ideas to perform,
direct, choreograph, write and influence an on-stage production.
Kearns has been choreographing shows at Cultural Park Theater since
2017. This past weekend was the troupe's first full performance
and probably the first of it's kind in Southwest Florida.
"I'm
proud of the fact there's no precedence for this - no one that they
could have seen do it before, and no one that they could have learned
it from," Kearns said. "They came in as the first kids to
do something like this and it takes a lot of initiative. The fact
they were able to learn what we taught to them and apply it so
quickly to make a full-fledged show in only 10 weeks just really
impresses me."
"It
allows the students to use their imagination and be creative."
 
PHOTO
BY PATRICK ONUFER WITH PATRICK O'PHOTOS 12-year-old tech director
Emma Kane, right, helps Logan King (8) get ready while 12-year-old
choreographer Emily Salazar, back left, prepares to put on "The
Legend of Mulan."
The
show was directed by 10-year-old Eden Fautz, choreographed by
12-year-old Emily Salazar with lighting and sound handled by
12-year-old Emma Kane.
"You
can tell when someone loves something because they take it up so
fast," Kearns said. "They really absorbed the knowledge,
it's not forced. And with all three of these girls, the knowledge was
there. They all really love what they do and they jumped right in."
Fautz,
full of spirit and energy twice her size, said she enjoys taking
things in from her director's chair and hopes it becomes a regular
spot for her in the future, as she wants to be a director.
"It's different definitely," Fautz said of seeing things
from her new perspective. "It's also really fun because you have
a say in what you want to see. I've done a lot of plays but I like
being on the other side a lot more than being on the stage, actually."
After
the student creative team was found, they held auditions, like any
typical show, except the students were the ones selecting the cast
after going through a casting workshop with adult theater
professionals. Fautz and Salazar then worked with their cast at
rehearsals to put on the full-length production that has been edited
and workshopped by Fautz.
If
you were in the audience, you may have noticed some stylistic
differences from the traditional show - all part of the way
they make it their own. All three of the team leaders came together
to shape the script, style and mood into their vision, not just what
was written for them.
"I
can imagine it, and then it's on stage," Fautz said.
"All
students in the cast had the opportunity to participate."
  
ArtReach's
"The Legend of Mulan"
- Wolf Creek Collective, Cape Coral FL
Kearns
said even though she was younger than most of the cast, Fautz was
the perfect fit to direct their first show. "She is not
shy, she's got a very confident personality," Kearns said. All
students in the cast had the opportunity to participate in set
design, props or costume crew as well. Kearns said a team of
dedicated adults create anything the kids can dream up. In the end,
the entire show is made from the imaginations of the youth who are
putting it on. Salazar, who took on both the role of
choreographer and stage manager, said her love of dance and having
that creative freedom was a major reason she chose to take on the challenge.
"I
get to really bring my own style to the show," Salazar said.
"I like teaching and I like dancing, so it's a good combination
of both. It gives me a chance to do it my way and teach my peers,
which is really fun."
Salazar
listened though each track and in her mind, put together what she
felt best captured each moment. "I put together some
lyrical and soft movement style dances, but also some hard and sharp
movement dance," she said. She was also cognizant of how
much her peers would have to learn and take in over a short period of
time. "They have to put in work and I don't want to
overwhelm them with dancing," Salazar said.
Working
behind the scenes was no easy feat either, as Salazar constantly was
changing sets, moving props and making sure each scene had the right
backdrop and cast members. Working the booth and illuminating
those sets, Kane picked up the technological side of every production
pretty quickly.
Kane
learned from the pros at Cultural Park Theater during a summer camp
and stepped up to the plate for Wolf Creek. From hitting cues
on time to handling microphones and commanding the sound and light
board, there's a lot that goes into what the audience sees on stage
beyond the performers.
"There's
a lot of different lights on stage that no on really ever sees until
they're on," Kane said. "When you're creating the show, you
have to find a good mix of things and take into account what the
director likes. I was having Eden see what kind of interesting lights
she liked for each scene." Collaborating with peers is something
new for Kane but was an experience she gained from.
"It's
been interesting," she said of working with an all-youth team.
"I'm so used to being on stage and singing and dancing. I like a
challenge on the other side of the stage, and Eden and I have worked
closely together to make choices - ones that would have interesting
effects on the story."
"They
really absorbed the knowledge, it's not forced."
 
ArtReach's
"The Legend of Mulan"
- Wolf Creek Collective, Cape Coral FL
In
the beginning, Kearns was expecting to run the show with a more
simplistic lighting style, that was until Kane jumped on board and
brought the presentation over the top.
"We
were planning on having no tech," Kearns said, that was until
Kane volunteered her skills. "She really has amplified it to
another level. The kids had stuff we didn't think we were going to
have. She brought it to the level of shows that are put on at
Cultural Park."
Kearns
said it was encouraging to see the students take direction from
their contemporaries and give them their full attention and dedication.
"One-hundred
percent they support everything that their peers say," Kearns
said. "I was a little worried about that. I think because the
kids know this is a kid-run project, they were very receptive to
learning from their peers."
Having
a bit more creative freedom from their student-director to tweak
roles to fit personalities also helped build the imaginative
atmosphere, Kearns said. "It's not just Eden's show -
she's in charge overall, but because each student got a piece of it,
there was never conflict," Kearns said.
"The
kids know this is a kid-run project."
 
ArtReach's
"The Legend of Mulan"
- Wolf Creek Collective, Cape Coral FL
Wolf
Creek's second show is "The Velveteen Rabbit," directed by
12-year-old Addison Kalbhenn. Show dates are Friday, Dec. 11, at 7
p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m., at Cultural Park Theater,
located on Cultural Park Boulevard in Cape Coral.
Community
Ed. Youth Theater Camp Performed 'Peter
Pan'
Belle
Plaine Herald: Rachel Schmitz
Belle
Plaine's first live performance, since COVID, was presented by
Community Ed.'s Youth Theater Camp as they performed 'Peter
Pan'.
The
twenty-nine theater students, ranging from fourth grade to eighth
grade, Co-Directors Emma Reed and Colin Schultz, and Assistant
Director Merrik Giesen worked hard during their five-day camp.
They
performed live for family, friends, and other community members on
Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24. With only a short time
to plan for the show, much preparation was done beforehand.
"We
were trying to get everything done - costumes, sets, everything -
before starting any rehearsals. We had the whole set painted and done
on Monday before we even started," said Reed. After having
auditions on Thursday, July 15, Reed said they had to trust the
students to work on memorizing their lines over the weekend in order
to be ready for rehearsal on Monday.
"The
students were able to jump right into rehearsals."
 
ArtReach's
Peter
Pan - Community
Ed.'s Youth Theater Camp, Belle Plaine MN
Schultz
explained that the camp truly challenged the children and allowed
them to see what high school theater would be like. "One
thing these kids are so good at is they are really interested in
theater and this is their first taste of it. So what we try to do,
the most challenging part, is try to give them a taste of everything,
and we really push them to do things that high school students do and
talk about what theater is and how it works," said Schultz.
With
the help of many community members, the students were able to jump
right into rehearsals. Schultz explained that one of the goals
of the community program is to involve everyone, which showed as
people helped supply props, sew costumes, paint sets, and provide food.
"I
think when it comes to the community, it is super amazing to know
that Belle Plaine is such a supportive community and loves theater
and the arts," said Reed. Another goal of the Youth
Theater Camp is to prepare students for the high school theater programs.
"The
strongest programs, even for sports, have strong youth programs.
What we need to do more in theater is introduce that to them. So this
is kind of giving them a taste of that," said Schultz.
Reed explained that their friendship over the years and their love
for theater have helped them during the camp to find the middle
ground in having fun and putting in the work necessary to create an
amazing show.
"It's
just like a diamond; something beautiful."
Community
Ed.'s Youth Theater Camp, Belle Plaine MN
Schultz
added that the long hours of work and the dedication they put in to
prepare for the show would all be worth it when the students finally
get to perform.
"It's
just like a diamond; it has to go under pressure to become something
beautiful, and that's what's happening here. There are highs and lows
through the week, there were times where the kids were stressing us
out, there were times where we were probably annoying to the kids,
but then you get this product which is just worth it," said Schultz.
Reed
and Schultz explained that they hope the students found an interest
in theater and will continue to use what they learned in the camp to
participate in more programs. "Hearing parents reach out to us
the last couple days saying, 'My kid hasn't really been interested in
sports and hasn't been finding their spot, but this is their place
and they are starting to feel like it is home.' That is amazing to
hear. These kids are young and they are still trying to figure out
what they want, but if they can feel that here, that's amazing and it
is exactly why we do this," said Schultz.
'Leaders
of tomorrow': Students remember Martin Luther King Jr.'s achievements
ArtReach's We
Are the Dream is performed by community groups together
David
Hurst, TribDem.com, Johnstown, PA
For
more than 30 years, the NAACP's Johnstown branch and community
partners have been holding memorial services in the Rev. Martin
Luther King's memory.
This
year, the group decided to hand the reins to the youth they often
deliver their message to - and the result was a ceremony that
celebrated King on stage and in song.
"We
decided to ask the youth to host the program and they decided they
didn't necessarily want to have a keynote speaker. They wanted to do
a play," said Alan Cashaw, NAACP Johnstown branch president.
Martin
Luther King's Life in Play for Young People
NAACP Youth Council, Greater
Johnstown High School Unity Club & Christ Centered Community
Church youth group.
Instead
of speeches and sermons, a group of 20 children between the ages of
4 and 18 wore 1960s-era attire on Greater Johnstown High School's
Cochran Auditorium stage and retold some of King's greatest triumphs
and struggles in his fight for equality.
"We
want freedom," children chanted, re-enacting the pivotal moment
in what later became known as the Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama.
Cashaw
said many members of the local NAACP branch remember the turbulent
1960s well. They remember the struggles, the marches on
Washington, D.C., and the shocking day King was gunned down on a
balcony outside a Memphis hotel room. But for the young
generation standing on stage Sunday, it might otherwise be just
another chapter in a history book, if the stories and their
importance aren't kept alive, Cashaw said.
"The
best way to remember Dr. Martin Luther King is to remember his life
... and that is what this is all about," Cashaw said. By
acting out those moments, they are learning stories they can share
with future generations, he said.
"They
are the leaders of tomorrow," Cashaw added.
"King's
greatest triumphs and struggles in his fight for equality."
 
NAACP Youth Council, Greater
Johnstown High School Unity Club & Christ Centered Community
Church youth group.
A
crowd of about 160 people attended the event.
Greater
Johnstown, Bishop McCort, Divine Mercy Catholic Academy East and
Conemaugh Valley students served as the actors in the play, titled "We
Are the Dream."
Cashaw
said they were primarily local members of the NAACP Youth Council,
Greater Johnstown High School Unity Club and Christ Centered
Community Church youth group. Youth advisers Toni White and
Francine Cashaw said they began working with the group in
October. They praised the children for immersing themselves in
the play, sometimes for three days a week. Several went online
and researched the styles of the 1960s to fine-tune their looks, they said.
"A
lot of them already know about Dr. King ... they've learned a lot of
this at one point or another," Francine Cashaw said. "But
by acting it out on stage, they're making it real."
Peninsula
Youth Theatre's
'Sleepy Hollow'
opens Friday in Mountain View
STEPPING
OUT:
Written
by Los Altos Town Crier Staff - Town Crier Report
"A
great mix of comedic moments and spooky fun!"
Spencer
Cook of Mountain View stars in PYT's "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
Peninsula
Youth Theatre's production of the Halloween classic ArtReach's "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
is slated to
run this weekend on the SecondStage at the Mountain View Center for
the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.
When
a new school teacher comes to Sleepy Hollow, he disrupts Brom Bones'
courtship of the fair Katrina, prompting Brom to seek revenge.
PYT
alumnus Max Venuti directs "Hollow," featuring actors
Spencer Cook, Naomi Eason, Josh Gefken, Ani Lawit, Talia Lawit,
Eliott Leblond, Ben Siegel, Olivia Spreen and Michael Tucker.
"It's
been such fun to work with this talented cast to bring this story to
the stage for my directorial debut," Venuti said. "This
entertaining script is ensemble based and has a great mix of comedic
moments and spooky holiday fun."
"Stories
on Stage program, appropriate for ages 8 and above."
Peninsula Youth Theatre, The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, young cast.
Part
of PYT's Stories on Stage program, the 45-minute black-box
production of "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
is appropriate
for ages 8 and above. An optional 15-minute talk-back with the cast
and crew follows each performance.
Schooltime
shows are slated 9:30 and 11 a.m. Friday; standard performances are
scheduled 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets
are $11 for the Friday performances and $13 for the Saturday shows.
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
For
tickets and more information, call 903-6000 or visit mvcpa.com.
Ferndale
High's fall play leads audiences into 'Sleepy
Hollow'
By:
Mike Koury | Woodward Talk , MI
FERNDALE
- The students of Ferndale High School will take on a nearly
200-year-old story for the school's fall play.
The
students' production of ArtReach's "The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow" will bow this week, with
performances scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, and Saturday,
Nov. 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, at the high school, 881 Pinecrest Drive.
The
play tells the story of Ichabod Crane and his attempt to win the
affection of Katrina Van Tassel while also dealing with Brom Bones,
another potential suitor, all in the peculiar village of Sleepy
Hollow. Director Melissa Smith said the play has been on the
short list for a number of years, and enough students voted for
"Sleepy Hollow" to be the 2019 production.
Smith
also liked the play for the current cast she knew she had, as the
way this particular show was adapted allowed for cross-gender casting.
"It's
us being a part of the creative process."
ArtReach's Legend
of Sleepy Hollow - Ferndale High School
There
are male roles that are played by females; there are female roles
that are played by men," she said. "It also allows for
actors to play a variety of roles. So in several instances, students
are playing maybe anywhere from two to three different parts, with
the exception of the three main characters. So this show just allowed
a lot of flexibility in casting, which was fun and certainly makes it
easier for us to adapt it to the student population we currently have."
Taking
on the role of Van Tassel is Zoe Butters, who is acting in her first
lead role after previously having been a backstage worker for a
number of shows, and taking on small roles onstage for some of the
musicals. "Since this is my senior year, this is my last
chance to be onstage in a play, and I really think that the script
and the story is very fun," she said. "There's a lot of
humor in it, and all the people who are in the theater program are
very fun to work with, and so I decided this was the year to be onstage."
The
17-year-old senior from Pleasant Ridge has been feeling a lot of
emotions leading up to her first major role, but none more than the
excitement to get onstage. Butters has seen the hard work from
the rest of the cast in the rehearsals leading up to the big opening
night, and she knows they're ready to put on a great performance.
"The
cast all work really well together," she said. "We have
our amazing director, who really helps us with reading the script
well. It's not her just telling us what to do, and then us doing it.
It's us being a part of the creative process."
The
cast has been rehearsing since the middle of September, and in that
time, Smith said, the students have made considerable progress,
especially now when the technical aspects of a play - lights,
costumes, makeup, music, sound effects, etc. - are being integrated.
"All
the different parts start having to come together, so you start
adding all the other layers, and that always kind of takes us two
steps forward, one step back in many ways, but usually by the time we
get to that Monday dress rehearsal, we've ironed out some of those
kinks and we get the train on the track," she said.
Alice
in Wonderland,
Primary School Production
Bangkok
Patana School, The British International School in Thailand
The
audience was enthralled by the fantasy world of Alice in Wonderland,
this year’s Primary Production.
"Congratulations
to all who did such
a wonderful job."
  
ArtReach's Alice
in Wonderland - Bangkok Patana School
This
year’s Primary Production was Alice
in Wonderland, a play by Kathryn Schultz Miller, and was
performed by a fabulous cast over two shows in the Black Box Theatre.
Starring students from Years 5 and 6, the show told the well-known
story written in 1865 by English author Lewis Carroll, of Alice
falling down the rabbit hole into a peculiar fantasy world. Wonderful
acting enraptured the audience as Alice attended the ‘Mad
Hatter’s Tea Party’ and met characters including the White
Rabbit, Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts.
Congratulations
to all the student performers and behind the scenes crew who did
such a wonderful job.
The
LaGrange Daily News: LTA performing The
Jungle Book
By
FROM STAFF REPORTS
An
adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic, The
Jungle Book, opened Thursday with the first of four sold out
performances at LSPA. The production features a cast of 35 Lafayette
Theatre Academy students, with an additional 11 students performing
introductory scenes.
Set
in the jungle of India, this play tells the story of Mowgli, a boy
raised by wolves, educated by a panther, entertained by a bear, and
challenged by monkeys, a python, and a dangerous tiger.
"Cast
of second through sixth graders take the stage with poise and confidence."
The
Lafayette Theatre Academy is currently putting on a production of "The
Jungle Book". -Contributed
"Kathryn
Schultz Miller, the playwright for this adaptation, makes it very
clear that this production is also about community," director
Carol Cain said. "We have been encouraged to think of how each
animal and each character in the play is important and what each
contributes to the community, a lesson that is important on the
stage, in the classroom, and in life."
Cain
said she and her student actors are inspired by the law of the
jungle which is often quoted in the play.
"For
the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf
is the pack," Cain said.
A
family friendly production, one of the special treats of the play is
audience participation.
"Many
of the entrances and exits of our animal and human characters are
made through the audience," Cain said. "Some of the
characters will interact with audience members and ask for their help
throughout the show. We're even asking audience members to make
a few animal noises."
As
you might expect in a play about the jungle, there are plenty of
animals. In addition to the familiar characters of Shere Khan,
the tiger, Baloo, the bear, Kaa, the python, and Bagheera the
panther, there is a jungle full of snakes, monkeys, birds, elephants,
and other large creatures.
"Janet
Powell, our costumer, has created elaborate turbans and headpieces
for our actors, as well as wonderful, kid-friendly costumes that give
each animal personality," Cain said. "Plus, the LSPA staff
has converted the entire Black Box theater into a jungle."
"The
biggest treat, however, is watching this cast of second through
sixth graders take the stage with such poise and confidence,"
Cain said. "They have taken the information we give them in our
Creative Dramatics classes and transferred it to their performances.
As an instructor, that's what you want to happen, and they make it
happen so beautifully in this production. Can you tell how proud I am
of them?"
Adding
to the fun of each performance will be the presentation of other
Rudyard Kipling stories acted out by students from two other
Lafayette Theatre Academy programs. Acting Out is the newest and
youngest academy class for Pre-K through first graders. Dramatically
Unique is an all-inclusive class which provides a transitional
curriculum for exceptional students with different abilities and
limited theatrical experience. Each of these classes will be
presenting a scene from Kipling's "Just So Stories."
"This
production is also about community."
The
Lafayette Theatre Academy - ArtReach's The
Jungle Book
"Experience
on stage is a vital part of any theatre education, and these brief
scenes are the perfect way for our Acting Out and Dramatically Unique
students to perform in front of an audience without having the
pressure involved in a full-production," said Amy McDow,
director of the Lafayette Theatre Academy. "We are so proud of
each student in the academy and are thrilled to see many of them take
the stage for the first time in this engaging production."
"Can
you tell how proud I am of them?"
 
The
Lafayette Theatre Academy - ArtReach's The
Jungle Book
The
Jungle Book is presented by Kid's Zone Dentistry and additionally
sponsored by All Pro Auto Group and Eastern Industries. The
Lafayette Theatre Academy is a part of the Lafayette Society for
Performing Arts, located in downtown LaGrange. Performances of
The Jungle Book are held in the LTC Black Box Theatre in their picnic
theatre setting.
BWW
Review: ArtReach's
The Wizard of Oz
at The Producer's Club, NYC
By Donna
Marie-Nowak, BroadwayWorld.com
Tucked away in
the heart of New York City's theater district - known as Broadway
(although only those with 500 seats or more can officially be called
Broadway theaters) -- are many off- and off-off-Broadway gems like
the Producer's Club which make theater accessible and affordable to
thespians and audiences alike.
At the
Producer's Club on July 28, 2018, AlphaNYC Theater Company presented
the beloved children's classic The
Wizard of Oz. It tells the indelible tale of farm girl Dorothy
Gale and her dog Toto who travel to Oz via tornado. The show is
directed by Elizabeth Aquino and the story is adapted by
award-winning playwright Kathryn Schultz Miller. Based on L. Frank
Baum's popular book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), which spawned
13 sequels, MGM's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz became one of the
greatest and most iconic films of all time, an enduring part of our
cultural history. Its sublime star Judy Garland, forever associated
with it, remains equally an icon. With its simple but profound theme
of longing for faraway worlds "over the rainbow" and
finding that those searches for our heart's desire ultimately lead
home, The Wizard of Oz is a universal and timeless story.
ArtReach's
Wizard of Oz
Off-Broadway Production
 
"Each
actor brings something distinctive and original to her role,
aided
by the script's engaging, child-friendly wit."
The simple
backdrop depicts cornfields and a yellow brick road, including
emerald green curtains. Perhaps one interpretation of the tale's
subtext would be about surviving through imagination and dreams. It
reminds us that even in Oz, Dorothy travels through farmlands similar
to her native Kansas, except they are suffused with color. (The book
opens, in fact, with describing the gray and joyless plains that
Dorothy inhabits, noting that Toto was not gray and made Dorothy
laugh, saving her from becoming as gray as her surroundings.) But on
a literal level, the friendly and fanciful characters and spunky
"child" heroine speak for themselves.
The story is
condensed into an economical 30 minutes to engage young audiences.
Schultz Miller makes some imaginative tweaks, while maintaining all
the signature elements of the plot (including famous lines from the
film). It is an all-female cast with each actor bringing something
distinctive and original to her role, aided by the script's engaging,
child-friendly wit.
"Actors
aided
by the
script's engaging, child-friendly wit."
  
ArtReach's Wizard
of Oz - Sacred Heart School, Louisville KY
Throughout the
show narrator Veronica Murphy is perched in a corner of the stage and
holding a book, lending an apt story-time atmosphere. Kansas farm
girl Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are whisked away to the Land of Oz
by a tornado where they meet a Scarecrow (without a brain), a Lion
(without courage) and a Tinman or, rather, Tinwoman (without a heart).
The trio of
misfits join Dorothy in her journey down the yellow brick road to the
Emerald City where they each hope the Great Wizard of Oz will give
them the qualities they lack. In Dorothy's case, she wants to go
home. But when they finally reach Oz, the Wizard tells them they must
kill the Wicked Witch of the West first before their wishes are granted.
Hannah Rahe
Goodman as Dorothy gets her spirit - a combination of sweetness
("I, the meek") and sass when pushed. When the Wizard
boasts, "I remember everything because I am so great and
wise," Dorothy says, "You've already told us that. It's not
polite to repeat yourself." Karen Goldfarb, with great comedic
presence, plays four different characters, including Auntie Em and
one of the Wicked Witch's monkeys. She uses a broad and lively
delivery that is perfect for children and makes the adults laugh as well.
"A
little bit of magic on a shoestring."
  
ArtReach's Wizard
of Oz - Sacred Heart School, Louisville KY
Jayla P. Corbin
delights as Toto and truly brings to mind an inquisitive, little dog;
it is Toto, not the humans, who unmask the Wizard, after all. The dog
remains a vital character, making frequent, little "ruff
ruffs!" When she meets the Scarecrow, she paws him curiously
until the Scarecrow cries, "Seriously?" She also nabs a bag
of potato chips an audience member allegedly left behind.
Sarah Middough,
playing both Glinda, the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the
West, is utterly sensational. Schulz Miller has reimagined the Wicked
Witch as one-eyed, which makes a wonderful visual like a squinting
pirate, and Middough uses great physical flourish and vocals
deliciously recalling Margaret Hamilton's unforgettable film witch.
("They don't call me wicked for nothing," she pipes at one point.)
 The
cast is rounded out by Ambrealys as the Scarecrow, Catherine E.
Seraceno as the Cowardly Lion, Stacy DeGolier as the Tinwoman and
Niki Rose Woods as both the Gatekeeper and the Wizard. They are all
delightful and play beautifully to the kids in the audience, being
both engaging and relatable.
At the end of
the show, children in the audience are invited to come onstage and
take photos with their favorite characters. One little girl didn't
want to leave the stage.
AlphaNYC's Wizard
of Oz offers a little bit of magic on a shoestring and a way to
introduce children to beloved classics. It also enables families to
go to the theater without breaking the bank. Best of all, it's fun
for all ages and frequently made me laugh out loud. (When the
Scarecrow finally gets her brain, she crows, "I before E except
after C" to prove it.)
THE WIZARD OF
OZ played at the Producer's Club on July 28, 2018 at 10am, 11am, 12pm
and 1pm. The Producer's Club is located at 358 West 44th Street in
New York City.
In
the News
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