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Drama Studio Elementary Touring Program
For the past five years, the Drama Studio Touring Program has been touring to elementary schools in Springfield, MA. The Elementary Touring Program has now reached 28 of the 31 Springfield elementary schools and has also toured to surrounding towns at the request of suburban teachers who are associated with the Drama Studio either as parents or volunteers. By October 2012, the Elementary Touring Program will ideally reach all elementary schools in Springfield and return to previously attended schools to reach new audiences. By the end of 2012, our young actors will have presented 89 performances to over 13,400 young people aged 6 - 12.
The 30-minute Elementary Touring productions are deliberately not prepared for traditional auditoriums because the only available areas schools have are often non-theatre spaces, such as a gym or cafeteria. The Touring Program brings its own set, and a maximum of 150 students sit on the floor, on three sides of the playing area (a 20’ by 16’ painted tarpaulin). This intimate setting (actors are trained to speak without microphones) demands active involvement in the productions by the audience. When performances are un-amplified and interactive, we have learned that students are more attentive, and respond with more interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm in post-performance discussions.
In post-performance discussions, students are able to ask the actors questions and comment on the themes of the play. Students make connections with the actors, who are confident, well-spoken role models. These young actors prove to thousands of students that adolescents from similar class and cultural backgrounds can be successful in the arts. The elementary school students develop ideas about the plays, discuss how to balance school with extra-curricular endeavors, and gain a confidence boost from meeting and watching a dynamic cast of their peers.
Previous touring productions have included Latino Story Theatre, African, Tibetan and Yiddish Folktales, Tall Tales from various cultures and regions, and poetry. We work with teachers and administrators closely to ensure that the type of material we choose is relevant to the elementary school curriculum, and as a result, we have received overwhelming support from all of the teachers and administrators who see the tour. Teacher evaluation during the tours continues to be extremely positive. Teachers and administrators are impressed by their students’ rapt attention to the performances and pleased that the play themes can be easily incorporated into their curriculum.
Here are some quotations from teachers:
“This was very well done; it gets the children interested in future reading. They really loved it!”
“Great job keeping students’ attention. Awesome tie-in with balancing school and acting.
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