NACCTEP Member Learning eXchange
Packing Slip 
item |
Storybook Stagecoach |
contact |
Alan Levine (Maricopa Community Colleges) alan.levine@domail.maricopa.edu |
credits |
Liz O'Brien (Phoenix College) who really gets credit for this! |
discipline(s) |
Communication, Theatre, Education |
summary |
Over 2000 Valley school children, grades K-3, visit PC each spring for lunch on the grass, a tour of the campus and a production of children?s literature performed by The Storybook Stagecoach. |
details |
Fall Semester: ? Grade school teachers call and make reservations for April and May field trip dates. ? Recruitment of cast members. Spring Semester: ? Cast members enroll in COM281, Communication Activities (1 credit). ? Grade school teachers read the stories to be performed to the children so as to increase familiarity. ? February through April ? the show is built and rehearsed. ? April and May ? production days begin. Production Days: ? The children, their teachers and parent/classroom assistants (one adult per ten children) arrive at 10:45 and are met by representatives of The Storybook Stagecoach. ? The visitors bring their own lunches and soak up the college environment by eating on the grass in front of the Library. ? More representatives of The Storybook Stagecoach arrive and begin tours of the college campus. Research shows that the earlier a student visits a college campus, the less of an abstraction ?college? is for him or her. Tour spots include ?child friendly? locations such as the library, the cafeteria, the art building, the gymnasium and a computer lab. The students also get to sit in an empty college classroom. Teachers can talk about college and the students now have a tangible reference. ? The visitors then proceed to the John Paul Theatre for a 40-minute production of children?s literature, performed by The Storybook Stagecoach. The Storybook Stagecoach is comprised of a diverse (ages, ethnicities, course of study, body shapes, abilities) group of 12 Phoenix College students. The PC students all share a love of children and of literature. ? The philosophy of The Storybook Stagecoach show is to bring children?s literature to life on a stage, to promote love of literature, to promote literacy and to promote the power of performance as a means of sharing literature. We use a base costume of a brightly colored t-shirt and jeans and then use minimal props and brightly colored acting boxes to bring the stories to life. We want to say to the teachers and children that you don?t need fancy costumes and lights to perform literature. Our performers break down the theatrical ?fourth wall?, talking directly to the children, asking them to participate in several places in the show. ? After the show, teachers and their children are welcome to pose with cast members on the stage, allowing them to have a physical souvenir of the day. Children are also given a bookmark with The Storybook Stagecoach logo and pledge: ?I promise, that when I go home tonight, I will read a book, or have someone read one to me. I promise.? Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback via the comments form below. |
web links |
http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/communication/speech/storybook/content.htm http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/innovate/winners.php?yr=2002 |
comments |
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shareback |
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extra |
Last modified: Jun-08-2005 Date created: Apr-28-2005 Visitor count: 1583 Dublin Core Metadata record  |
NACCTEP Member Learning eXchange
http://zircon.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/nacctep/slip.php?item=2