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The goal of the outreach engagements is to share our knowledge and experiences with younger students in local schools. To truly give back to the community which has supported us throughout our educational careers and do it in a manner which is highly cost-effective in our current struggling economy, namely freely giving of ourselves to our communities.

Write, Act, Play!

by Kristen Barrett, Paul Bourne, John Drotar & Marie Louis

Purpose:


• On the Fridays of October 31st, November 7th and 14th our group visited and instructed elementary students in both playwriting and acting. Our goal was for the students to present an original short play to their classmates on our final visit.

Scope:


• We wanted them to use their creative skills to compose a short play that they could call their own and be proud of. They will hopefully take away an impression of the playwriting process as well as a positive experience with acting.

Method:


• Our method consisted of using theatre games to initially motivate the students to be active participants. The first step we took was to divide the students into four groups that we would then be able to trade off between acting and playwriting. Kristen and Marie handled teaching acting, and John and Paul taught playwriting. Using the small groups we created a rotation between an acting station and a writing station. We created a fill-in-the-blank or “madlib” style plot rubric for the students to fill out with us in groups. The completed rubric would then be transformed by our group members into short five-page plays for the students to engage with the following week with one of us directing.

Results:


• We found that the initial theatre game, warm up over energized the students. Whether or not they participated in the actual warm up, all the movement and excitement created such a high-energy atmosphere that some students could not focus in the writing portion of the visit. This initial warm up was skipped on the second and third visits, with excellent results. We found that our activities took longer than we anticipated. This did not derail our lesson plan, but it did shorten the amount of time two of the groups had to familiarize themselves with the scripts we wrote for them. The students all found ways to participate in performance by contributing ideas to the scripts, acting and helping offstage. On the third visit, we worked with our individual groups and enjoyed two staged readings/theatrical presentations of the student’s work. The students that were not able to perform on our last visit and will be performing November 21st, lead by their teachers, because our group was unable to make a fourth visit.

Recommendations:


• We recommend that future groups keep a flexible lesson plan and patient attitude. These are highly creative students and honing that creativity can take patience. Caution should be utilized in deciding how much material to cover with the students. They are extremely bright, but our group found that more time would have been very helpful to complete all the activities we planned.

Conclusions:


• This experience was an incredible success. We ran into challenges when our planned activities took approximately twice as long as we had hoped. Like all theatre students are taught, we improvised, and came up with the best possible solution to accomplish the most with the time we had. The students learned a lot about the theatrical creative process, and we all learned a great deal about working with young students.

• Ah-Ah-Ah and the Nose Pickers Script (PDF)
• The Werewolf and the Pokémon Script (PDF)
• Plot Rubric (PDF)

“Masks, Scenery and the Animal Play”

by Amy Shelton & Alara Cerikcioglu

Strengths and Needs of the Community Partner:


• The Boys and Girls Club provided a great space for us to work with children. There was a good amount of children each week. An announcement was made and everyone at the club that day could decide if they wanted to come to the theater workshop. This was both a blessing and a bit of a challenge, as children went in and out of the space throughout the workshop. But, on the plus side, the participants in the space really wanted to be there and wanted to participate. There was a pretty wide age range, which was a challenge, as some activities were either too complicated or too remedial for some.

Revised Project Plan with Inputs and Outputs:


• At first, we were going to call the program ‘Mad-libs’. We were going to write a play together using a mad-lib format the first week, make scenery and masks the second week, and put on our show the third week. However, we ran into many challenges with this plan. We found out that the kids were going to be different every week. Some were so young that they didn’t know how to read and couldn’t understand the mad-lib concept. We changed the plan to be more flexible depending on the particulars of the group each week. We taught the children about acting the first week and played many theater games we researched online including, “The Four Seasons”, “10 Count Shakedown!”, “Sound and Motion Circle”, and “Make Me Laugh” just to name a few. The second week, we brought masks that we had made out of paper plates. One side was an animal face and the other side was blank. After we played and acted the animals that were already on the masks, the children designed their own masks on the other side. We talked about masks and costumes and why they are important in the theater. The third week, we taught the children about scenery and played some games to show them the importance of thinking about their surroundings as an actor onstage. Next, they designed and shared their ‘backdrops’ together. Next, we put on a children’s play (found online) about a rabbit who needs the help of all the other animals in the forest to get the alligator out of his cave. Their knowledge of costume, character and scenery really helped them to create the world of the play. It was a great, gratifying way to end the workshop, as it was very successful and the children seemed to love to put all the pieces together and actually put on a show.

Evaluation:


• Though challenging and spontaneous, we feel that the workshop was exciting, entertaining and beneficial for the children. They opened up, explored, created, challenged, and played together very well for such a diverse group. We all learned from each other.

Sustainability Plan:


• For this project to continue, it would be great to have more than just two volunteers for this venue. We also put a lot of our own money into supplies and treats for the children. As the project continues, some sort of stock of supplies, including simple costume pieces, crayons, paper, craft sticks (for the masks), paper plates (for the masks), children’s scripts, balls (for theatre games) and so on would help. We hope that this project continues, as it really seemed like the children enjoyed and connected with the art. It was a deserving organization and a rewarding project.

Community Centers of Lansing

by Lindsey Bixler, Stephanie Koenig, Phil Ashbrook, Andrea Slisinger & Amanda Westrick

Goal:


• Our group’s goal, being that we are all mainly performance majors, was to spark inspiration in the children in our community to explore performing arts by providing tools emphasizing creativity and movement.

Pursuing Our Goal:


• Our group pursued these goals by the use of movement and focused-based games. We combined physicality and focus into our exercises to promote spatial and bodily awareness, while emphasizing the importance of eye contact, listening skills, and controlled energy; all vital to stage performance.
  We felt it was also important to incorporate the children’s ideas and individuality into our exercises. We would allow the children to tell us what they felt theatre was and what they felt would be important to know in performance. We encouraged the children to perform scenes from their favorite movies, while aiding them in ways to best portray their characters. We would use improvisation to react to the changing weather that would suddenly come over the children, and we would imitate each other walking habits growing exceedingly more and more dramatic.

Conclusion:


• It was very clear that the children loved the idea of acting. They all loved to see each other create a character and watch it evolve. We had nothing but positive reactions throughout our OEP experience and it taught us all the importance of patience and understanding.

Mrs. Seyfarth’s 3rd grade class

by Karrah Cullers, Rashel Fredell, Samantha Hecker, Katherine Potash & Julianne Valentine

Abstract


• The purpose of this specific outreach was to engage a classroom of third grade students at Wilcox Elementary in the process of play making. We wanted to give the students the opportunity to experience and explore how they can transform stories into performance pieces.
  
  We spent three consecutive weeks with the students and led them through the process of analyzing a story, writing a story, changing that story into a working script, and performing their pieces for their classmates. After initial warm-ups and introductions on the first day, as an entire class we discussed the common fairytale story of Cinderella. During this discussion the students were asked to share, using examples from the story, the elements that make a story and ultimately a play. The students were then split into four groups and worked individually with us. Each group brainstormed story ideas and then were asked to create a story incorporating all of the crucial story elements. We guided the students to remember each of these elements and to make a cohesive story, but we allowed the students a great deal of freedom in the use of their imaginations. All students are incredibly imaginative and seeking opportunities to share their ideas. After these stories were written at least in outline form, each group discussed what should be included in their scripts and began to work on these. We finished and fine-tuned the scripts away from the students and brought them back the next week due to a time limitation.
  
  The second week we spent with the students was a dress rehearsal. We began again by sharing some of our common warm-up exercises like the “invisible ball” which helped the students focus in on their minds and bodies so that they were ready to work. The students were asked to bring in any costume items that they could think of (many were discussed the week prior in groups) and we brought in some of our found costume pieces also. Additional students were present this second week and we included them flawlessly into our groups' productions. During this rehearsal process we acted more as coaches than directors which allowed the students to work together to create their pieces. We stepped in and helped to combat any conflicts that were arising by reminding the students that they were each very imaginative, all had great ideas, and they we should all be respectful and try to use as many ideas as would fit in our play.
  
  The third week, we arrived, did very quick warm-ups, and rehearsed for approximately thirty minutes to help the students warm-up further and help eradicate any nervousness that they might have been feeling. The class then moved to an incredible performance space in the library and performed for each other. All of the students loved the other performances and were very happy with their own performances. Each student thanked us and were all aglow and outspoken about how much fun this was and all that they had learned. The classroom teacher was immensely pleased by the outcome and hopes that we or other students like us return soon. We were also lucky to have a handful of parents join us for the performances as well. This showed how invested in this experience the students were and what an impact we would make on our community.
  
  This experience had a lasting impact not only on the students at Wilcox Elementary but also on us. We were able to do all of what we have planned although we would have liked to have presented more polished pieces. We would have liked to have spent much more time with the students so that we could truly allow them to personally go through the entire process of writing a script and performing their own work. We feel that by spending more time with the students we would also be able to work with the students on other elements of a performance like blocking, voicing, confidence in delivery, how to fully build a costume or create a puppet, how to be a good audience member, set construction, and how performance can be used in almost every school subject. We left the classroom teacher with ideas of how to allow the students to use their own ideas and transform them into stories and scripts to share with others. We plan to visit again and share more ideas and experiences both with the students as well as the teacher.
  
  We also feel that outreach engagements like this should be happening throughout our college careers not just once at the end. Our department shares willingly with the community, but unfortunately if it isn't a class requirement often times our colleagues are not able to find and devote the time necessary for this. Overall, this was an exciting and meaningful outreach all the way around. We hope to have left the students with the knowledge that they can do anything, their imaginations are very important, and that performance and all theatre is open to everyone.

“Let’s get ready to SCUMBLE!!!”

A Master class workshop on scene painting techniques

by Erin Freeman, Alex Winn & Valerie Vanderkolk

Abstract


• The Kent Career Technical Center satellite school at Van Singel Fine Arts Center is a program that offers high school students an opportunity to take technical theatre classes and work as local crew for professional national tours. Unfortunately, the program focuses mostly on stagecraft, but not on other aspects of theatrical production such as sewing, scene painting, and production design. Students are taught by the technical director of the Van Singel Fine Arts Center (an MSU Theatre Graduate) and rarely have contact with other working professionals. Many of the students enjoy the class and desire to pursue it as a career; however, there are no mentors to provide advice specifically for technical theatre.
  
  As a former student of the program, Valerie remembered that there many skills and areas of technical production that we did not cover in class. One area that we briefly touched on was scene painting, and we know that in the way the class is structured that most of the scene painting techniques were taught while we were painting one of the sets. It was important for high school students to have some interaction with people that were not one of their instructors that they could ask questions and have them teach them specialized techniques. We organized a lesson plan for a scene painting master class and wrote a survey for the class after we completed the lesson. We also gave a brief lecture about scene design and each of our processes in designing show.
  
  The majority of the students rated our class on the survey a four or a five on a scale of one to five with five being useful and enjoyable. The lowest score recorded was a three. We demonstrated four different techniques and allowed the students to choose to try what ever technique they would like.
  
  Many of the students enjoyed the class according to the survey which was successful because it opens the opportunity for Michigan State University to work with the Van Singel Fine Arts Center in the future.

Creative Connections Program

by Hanna Christensen

Outreach Response


• Hanna Christensen has served as a mentor for the Reach Studio Art Center since January 14th, 2009. In this role she works once a week with at-risk youth ages 7-12 in the Creative Connections Program. Every Wednesday she aids in walking students from the local elementary school to the art studio, serving snack, signing in participants, and supporting their art making experiences.
  
  Hanna is an invaluable asset to our program. Creative Connections is designed to provide an enriching art experience for those students who would otherwise be unable to afford such an opportunity, as well as a safe and structured environment in which they can spend their hours after school. As a volunteer for this program, Hanna helps support and maintain the mission of this program by interacting with the students in a positive way. Her presence at the studio provides the student participants with something to look forward to each week.
  
  Hanna is a joy to work with, dependable, and a positive presence in our after school program. Reach Studio Art Center benefits greatly from her dedication to service. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me by any means listed below. ~Jessica Swisher

Seven Saturdays in Ionia, Michigan in Fall 2008 (*** This project successfully continued into Spring 2009

by John DeFour, Vinnie Mascola & Audrey Reed-Drake
with assistance from Elizabeth Goble & Joni Starr

Purpose


• Our purpose for going to Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility was to provide an opportunity for prisoners to have a creative and interactive experience. We wanted to provide a safe opportunity for the prisoners to express themselves in ways they might not otherwise be available. We felt that improvisational comedy and basic theatre games would be a foundation for this creativity to be expressed.

Scope


• We focused on the basic skills of improvising scenes and taught different types of improvisational games that allowed them to use these skills. We wanted to provide an opportunity for the prisoners to create something of their own and allowed their ideas to direct us towards what kind of games and scene work we would do. Our group included three theatre students, two with extensive experience in improvisation and one who is interested in using theatre for therapy.

Method


• The first day we were given orientation to the prison and how to conduct ourselves with the prisoners. We met the group of prisoners and discussed what direction they wanted to take the workshop. We gave two options for how we wanted to run the workshops.
  
  1) Creating a final product that could be showcased to other prisoners
  2) Just having the opportunity to be creative and enjoy themselves for an hour on Saturdays.
  
  We were able to discern that half of the time would be used for playing games, learning improvisational skills, and having fun, while the other half would be devoted towards creating a final product. After each day we would have a discussion with the group to see if they wanted to change anything and find out which direction they wanted to go for the next week.

Results


• The program has been successful. We attributed some of this to the success of similar programs in the past that allowed us to hold our workshops and have the trust of the community partner that we would continue to be a successful program. Some prisoners were already exposed to these previous programs and were eager to start the process again. This was helpful in getting the other prisoners, who had never had this type of experience, to feel more comfortable in participating. The prisoners appeared to have reservations, but once we began warm ups and started playing games they jumped in and let go of any inhibitions. The final weeks saw the development of short scenes and skits that the prisoners came up with based on characters that had emerged through improvisation throughout the previous weeks.

Recommendations


• In our process we planned our activities week to week based on the desire of the prisoners. We left the end goal up to the prisoners, which we were able to succeed in doing. This may change with whoever is running the program depending on their capabilities. We recommend that if a final product is desired that a minimum of seven weeks be available for any time the program is done. This should be an ongoing program that is supported by Michigan State University because we are the only people who go in there and provide this for the prisoners. This also gives an opportunity for students to learn about other people in the community who have struggled and see them as human beings who made mistakes and not as dangerous criminals. It is important that if someone commits to a program of this nature that they commit for the entire program and are committed to being there on time, every time. Gaining and keeping the trust of the prisoners that you will return is very important to the success of the program.

Conclusions


• It is important that there is art funding and arts programming for prisons providing creative outlets to prisoners who are in the process of rehabilitation. Michigan State University has been a part of Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility’s community for a short amount of time, but it is important to continue the interest and connection with this important partner. Continuing to provide a safe, positive environment for these prisoners who desire a creative outlet is important to maintain. Providing some sort of program or workshop each semester would be the minimum we as a theatre department and university could do in order to keep this positive experience a part of the students and prisoners lives.

113 Auditorium
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.355.6690 / Fax: 517.355.1698
theatre@msu.edu

© 2006 - 2008
Michigan State University
College of Arts and Letters
Department of Theatre