Professional Development with Touring Artists
Music
Blues
for Kids with Valerie Johnson (click here for fees)
Valerie Johnson and Al B. Blue (Al Ingram) combine their talents of
voice and guitar to demonstrate Blues for Kids. Kids gain an understanding
of music history, music styles such as blues and gospel along with a
variety of musical resources. Students learn about the stories of Black
History and the songs that portray this history. This talented team
can bring this music knowledge to the teachers with an exciting professional
development training as well.
Diana
Carter (click here for fees)
Diana Carter shares her talent and skills in songwriting and movement
with knowledge of Social Studies and Science in Professional Development
training. Teachers can learn how to bring singing, songs and movement
into the classroom and have students sing and move to understanding.
Karen
Tyler (click here for fees)
Karen Tyler and the Karen Tyler Band (2003 Winners of the Monterey Bay
Blues Festival’s Battle of the Bands) work in "All Shades
of Blue." Tyler, a seasoned veteran of both the California and
Texas blues scenes, has traveled the country and studied many different
blues styles. Having fallen in love with classic, Memphis, Piedmont,
swing, boogie woogie, gospel and Texas acoustic blues, Tyler weaves
elements of these styles into her songwriting and has already delivered
two critically acclaimed blues CDs. Teachers and students can actively
learn these music skills through her workshops and assembly programs.
The presentation selections include Blues 101 ,Songwriting and a new
offering - Trail of the Blues which is the history and stories about
the blues.
John
Zeretzke (click here for fees)
John Zeretzke combines a variety of exotic instruments and ethnic styles
from around the world mixed with symphonic orchestration. His World
Music & Culture school performance is also being offered as part
of Professional Development training for teachers. His lecture/demonstration
style connects teacher participants to music, world cultures and music
making. His experience in world music, traditional musical instruments
and music education offers much to the classroom class and the connections
with Language Art, Social Studies, Science and Math.
Nina
Ryne: Storyteller and Musician (click here for fees)
Nina shares her stories and songs with both children and adults. Her student
performances include:
Dressed in traditional Czechoslovakian costume worn by her mother
and grandmother, Nina Ryne shares her Eastern European heritage through
interactive songs and stories. Using nesting dolls, Nina illustrates
how folklore is handed down from one generation to the next. She inspires
children to explore their own heritage and how it has contributed
to our identity as Californians.
Multicultural songs and stories are told in a dynamic and captivating
style. Songs accompanied by guitar are in Spanish, French, Russian
and American Sign Language. Through songs and stories, children gain
an understanding and respect for those of various abilities and diverse
cultural backgrounds.
The above program is available with an emphasis on bilingual songs
and stories.
For those schools which have seen all of the above programs and want
even more of Nina’s songs and stories. These interactive songs
and stories continue to represent cultures from around the globe,
literature, self-esteem, environmental awareness and accepting people
for who they are.
Theatre
Steve
Crouch-Storyteller (click here for fees)
Steve Crouch lives in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains where
he grew up-tracking wild animals, studying native plants, and farming.
In this rural setting, storytelling was an integral part of Steve's
family life. A professional Storyteller since 1993, telling stories
through out the West, Steve Crouch weaves together a variety of stories:
rural farm tales, Native American tales, environmental stories and stories
from around the world. Steve brings the stories to life using his skill
in the oral tradition, allowing the stories and their gifts to be shared
by all. Steve recognizes the importance of age-appropriate materials
and has created programs to both entertain and educate students at all
grade levels. For professional development training Steve offers Let’s
Create a Story and So You Want to Tell a Story.
Olga
Loya - Storyteller (click here for fees)
Olga Loya combines voice, body and imagination to present stories and
monologues to her audiences. In certain performances she uses movement,
music, and drums to enhance the story. Olga shares her years of story
writing and telling with teachers in making bilingual storytelling accessible
to the classroom teacher. Listed below are just a few of her many performances:
Juana Briones: In a dramatic and historically accurate monologue and
dialogue with the audience, Olga Loya uses her storytelling skills to
bring Californio Juana Briones to life. Olga presents this character
from the 1900’s in full costume.
Stories from Latin America: From the Barrio of East Los Angeles to the
countries of Latin America with segments in Spanish and English, or
in Spanish.
Let's Work Together: The power of community, people working together,
and peace stories, are just some of the themes of this show.
The Sky Above Us: Bilingual storyteller Olga Loya tells stories from
the Aztecs, the Mayas, the Incas and more. A drum and participation
will be part of the program as stories are told about how the sun, moon
and stars came to be.
The Deanza Expedition: A historical story about the DeAnza Expedition
from the viewpoint of a 12-year- old girl. Songs from the time period
will also be shared.
Michael
Katz – Storyteller (click here for fees)
Michael Katz is an exciting storyteller who combines his keen sensibility
of stories with the artful skill of character development with voice
and movement. This Santa Barbara artist shares a range of performances
along with professional development skill building for classroom teachers.
Performances available include:
What’s in a Story: A performance of different story types (folktale,myth,
original stories, ghost story...)
Multicultural Folktales: A performance of stories from around the world.
Upon request, Michael is willing to adapt and select cultural stories
to meet the needs of the site.
Ghost Stories: A performance filled with age appropriate "Scary
Stories”.
Jewish Stories: Stories from the rich Jewish tradition.
United States of Stories: Stories from the rich cultural tapestry of
the United States including tall tales to native myths.
Fran
Dukehart – Straw-into-Gold (click here for fees)
Performances include Water Theatre, which is an engaging and entertaining
collaboration of mime, music and storytelling designed to bring awareness
of water conservation and stewardship. These art forms are blended together
with myths, legends and folktales from Korea, Japan, African and Native
American Indians. Grandmother Stories is another performance combining
mime, music and storytelling with stories from Spain, Hawaii and other
countries. Sites may request a particular country for their individual
site performance
For years, mime artist Fran Dukehart has been an advocate for children’s
theatre. Taught by the legendary Marcel Marceau, Fran brings her mime
experience and a natural affinity for kids to her professional development
training for teachers along with her performances. She sees every participant’s
inner potential. Professional development trainings include: Informal
Theatre and Improvisation Formal Theatre Skills: An Exploration and
Skills Mime; Mask and Pantomime Theatre; Creative Dramatics for the
Classroom Environment; Connecting Theatre and Language Arts.
Jugglin’
Jim Wilson (click here for fees)
Everyone learns best when they are having a good time! While Jim is holding
the attention of his audience with magical illusions and creative juggling,
he carefully weaves in concepts that are being promoted by that particular
school or employer that has hired him. Whether he is encouraging students
in the new math curriculum or entertaining during a career day, Jim has
found that audience members are more receptive in a fun environment. The
magic and juggling just in itself is enjoyed by a wide range of ages because
of the frequent use of volunteers along with theatrical background music.
This is a performance that will be talked about long after the show has
ended..
Kirk Henning – Storyteller
(click here for fees)
Kirk Henning is skilled in both professional development and performance.
Storytelling for the Classroom Teacher guides the teacher in the effective
process of storytelling and its application in the classroom. Kirk also
presents an assembly program Stories, Songs and Enchantment. His tales
and songs from around the world engage the audience and bring imagination
and creativity to the forefront. During the summer, Kirk brings his
storytelling around a campfire at Cayucos Beach on Saturday nights.
His stories captivate the child in each of us.
Living
History Productions (click here for fees)
The American Civil War history is the focus of this unique performance.
Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and a Union Infantry soldier and others
can be selected as part of bringing historic times, dialogues and points
of view to students. The program is filled with anecdotes, music, humor
and the realities of the Civil War experience. Each historical figure
depicts the stature, manner, personality, life and role in the Civil
War. The actors’ re-enact how life during this historic time must
have been. The company’s motto is “Would that I might bring
out the Lincoln in you all.” Select one or more of these characters
for students and teacher to clearly live the history. Professional development
is available for teachers and directly connects with social Studies.
Poetry
Alive! (click here for fees)
Poetry Alive!'s high-energy assembly shows are presented by a team of
two professional performers. A typical 35-50 minute show includes 20-25
poems tailored to fit the ages and interests of the audience. The poems
memorized and performed theatrically, are found in popular textbooks
and anthologies. The shows change each year and the current year show
list is sent out in advance of the visit. Special requests are honored
when possible (K-12).
Classroom Follow-ups: Poetry Alive! performers are available to visit
individual classrooms to work directly with smaller groups. Using the
assembly show as a springboard, Poetry Alive! will demonstrate how the
students can use performance techniques to experience poetry more fully.
Teacher Workshops: Poetry Alive! conducts workshops that introduce educators
to the basics of using performance as a pathway to understanding, experiencing,
and appreciating poetry
PCPA
TheaterFest Education & Outreach (click here for
fees)
Yankee Ciudadano: Four actors tell the bilingual story of Sea Captain
William Dana’s shaping of the Central Coast. 3rd-8th Grade
Interactive Shakespeare Workshop: PCPA Actor’s Ensemble Company
leads 7- 12 grade students through a series of scenes from Shakespeare’s
plays. The actors direct students in simple scenes.
Teacher Professional Development Workshops Available
Visual
Arts
Jon
Pearson- Teaching Creatively in a World of Standards (click
here for fees)
Jon Pearson, winner of the 2001 Professional Artists in Schools Award,
is an internationally known speaker, learning skills consultant and
author. He has performed on stage and television in the schools for
over 15 years. As a classroom teacher he worked extensively with ELL,
GATE and Title 1. As a motivational speaker, Jon brings to half or full
day professional development proven, practical ways to teach more in
less time. He skillfully shows how students with diverse language abilities
can picture, sequence and evaluate what they read through visual creativity.
He wants all teachers to draw out the best of each student through creative
visual thinking techniques. Jon is also available for school assemblies,
student and parent workshops.