In School Workshops
OUTReach Workshops
Bring the Magic of Live Theatre to your Classroom!
The goal of this program is to use theatre techniques to teach academic subjects. We create our curriculum using the Learner Standards that the state issues to teachers. By following the same goals we can enhance the lessons that are already required of students. Typically we meet with a teacher and identify a subject area that they would like to focus on. This is often a unit that they are having difficulty with or just want a new way to approach. We go over the important information that needs to be covered. Then our education staff, led by Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education Marybeth Clark create a series of lessons specifically for that program.
Along with Marybeth, our workshops are taught by our Resident Acting Company. These young theatre professionals are graduates from theatre programs across the country. They live and work with Charleston Stage for 10 months, teaching classes and performing in our main stage season.
We travel to your school and teach in the classroom. We do not require a stage or special performance space. Depending on the subject, we are usually with a group of students 3-5 days.
Here is a partial list of OutReach Workshops we have done in the past
FROM THE STAGE TO YOUR CLASSROOM
In connection with our school matinee program, workshops are designed around the scripts and the same actors the students see on stage appear in the classroom. Orange Grove Elementary Charter first grade teacher Lynn Hunsinger had this to say,
"When the cast arrived in our room, it was like they were rock stars. I have never seen our students so excited. The lessons tied in perfectly with our language arts standards.We have already booked them for next year."
Shakespeare Express
Students get to try on the comic characters from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and learn about such comic devices as slapstick, puns, and bantering with Shakespeare’s witty wordplay (especially his unique insults).
“The goal,“ instructor Marybeth Clark explained, “is for kids to learn that Shakespeare can be fun and though his language may seem strange at first, what he’s talking about is just as relevant today as it was in Shakespeare’s time.”
Alice Birney Middle School teacher Susan Busse, was enthusiastic; “Shakespeare became a person to my students rather than just a historical figure. Charleston Stage’s actor/teacher’s allowed students to understand Shakespeare’s language just how like their own communication. Best of all, students learned that they could connect to something well outside their normal frame of reference, as well as, exploring a subject through movement, imagination, emotions and act out things in front of their peers without fear of ridicule. They learned to trust one another and developed a sense of boldness. I enjoyed seeing my students laugh, play, and ‘step outside the box’ with these meaningful activities.“
South Carolina on Stage
Drawing on South Carolina History, Folklore and Geography, these workshops feature such activities as: Living Biomes, Historical reenactments and creative writing. Students are given the opportunity to experience historical events and places, not just read about them. Fourth graders at Kensington Elementary wrote and performed folktales to explain how geographic regions were formed in South Carolina. High school students at St. John’s studied court cases and created movement pieces to show the effects of school segregation and integration.
Brown vs. the Board of Education
Carolina Folk Tales
Geography- Coastal Plain-lower & outer, Piedmont-Sand Hills, Blue Ridge Mountains
Spotlighting the Past
Drawing on South Carolina History, Folklore and Geography, these workshops feature such activities as: Living Biomes, Historical reenactments and creative writing. Students are given the opportunity to experience historical events and places, not just read about them. Fourth graders at Kensington Elementary wrote and performed folktales to explain how geographic regions were formed in South Carolina.
Westward Expansion
Ancient Greece
Living Timelines
The Industrial Revolution
Famous Americans
Bringing Life Science to Life
For this activity use the basic steps of the Scientific Method (Observation and description, hypothesis, prediction, experiment) as they relate theatre. Experiment with changing species in a biome and observe the results. Following the action of the water cycle and compare with the life cycle as your classroom turns into a wetlands, marsh or polar region.
Life Cycle
Water Cycle
Biomes
Fees
Workshop Prices $750 for first day $500 for each additional day.
Charleston Stage provides 4-6 teachers in each classroom so students can work in small groups and one on one with our arts educators.
Additional costs may be added for travel beyond Charleston County.
