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Ten Lafayette theater students are getting into the act of service learning through the course Theater for Young Audiences. They are performing the interactive play Fairy Tale Courtroom for over 600 schoolchildren in the local community.
Taught by Mary Jo Lodge, assistant professor of English, Theater for Young Audiences introduces students to the theory and practice of the rapidly growing area of theater for children.
“It is my hope that the talented students in the class, who will get first-hand experience introducing young children to the art of theater, will become great advocates for the power of the arts in children’s lives,” says Lodge. “The production, a major component of the class, is designed to teach the students that producing quality theater for children is both complex and rewarding, and requires the same level of artistic input and hard work that producing quality theater for adults does.”
Participating students will be from 11 schools in the LehighValley including: ForksElementary School, MarchElementary School, EastonCatholicSchool, and AvonaElementary School.
Dana Proulx’s Fairy Tale Courtroom is separated into two acts – “The Trial of the Big, Bad Wolf” and “The Trial of the Wicked Witch.” Over three weeks in April, the students will take their show to children in third through fifth grades. Because the play is set up as a courtroom trial, the children in the audience will serve as the jury. Each act will end according to the verdict the children deliver. The actors will lead drama workshops with the children following each performance.
The play takes place in Judge I.L. Hangum’s courtroom, where two famous fairy tale villains are on trial. In a clever twist, witnesses who testify include all the fairy tale characters whose stories include those villains. For example, the Big Bad Wolf’s trial includes not only the Three Little Pigs and Boy Who Cried Wolf, but also Little Red Riding Hood and Granny.
To prepare for the production, Lodge’s students have been rehearsing as well as studying children’s theater and child psychology. They also have learned how to lead workshops and teach children effectively. The students have been involved in every aspect of the play from acting to costume and prop design to the preparation of study guide exercises.
“The service learning project has been a wonderful experience and the response from the community has been overwhelming,” says Lodge. “All 600 audience spots were filled within hours, and we stopped our waiting list at 14 schools. We wish we could’ve accommodated more students.”
The play is free of charge to area schools, and students who attend will receive grab bags filled with items provided by College Theater, Lafayette Book Store, and Crayola.
Cast: