Programs for Students  >  Grades 7-12  >
LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

EXPLORING MODERN LANGUAGES
THROUGH MUSIC

Grades 7-12
3 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$550 + $350 + $225= $1125

A presentation of songs and interludes performed in as many as five languages: French, Italian, Spanish, German and English. Students hear the nuances of vocalization belonging to each language and experience a taste of the spirit and temperament belonging to different peoples. The performance is interspersed with conversation and opportunities for questions. Song texts are provided to teachers in advance. Teachers may also request programs focusing on a single language or a history of the English language and its ancestry.

"THE MAN WHO WAS DON QUIXOTE":
THE WORLD OF CERVANTES & HIS LEGACY

Grades 7-12
3 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$550 + $350 + $225= $1125

In this program students "meet" the incomparable Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and his characters Alonzo Quijana and Don Quixote of La Mancha. Portrayed by award-winning singer-actor-composer John Cimino, Cervantes and his famous alter egos make their appearances via a succession of intriguing character transformations and dynamic musical scenarios. Students are entrained into the world of 17th century Spain and the imagination of Spain's greatest author. Theatrical monologues and songs and impromptu dialogues with the audience tell the story of Cervante' life, the writing of The Adventures of Don Quixote of La Mancha, and the legacy of Don Quixote that lives on in all of us today. Cimino and partner Richard Albagli also help students explore the relation of imagination and fiction to our forging of tomorrow's realities and challenge students to discover within themselves the creative visions that will shape their own futures. Includes music by Ravel, Ibert, Darion & Leigh and a new work by the performers "Don Quixote's Children". (For students who have studied Cervantes' work via his book or the script of the Broadway play.)

SHAKESPEARE’S IMAGINATION

Grades 7-12
3 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$550 + $350 + $225= $1125

Introduce your students to the language and imagination of Shakespeare’s major plays—Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, and others—through performances and discussions of his repertoire by our classically-trained performing artists. Students will learn about the world of Elizabethan England, rehearse their own iambic pentameter, and discover the relevance of Shakespeare’s words for us today. This course is an excellent enhancement for studies in grammar, literature, and history; it can also be formatted to address specific themes, ideas, and literary elements, or to focus on specific plays in your curriculum.

DISCOVERING SHAKESPEARE THROUGH MUSIC

Grades 7-12
3 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$550 + $350 + $225= $1125

Poems, songs and brief excerpts from Shakespeare's plays are brought to life by musicians, actors and students drawn from the audience as together they seek a deeper understanding of the "Bard of Avon". Topics include: (1) "All the World's a Stage", (2) the inseparability of love and music (Twelfth Night) , (3) Shakespeare in our everyday speech, (4) musicality in Shakespeare's poetry and setting Shakespeare's poetry to music, ("Hark, hark! The lark at heaven's gate," "Winter") , (5) imagination, lovers and madmen (A Midsummer Night's Dream), (6) the pros and cons of scenery in the theater, (A Midsummer Night's Dream & Falstaff) , (7) audiences, actors and universal human nature (Romeo and Juliet & West Side Story), (8) Shakespeare's attitude on human nature ("A man without music" and "The Wind and the Rain" ). Preparatory materials include illustrated notes and sources on Shakespeare in everyday speech.

MINSTREL TALK

Grades 10-12
2 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$475 + $350 + $225= $1050

Shake the tambourines and follow the music! The Minstrels are here! MINSTREL TALK is an exciting immersion into the creativity and idealism of the Renaissance through the art of the minstrels - music, poetry and storytelling. With the help of these universal languages, students discover the Renaissance zest for personal inquiry and learn to appreciate the interconnectedness of all areas of learning and the wholeness of our human natures. Stories of Beowulf, the alchemists and Galileo, along with the writings of modern day poets and philosophers, illuminate the similarities and differences betwen the Renaissance mind and our lives today. Rich in sound, language and meaning, MINSTREL TALK is an opportunity for students to embrace a deeper understanding of history, literature, the arts and learning.

SHAPING THE STORY: WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE

Grades 7-12
1 performing/teaching artists - Three presentations/day
$375 + $175 + $100= $650

Encourage your students to explore their creative writing abilities! What makes a good story? What is the difference between a novel and a play? How does an actor tell a story—and how does a writer begin writing one? Beginning with these fundamental questions, students will dive into the storytelling process. They will become both writer and actor in a creative writing process that will culminate in a dramatic (or comedic!) monologue geared towards actual performance. Led by experienced writer and performer Krista Apple, this introductory course will develop grammar and language skills while awakening the imagination. The participatory ‘performative’ element of this workshop will also address the personal skills of self-awareness, confidence, and public speaking. This workshop can be presented as an independent module, or can be customized to enhance elements of your curriculum—history, social studies, literature, and more!