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Grants help fund workshops, plays for Akron students
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Nov 04, 2009
Giggles rippled throughout the gymnasium at Barber Elementary School in Akron as actor Nathaniel Montgomery, playing the Boy in If You Take a Mouse to School, sat amid the kids on the floor and listened to his teacher's math lesson. It wasn't a regular day at school, though, because the Boy was trying to keep his Mouse pal out of mischief in this play adapted from Laura Numeroff's celebrated children's book.
Actors from the Illusion Factory put on the 40-minute play, which includes puppetry, at the school in one of many stops on its 2009-2010 educational outreach tour. This year, Illusion Factory received full grant support to present scores of performances and educational residencies at cash-strapped Akron-area schools.
''We realized in the last few years the schools were in dire need,'' said Executive Director Barbara Ballance. ''The foundations understand the need.''
The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation funded $25,000 for 20 performances and 10 residencies, and the Akron Community Foundation contributed $12,000 for 17 free shows. The theater also receives grant support from the GAR Foundation.
For Barber Elementary, that generosity meant the school didn't have to spend a dime for what would normally cost $900 for four residency workshops for grades K through five in the morning as well as the show in the afternoon on Monday.
According to Ballance, 33 of 36 Akron Public Elementary schools are receiving free shows and/or residency days, plus another 11 schools in the Akron area. Many of those schools had been unable to host Illusion Factory productions for years.
The colorful If You Take a Mouse to School has a cartoonish feel with its blue-, yellow- and green-striped set, broad clowning humor and upbeat musical effects. In this story, the Mouse talks the Boy into taking him to school, where all kinds of adventures ensue.
In the Illusion Factory production, actor Daniel McElhaney uses a puppet to represent the mischievous little rodent, who rides in the Boy's backpack and looks out the bus window on his way to school. The boy exhausts himself trying to keep the Mouse out of trouble, including messing with his science project, building a little mouse house in the playroom, and playing with gym equipment.
The show encourages student participation, and many on Monday called out to the actors, especially when the Boy left his lunchbox at school. The story emphasizes the importance of responsibility, following directions and friendship.
Illusion Factory actors Montgomery, McElhaney, Courtney Vatis and Jim Volkert led workshops on creative improv, character development, play production and storytelling throughout the morning. In the gymnasium, Volkert talked about the play's portable set, costumes and props.
''All of this folds up and fits in our van,'' said Volkert, showing 34 third-graders how the school bus made of wood is hinged to fold up.
He showed the kids how the facade of the bus is painted nicely, while the back looks plain: ''Only in the theater do you do things like that.''
Upstairs, first-graders learned about pretending through improv with Montgomery. The kids reached into an imaginary box, pulled out imaginary items, and then decided what to do with them. They pulled out everything from a dinosaur to a 90-year-old man to a piranha.
''Improv is pretending. It's acting without planning. It's just using imagination,'' Montgomery said.
Arts happenings
• For more children's theater, check out Miller South's Gulliver's Travels, to be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday and 9 a.m. Friday at the school, 1055 East Ave., Akron. Tickets are $15 reserved, $7 general admission, or $5 for students and senior citizens. Call 330-761-1765.
• The Cleveland Orchestra will kick off its new Celebrity series at Severance Hall on Saturday with A Salute to John Williams, celebrating scores from his best-known films. The program, which begins at 8 p.m., will feature music from E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Superman and more. MGM conductor and movie expert Richard Kaufman will lead the Cleveland Orchestra and share behind-the-scenes movie insights.
The new Celebrity series explores avenues of orchestral music beyond the classical world. Cost is $33-$84 each, or $66 to $132 for the three-concert celebrity series, which continues March 30 and April 24 with Portland orchestra Pink Martini and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti. For reservations, call 216-231-1111, 800-686-1141 or visit http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.
• Cleveland native Dianne McIntyre, who has choreographed for film, TV and Broadway as well as contemporary dance companies from Alvin Ailey to Dayton Contemporary Dance, will conduct a master class at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Gund Studio at PlayhouseSquare Idea Center, 1375 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. The free workshop is in conjunction with McIntyre's three-week residency with GroundWorks DanceTheater, where she is choreographing a commissioned work to premiere in Cleveland in January. Master class enrollment is limited. E-mail l.deering@csuohio.edu.
• The University of Akron Brass Choir, directed by Tucker Jolly, and organist Barbara MacGregor will present music for brass and organ at 8 p.m. Friday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect St., downtown Akron. The free performance, which promises a sonic spectacular from brass members playing from the church's front and side balconies, is part of the Trinity Organ Series. Call 330-376-5154.
• The St. Petersburg String Quartet, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as ''four voices speaking as one,'' will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at Broadway Street Hall, 144 N. Broadway, Medina. Cost is $25. Call 330-952-0910.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
Giggles rippled throughout the gymnasium at Barber Elementary School in Akron as actor Nathaniel Montgomery, playing the Boy in If You Take a Mouse to School, sat amid the kids on the floor and listened to his teacher's math lesson. It wasn't a regular day at school, though, because the Boy was trying to keep his Mouse pal out of mischief in this play adapted from Laura Numeroff's celebrated children's book.
Actors from the Illusion Factory put on the 40-minute play, which includes puppetry, at the school in one of many stops on its 2009-2010 educational outreach tour. This year, Illusion Factory received full grant support to present scores of performances and educational residencies at cash-strapped Akron-area schools.
''We realized in the last few years the schools were in dire need,'' said Executive Director Barbara Ballance. ''The foundations understand the need.''
The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation funded $25,000 for 20 performances and 10 residencies, and the Akron Community Foundation contributed $12,000 for 17 free shows. The theater also receives grant support from the GAR Foundation.
For Barber Elementary, that generosity meant the school didn't have to spend a dime for what would normally cost $900 for four residency workshops for grades K through five in the morning as well as the show in the afternoon on Monday.
According to Ballance, 33 of 36 Akron Public Elementary schools are receiving free shows and/or residency days, plus another 11 schools in the Akron area. Many of those schools had been unable to host Illusion Factory productions for years.
The colorful If You Take a Mouse to School has a cartoonish feel with its blue-, yellow- and green-striped set, broad clowning humor and upbeat musical effects. In this story, the Mouse talks the Boy into taking him to school, where all kinds of adventures ensue.
In the Illusion Factory production, actor Daniel McElhaney uses a puppet to represent the mischievous little rodent, who rides in the Boy's backpack and looks out the bus window on his way to school. The boy exhausts himself trying to keep the Mouse out of trouble, including messing with his science project, building a little mouse house in the playroom, and playing with gym equipment.
The show encourages student participation, and many on Monday called out to the actors, especially when the Boy left his lunchbox at school. The story emphasizes the importance of responsibility, following directions and friendship.
Illusion Factory actors Montgomery, McElhaney, Courtney Vatis and Jim Volkert led workshops on creative improv, character development, play production and storytelling throughout the morning. In the gymnasium, Volkert talked about the play's portable set, costumes and props.
''All of this folds up and fits in our van,'' said Volkert, showing 34 third-graders how the school bus made of wood is hinged to fold up.
He showed the kids how the facade of the bus is painted nicely, while the back looks plain: ''Only in the theater do you do things like that.''
Upstairs, first-graders learned about pretending through improv with Montgomery. The kids reached into an imaginary box, pulled out imaginary items, and then decided what to do with them. They pulled out everything from a dinosaur to a 90-year-old man to a piranha.
''Improv is pretending. It's acting without planning. It's just using imagination,'' Montgomery said.
Arts happenings
• For more children's theater, check out Miller South's Gulliver's Travels, to be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday and 9 a.m. Friday at the school, 1055 East Ave., Akron. Tickets are $15 reserved, $7 general admission, or $5 for students and senior citizens. Call 330-761-1765.
• The Cleveland Orchestra will kick off its new Celebrity series at Severance Hall on Saturday with A Salute to John Williams, celebrating scores from his best-known films. The program, which begins at 8 p.m., will feature music from E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Superman and more. MGM conductor and movie expert Richard Kaufman will lead the Cleveland Orchestra and share behind-the-scenes movie insights.
The new Celebrity series explores avenues of orchestral music beyond the classical world. Cost is $33-$84 each, or $66 to $132 for the three-concert celebrity series, which continues March 30 and April 24 with Portland orchestra Pink Martini and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti. For reservations, call 216-231-1111, 800-686-1141 or visit http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.
• Cleveland native Dianne McIntyre, who has choreographed for film, TV and Broadway as well as contemporary dance companies from Alvin Ailey to Dayton Contemporary Dance, will conduct a master class at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Gund Studio at PlayhouseSquare Idea Center, 1375 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. The free workshop is in conjunction with McIntyre's three-week residency with GroundWorks DanceTheater, where she is choreographing a commissioned work to premiere in Cleveland in January. Master class enrollment is limited. E-mail l.deering@csuohio.edu.
• The University of Akron Brass Choir, directed by Tucker Jolly, and organist Barbara MacGregor will present music for brass and organ at 8 p.m. Friday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect St., downtown Akron. The free performance, which promises a sonic spectacular from brass members playing from the church's front and side balconies, is part of the Trinity Organ Series. Call 330-376-5154.
• The St. Petersburg String Quartet, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as ''four voices speaking as one,'' will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at Broadway Street Hall, 144 N. Broadway, Medina. Cost is $25. Call 330-952-0910.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
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