Storytelling Performances
Getting kids up on stage to play integral roles in every story we tell is our bailiwick. It’s what we’re all about. Once on stage with us, kids enter an atmosphere of Trust and Support. There is never even an inkling of a doubt in any of our minds that the child is going to perform spectacularly. No child has ever failed on stage with us because, whatever happens up there, we always MAKE THE CHILDREN RIGHT.
We never ask for volunteers. We tell them NOT to raise their hands, but to listen to what we’re asking. “My daughter is a princess. She sits up straight and dignified in her chair. Let me see all those princesses out there.” Or, “This is a story about an old man. Show me with your body and face what an old man looks like.” And everybody does it, whether they want to get up on stage or not. And we find someone really doing it well and ASK them if they would like to come up and help us tell the story. They may not want to. But if they say they do, then we have something like a contract with them and can expect them to play along.
For over 4 decades, teachers have come up to us after our shows and said, “How do you get these kids to perform like that,” or, “Johnny has a learning disability, he can’t sequence,” or, “Jackie has a speech impediment, she doesn’t speak in class.” And there was Johnny performing one task after another on stage and Jackie speaking out loud and clear with no impediment. How does this happen? For one thing, it’s magic. We won’t try to deny that. Those of us in the theatre arts know that magic happens on stage. But there are several more tangible explanations as well.
Structure: We know that children perform best in a defined structure where they understand the boundaries. When the boundaries are clear, children feel free to explore their limits. On stage the boundaries are clear. There is the proscenium, the edge of the stage, and the back wall—a solid structure. You can’t go farther than that. And there are the boundaries of the story itself—its beginning, middle, and end. Children become part of the story when they are on stage with us. The stage and the story have structure.
Trust and Support: When children come on stage with us, they enter an atmosphere that we bring with us from our years of working together as improvisationists. Improvisational theatre is founded on two basic tenets: Trust and Support. Trust and Support are the products of improvisational training, and they are the tools of the trade. From the audience children subconsciously witness us demonstrating the elements of trust and support. When they get on stage, they experience it first-hand. Not only are they supported by our actors, they are trusted. The children feel that, and they succeed.
Success: Success breeds success. Children expand into success. Just getting chosen is a success. Then completing the task is a success. Then the audience’s response is a success. Many children who have experienced failure in the classroom, succeed on stage. We know now that children learn in different ways. Many children who have trouble learning with their ears and eyes, can learn kinetically. Studies have shown that children, after being introduced to the theatre arts, begin to perform better in their academic subjects. When one door is opened to learning, when children begin to experience the influx of information through kinetic channels, other doors may follow.
Assemblies & Trunk Shows
We Tell Stories Trunk Shows
We Tell Stories trunk show assemblies are 45 minutes in length and are generally comprised of three distinct stories. In addition to school assemblies, We Tell Stories also performs it’s signature trunk shows in theaters, libraries, parks, museums, festivals, and anywhere else that families gather.
Choosing My Way
Folktales from different cultures about the personal journey
Cuentos de la Familia – Stories of the Family
Celebrating family values through Latino folktales
Great for April & May – Cinco de Mayo
Earth Tales
Ancient tales emphasizing our relationship with the Earth
Great for April – Earth Day
A Feast From The East
Folktales from Asia and the Middle East
Great for May – Asian Pacific Heritage Month
Let Them Eat Books
Classic literature & poems by Sandburg, Carroll and Twain
Proud To Be Me
Reinforcing self-esteem through multi-cultural stories
Season of Giving
Myths, folktales and literature for the holiday season
Great for November and December
The Spirit of Black Folklore
African oral traditions & African-American folktales
Great for February – Black History Month
We Tell “Scary” Stories
Stories from classic literature and folktales – eerie fun for all!
Great for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos
