About Us

Testimonials

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What are people saying about InterAct Story Theatre and our programs? Scroll down to read just a few responses to our performances, workshops, staff development residencies, and more!

Interact Story Theater brings to all students the opportunity to not only read and interpret children’s literature; they actually live it! Students adore the performances and during the residencies, students are intensely engaged as they attain a level of understanding of literature that has no parallel in the traditional classroom. The professional development opportunities for staff are excellent and the results for children are extraordinary.

Mrs. Danielle Sultan, Staff Development Teacher,

Sargent Shriver Elementary School - Silver Spring, Maryland

" I give you 5,000 Thumbs Up!"

- 2nd grade student, Schuykill Valley, Leesport, PA

"The show was so funny! I laughed so hard I had to be moved!"

- 3rd grade student, Apex Elementary, Apex, NC

"I can make bunny ears like Mrs. OK. That's 'cause I'm an actor. I can do that!"

--Head Start student, Wicomico Early Learning Center, Salisbury, MD

One Gold Coin

Kudos to the actors! We were amazed that two actors could play so many different characters and make them all so different. My children were entranced by the performance. We didn’t want it to end.

- 4th grade teacher, Cumru Elementary, Shillington, PA

My kids were singing the song all day. They really got the message! Thank you for bringing such a wonderful message to our kids and presenting it in such an entertaining way. We all-teachers and students-enjoyed the show.

- 2nd grade teacher, Washington Grove Elementary, Gaithersburg, MD

Too Much Nose

Too Much Nose was one of the best children's performances I've seen in a longtime...truly a pleasure.

- Lynne Silverstein, Senior Program Consultant, The Kennedy Center

Two-Tone Tale

I am ready to book Two-Tone Tale now. I saw it six years ago with my family at Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap. My kids loved it! Great show with a great message! Now I want all my students to see it.

- Parent/Teacher, Timber Lane Elementary, Fairfax, VA

Shirt of Happiness

Bravo! Once again your production was outstanding and both the students and the staff thoroughly enjoyed it. We usually change our cultural events every year, but InterAct is an exception. You never let us down.

- Cultural Arts chair, Farmington Woods Elementary, Cary, NC

Harriet Tubman: The Chosen One

I was one of the lucky ones. I got to see the show twice. The 4th and 5th graders kept talking about how great the show was at lunch.

- Teacher, Benjamin Banneker Elementary, Prince George's Co., MD

We could not have asked for a more powerful depiction to begin Black History Month than Harriet Tubman: The Chosen One. Gwen is a marvelously talented actress.

- Kelleigh Mahoney, Outreach and Education, Portsmouth Museums

Stories on Stage

Wonderful! Really held the attention of even our youngest listeners. The best storytelling

performance we have had.

- Teacher, Bala House, Bala Cynwyd, PA

We were delighted with the Stories on Stage production and we are still talking about it. There was a hum in the hall after school with children repeating the lines. Tremendous!

- Teacher, Buena Vista Elementary, Greer, SC

The InterAct artists all seem to know exactly how to connect with Head Start children, parents, and teachers. Everyone gets involved in the "learning through the arts" experience and everyone has a wonderful time.

Judith Dighe, Education Specialist, Head Start/EEEP Unit

Playbuilding

The students were riveted. I have never seen them be so creative. We wrote the story after you left and plan to illustrate it. Also, I appreciated the wonderful classroom management skills of the actor.

- Teacher, Stonegate Elementary, Silver Spring, MD

Songbuilding

What a strong vocabulary builder! The workshop grabbed the student's attention and was fast paced. The songs were appealing and the instruments were beautiful. It captured the interest and attention of all the children and the teachers too.

- Teacher, Fairfax Employer ChildCare Center, Fairfax, VA

The Rainforest

The workshop fit in perfectly with our unit on the rainforest. I have never seen my fifth graders so engaged and focused.

- Fifth grade teacher, PS 95, Bronx, NY

Colonial Village

We did not know what to expect and boy were we happy. For the first time our students understood how people lived in another time period. Thank you for this fun and rich experience.

- Teacher, Westlake Elementary, Cary, NC

We have found using drama in the classroom provides teachers with additional strategies that both enhance and capture the students’ attention when they are working with literature. As a result, all students are able to participate actively with their classmates while developing higher level critical questioning skills. It has been a wonderful experience!

- Meredith A. Casper, Pine Crest Elementary School, Principal

Lenore Blank Kelner is one of the most experienced arts educators I know. She has been leading drama workshops for educators for many years, works directly with students in classrooms, and has written books that have proved to be invaluable resources for teachers. Teachers tell us her work makes a difference in their ability to reach the students in their classrooms.

- Barbara Shepherd, Director - Partners in Education, Education Department, Kennedy Center

I have been teaching for 20 years. This was the best staff development workshop I have been to. Engaging! Practical! Perfect for ELL and all my students. Thank you.

- Teacher, Farmland Elementary, Montgomery Co. MD

The three hours flew by. I could use a part two- I got so many great ideas.

- ESL Teacher, Green Bay, WI

My teachers were absolutely right-you are the best! What fun it was to have you with us to kick off our very first Early Childhood Educator's Workshop Series! People left enthused, and encouraged to expand their repertoire of interactive group play with the children.

- Director, Fairfax United Methodist Church Preschool

The presentation was excellent and very relevant for helping our student achieve the S.O.Ls.

- Teacher, Crossfield Elementary, Herndon, VA

The step by step organization of the residency was very effective: starting with the staff development workshop and then moving on to the classroom observations and then team teaching with the students. I now feel comfortable assimilating what I observed and I am ready to try it out on my own.

- Teacher, Haiku Elementary, Maui, HI

Observing you work with my students and then team teaching along side you has been like an awakening. I have a whole new approach to teaching. Thank you.

- Teacher, Wilson Elementary, Oklahoma City, OK

Thank you with all your efforts with my staff this year! They really felt the professional development model you used worked and they have grown! Kudos! That means our children are “getting it” too! You have been a gift for us!

- Laura Kingsley, Principal, Fruitville Elem. Sarasota, Florida

We saw you at the school the other day and I said "Look Mathew, there's the lady who taught mommy how to make a story can!" And he said, "We better go say thank you!" He loves the story can we made in the workshop. We make up stories all the time. Thank you for all your great ideas.

- Parent, Washington Grove Elementary, Gaithersburg, MD

The Songbuilding Parent Child Workshop felt like the highlight of the year. It was a wonderful time for our community, our families to be together in a very meaningful way. One of the wonderful things was that several of the parents were so inspired…that they did not leave until they had written songs for each of their children. The entire event was huge success.

- Susan Rosendahl, Pre-School Division Head, Key School, Annapolis, MD