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Arts Education & Arts Integration: Classroom Workshops InterAct Story Theatre conducts a variety of classroom workshops integrating drama, dance, and music into classroom curricula for grades preK through high school. All workshops are designed to meet state standards and objectives in both the art form and the content area being addressed. Scroll down for a sampling of some of our workshop offerings for different age and grade levels. Or, contact us or request more info about designing a classroom workshop for you! ​ Many of our classroom workshops can be expanded into 2, 3- or 4-day artist-in-residence programs. See our page of Classroom Residencies for more information . REQUEST MORE INFO Early Education Elementary School Middle & High School Students < Back to InterAct in Schools

Scroll Down InterAct in the Community Wheaton Family Theatre Series InterAct Story Theatre’s Wheaton Family Theatre Series is a free, monthly performing arts series that runs October - May each year. Originally launched in 2015 through a generous Wheaton Cultural Projects Grant by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the goal of the Series is to present a variety of performing arts programs that celebrate the rich diversity of our arts community and offer our Wheaton kids and families a window to the world around us through family programs and arts learning activities in theatre, storytelling, music, dance, puppetry, fusion arts, and more! InterAct Online InterAct Story Theatre’s most popular programs are going online and moving into the virtual classroom! In response to requests from parents and teachers, InterAct is adapting our most popular arts education programs for the online classroom and for kids and parents at home, including workshops, residencies, and performances for PreK - 12; family arts and literacy workshops; and professional development webinars for classroom teachers and teaching artists. InterAct On the Road (or On the Web ) and in Your Communit y Ticketed Events Our ticketed fall events. We look forward to gathering together next fall, and invite you to check out our photo gallery bellow of our September-October show, or take a look at this link for reviews of past productions! InterAct Story Theatre tours plays, performing arts programs, family arts workshops, community dialogue events, arts education programs and lecture/demonstrations to community venues and festivals across the country, both in person and virtually/online! How can we bring the power of arts and learning together in your community? Contact us or fill out our form and we’ll get the ball rolling! To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Contact Us Scroll Down Want to know more? Want to bring InterAct to your community? We want to hear from you! You can get in touch with InterAct Story Theatre in a variety of ways: Schedule a Program: You can fill out our Response Form , and we'll get right back to you about bringing InterAct Story Theatre to your school or center. Work with Us: To find out about open opportunities with InterAct Story Theatre, follow this link: interactstory.com/work-with-us . Find Us Online and Follow Us: Follow us on Facebook , Twitter or check out our [currently tiny] YouTube channel. Join Our Mailing List: To keep up on the latest news about InterAct Story Theatre and get reminders about our next program dates, join our mailing list . Call Us or Drop Us a Line: Email: info@interactstory.com (general mailbox) General office phone: (301) 879-9305 FAX (240) 491-9884 Send Us Snail Mail: If you need to send something by U.S. Mail, please send it to: InterAct Story Theatre 11510 Georgia Avenue, Suite 140 Wheaton, MD 20902 Mail List

About Us Scroll Down Our Vision and Our Mission Arts are for everyone, and everyone learns through the arts! InterAct Story Theatre is a theatre for young audiences and multidisciplinary arts-in-education organization based in Wheaton, Maryland, an urban district just outside of Washington, DC. ​ Our mission is to create meaningful, accessible, interactive theatre and arts learning experiences for kids and the people who love them--especially to those who experience economic, social, or geographic barriers to equitable arts access. We believe that every kid, every grown-up, everywhere deserves great theatre, whether or not you can get to a theatre building. We believe that everyone, everywhere can learn and grow through artistic creation and exploration. And we believe that the arts help foster communication and understanding in our communities, because the arts help us express our ideas, our hopes, our emotions and our experiences when words alone are not enough. ​ ​ We create and produce original theatre for young audiences (professional artists performing for children, youth, families, and communities); present arts programming in our local community; and design and implement innovative, engaging, effective theatre and arts-based educational programs for all ages and stages. In our educational work, we are dedicated to providing quality performances, arts-infused workshops and artist-in-residency programs for students, teachers and families throughout our region and across the country. As experts in arts education and arts integration, InterAct is committed to producing arts programs with artistic integrity and direct relevance to the educational objectives of the schools and community organizations we serve. Our merry band of performers and teaching artists weave their artistry in theatre and drama, music, dance, creative opera and filmmaking with content curricula for students and teachers of all ages. InterAct Story Theatre creates performances and arts learning opportunities for all ages in: Drama and Theatre Applied Theatre Playwriting and Devising Improv for Actors Music Creative Opera Dance Creative Movement Media Arts and Technology Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Arts Our Core Values Humans treating Humans like Humans Our work at InterAct Story Theatre—on stage, in the community, in the classroom, and behind the scenes, are driven by these core values: Arts are for everyone, and everyone learns through the arts People above things Be open, be transparent, be inclusive Compassion and respect above all Diversity ✴︎ Equity ✴︎ Inclusion ✴︎ Accessibility We are a proud member of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education , and strongly align with AATE's Equity and Inclusion Statement: We believe in equity, justice, and inclusion for all. We believe our work is stronger by the many voices, perspectives, and experiences we bring to the organization and the field. We will actively welcome and include all people regardless of race, socioeconomic class, color, national origin, religion, diverse perspectives, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, neurological or physical ability, veteran status, legal status, or education level. ​ As a company dedicated to creating arts and arts learning opportunities for all and motivated by the belief that Arts are for everyone and everyone learns through the arts, the goals of DEIA are near and dear to our hearts. We have been actively implementing our DEIA action plan, which we consider to be a living, evolving part of our mission. We are inspired by the work and transparency of so many in our field. Goal 1: By July 2023, InterAct Story Theatre will develop, produce, and publish a clear, transparent, and consistent set of equity primes for all functional areas that articulate our DEIA-driven mission, vision, and values in a concrete way to internal and external stakeholders. Goal 2: By June 2023, InterAct Story Theatre will advance racial equity in the workplace and all areas of operations by creating equitable, sustainable artistic, instructional, and operational opportunities, with systems of accountability and assessment. Goal 3: By June 2024, all public programs produced and presented by InterAct Story Theatre in Montgomery County and Prince George's County will offer participants the opportunity, welcome, and resources to engage meaningfully in the arts experience in either Spanish or English. Goal 4: By June 2024, 90% of all public programs produced and presented by InterAct Story Theatre in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties will offer fully accessible opportunities for arts participation for persons with disabilities. Goal 5: By June 2023, InterAct Story Theatre will create explicitly supportive and brave spaces for LGBTQ+ students, parents, artists, staff, and volunteers in all areas of programming and operations, and will implement specific training and accountability protocols for company members in creating supportive and brave spaces for LGBTQ+ students, parents, artists, staff, and volunteers. Anchor 1 InterAct Story Theatre Company Members Hansin Arvind Performing Artist ​ Lenore Blank Kelner Founder Drama, Creative Drama Pete Oliver-Krueger CTO / Technical Director Theatrical & Product Design, Multimedia Design Erica Washington Teaching & Performing Artist ​ Steven L. Barker Teaching Artist Kelly King Teaching & Performing Artist Dance Penny Russell Teaching & Performing Artist Puppetry Steve Wolf Design & Publications Manager Drama, Visual Arts Jordan Brown Performing Artist Nancy Krebs Teaching & Performing Artist Music Tom Teasley Teaching & Performing Artist World Music, Drumming Tierra Burke Performing Artist ​ Marian Licha Teaching & Performing Artist Drama, Storytelling Khaleshia Thorpe-Price Stories on Stage Drama Hannah Fogler Teaching & Performing Artist Ali Oliver-Krueger Executive Artistic Director Drama, Music, Opera, Storytelling, Puppetry Emily Townsend Artistic Administrator and Literary Manager Creative Drama, Dramaturgy, Devising

InterAct Story Theatre Arts are for everyone, and everyone learns through the arts! interacting with our communities local performances, family workshops and community events interacting with students & learners arts education and arts integration programs for students and teachers interacting online interactive performances, school programs and community programs presented through virtual/online platforms January 2024! Wheaton Family Theatre Series CLICK HERE to view Season Nine ! A Family Literacy Fiesta with InterAct's Ali Oliver-Krueger Books Alive January 20, 2024 at 11 a.m. and January 21, 2024 at 2 p.m. An interactive workshop for kids & families at Highland Elementary School , 3100 Medway St., Wheaton, Maryland 20902 FREE and open to the pub lic! No tickets or registration needed. This January, celebrate the start of the New Year as InterAct Story Theatre’s Artistic Director, Ali Oliver-Krueger leads kids and adults in exploring a favorite folk tale together through movement, drama, and song. Everyone’s a part of the story in this Family Arts Workshop! Best for ages 3 and up. New * Now * Next • Stay Tuned! We're busily planning ahead for the 2023-2024 school year. Please continue to check this website for new Information. ​ • Interested in bringing InterAct Story Theatre to your school or community event? We’re selecting now for classes and events. Please fill out our Response Form , and we'll get right back to you about your school or center. ​ • InterAct Story Theatre presents Community InterActions ! A limited podcast series exploring the impact of Covid-19 on Wheaton and Montgomery County. Click here to listen and explore the podcasts . Community InterActions is made possible through a Maryland Humanities Grant Program Mini Grant. • Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest info! Community InterActions A limited podcast series from InterAct Story Theatre! Access podcast episodes and explore the Virtual Gallery

Thank You! To all of our kids and families who saw our production of Not My Monkey at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland! Wheaton Family Theatre Series is back! CLICK HERE to view our New Season ! Mail List

Ashton Schaffer Drama Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Ali Oliver-Krueger Ali Oliver-Krueger (she/they/Ali) is a teaching artist, director, performer and writer/composer. As a teaching artist and arts education professional, Ali has worked with schools, opera companies, and arts organizations throughout the country, and is a residency artist with The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts and the John F. Kennedy Center Education Department's DC Partnership Schools Initiative Community Program. Ali’s work as a teaching artist is rooted in creative drama, devising, and creative opera, a form of creative drama in which music and drama are fused together to tell stories and express thoughts, ideas and feelings. She presents at conferences on arts education and arts learning, and conducts professional development workshops and residencies on infusing content curriculum with the arts. Drama, Music, Opera, Storytelling, Puppetry Executive Artistic Director Back

Emily Townsend Emily Townsend (she/her/hers) has worked as a teaching artist throughout the Washington metropolitan region, for organizations ranging from the Sitar Arts Center to the Shakespeare Theatre Company, where she spent a season interning in the Education Department. Also a passionate musician, she has spent the last several years singing with some of the leading symphonic choirs in the area, and has performed with world-class conductors and orchestras both in Washington and internationally. Emily has been a featured guest artist with 1928 and the New Resonance Orchestra. She completed her graduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park in Theatre History and Performance Studies, specializing in historical Shakespearean performance. Emily currently manages and contributes to Two Hours' Traffic, a website devoted to theatrical reviews and criticism for the Washington DC region and beyond. Creative Drama, Dramaturgy, Devising Artistic Administrator and Literary Manager Back

Kelly King Kelly (she/hers) is the founder and Artistic Director of Contradiction Dance Theatre, making dances for theatre, film, stage, and street... and all the places people go in-between. Playing in several artistic sandboxes at once, Kelly serves the creative community as an educator, choreographer, consultant, advocate and audience member. For over 15 years she has worked with teachers and students on adaptive movement bringing dance to all types of students. She has founded three dance programs, including the CityDance Center at Strathmore and Contradiction Dance; led professional development workshops for educators nationwide; consulted for the DC Collaborative for the Arts and Humanities; and served St. Mary’s College of Maryland teaching all levels of improvisation, composition, jazz and modern dance. Currently, Kelly teaches beginners through professional levels of dance to students ranging from pre-school to senior citizens, including adults with disabilities. She also leads Moving Dialogues workshops to engage and empower non-dancers in the artistic process through their own writing and movement. As a trainer in arts integration, she leads workshops designed to create the next generation of master educators. Kelly has performed nationally and internationally for several dance companies, notably BodyWise Dance, CityDance Ensemble (Associate Director), Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Echo Park Contemporary Ballet, and JazzDanzDC. She has performed with production companies, including Cirque du Soleil, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Cast of Thousands. Choreography credits include projects with The Kennedy Center, Round House Theatre, The Source Festival, Forum Theatre, Constellation Theatre, Taffety Punk Theatre Company, M productions at the Anacostia Arts and site specific work for the #DanceAboutDC series. Dance Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Marian Licha Marian Licha (she/hers) Marian Licha is an actor, storyteller, and playwright. Born in Puerto Rico, Marian draws on ‘real life’ stories, especially those that empower women. She has performed her storytelling program "A Magical Journey into Latin America" at The Kennedy Center, The National Theatre, The Capital Children’s Museum, The Museum of American History, schools and libraries in the Washington, D.C. area. She is the playwright/performer of "Frida Vice Versa," a one-woman show on the life and art of Frida Kahlothat has appeared in many local and national venues. As an actor, Marian has performed at Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Round House Theatre, and several other local, regional, and New York theatres. Recent local credits include Celia in the world premiere of Celia and Fidel and Ofelia in Anna and the Tropics, both at Arena Stage. Marian holds an MA in Educational Theatre from NYU. Drama, Storytelling Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Lenore Blank Kelner Lenore Blank Kelner is an author, educator, educational consultant, keynote speaker and teaching and theatre artist. Lenore has presented her work in all 50 states and abroad and has been a presenter with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for 29 years. She was a Master Artist for the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts for 25 years. Lenore is the author of The Creative Classroom (15th printing) and co-authored with Rosalind Flynn, A Dramatic Approach to Reading Comprehension (Heinemann, 2006, 5th printing). Lenore was awarded the 2004 Creative Drama Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. In addition to conducting staff development residencies through InterAct Story Theatre, Lenore also works widely through her own company, Lenore Blank Kelner & Company and is the Director of the Creative Kids afterschool Drama Program. Drama, Creative Drama Founder Back