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InterAct Story Theatre's Parent-Child workshops and Family Literacy events offers parents and caregivers ideas they can use at home to build literacy and language skills through the arts. Available Online! Parent-Child Workshops and Family Literacy Events InterAct Story Theatre's Parent-Child workshops and Family Literacy events offers parents and caregivers ideas they can use at home to build literacy and language skills through the arts. Parents observe teaching artists work with their children, and then learn how they can play, sing, and act with their children at home. A fun and educational experience for all! NOTE: We are currently developing and piloting several new family programs rooted in drama, music, dance, and puppetry, so please check back! All of our programs are available during the school day or for evening and weekend events for family audiences. InterAct Story Theatre performances can be adapted for a wide variety of venues, including libraries, museums, community centers, arts centers and festivals. Available Online! Many of our programs are also available for virtual/online formats! Just look for the box saying “Available Online!” next to program listings. If you don’t see the exact thing you’re looking for, or if you see something and are curious if it can be adapted for virtual/online, ask us! We are constantly designing new programs for our partners...it’s one of our favorite things to do. Please contact us or request more info for more information! PARENT-CHILD WORKSHOP FOR GRADES PREK-1 Available Online Story Can Theater Parents and children participate in a delightful workshop in which a story is told through miniatures and toys (see Story Can Theatre Workshop description above). The children dramatize part of the story and the parents make several effective storytelling activities that they can use at home to promote literacy and thinking skills. This popular program is being used in schools nationwide. AN INTER-GENERATIONAL STORY SHARING EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN GRADES 3 AND UP AND ADULTS Building Dialogue and Community One Story At a Time Telling stories is a meaningful way to transmit history, values and cultures in families, schools and communities. In this workshop, participants tell, listen, and retell stories in a process designed to celebrate our stories and build community across the generational divide. This workshop enhances oral language, listening skills, prewriting skills, and builds bridges between storytellers from ages 8 to 108. PARENT-CHILD WORKSHOP FOR GRADES PREK-K Songbuilding Parents and children share in a rich music experience as they sing songs and learn about various musical instruments (See Songbuilding Workshop description above). The parents then create their own personal lullaby for their children. The lullaby focuses on their wishes, dreams and hopes for their family. A CD of both the songs sung in the workshop and the melody of the lullaby is given to each family. A warm, rich and meaningful family event. A LITERACY WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN Available Online Literacy Fiesta! Bringing Read-Alouds to Life Research shows that reading aloud with our children is one of the most important things we can do to help build strong readers. But how can we make read-alouds fun and engaging for you and your children? And what if we’re not so comfortable reading for ourselves? In this workshop, parents participate with children in fun arts-based activities with a book, then learn tips and techniques for engaging children in lively and fun read-alouds at home—even if you don’t love reading for yourself! Different workshops are available for early childhood, primary, and elementary school-age children and their families. Featured Plays Stories on Stage World Music Family Programs < Back to InterAct in Schools

Evan Simon Performing Artist Back

Meet Our Team: Tina Canady We’re so proud of our community of artists who share their skills and talents with InterAct Story Theatre and the communities we serve! Although we can’t gather together and do what we love—performing and creating fabulous art with kids, families, teachers, and community members—we want to take a few moments to celebrate some of the amazing people who make up our merry band of artists and educators. Today, we feature the wonderful and talented TINA CANADY! Meet TINA! Tina Canady is a black, queer theater artist. Since earning her BFA in drama from NYU, Tina has worked with several theaters across Baltimore, including Single Carrot Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, and Submersive Productions, LLC, where she serves as an artistic associate. Tina is passionate about creating new works, arts integration and continuing to cultivate her black joy! When she's not performing or teaching, she can usually be found playing board games, laughing or buying new wacky socks! 1. What do you love the most about working as a teaching artist? I love sharing my passion for theater making and creative expression. As someone who struggled academically, the arts allowed me to not only feel successful or “smart,” but it created a space for me to be myself. 2. Do you enjoy teaching or performing more? That’s so hard! But I think performing because that’s when I feel the most alive. 3. What is your favorite grade to work with? Early childhood! Early childhood classes leave me inspired because there is consistently a sense of novelty. The students are fearless in their pursuit of joy and self expression. And they remind me how to access parts of myself that too, feel wondrous, magical and limitless. 4. What have you learned from the teachers in the schools you’ve visited as an InterAct teaching and performing artist? Teachers do not get enough credit for the work they do! They create and maintain structure for these kids all while making learning enjoyable and that’s no small task! 5. Favorite story your students have created in class? I had one class create an extension about Anansi, a trickster spider that played tricks on other animals by using a magic flying carpet. That was pretty epic. 6. Favorite moment with a student/young audience member? In InterAct’s touring show “Not My Monkey!”, I played Delia the Dazzler, a bearded lady who sang an awesome song about loving yourself and accepting yourself. And I will never forget the first time an audience full of K-6th graders started singing along with me as they celebrated Delia in all of her beauty. As a queer artist, you don’t always get the opportunity to show up to work with your whole self and that was definitely a moment of pure joy and wholeness. 7. Favorite Children’s Book? I was obsessed with any book about the Berenstein bears. I’ve collected over like 70 of their books! So hard to pick a favorite! I'll say The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food because I loved to snack! 8. Must-have Quarantine snack? Brownies with vanilla ice cream. 9. Favorite Self-Care Activity? Meditating outside. 10. Something you can’t wait to do when social distancing is over? Visiting my mom and giving her a hug! 11. Dream Role? Hmm, I’m not sure because I can’t even begin to imagine the wondrous roles yet to be written! 12. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned this year as a teaching and performing artist for InterAct? One of the biggest takeaways I have as an InterAct teaching and performing artist has to do with the intersection of where preparation meets humanity. InterAct has prepared me to facilitate workshops in an academic environment while still encouraging me to bring my humanity to the classroom. I work with a vast variety of kids and they always come with goodwill and their own unique perspectives and my hope is to bring structured lesson plans and poses the flexibility necessary to bask in our shared humanness and just have fun!

Nancy Krebs Music Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Online Workshop Submission for MSAC review: The Monster Year (grades 2 - 4) Thank you for reviewing this online performance for addition to InterAct Story Theatre’s AiE Roster listing! InterAct Story Theatre has visiting performances for a wide range of educational and family audiences. This workshop is a recreation of a story dramatization workshop inspired by the Chinese folk tale “The Monster Year”. This workshop was conducted this year for 2nd - 4th graders; it has been recreated for this video submission with a mock audience of educators, actors and teaching artists. A technical rider outlining the program coordination and tech rehearsal process is uploaded here; in addition to this tech packet, partner organizations also receive an electronic parent-educator resource/study guide and a link to a feedback form. Our website is currently being updated so this information will be easily accessible online. About this workshop CLICK HERE FOR TECHNICAL RIDER CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Community InterActions is a four-part podcast series exploring the impact of Covid-19 on the Wheaton area. Our Wheaton community is full of stories to tell, and we're telling just a few of them in this series. Click on an arrow below to listen to podcast episodes or you can also listen to podcast episodes on Spotify! Scroll Down Community InterActions Community InterActions Podcast Episodes Welcome to Community InterActions, a four-part podcast series exploring the impact of Covid-19 on the Wheaton area. Our Wheaton community is full of stories to tell, and we're telling just a few of them in this series. Community InterActions collects some of those stories and shares them through the words and voices of the people who are living them. This limited audio series will be taking a look at who we are in Wheaton, and focusing on some specific people in Wheaton who wanted to share their stories about the impact of the pandemic on their lives and livelihoods. Click here to navigate to our Virtual Gallery Explore the Virtual Gallery Click on an arrow below to listen to podcast episodes. Transcripts are available with each podcast episode below. We'd love to hear what you thought of our podcasts. Please fill-out this short survey to let us know! Community InterActions Podcast Episodes Episode 1: Who Is Wheaton? In this first installment, Ali Oliver-Krueger and Emily Townsend from InterAct Story Theatre begin by laying a foundation of the history of Wheaton, Wheaton's changing demographics and culture, Wheaton's economic landscape, and how all of these factors have contributed in the significant impact Covid-19 and its effects are having on this economically and racially diverse community. Click the PLAY arrow to begin Episode 1 Community InterActions Episode 1 InterAct Story Theatre 00:00 / 18:42 Click here for a transcript of Episode 1 in English Haga clic aquí para ver la transcripción del episodio 1 en español We'd love to hear what you thought of our podcast. Please fill-out this short survey to let us know! Community InterActions Podcast Episodes Episode 2: Pandemic and Food and Housing Insecurity Covid-19 and its effects impacted Wheaton residents in disparate and inequitable ways. For the most vulnerable, the shutdown created stark gaps in important services and lifelines, including food insecurity, and housing insecurity. Ali Oliver-Krueger and Emily Townsend look at the national picture and then share perspectives from local community advocates and community members who are taking action. NOTE: This episode was recorded before Governor Hogan announced lifting of the State of Emergency in Maryland on July 1, 2021. Click the PLAY arrow to begin Episode 2 Community InterActions Episode 2 InterAct Story Theatre 00:00 / 22:52 Click here for a transcript of Episode 2 in English Haga clic aquí para ver la transcripción del episodio 2 en español We'd love to hear what you thought of our podcast. Please fill-out this short survey to let us know! Community InterActions Podcast Episodes Episode 3: Pandemic and Small Businesses In this episode, Ali Oliver-Krueger and Emily Townsend discuss the impact of pandemic on small businesses, across the nation and in our local Wheaton-Kensington area. Ali talks with local business owners and community members on how the effects of the global pandemic have affected business at home. Click the PLAY arrow to begin Episode 3 Community InterActions Episode 3 InterAct Story Theatre 00:00 / 21:52 Click here for a transcript of Episode 3 in English We'd love to hear what you thought of our podcast. Please fill-out this short survey to let us know! Haga clic aquí para ver la transcripción del episodio 3 en español Community InterActions Podcast Episodes Episode 4: Pandemic and Making Art One of the sectors hit hardest by pandemic and facing the slowest recovery has been the arts and culture sector. As an Arts and Entertainment District, Wheaton not only is home to several artists and arts organizations, but also draws artists from nearby areas. In this episode, Ali Oliver-Krueger and Emily Townsend talk about the pandemic experience at InterAct Story Theatre, and talk with community artists and members of Wheaton arts organizations to get their unique perspective on pandemic times. Click the PLAY arrow to begin Episode 4 Community InterActions Episode 4 InterAct Story Theatre 00:00 / 39:01 Click here for a transcript of Episode 4 in English Haga clic aquí para ver la transcripción del episodio 4 en español We'd love to hear what you thought of our podcast. Please fill-out this short survey to let us know! This project was made possible by a grant from Maryland Humanities, with funding received from the Maryland Historical Trust in the Maryland Department of Planning. Maryland Humanities’ Grants Program is also supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and private funders. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Maryland Humanities, Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Department of Planning, or National Endowment for the Humanities.

Steve Barker Teaching Artist Back

Tom Teasley Tom Teasley, described in the Washington Post as “a multi-instrumental genius,” maintains a unique career as a solo percussionist, composer, and collaborator. He is a Drummie Award winner for “World Percussionist of the Year by Drum! Magazine. Tom is a multi Helen Hayes Theatre Award recipient for outstanding sound design (nominations in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2019). Tom tours frequently worldwide, performing and presenting clinics for the instrument companies he endorses, including Yamaha, Vic Firth, Sabian, Remo, and Gon Bops. His educational book /DVD, An American Approach to World Percussion, is published by Alfred Publishing. Tom is a five-time WAMA (Washington Area Music Award) World Music Instrumentalist of the Year. A six-time recipient of a Fulbright-Hayes grant for performances in the Middle East, Tom collaborated with indigenous musicians and gave historic performances by invitation of U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Samoa, Oman, and Jerusalem. He has been an artist-in-residence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Tom has collaborated with the National Symphony as both a soloist and composer. As an international collaborator, he has performed by invitation in Europe, South America, New Zealand, Samoa, and Korea. Tom earned the Artist-of-the-year award from Young Audiences of Virginia for his creative and educational presentations. His CDs receive international airplay and acclaim. He has been the subject of numerous feature articles in Modern Drummer Downbeat and Drum! Magazines. World Music, Drumming Teaching & Performing Artist Back

InterAct Story Theatre in Schools: Touring productions and arts-in-education programs for learners of all ages. InterAct in Schools Scroll Down Touring productions and arts-in-education programs for learners of all ages Since 1981, InterAct Story Theatre has brought a wide variety of educational, interactive performances, plays, and assembly programs to schools, libraries, and community venues, all throughout the area, delighting children, families, and educators alike. InterAct Story Theatre is partnering with schools and community partners across the country to deliver in-person and virtual/online options for workshops, artist-in-residence programs, performances, family programs, and professional development opportunities for educators and artists. Follow the links below. Boxes saying “Available Online!” next to a program title means, in most cases, the program can be either presented virtual or in-person. And if you don’t see what you’re looking for, ask us about designing a program just for you and your students! One of our favorite things to do is to design programs with our partners...in fact, many of the programs you see on our website were originally designed in response to requests by parents, teachers, kids, and community partners. Contact us or request more info to talk with us about how we can present or design an in-person or virtual/online arts program for your school or your community. We’re cooking up some new and creative online programs—so check back with us or join our mailing list to stay in the loop with the latest information! REQUEST MORE INFORMATION Performances & Assembly Programs Arts Education & Arts Integration: Classroom Workshops Arts Education & Arts Integration: Artist-in-Residence Programs Out of School Time Programs KidStory Theatre Parent Workshops & Literacy Events Staff Workshops & Trainings Clinics & Master Classes Professional Development Residencies Back to Home Page Add to Mailing List

Featured Plays for School Audiences Featured Plays for School Audiences InterAct Story Theatre is proud to offer a variety of performances tailored to children and young adults of all ages. Please scroll down to check out our featured plays. Also, visit our storytelling and story theatre programs ! For more information, please request more info or contact us ! Our Spring 2026 Production: Availability of productions are subject to change Jewel the Great InterAct Story Theatre presents a new play for elementary school audiences. Grades K–5 A new play for elementary school audiences about positive and negative attention-seeking behaviors and grappling with identity. Jewel is new to the small mountain town of Highview, where she struggles to fit in and make a name for herself. How can she get everyone to see her the way she wants to be seen? And what can she do when nothing seems to work, and everything she tries seems to blow up and make things worse? Students in the audience participate right from their seats, becoming members of Jewel’s community and helping Jewel along the way with problem solving. This fun and heartwarming play connects with social emotional competencies related to Self-Awareness and Social Awareness, and the character education pillars of Respect and Responsibility. Best for ages 5 and up. 50 minutes with audience interaction, K-5 audiences Contact us to schedule your performance today! ADD A TALKBACK SESSION AFTER THE SHOW! One of the best ways to fully appreciate a play is to talk with the actors who bring the play to life. Adding a Talkback session with the actors after a performance gives your students a wonderful opportunity to ask questions, explore the themes and lessons of the play, and learn more about the actor's craft. As part of the talkback, the actors will also demonstrate a little of what happens "behind the scenes", showing students how the set works and how the actors manage the split-second costume and character changes our plays require. An entertaining and educational arts experience! A typical Talkback is approximately 20 minutes in length. ADD A FOLLOW-UP CLASSROOM WORKSHOP! The fun and learning continues with a follow-up classroom workshop. After a performance, students participate in an engaging creative drama workshop with an actor from the play. Students explore the characters and themes of the play, and work together to compose and act out their own original scene extending the story of the play. This exciting workshop connects with curriculum content standards in English/Language Arts and Theatre. Contact us to schedule your program today! Featured Plays Stories on Stage World Music Family Programs < Back to InterAct in Schools

Steve Wolf Steve Wolf (he/him/his) works with marketing concepts and graphic design and for the last 25+ years is a designer, photographer, and actor in the DC Metro area. Steve worked for many years with the Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre program training front of house customer service and providing box office and marketing support. In his spare time, he helps with website and layout for Hexagon's musical, satirical, political comedy revue and their charity work. Drama, Visual Arts Design & Publications Manager Back

Tom Teasley World Music, Drumming Teaching & Performing Artist Back