Search

Erica Washington Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Jordan Brown 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

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

Tina Canady 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! Drama Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Steve Wolf Steve Wolf 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

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

Nancy Krebs Nancy Krebs started her professional acting career in 1975 with The Tender Trap at the Garland Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland. From there, she was part of the ensemble that won an Emmy Award for the PBS television series, ONCE UPON A TOWN in 1976. She has performed in film, television, radio and on the stage continuously since the mid-seventies. She has worked in summer stock and regional theatre, notably at Center Stage in Baltimore and Alaska Repertory Theatre, traveling all over the state of Alaska before joining InterAct Story Theatre in 1982. Currently, in addition to being a company member of InterAct Story Theatre, she teaches voice production and musical theatre at the Baltimore School for the Arts, is a certified Lessac Instructor (voice), and runs her own studio, THE VOICEWORKS. She has served as the Vocal/Dialect coach for several professional and university productions in the Baltimore/Washington area, as well as serving as the Musical Director/Vocal Coach for all productions in the theatre department at the School for the Arts. Workshops: Songbuilding, Songbuilding Parent-Staff-Child Workshop Music Teaching & Performing Artist Back

InterAct artists conduct arts-based workshops for child care providers and extended learning programs throughout our Maryland, Virignia, and Washington, DC. Available Online! Out of School Time Programs Many of our residency programs are available not only during the school day, but after school as well. InterAct artists conduct arts-based workshops for child care providers and extended learning programs throughout our Maryland, Virignia, and Washington, DC. Please contact us for more information! We also frequently design workshops by request to fit the theme, content area, or skillsets being taught at an event. If you'd like us to design a unique experience for your family learning event, please contact us or request more info ! REQUEST MORE INFO Sample Programs Grades PREK-K, GRADES 1-2, GRADES 3-5 Available Online! Books Alive Students have fun diving into an array of children’s books and folk tales—acting, moving, dancing, singing, and playing their way through books! Students build language and literacy skills as they have fun learning to use their acting tools and skills and sharing stories. Grades 6-8 Available Online! Improv for Actors In this exciting and fun-filled residency, one or more InterAct teaching artists lead students in a variety of increasingly challenging improvisation and activities over the course of the session. The program can include an optional culminating event showcasing original scenes developing from our improvisational work. Students explore character and scene work as they engage in a program designed to promote concentration, collaboration and teamwork, cooperative learning, critical thinking and creative problem solving. GRADES 3-5, GRADES 6-8 Available Online! Devising and Playbuilding After School In this drama-based writing residency, students use creative drama techniques and group writing strategies to write and perform original stories and scenes. In doing so, students learn and apply basic acting tools and elements of story structure as they practice collaboration and appropriate peer review. This process builds prewriting skills, oral language and presentation skills, problem solving skills, and teamwork. Themes can be drawn a variety of character education topics or curriculum content. GRADES PREK-K, GRADES 3-5, GRADES 7-8 Creative OPERAtunities Students learn how opera combines music and drama to tell stories by transforming stories and events into original musical scenes of their own! By using acting tools and skills along with the basic elements of music, students create their own original operas. Students explore a preselected topic, story, or book and transform their ideas into musical scenes, from solos to ensemble songs for the whole group. See how much fun storytelling with music can be! < Back to InterAct in Schools

Jordan Brown Jordan Brown (he/him) Jordan is a Black, queer artist who is using his voice and presence to educate those around him as well as rewrite the norms that have been drilled into (white) American culture for so long. For much of his time in academia, he has been cognizant of his position in society; he wants to create theatre that normalizes Black folk, that represents the LGBTQ+ community, and dismantles gender roles that rears its head in our daily behavior. Jordan wears many hats in the arts. During his time at Stevenson University, Jordan directed several pieces, and is in the process of writing his own play that focuses on depression. He has also created voiceover projects with the intention to prioritize Black talent. He also creates fashion photography for the purpose of highlighting #blackexcellence (@jordan_le_great). Jordan also works at Casa Ruby, a center for homeless LGBT youth. Performing Artist Back

Parent-Child Workshops & Family Literacy Events. Available Online! Parent Workshops & 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! We are currently developing and piloting several new family programs rooted in drama, music, dance, and puppetry, so please check back! REQUEST MORE INFO Parent-Child Workshops & Family Literacy Events 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. < Back to InterAct in Schools

Evan Simon Performing Artist Back