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

Online Visiting Performance for MSAC review: Mama-San Stories 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 program was designed for students in grades PreK-1, some of whom are with a teacher in a classroom, and some of whom are at home with a family member. A tech sheet 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. CLICK HERE FOR TECH PACKET CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Voytto Tech: a scifi fable on bullying Click Here to read the review by DC Theater Arts September 20, 2018 "Audience members get several chances to be part of the story, helping to propel the action onstage through physical and verbal cues." Click Here to read the review by Theatre Bloom Five Stars! September 18, 2018 "It’s a remarkable and innovative piece of theatre that addresses issues with which all children are faced in this present day and age. How to survive as an individual and what to do when your individuality gets you bullied. InterAct Story Theatre has an extraordinary show on their hands with a powerful message, and together the whole thing is simply out of this world.” Click Here to read the review by Adventure Moms September 15, 2018 "Voytto Tech combines science technology and art to breach the topics of bullying and social inequality." < Back to Press

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

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

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

Kelly King Dance Teaching & Performing 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

Artist-in-Residence programs, or residencies, combine a series of workshops and a performance to create an in-depth arts-based learning experience for students and teachers. Available Online! Arts Education & Arts Integration: Artist-in-Residence Programs Artist-in-Residence programs, or residencies, combine a series of workshops and a performance to create an in-depth arts-based learning experience for students and teachers. As arts integration specialists, InterAct Story Theatre conducts many residencies each school year, connecting the arts with learning objectives in a variety of subjects in preK-12. The following pages list just a few sample residencies that we have conducted in the past. A number of these residencies were designed or adapted especially to suit the needs of the partner school. REQUEST MORE INFO Artist-in-Residence programs for students of all ages and their teachers Artist-in-Residence programs, or residencies, combine a series of workshops and a performance to create an in-depth arts-based learning experience for students and teachers As arts integration specialists, InterAct Story Theatre conducts many residencies each school year, connecting the arts with learning objectives in a variety of subjects in preK-12. The following pages list just a few sample residencies that we have conducted in the past. A number of these residencies were designed or adapted especially to suit the needs of the partner school. Interested in how an InterAct residency can infuse the arts into your learning objectives? Please contact us or request more info ! Sample Residencies Most of the residencies InterAct Story Theatre leads in schools and learning spaces are individually designed or adaptive residencies: We partner with teachers and schools to talk about what your goals are, and then design a residency to meet those needs. Here are just a few of the residencies InterAct has led recently connecting drama, dance, music and creative opera with content curricula. For more information, please contact us or fill out our response form ! Sample Early Childhood Residencies These are just some examples of residencies we’ve designed and implemented over the past few years. Contact us or request more info for any of these programs, or if you would like us to design something especially for your learning community! Available Online! Books Alive! - a creative drama approach to foster language and emerging literacy skills. Available Online! Responsive Playmaking: Creating Curriculum-Based Theatre in the Classroom - In this project-based residency, students explore a curriculum topic, a text or set of texts, a theme, or an event as actors and theatre-makers, and then work together to devise or create an original scene, drama, play, or story inspired by what they’ve learned. All stories, plays, scenes, and dramas created in this residency are submitted for consideration in InterAct Story Theatre’s KidStory Theatre Festival, a celebration of stories written for kids by kids...and the best of the best are performed by professional actors in the annual Festival! Available Online! Books + Math = Drama! - students explore selected math concepts through age-appropriate literature and creative drama. Available Online! Penny's Puppets - students build literacy skills and gain hands-on experience with different types of puppetry. Available Online! Creative Arts for Early Childhood - Mix and match among our many early childhood workshops to create a multidisciplinary arts residency for your students Available Online! Sing it! Dance it! Act it! - an exploration of a text through music, dance and drama. Available Online! Dancing Through the Rainforest - exploring the flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest through dance and creative movement. Available Online! OPERAtunities for Reading - a creative opera residency designed for early childhood populations And more! Please contact us or fill out our response form for more details, or ask us how we can design a residency for you. Sample Residencies for Elementary School These are just some examples of residencies we’ve designed and implemented over the past few years. Contact us or request more info for any of these programs , or if you would like us to design something especially for your learning community! Available Online! Responsive Playmaking: Creating Curriculum-Based Theatre in the Classroom - In this project-based residency, students explore a curriculum topic, a text or set of texts, a theme, or an event as actors and theatre-makers, and then work together to devise or create an original scene, drama, play, or story inspired by what they’ve learned. All stories, plays, scenes, and dramas created in this residency are submitted for consideration in InterAct Story Theatre’s KidStory Theatre Festival, a celebration of stories written for kids by kids...and the best of the best are performed by professional actors in the annual Festival! Available Online! The Play's The Thing - This classic InterAct residency is based on one of our featured assembly programs. Students attend a performance of one of InterAct's featured plays, and then participate in creative drama workshops in which they explore the themes of the play. This residency connects with curriculum standards in Reading Literature, Writing, and Speaking & Listening as well as fine arts standards in Theatre. Available Online! Books Alive! - Students explore text through creative drama, and develop original scenes extending the themes/plot of the text. This residency can be adapted to connect with curriculum standards in Reading Literature or Reading Informational Text, as well as standards in Speaking & Listening, Writing, and Theatre. Available Online! The Folktales Project - Students explore select folkloric traditions, and develop their own folktale incorporating both elements of good story structure and conventions of folklore. Available Online! History Alive! - Students explore historical events through creative drama, in a process that enables students to develop more understanding for the human factor behind key historical events, people, movements and eras. Requires advance notice of topic and planning. Available Online! Reader's Theatre - A creative drama approach in which students develop and perform a readers' theatre script. Available Online! OPERAtunities for Writing - A creative opera residency designed to promote writing skills. Available Online! Playbuilding - An extended residency project in which students devise original performance pieces. Available Online! Creating a Colonial Village - Students examine appropriate text and data sources to explore colonial occupations, and then use acting tools and skills, technical theatre and design ideas, and simple craft materials to transform their classroom into a colonial village. And more! Please contact us or fill out our response form for more details, or ask us how we can design a residency for you. Sample Residencies for Middle and High School These are just some examples of residencies we’ve designed and implemented over the past few years. Contact us or request more info for any of these programs , or if you would like us to design something especially for your learning community! Available Online! Exploring Shakespeare's Themes - expanded from the single workshop to offer a more in-depth exploration of a select Shakespearean play. Available Online! The Underground Railroad and the Civil War - Students explore issues surrounding the Underground Railroad and Civil War through the creative drama strategy of tableaux. Available Online! The City Dionysia/Greek and Roman Mythology - Students explore Greek mythology and theatre through creative drama, tableaux, and theatrical design. Available Online! Novel OPERAtunities - students explore key thematic issues of a select novel and create original operatic arias or scenes in this residency designed to foster text-to-self connection and an understanding of character traits and motivations. Available Online! OPERAtunities to Make History - students explore key events and eras of history through creative opera. Available Online! Devising Original Theatre - an extended artist-in-residence program in which a teaching artist works with a group of students to develop and perform a short original piece. And more! Please contact us or request more info for details, or ask us how we can design a residency for you. < Back to InterAct in Schools

Storytelling and Story Drama Programs Celebrating Cultures from Around the World. Available Online! Storytelling and Story Drama Programs Celebrating Cultures from Around the World STORIES ON STAGE programs combine storytelling, drama, and song to explore world cultures. Our gifted performers become a variety of characters while bringing a story to life. Students "get into the act" too by participating in this riveting experience. STORIES ON STAGE programs are performed by one actor with audience participation. Programs are designed for audiences with a maximum of 200 students, unless otherwise specified. Choose from a variety of programs listed below, celebrating different cultures from around the world. Contact us or request more info for details! Bullies and Heroes: Folktales from Japan with Ali Oliver-Krueger Grades 3 - 8 Available Online Ali Oliver-Krueger weaves stories from her Japanese-American childhood with traditional Japanese mukashibanashi (Long-Ago Stories). What does it take to be a hero? When an ogre bullies a village, ordinary villagers must step up to become everyday heroes. Silly Smarts: Folktales from Japan with Ali Oliver-Krueger Grades PreK-2 Available Online Ali Oliver-Krueger weaves stories from her Japanese-American childhood with traditional Japanese mukashibanashi (Long-Ago Stories) in this funny and heart-warming east-meets-west storytelling series. The stories in Silly Smarts emphasize the importance of using your smarts, and the pitfalls of being too smart for your own good and confusing "smart" with "wise". A Journey Through Latin America with Marian Licha Grades K-6 Puerto Rican-born actor and storyteller MARIAN LICHA weaves stories and song together as she takes students on a magical journey through Latin America. The stories are rich with humor and folk traditions. Included in the program are several stories of the foolish and delightful Juan Bobo. El Coqui with Marian Licha Grades PK-2 El Coqui, the tiny frog king, is the biggest singing sensation in all Puerto Rico...but what happens when he takes his act on the road? This original tale by Puerto Rican actor and storyteller Marian Licha celebrates Puerto Rican culture with story, song, and gentle humor. The Magic Tree with Khaleshia Thorpe-Price PreK-5 A funny, uplifting story adapted from a Zambian folk tale. The animals of the grasslands are in terrible trouble—it hasn’t rained in ages, and everyone is hungry and thirsty! Their only hope is to find out how to get the fruit from a mysterious magic tree, but they must journey across the land to learn how...and they have to remember the secret on the long journey back! Featured Plays Stories on Stage World Music Family Programs < Back to InterAct in Schools

Tom Teasley World Music, Drumming Teaching & Performing Artist Back

Available Online! 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. 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