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The Legend of Pufferfish Pat A Tall Tale for Mad Times Click Here to read the review by DC Theater Arts September 13, 2017 “The goal of The Legend of Pufferfish Pat was to create a work in which families can hear characters share their tips and ideas for managing angry feelings and see characters modeling different anger management strategies. But don’t tell the kids that. The kids will just know that they are having fun!” Click Here to read the review by DC Theatre Scene September 14, 2017 “The most impressive aspect to the piece is the clever manner in which various themes are subtlety reenforced....Also impressive is the manner in which a secondary theme regarding gender plays out. Without preaching or knocking a brick wall onto the audience, the script also makes a point of encouraging us to embrace choices outside of traditional gender expectations.” Click Here to read the review by MD Theatre Guide Five Stars! September 13, 2017 “Pufferfish Pat was a Top Five Show of the Week , Pufferfish Pat is charming and funny with versatile actors!” Click Here to read the review by Theatre Bloom Five Stars! September 11, 2017 “Ali Oliver-Krueger’s play is smart, simply put. It teaches a lesson without feeling preachy or pedantic, and it is easily accessible to kids of all ages, even relevant to adults! The words and descriptions that Oliver-Krueger uses to accurately express what it feels like to have an anger attack are vivid and extremely relatable. Oliver-Krueger expresses the importance of anger being a normal human emotion and the fact that it can be healthy to feel it while acknowledging the fact that there are healthy ways in which it can be expressed. She manages to do this in a fashion that is accessible to young audiences without feeling too childish and it makes the story full of heart and great learning opportunities.” < Back to Press

About these residency sessions/videos: This virtual residency is a recreation of an in-person residency conducted with kindergarten students in Spring 2020. The residency was designed to integrate creative drama (story dramatization and responsive playmaking) with Math (Counting & Cardinality; Operations), Speaking & Listening, and Reading Literature. Like our other programs, our residency design process applies principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and best practices in working with students who are ELL/ESOL to create programming that is flexible and allows students to participate meaningfully in the least restrictive, most supportive environment possible. The original residency was 4 30-minute sessions long; virtual sessions were adapted and piloted with a planned structure of six 15- to 20-minute sessions in mind, based on the needs and scheduling constraints shared by our school partners. For the purpose of these review videos, each video fuses together what would be two 15-20 minute sessions into one 30-minute session, so reviewers can see the entire story or story-building process if they so choose. The six sessions of this residency are planned as follows: Session 1: What is acting? Warm-up; use voice, body, imagination to become a character in today's story; share first 1/2 of story; reflect, closing ritual, and transition to classroom teacher for next activity. Session 2: Warm up; assess recall of the first half of the story, and reinforce recall as needed; share 2nd half of story; sequence the main events of the story; reflect; closing ritual, and transition to classroom teacher for next activity. Session 3: Warm-up, introduce acting tools and skills chart (Imagination, Voice, Body, Imagination, Cooperation, Concentration), review story as actors; dramatize story using Group Role Drama or Simultaneous Drama as appropriate to needs, progress and skills of students; reflect, closing ritual, and transition to classroom teacher for next activity. Session 4 and Session 5: After warming up and reviewing acting tools and skills, the teaching artist leads students in students working together to create a new, original story based on the story we learned and acted out in sessions 1 - 3. In this residency, students create a sequel for "Rooster's Off to See the World", in which Rooster goes on a trip to a new setting. We create the first half of the story in session 4, the second half in session 5. Sessions close with reflection, closing ritual and transition. Session 6: Following the same basic procedure as Session 3, students dramatize the sequel they created. The residency closes with final reflection, ritual closing, and transition. Online Residency Submission for MSAC review: Rooster’s Off to See the World (K-2) 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. Advance Planning and Technical Preparation A Technical Rider outlining the program coordination and tech rehearsal process is uploaded below. In addition to this tech packet, partner organizations also receive access to asynchronous learning materials on InterAct’s web portal and/or Google Classroom for the workshop/residency, and links to feedback forms. CLICK HERE FOR TECHNICAL RIDER CLICK HERE TO WATCH "DAY 1-2" VIDEO: INTRODUCING THE STORY/DRAMA + MATH! CLICK HERE TO WATCH "DAY 4-5" VIDEO: CREATING A SEQUEL

Looking for opportunities with InterAct Story Theatre? We want to hear from you! Work with Us Scroll Down Call for Performing Artists and Ensembles: Wheaton Family Theatre Series InterAct Story Theatre is looking for artists and ensembles interested in performing as part of the Wheaton Family Theatre Series, a free performing arts series for kids and families produced by InterAct. The series has included theatre, storytelling, clowning, West African drumming and dance, global percussion, opera, capoeira, and more, and seeks to reflect the diverse community of Wheaton back to its audiences. Performances take place on weekends in the fall, and last no more than 45 minutes. All programs will take place virtually, and must be family-friendly. Interested performers and ensembles should submit program information including program description, photo and/or sample video (if available), and performance fee rates to info@interactstory.com with the subject header Wheaton Submission. To learn more about InterAct Story Theatre and our core values of Humans treating Humans like Humans, visit our About Us page . Thank you! Casting call for 2025-2026 Season Seeking actors for three productions in InterAct Story Theatre's 2025-2026 Season: Bobtail BONG BONG: A Monkey’s Tale (in downtown Silver Spring, MD); Jewel the Great (Educational tour in MD/DC/VA); KidStory Theatre Festival (in Wheaton, MD). AUDITION DATES by Appointment Monday, July 7, 6:30 – 9 pm in Silver Spring Thursday, July 10, 6:30 – 9 pm in Silver Spring Saturday, July 12, 9:30 – 2:30 pm in DC Auditions by zoom may be possible by appointment, depending on auditor availability APPOINTMENTS To sign up for an audition time please fill out this form: Audition Form Please email ali[at]interactstory.com with any questions. PREPARATION Please prepare the sides (email to you after you sign up for an audition). If you are interested in Bobtail BONG BONG, please prepare a children’s song, nursery rhyme, or other short song (8 – 16 bars) to be sung a cappella. 1. Bobtail BONG BONG: A Monkey’s Tale Directed by: Ali Oliver-Krueger First Rehearsal: late August 2025 Performances: Daytime performances Sep 26, 27, 28; October 3, 4, 5, 18, 19 (no shows 10/11 & 10/12). SYNOPSIS: Bob the Monkey is the smartest monkey in the land, and they want everyone to know it! Bob the Monkey wants what they want, and they should be able to get it! But why is everyone mad at Bob? Bob didn’t do anything! In this interactive theatre forum, children follow Bob’s misadventures and help Bob figure out where they went wrong, and where they could try out better solutions to turn things around. This play for young children incorporates forum theatre, playback theatre, and improv techniques to tackle fairness and problem solving. SEEKING: 4 actors (open ethnicity and gender) with singing and improv skills. Bob the Monkey: A very clever monkey who is very proud of their brains and their deal-making skills. Quick-witted and occasionally soulful, but doesn’t think about the effects of their actions. Character falls from a 4-foot level onto a crash pad. Kani the Barber: A kindly if sometimes simple-minded creature who loves being a barber, just like their grandcrabby and great grandcrabby. Shikoku the Builder: An industrious and cheerful beaver with a toothache and a project to finish. Bunny the Baker: A high-strung rabbit who is very worried about not being able to bake enough bunny bun buns for everyone. +++ 2. Jewel the Great Written and Directed by Ali Oliver-Krueger First rehearsal: Mid-February 2026 Performances: March 14 – late May, 2026 (Average 2 performances a week, with time off for spring break) SYNOPSIS: In a small mountain community where people are known and labeled for one sterling quality, who is Jewel? And how can she become someone great? This premiere of a new work for young audiences grapples with identity, positive and negative attention seeking behavior, and finding your way in the world. SEEKING: Three actors (1 female or nonbinary actor, 2 open gender; open ethnicity) for an educational touring production that goes into schools and community spaces in Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. The production includes light puppet work—no prior puppeteering experience necessary. Actor 1: Jewel and other roles: A shy, somewhat quiet individual who wants to be seen, and wants to be appreciated as something fabulous and wonderful…although she’s not quite sure how or what that means. Actor 2: Val the Strong and other roles: A charming, affable, and physically strong person who is always happy to lend a helping hand. However, they would love to be seen as more than just a handy strong worker to have around. Actor 3: Kerry the Kindhearted and other roles: A family member of Jewel’s. Loving and kind, and feeling somewhat bewildered by Jewel’s behaviors and not sure what to do about them. +++ 3. KidStory Theatre Festival Rehearsals Dates: 5 - 6 rehearsals starting late April 2026; exact rehearsal dates/times are based on actor and space availability. Performances: Weekend of May 16 - 17, 2026; plus 1 - 2 possible school day performances. SYNOPSIS: All year long, InterAct Story Theatre artists create stories with kids, and invite them to share their epic stories with us. We’re choosing some of our favorite stories written by kids over the year, as we present a series of short plays and stories performed by professional actors. SEEKING: Four Actors (open ethnicity and gender) who are flexible, have good timing and are able to adapt quickly. +++ Volunteer Opportunities We are always looking for volunteers to help during events and help with other projects at InterAct Story Theatre. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact at info@interactstory.com or fill out our mailing list form in our page footer and be sure to check the volunteer box!

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

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

Performances & Assembly Programs. Online programs. 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. Performances & Assembly Programs 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. Many of these programs will be available virtual/online! Just look for the box saying Available Online! next to program listings. REQUEST MORE INFO 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 and click through to check out our featured plays, storytelling and story theatre programs, and coming soon exciting new performance programs featuring music, dance, and "hybrid" multidisciplinary programs! Storytelling Performances 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. World Music & Dance InterAct has enchanted audiences for years with our story theatre productions, plays and storytelling performances. As we begin our fourth decade of arts for young audiences, we're celebrating the talents of our wonderful teaching artists and adding programs in Music, Dance and Multidisciplinary/Hybrid performances. We'll be adding more programs soon! Family & Community Programs All of our programs are available for evening or weekend events and family audiences. InterAct Story Theatre performances can be adapted for a wide variety of venues, including libraries, museums, community centers, arts centers and festivals. Please contact us for more information! Also, if you are interested in family programming, please feel free to check out our family literacy programs and community building programs! < Back to InterAct in Schools

Season 3 of Wheaton Family Theatre Series Wheaton Family Theatre Series Season 3: October, 2017 through May, 2018 The Town That Cried Avalanche October 2017 The tiny mountain town of Avalanche, California is rocked with controversy: how can they balance the need for progress with taking care of the environment? And how can they even talk about it when everyone is mad at each other? Can they come together to save the town--before the mountain comes tumbling down? Inspired by Montpelier Elementary’s Grand Prize winning story at InterAct’s 2017 KidStory Theatre Festival. Best for ages 5 and up. Lesole’s Dance Project:Zulu, Gumboot and Street Dances from South Africa November 2017 Dance your way to the tip of the African continent! Experience three different African cultures through dance, from traditional Zulu village dances through modern moves with a South African flair. Founded in 2003 by native South African dancer Lesole Maine, the company has performed to acclaim throughout the U.S. and locally at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Smithsonian and area schools. All ages. A Family Literacy Fiesta: Books Alive! January 2018 InterAct Story Theatre's Artistic Director Ali Oliver-Krueger leads kids and adults alike in a fun-filled, interactive afternoon bringing stories to life through drama. We'll act, sing, and dance our way through a rollicking story, and maybe even create some stories of our own! A Family Literacy Fiesta: Dancing Our Way Through Books February 2018 Explore a kid-friendly folk tale through creative movement and dance. Led by Kelly King, founder of CityDance Center at Strathmore and Contradiction Dance, kids get to practice reading skills while moving, dancing and sharing stories with our families and friends. What a fun way to dance away the winter blues! Best for ages 3 and up. Little Red Riding Hood March 2018 Seymour Barab’s funny and sprightly one-act opera delights youngsters as we follow Little Red Riding Hood’s merry jaunt through the woods to Grandmother’s house. Join us for InterAct Story Theatre and Victorian Lyric Opera Company’s fresh take on this classic children’s opera...and watch out for that sneaky Big Bad Wolf! Best for ages 4 and up. Skher Brown and the Dancing Warriors Ensemble April 2018 Capoeira Angola is a unique Afro-Brasilian art form that draws from dance, martial arts, music, and stories of distant lands. But it’s more than that--it’s a cultural doorway into the world of others both like us and different from us! Skher Brown and the Dancing Warriors mesmerize audiences with acrobatic choreography and transport students across the Atlantic Ocean to learn about this unique culture. All ages. 2nd Annual KidStory Theatre Festival May 2018 A theatrical celebration of stories written by kids for kids! All year long, InterAct Story Theatre artists create stories with kids, and invite kids to share their epic stories with us. Each May, we choose the best of the best and transform them into short plays, musical numbers, and vignettes performed by our InterActors. Season 6 Season 5 Season 4 Season 11 Season 2 Season 1 To keep up on the latest news about InterAct’s Wheaton Family Theatre Series Season 11 and get reminders about our next program dates, join our mailing list . We also invite you to check out our past seasons by clicking on any of the season buttons! < Back to Community Page Season 7 Season 8 Season 3 Season 9 Season 10

Culturespot MC "Accessible Arts" by Karen Shafer March 29, 2017 “What I really loved, what really excited me, was being able to teach through the arts, being able to really connect with kids and reach kids who might not get a chance to see things like theatre and opera if we don’t bring it to them.” “ …Even in the midst of a negative situation, [InterAct] creates something positive…” “Such experiences can help children learn empathy and communicate more effectively. ” < Back to Press

Since our founding in 1981, InterAct Story Theatre has been 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. 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. Statement on Equity, Justice, and Inclusion: InterAct Story Theatre believes 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 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. 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 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 Redirect-Company InterAct Story Theatre Company Members Steve Barker Teaching Artist Lenore Blank Kelner Founder Drama, Creative Drama Ingrid Bork Performing Artist Jordan Brown Performing Artist Amber Coleman Performing Artist Kelly King Teaching & Performing Artist Dance Nancy Krebs Teaching & Performing Artist Music Marian Licha Teaching & Performing Artist Drama, Storytelling Anabel Milton Teaching Artist Ali Oliver-Krueger Executive Artistic Director Drama, Music, Opera, Storytelling, Puppetry Pete Oliver-Krueger CTO/Technical Director Theatrical & Product Design, Multimedia Design Penny Russell Teaching & Performing Artist Puppetry Tom Teasley Teaching & Performing Artist World Music, Drumming Khaleshia Thorpe-Price Stories on Stage Drama Emily Townsend Artistic Administrator and Literary Manager Creative Drama, Dramaturgy, Devising Erica Washington Teaching & Performing Artist Steve Wolf Design & Publications Manager Drama, Visual Arts Anchor 1

Season 9 of Wheaton Family Theatre Series. Wheaton Family Theatre Series Season 9: October, 2023 through May, 2024 Past programs: InterAct Story Theatre Presents An Encore Performance! Not My Monkey October 7, 2023 and October 8, 2023 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. Everything's topsy-turvy under the big top in InterAct Story Theatre's NOT MY MONKEY . The new circus leader is trying her best to lead her zany crew of circus folk, but there’s a new problem every time she turns around, and no one wants to pitch in or even try to get along. "Not my circus, not my monkeys!" they say. To make matters worse, the monkeys have broken loose and are wreaking havoc everywhere! How can everyone work together to catch those monkeys, when no one thinks it’s their problem to solve? And how can the community work together to stop the monkey madness? Everyone in the audience gets into the act right from where they’re sitting, becoming part of the community of performers and townspeople who need to tackle this hair-raising problem. Best for ages 5 & up. Luis Garay: The Passion and Inspiration of the Drum November 4, 2023 and November 5, 2023 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. Luis Garay’s South American, Caribbean, and African rhythms is a highly educational and entertaining musical journey, introducing the audience to many exotic instruments such as the balofone, djembe, and talking drum, and also to the more familiar congas, bongos, timbales, and drum set. The audience participates throughout the performance as they learn to clap authentic rhythms from different cultures. Best for ages 4 and up. A Family Literacy Fiesta with InterAct's Ali Oliver-Krueger Books Alive January 20, 2024 and January 21, 2024 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! 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. Dancing Our Way Through Books led by Kelly King February 10, 2024 and February 11, 2024 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. Join Kelly King, InterAct Story Theatre teaching artist and founder of Contradiction Dance Theatre and The Movement Movement as we'll explore a kid-friendly folk tale through creative movement and dance. Kids get to practice reading skills while moving, dancing, and sharing stories with our families and friends. No prior dance training needed...just bring your body and get ready to move. What a fun way to dance away the winter blues! Best for ages 3 and up. The Monster at the End of this Play by Sculpted Clay Productions March 2, 2024 and March 3, 2024 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. A spooky forest. A mysterious letter. The worst villains in all of Fairytale Land. What could possibly go wrong? "The Monster at the End of This Play" is a lighthearted and humorous exploration of how the things we don't understand are not always as scary as they seem. Best for ages 5 and up. The Monsters of Seahorse Island World Premiere of a Brand New Play by InterAct Story Theatre! April 13, 2024 and April 14, 2024 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. The people of Seahorse Island and the people of the Kingdom under the ocean have been at odds for longer than anyone can remember, but why? And what happens when worlds collide? This thoughtful and funny play includes lots of audience participation and is best for ages 5 & up. Mail List KidStory Theatre Festival A theatrical celebration of stories written by kids for kids May 18, 2024 and May 19, 2024 Event held at Highland Elementary School - 3100 Medway Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 FREE and open to the public! No tickets or registration needed. All year long, InterAct Story Theatre artists create stories with kids, and invite them to share their epic stories with us. This May, we’re choosing some of our favorite stories written by kids over the years, as we present a series of short plays and stories performed by our InterActors. We can’t wait to see what kids dream up each year! Best for ages 4 and up. Season 6 Season 5 Season 4 Season 3 Season 2 Season 1 To keep up on the latest news about InterAct’s Wheaton Family Theatre Series Season 11 and get reminders about our next program dates, join our mailing list . We also invite you to check out our past seasons by clicking on any of the season buttons! < Back to Community Page Season 7 Season 8 Season 9 Season 11 Season 10

Arts Education & Arts Integration: Classroom Workshops. Elementary School. Available Online! ELEMENTARY SCHOOL These are just a sampling of the many arts-integrated workshops we do each year. All of these workshops can be expanded into a 2-, 3- or 4-day classroom residency in which the students explore the content area in depth through the arts. This allows us to provide a sequentially structured arts learning experience so we can really maximize student learning and create a deeper, more meaningful arts experience. REQUEST MORE INFO Arts Education & Arts Integration: Classroom Workshops We are constantly designing new workshops! In fact, most of the workshops you see here were originally designed because someone asked us, "Hey, InterAct...can you do a workshop on ___________ to address __________ objective?" WE LOVE THIS. It's really our favorite thing to do. The answer is almost always, "Sure. Let's put our heads together and see what we can create!" So, if you would like an arts integration experience for your students that you don't see here, please contact us or request more info so we can design something for you! Drama Grades PreK-5 Available Online! BOOKS ALIVE Books come to life as students explore age-appropriate text from children's literature or folklore through creative drama, and dramatize the text in their own words. Books Alive workshops can be designed to fit a variety of themes, topics, world cultures or curricular goals. Please contact us with your questions and ideas! Maximum 25-27 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Grades K-5 Available Online! RESPONSIVE PLAYMAKING & PLAYBUILDING Through a variety of creative drama and short-form devising techniques, participants investigate a text, theme or curriculum topic as artists, and then collaborate in devising a short story, drama, or theatre piece in the classroom (or virtual classroom!). This is a great way to foster collaboration, social emotional skills and 21st century skills through theatre while building content knowledge. Responsive Playmaking can also be booked as a residency with multiple sessions with or without a sharing or informal performance. All stories are submitted for InterAct’s annual KidStory Theatre Festival, a celebration of stories written by kids for kids...and the best of the best are performed by professional actors at our festival in May!. The workshops are modified for varying grade levels. Maximum 25-27 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Grades 4-5 Available Online! A VISIT TO A COLONIAL VILLAGE The classroom is transformed into a colonial village as students take on their roles as colonists, each with a colonial occupation. Students learn and share information in-role about their occupations and display their wares in this fun and informative creative drama experience. Maximum 25 students (1 class) for each 60-minute session. Grades 4-8 Available Online! GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY Students explore mythology, the gods of Olympus, and the some of the cultural influences behind Greek and Roman mythology. Maximum 25-27 students (1 class) for each 60-minute session. Grades 3-6 Available Online! TALL TALES: STORIES OF WESTWARD EXPANSION Tall Tales are exaggerated stories about the taming of America's West. Students dramatize key moments of a Tall Tale and explore its relationship to our nation’s growth. Maximum 25-27 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. DRAMA GAMES FOR THE SCIENTIFIC BRAIN Students build content knowledge and vocabulary through experimentation and drama gaming. The workshops are designed to meet specific benchmarks and indicators. Please contact us so we can design a workshop for you! Recent workshops have dealt with such topics as Motion and Force; Tectonic Plates and Earthquakes; The Digestive System; Atoms and Elements. Music & Creative Opera Grades 2-6 OPERABUILDING Students learn the basic elements of opera and explore how opera uses music and drama to tell a story. InterAct's General Director Ali Oliver leads students through this lyrical adventure. Maximum 25 students (1 class) per 60-minute session. Note: This innovative and exciting workshop can be expanded into OPERAtunities for Writing, a 3-5 day residency linking creative opera with Writing and Reading Literature or Reading Informational Text. Grades 3-8 SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF WEST AFRICA Students are introduced to the instruments and sounds of West African music. Students play instruments and learn chants and songs. Maximum 25 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Grades 3-8 DRUM CIRCLE Students are given a hands-on multicultural experience by teaching them the basics of African palm drumming. Maximum 25 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Dance Grades 2-6 OPERABUILDING Students learn the basic elements of opera and explore how opera uses music and drama to tell a story. InterAct's General Director Ali Oliver leads students through this lyrical adventure. Maximum 25 students (1 class) per 60-minute session. Note: This innovative and exciting workshop can be expanded into OPERAtunities for Writing, a 3-5 day residency linking creative opera with Writing and Reading Literature or Reading Informational Text. Grades 3-8 SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF WEST AFRICA Students are introduced to the instruments and sounds of West African music. Students play instruments and learn chants and songs. Maximum 25 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Grades 3-8 DRUM CIRCLE Students are given a hands-on multicultural experience by teaching them the basics of African palm drumming. Maximum 25 students (1 class) for each 45-minute session. Early Childhood Elementary School Middle & High School Students < Back to InterAct in Schools

World Music and Dance World Music & Dance InterAct has enchanted audiences for years with our story theatre productions, plays and storytelling performances. As we begin our fourth decade of arts for young audiences, we're celebrating the talents of our wonderful teaching artists and adding programs in Music, Dance and Multidisciplinary/Hybrid performances. We'll be adding more programs soon! Drumming Through Time and Across Cultures with Tom Teasley (programs for grades PreK-12) Available Online! Join award-winning composer and world percussionist Tom Teasley on a unique journey through the history of percussion from around the world! Audiences travel the Silk Road from Italy to China and follow the Sugar Trade Route from Africa to the Americas. This program for all ages combines ancient instruments with the most recent advances in music technology, including digital looping. Audiences are captivated as Tom creates and records performances in real time, layering elements to create virtual percussion ensembles of up to five “performers”. Described in the Washington Post as “a percussionist in the widest and most exuberant sense of the word”, Tom is a two-time recipient of the Helen Hayes Theatre Award for Outstanding Sound Design and a three-time recipient of a Fulbright-Hayes grant for performances in the Middle East. For more information Contact us or request more info . Featured Plays Stories on Stage World Music Family Programs < Back to InterAct in Schools