While the Paramount has been offering free and reduced tickets to their shows for years, the addition of an Education/Outreach Department has made the experience even more enriching for students. I have been facilitating numerous free pre-show workshops that will take place prior to the production at the Paramount. These workshops lead the students through a 45-minute session that takes place in the individual classrooms of each school attending. The sessions engage students and teachers in discussions of production elements, and instruct them in theatre exercises that are thematically related to the play.
For example, for The Very Hungry Caterpillar I went to schools and read the students the story, had them act out the cycle of the butterfly, and sang a song about what makes each of them special.
Here I am making the Caterpillar magically come out of the book and into their class.
We would end the workshop singing a song about what made us unique, just like the butterfly.
Here are some letters from students:
