Child’s Play: Not Just For Children

On Friday, October 28, the students and staff of Reed Intermediate School were engaged in learning to write plays in an authentic way. The playwrights and actors from Child’s Play, a touring theater group, teaches kids tips on how to write a play by acting out ones that they develop with their audience. After the touring group of four performed a few demonstration skits, created by children all over the country, the students were asked to think of their own ideas for writing a script. Students were encouraged to get their writing ideas from their feelings, wants, imagination, growing up, and things that they would like to change if they were in charge.

After bringing the students through an interactive session of developing the setting, characters, problem, and solution of a play script, they performed an improvisational skit from the suggestions of the students. Touring members Aren Chaisson, Nikkieli DeMone, Jennifer Oleniczak, and Courtney Rioux entertained the audience with their comedic interpretations of the situations given to them.

The students were then given an assignment to go back to the classrooms and work on writing their own plays in cooperative groups, or on their own. One hundred entries will be submitted and reviewed by the Traveling Theatre Group, after which time they will pick anywhere from one to four “World Premiere” pieces written by the students to perform.

The actors will return to Reed School in March, combining the imagination of the children along with their talents to perform a 40–45 minute show. The four actors of Child’s Play will add songs, mime, music, sound effects, props, and costumes to fashion a complete show. Audience participation keeps the children involved throughout the performance.  The actors recognize the children authors by honoring them with a special certificate of participation during the show.

The Cultural Arts Committee and the PTA sponsored the enrichment activity for the Reed students.