E. Student Plays
When given the chance to show their enthusiasm and passion for the arts, students embrace the opportunity. The ability for students to learn from each other and collaborate toward a creative end product is the height of education, so I have been thrilled to help students turn their ideas into scripts.
Elementary and Middle School Plays
For two years, I guided young actors through the process of writing short plays, which they performed at a competition named Odyssey of the Mind. I was deeply impressed by these young children’s creativity, critical thinking, dedication, and teamwork. These students came up with every idea, built every set piece, and wrote every word of the script. My goal was to help them actualize their ideas, even when overly ambitious and unreasonable, and facilitate their creativity instead of stymie it. I conducted brainstorming sessions, led them through scriptwriting exercises, set a performance schedule, and formatted their scripts. Otherwise, I supported them learn through trial and error, which led to them flourishing.
(G.3) The Ahab
“Le Tour Guide” was an Odyssey of the Mind challenge that tasked students to take a classic work of literature and introduce a tour guide into the world of the story. After we sorted through a pile of Illustrated Classics in the library, these third graders chose to tackle Moby Dick. We read together a version for young readers, and then the students created The Ahab, the story of Captain Ahab’s decision to give up chasing the whale and become a tour guide.
(G.4-5) Adam the Atom
“Full Circle“ was an Odyssey of the Mind challenge that required students to write a play on an ever-changing object that must change at least three times and come “full circle” by the end of the play. These fifth graders chose to write Adam the Atom, a play about an atom with low self-confidence. The Hydrogen atom decides to gain electrons, protons, and neutrons in order to gain confidence.
(G.6) Hamlita: The Musical!
“To Be Or Not To Be" was an Odyssey of the Mind challenge that asked students to reinvent the classic line from Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet as a musical. These sixth grade girls decided to tell an epic story of best friends Hamlita and Ophelia trying to remain tomboys despite being sent to Lady Bootcamp to make them act like “proper” girls. Hamlita: the Musical! asks the classic question, “To gown or not to gown?”
(G.6) Wizard Hamlet
“Odyssey Angels" was an Odyssey of the Mind challenge where “a group of students travel throughout one or more team-created places where they encounter negative situations. These “Odyssey Angels” change what they find and turn them into positive situations. On their journey, they help two individuals with different problems and help save an entire community from a bad situation.” This group of six graders decided that a Hamlet musical sounded more fun and retrofitted their script to be Wizard Hamlet, which asked the question, “To be an evil giant, or not to be an evil giant?”
High School Plays
I helped guide high school seniors as they wrote their own 10 minute plays. The Horizon Theatre Company arranged for Gabrielle Fulton, an Atlanta-based playwright, to teach students a multi-week course on playwriting and serve as a professional mentor as they wrote. Students were then encouraged to enter a play festival for young writers.
(G.12) Play Festival for Young Writers
Several of our students were selected for the play festival for young writers and had their plays performed by professional actors on Horizon’s stage, and two were even selected for the New South Young Playwrights Festival Contest, a summertime weeklong workshop.
Hope For You by Taliyah Holloway
A Lullaby by Destinee Holt
Mami by Daesia Harvey
The Plum Puck by James-Wesley Jones
Terminus by Jordan Armani Miles