Teen-Elementary School Shows (TESS) - an after-school program
TESS 2010 theme: "Classic Talespins"

This year, we are presenting three TESS sessions at: Hamlin School in Randolph (including Pittston School students); Dresden Elementary School; and St. Michael's School in Augusta. The first session begins on March 23, and the program will end on May 6, 2010.

Support for TESS 2010 is from:
Quimby Family Foundation
G&E Roofing Company
The Bank of America provides support for low-income neighborhood schools.

You've seen them on the big screen, you've seen them on the small screen, and you buy them on tapes, discs, lunchboxes, clothing and presents. They have surrounded you all your life, yet are you aware of their origins, influences and power? TESS 2010 explores fairy tales with Classic Talespins.

Hans Christian Anderson. The Brothers Grimm. William Shakespeare, Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, Aesop, J.M. Barrie, Charles Perrault, Andrew Stanton and Lewis Carroll have been in your homes, cars, theaters, and minds for centuries and you don't even know it! The directors of TESS, three talented teenage theater directors and two amazing teenage art directors will enlighten your students with a wealth of information, bringing these classic fairy tales to life and looking at them in new ways.

STAFF, 2010:
Theater Director: Kathleen Nation
Art Director: Iva Allen
Teen Theater Directors: Kayla Hallett, Courtney Greenleaf, Cat Bane
Teen Art Directors: Tryphena Vallencourt, Mya Elliot
Alternate Teen Director: Sydney Choate

In Teen-Elementary School Shows, Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center hires professional theater and art directors to supervise the after-school program, and teenagers who are accomplished in theater and art to conduct it. The program works on several levels-as a learning experience for teenagers and for elementary students, and to introduce school communities to live theater. The adult theater director works with the theater teens to choose a subject and to write several short plays. The themes over the eight years of the program have ranged from Aesop's Fables and Winnie the Pooh, to the books of a local author and Greek myths. In 2007, the theme was Wicked Far Off-Broadway: Maine Stories and in 2008, "TESS Goes Green."

Our professional director helps the teens write appropriate plays for the developmental level of the elementary students who will be performing. Johnson Hall staff work closely with the school administration and teachers to educate them about the program and contract with each school. Then JH staff distributes information and registration forms in the schools for the free program. The professional art director and several teens make a lively sign-up poster for the school bulletin board, and visit classes to promote interest in signing up. Students are accepted as theater or art students on a first-come, first-served basis. When the after-school program begins, teens lead the elementary students in theater exercises, decide who to cast in each play, rehearse and produce the plays. The art students, with teen directors supervising, create props, backdrops, and costumes. (The adults are always available for assistance.) The sessions are two weeks in duration at each participating school. Finally, they present the finished plays to each school population at an afternoon show, and to the parents and community at an evening show the same day.

TESS provides a live theater and creative art experience to elementary students and their proud parents. A lot of learning is woven into the fun and humor of the plays- about literature, performance, creativity, art, the children's own abilities, and about how important each of them is to the whole. Many programs feature adults conducting theater or music in the schools. But the special magic of TESS is the key role of the teens.

Benefits of TESS:
Helps schools meet the Maine Learning Results performing arts and public speaking requirements.

TESS plays are based on literature, so it encourages students to read books, and increases their interest in literature.

Provides a creative activity after school, when many children are unsupervised and studies show they are more likely to get in trouble.

Offers a live theater experience in elementary schools.

Offers an art experience to those who may not want to appear on stage.

The teens also learn-- theater techniques and terms, time management, flexibility, how to work with a group of lively children, and leadership skills. The program encourages creativity and initiative among teens, and gives them job experience.

TESS provides a fun and creative after-school activity during the hours when many children and teens are unsupervised at home.

Brings children and teens together for a positive, creative experience. The young people see the teens as good role models.

TESS is offered free to participating students, because it is funded by grants, business sponsors, and $600 from each School PTA. In 2009, Bank of America is providing support for schools in low-income areas.

Summer Shenanigans
Visual and Performing Arts Camp at Johnson Hall

Summer 2010 Schedule and new age groupings: (Registration form available in April)

Session I, June 28-July 2, is a half-day, 9 am-noon, for kids entering grades K-1.

Session II, July 12-16, 9 am-4 pm, for kids entering grades 2-4.

Session III, July 19-23, 9 am-4 pm, for kids entering grades 5-6.

Session IV, July 26-30, 9 am-4 pm, for kids entering grades 6-8.

Teen Job Application form click here

Summer Shenanigans is an unusual theater and art camp, because kids create and perform a play, from A to Z, based on their own ideas. ANYTHING can happen when they create a play! At the beginning of the week, they decide what character they want to be, and they develop the locations and plot as a group. They learn how to make the audience believe they're someone else: travelers from another country, a flying asteroid, a slippery shadow or maybe a giant grasshopper! They learn stage directions and acting techniques, and they make their own props, costumes, and sets. At the end of the week, campers' family and friends come and watch the performance, which is sure to be fun
and amazing!

Summer Shenanigans Visual and Performing Arts Day Camp incorporates both the visual and the performing arts.  Our staff is made up of artists and performers experienced in teaching children of all ages.  Our goal is to provide developmentally- appropriate, stimulating artistic experiences that are FUN!
 
Performing Arts instruction will incorporate character building, improvisation, creative movement and story-telling skills.  Visual arts instruction will include a variety of possible media, ranging from painting through clay sculpture, fiber art, print or mask making, simple set and props construction.

What is a week at Summer Shenanigans like? Campers spend their time with a minimum of two adult staff members and one teen intern at all times. On the first morning of each session, the Performing Arts Instructors will use structured, age-appropriate activities to help the campers use their imagination to develop a story they can tell together through performance. The Visual Arts Instructors will join the group during the morning to help decide which media and activities will match the play that has been born.

From then on, instructors and campers will spend half of each day on performing arts, half on visual arts. On Friday, they present a show for parents and also have artwork to take home. Campers need to provide their own bag lunches for sessions II, III, and IV and a snack for Session I. To get some fresh air, campers spend time outside in the mini-park next to Johnson Hall, and also occasionally go to the Common or the riverfront. They visit the Gardiner Public Library to learn how to use the library and to get resources for developing their characters and ideas for sets and costumes.

Tuition is charged for this day camp. Scholarships are available, sponsored by Bank of America.

STAFF

Kathleen Nation, Theater Director, Sessions 2-4 and Upstage Youth Company
Kathleen trained at USM, Roehampton Institute in London, New Playwright's Theater in Denver and Orange Coast College in California. She has directed both Winter and Summer Shenanigans for several years, and Johnson Hall's Teen-Elementary School Shows (TESS) after-school program. She is a performing arts instructor for Augusta Adult Ed and Monmouth Middle School. She is also the Artistic Director for Monmouth Community Theater and directs the Olios of Cony's Chizzle Wizzle.

Laura Howe, Art Director, all sessions
Laura studied at Maine College of Art and received her BFA from University of Southern Maine with a specialty in printmaking. She has taught art at Spiral Arts, Camp Vega, MECA, Portland Museum of Art, and in public schools. Laura has exhibited in community and gallery shows. She is currently an art teacher in MSAD#52, in the Greene and Leeds Schools.

Iona McCabe, Theater Director, Session 1
Iona has studied theater and dance in New York City and at USM.  She spent a year touring and directing with the Missoula Children's Theater, has conducted Creative Movement Classes at Johnson Hall, and has been directing Shenanigans camps here since 1998

Winter Shenanigans

Visual and Performing Arts Day Camp at Johnson Hall
Winter Shenanigans is presented each year during February school vacation week. It is different from Summer Shenanigans in one way-the play is scripted, so campers do not invent their own characters. (Winter Shenanigans is shorter, and there's not enough time to develop a play from scratch.) In three days campers will be cast, presented their scripts, create the set, rehearse, paint backdrops, rehearse, find colorful costumes, rehearse, and then present their masterpiece to family and friends. It is fun, fast-paced, challenging, and laced with laughter and hard work. Kids learn theatrical games, art methods, and character development.

Kids in grades 3-8 can join Kathleen Nation, Theater Director, and Laura Howe, Art Director.

Kathleen Nation, Theater Director
Kathleen trained at USM, Roehampton Institute in London, New Playwright's Theater in Denver and Orange Coast College in California. She has directed both Winter and Summer Shenanigans for several years, and Johnson Hall's Teen-Elementary School Shows (TESS) after-school program. Kathleen in the drama coach for Mommouth Middle School. She served as the Artistic Director for Monmouth Community theater and directs the Olios of Cony's Chizzle Wizzle.

Laura Howe, Art Director
Laura received her art and education degrees at Maine College of Art and University of Southern Maine. She teaches art at Greene and Leeds Elementary Schools, and has taught art at Camp Vega, Spiral Arts, MECA, and Portland Museum of Art. Laura was Art Director this year for Summer Shenanigans.

Coleman Nation, Assistant
Coleman is a veteran of Shenanigans, has acted in many productions, and studies theater at University of Southern Maine.

Upstage Youth Company

Welcome to Upstage Youth Company. We are an ensemble of young actors from the Central Maine area who meet on Saturday mornings in the fall, with Directors Kathleen Nation and Laura Howe, and assistant director Coleman Nation.

Groups of talented young people from second graders to middle-schoolers sign up for theater or art classes. The Theater kids play theater games, adapt a script, rehearse, learn lines, and present a play. The artists create sets, backdrops, & props and learn new art techniques. Children have many pieces of work to take home. Everyone shares experiences, and expands their creative natures. Classes focus on the holidays, leading to a performance in December. Tuition is charged for these classes. Scholarships are available, sponsored by Bank of America.

Themes:
2009: "Come Shine your Light: Tales of the Yuletide"-- a shining theatrical quilt of tales of the Yuletide, both fact and fiction.
2008: "Christmas with the Nuts: an Unusual Upstage Holiday"—based on the Robinson book, "Best Christmas Pageant Ever."