The Immigration Experience

An artist-in-residence program for middle and high school students. Students learn theatre techniques while researching their families’ and communities’ immigration histories through oral histories, conducting interviews and field trips.

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With the collaborative support of the classroom teacher and teaching artists, the students formulate their research into dramatic writings and songs which are performed for the school and extended community. Theatre techniques include improvisation, character development, script writing, observation, story dramatization, storytelling, and role playing, making connections and analysis. Students’ original work is published in a collection and posted on-line. The program incorporates aspects of the social studies, language arts, performing arts and computer curriculums, and is structured with an awareness of the NYC Performance Standards established to assess student learning. 

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This program has improved class attendance, broadened vocabulary for ESL students and given a positive expressive outlet for all participating students.

Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts, Math Grades 7-12

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Broadway Babies

An in-school residency that brings the musical theatre experience to younger children. Students learn age-appropriate musical theatre songs as well as dances to accompany them. A music director and choreographer from Amas work with the students in shaping a mini-version of a Broadway show that relates to themes or curriculum being studied in their classroom. Stagecraft and other aspects of theatre production, such as dialogue, sets, costumes, etc., are introduced and explored.
Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts, Math Grades Pre-K-2

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Lens on Live Theatre

Lens on Live Theatre is an educational outreach program providing middle and high-school students the opportunity to attend an Amas Musical Theatre Mainstage Production while learning about the world of musical theatre. In classroom workshops, the students get an in-depth look inside our Mainstage Productions, including music and lyrics, choreography, design elements and scene study, as well as an introduction into what it takes to produce a musical. Amas teaching artists visit your school three times prior to the show and then one visit after the show to wrap up and review the performance. Our teaching artists work closely with classroom teachers, introducing their students to the many components of a professional Off-Broadway production, including the variety of careers available in the world of theater. 
Curriculum Link: Performing Arts, Social Studies, Language Arts. All Grades depending upon the appropriateness of the production.

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Living Museum: Looking at Ancient History

through Theatre, Stories and Songs

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Designed to follow the New York City Sixth Grade Social Studies curriculum of Ancient Cultures, Philosophy and History of Religion, students become creative artists during this residency of up to 20 workshop visits.  Students engage in the roles of director, performer and writer as they create, rehearse and perform original stories and folk tales in the style of the cultures they are studying.  Students work with a Greek or Roman Myth, Aesop Fables and African folk tales and explore the question, “How can theatre, dance, music and visual art, be used as the vehicle by which we tell the story of the evolution of humankind?” Students explore traditional theatrical skills of enunciation, vocal projection, motivation and focus, gesture, physical expression, active listening, eye-contact and scene study.  They also study part of a play by Shakespeare that focuses upon the ancient past through plot, character, and utilization of language. After each unit of study there will be a short demonstration of student work.  This residency will also work with mask and instrument making.
Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts — Grades 6-8

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Our America: The Civil Rights Movement through Song and Story

This in-school residency explores the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, and Protest and Peace Songs. Students use their knowledge and understanding of American history and explore how artists reflected on the human condition during such an important period in our American culture. Poetry of White, Black and Latino Americans is also explored as students comment on the Civil Rights Movement within their perspective communities. These songs and stories become the basis for a dramatic presentation. Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts — Grades 4-8

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Passport Around the World

 

An in-school residency with up to 18 teaching artist visits based upon the social studies curriculum of communities and neighborhoods at home and around the world. Students study folk tales, songs and/or dances from the seven continents. Amas Teaching Artists collaborate with the classroom teacher to determine which countries or cultures will be studied.  Students create their own U.S. Passports which will includes their picture and is stamped with flags from the different countries they “visit” and study. Using theatre games and improvisation, students explore themes and cultural paradigms of the various songs, dances and stories, as well as begin to be familiar with basic stagecraft.  They examine relationships between geographical locations by learning how to distinguish north, south, east and west and by working with maps. In addition, students learn songs from the American Musical repertoire.  This program concludes with a final presentation of the pieces studied for the school community. Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts, Earth Science — Grades 2-5

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Urban Mythography: Journey of the Hero

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A program for elementary and middle school students to explore Native American, Asian, classical Western and European mythologies and the heroic icons symbolized within these cultures. Students uncover the mythic themes that create our own culture and sense of self. Amas Musical Theatre Teaching Artists employ a variety of theatre-based techniques to guide students in discovering and expressing their own contemporary vision of the heroic self, a kind of “best practices” for life. The class then creates an original piece which will be rehearsed and presented to the extended school community. Curriculum Link: Social Studies, Language Arts — Grades 4-8

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Out of School Time Programs

Bring an Amas Musical Theatre Teaching Artist to your After School Program! Our residency programs

can be structured to fit in with your After-School program or combined with other activities and homework help.

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