Classroom Matinee Touring Program Visits Over 30 Schools
Posted March 7, 2012 in Press Releases
Cleveland Play House (CPH) has kicked off a new education initiative to bring the magic of theatre directly into Northeast Ohio schools. The Classroom Matinee Touring Program featuring playwright Eric Schmiedl’s Man and the Moon is a one-hour performance and interactive group workshop. This touring program is scheduled to visit over thirty schools in northeast Ohio. The play features a company of two local actors and is directed by Pamela DiPasquale, CPH Education Director. The tour started on February 6, and once it concludes on April 20 almost 7,500 students will have participated in the program. All performances of the touring production are for pre-K to 3rd grade students and the price is determined on a sliding fee scale.
“Cleveland Play House is thrilled to be offering this accessible touring program. By bringing this program directly to the schools, we are preventing costly bus fees and preserving valuable instructional time,” said Pamela DiPasquale. “Observing 250 urban children participating in a theatre program that reflects the needs of their own community was profound.”
Man and the Moon, written by Eric Schmiedl, is a parable that tells the story of urban growth, decline and renewal. Artists from CPH transform the school’s multi-purpose room into a theatre where students enjoy the play. The two-actor touring company features Cleveland actors Terrell Richardson, Jr. and Andrea Belser, whose characters show the path of progress and the impact of circumstances on a city over time as it constituents move from its urban center to surrounding suburban areas.
The interactive workshop then engages students in a deeper understanding of the play, allowing them to explore how humans interact in both positive and negative ways to influence their entire community. Geography, places and regions, spatial thinking and skills, and human systems are integrated into lesson plans specific to each grade level.
For more information regarding details of the Classroom Matinee Touring Program, contact Education Director Pamela DiPasquale at pdipasquale@clevelandplayhouse.com or call 216-400-7060.
