Arts Education Tailored to Individual Educational

The Mayo Performing Arts Center Residency programs offer students a unique opportunity to work with professional artists and to experience the arts right in their classroom.

This program is intended to work very closely with the classroom teacher to enhance current curriculum through the use the arts.

Participation in Arts Residency programs reinforce skills in reading comprehension, following directions, public speaking, critical thinking, conflict resolution, team building, concentration, memorization, character development, and problem solving. Participation in any creative process provides youth with a better understanding of their peers, their communities and the world as a whole.

Residency Packages

A STANDARD RESIDENCY PACKAGE INCLUDES:

  • 12 residency classes
  • 1 pre-residency planning meeting with artist
  • Curriculum materials for classes and performances
  • Teacher training workshop
  • End of residency showcase/demonstration for families
  • Discounted tickets to performances at MPAC – based on availability
  • Residency packages can also be developed to meet the specific needs and time

Shakespeare

Students will work with a professional classical theater actor/director to explore and gain better access to the works of William Shakespeare.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Text analysis and comprehension – Students will analyze two contrasting pieces by William Shakespeare for better understanding of text, language and plot.
  • Basic skills of the actor – Students will be introduced to basic performance skills necessary to handle classic text, including voice, movement, relaxation, and improvisation.
  • Character development – Students will analyze the characters in the two contrasting pieces they are working with. They will learn how the actor takes on a character and will explore background, relationships and objectives.
  • Basic skills of the actor – Students will be introduced to basic performance skills necessary to handle classic text, including voice, movement, relaxation, and improvisation.
  • Character development – Students will analyze the characters in the two contrasting pieces they are working with. They will learn how the actor takes on a character and will explore background, relationships and objectives.

Suggested grade levels:

7-12

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, history, literature

Playwriting

With the guidance of a professional playwright/instructor, students will learn about all of the elements involved in writing scenes and plays.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Structure – Students will learn about all of the technical elements involved in playwriting, including: structure, dialogue, plot, character development and form.
  • Self expression – Students will be given a unique forum to explore thoughts and opinions through a structured art form.
  • Group collaboration – The class will work as a community of artists, sharing ideas, and supporting and collaborating with one another while developing original monologues, scenes and theatre presentations.

Suggested grade levels:

5-12

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, literature, history, drama

Reader’s Theatre

Lead by a professional instructor, students will focus on reader’s theatre shared storytelling that is aligned with school curriculum.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Storytelling thru:
  • Reading Comprehension-Students will use their reading and speaking skills to understand a short story, characters, relationships & objectives
  • Movement & Interpretation- Focusing on movements & gestures student will learn to speak with their entire bodies.
  • Speaking Out Loud: Learning to project their voices, students will bring characters from stories to life using different emotions and speaking with confidence in front of others.

Suggested grade levels:

2-4

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, literature, history, drama

History Plays

Lead by a professional instructor, students will focus on bringing History to life by performing a play that tells the story of a particular person or moment in history.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Movement & Interpretation:  Students will bring their story to life using their bodies and voices as a means for interpretation.
  • Acting & Reacting – Through the use of exercises and acting scenes students will explore setting and relationship choices to help define a scene
  • Characters & Objectives- Using the plots of their history plays, students will talk about what their characters want or need and how to interpret their parts.
  • Environment- Students will talk about the time, settings, and situations of their stories and how they can be infused into their plays.

Suggested grade levels:

4-6

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, literature, history, drama

Dance/Movement

A professional dancer/instructor will lead this technique-oriented movement program and guide the students through various dance styles and concepts.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Body and spatial awareness – Through the use of exercises and combinations, the students will learn to control their body and movement and gain a better understanding of their surroundings.
  • Focus and discipline – Through the use of repetition and concentration exercises, this structured program will emphasize individual and group involvement, focus and discipline.
  • Choreography – The students will learn choreography, and breakdown dance combinations to better understand their story and structure.

Suggested grade levels:

3-12

Curriculum tie-ins:

Math, physical education, language

Creative Drama

Under the guidance of a professional actor/instructor, this process-oriented class will target all aspects of a student’s creative life.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Basic acting skills – Through the use of improvisation and theatre games, the students will be introduced to basic acting technique, stage presence and character development.
  • Creative expression – While having fun with storytelling and other artistic activities, students develop the basic tools of creative expression.
  • Improvisation – Students will learn the basic skills in involved in improvisational performance while gaining self-confidence and building their acting skills.
  • Group collaboration – The class will work as a community of artists, sharing ideas, supporting and collaborating with one another while working on exercises and scenes.

Suggested grade levels:

K-3 Creative Drama; 4-12 Drama & Improv

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, history, art, literature

Musical Theatre

Students will work with a Broadway professional to explore the exciting world of musical theater.

Residency work will focus on:

  • Musical theater background and analysis – Students will be given material from Broadway musicals. They will learn about the composer/lyricist, artistic team, cast, and the performance history of the musical. They will also get a broad overview of general musical theater history.
  • Basic acting skills – Through the use of improvisation and theatre games, the students will be introduced to basic acting technique, stage presence and character development.
  • Movement – Through the use of basic theater dance combinations and warm-up routines, the students will gain basic movement vocabulary and a better control of body movement.
  • Vocal technique – Students will work on breath control, diction, and placement while performing class song selections and warm-up exercises.
  • Song performance and analysis – Students will learn to interpret and express the lyrics of a song.

Suggested grade levels:

3-12

Curriculum tie-ins:

Language, history, drama, music, math, physical education