<![CDATA[StageSmart - Blog]]>Mon, 23 Dec 2024 03:20:52 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[Try to Remember the Kind of September…]]>Wed, 18 Sep 2019 05:45:46 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/try-to-remember-the-kind-of-septemberWith mid-September here and everyone settled back into the rhythm of school and work, I find myself reflecting with gratitude on a year full of wonderful StageSmart adventures. Some years just feel bigger than others and a jam–packed year of events and projects continue to resonate, deeply.

Last September, I was most fortunate to serve as a US delegate to the Fourth International Teaching Artist Conference – ITAC4 – which was also the first to be held in the US. The incredible experience of exploring the conference theme of Artist as Instigator alongside teaching artists from around the world is captured masterfully in the linked essay by my long-time mentor and friend, Eric Booth, "father of the teaching artist profession," and brings it alive a year later as well as it did when first written. Do treat yourself to this piece and all the links within: https://bit.ly/2kmEERE

The Broadway League Education and Engagement Forum followed immediately upon the conclusion of ITAC4 and was a welcomed, productive, and decidedly different experience, given the focus on Broadway and Touring Broadway shows. The opening event of the Forum not only provided the joyous opportunity to drum along on djembe with Doug Manuel, creator of DJEMBE! the Show, it served as a conversation starter that led to StageSmart creating the Official Education Guide for DJEMBE! the Show, which premiered in Chicago in April 2019. A copy of the Education Guide is included here and I hope you’ll enjoy learning a bit more about DJEMBE! along with a taste of what StageSmart can provide your shows with both written educational materials and pre-show creative encounters that prepare your audiences of every age for a deeply personal experience of the performance.

Tomorrow The Broadway League Education and Engagement Forum begins again. Who knows what may follow…
DJEMBE! The Show Ed Guide Web.pdf
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]]><![CDATA[Happy New Year from StageSmart Teaching Artists!]]>Wed, 04 Jan 2017 17:18:58 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/happy-new-year-from-stagesmart-teaching-artistsPicture
As we embark on what we hope will be a year of great joy and creative discovery for all, we wanted to share some of the fun we had in 2016:

StageSmart delighted in developing a “Program of Creative Adventures” for the national tour of Finding Neverland – the story of how Peter became Pan. In telling the story of Peter Pan’s author J.M. Barrie, this enchanting musical celebrates the imagination in all of us.

We hope you’ll have an opportunity to see the show and participate in one of our “Creative Adventures” when you do! You’ll find the touring schedule and ticket information here: http://findingneverlandthemusical.com/tour/

To accompany the “Creative Adventures,” we've designed a “Discovery Quest” that will enrich the experience of Finding Neverland for any young theatergoer, whether they attend with their family or classmates. Clicking on the "Program of Creative Adventures" will allow you to see more. The Discovery Quest materials appear at the bottom of this blog post for your enjoyment. We invite you to share your experience using these experiential engagement tools on our Facebook and twitter pages.

StageSmart’s Study Guide for ELF the Musical was selected for ongoing use by the production during the 2016 Holiday Tour, for which we are both grateful and proud.

Beth Anne Musiker, StageSmart President, once again served as a member of TPAC’s lead teaching artist team, providing professional development in arts integration practices for Tennessee educators during both TPAC Education's Summer and Fall Institutes. She also worked directly with students grades K - 12 throughout the school year, preparing them to see shows presented as part of TPAC’s Season for Young People.

The TN Arts Commission’s statewide Conference, Collective Impact: Together as Change Agents, found StageSmart leading teaching artists in discussions designed as peer to peer professional development and an opportunity to build a stronger network across the state.

We are excited to see what kind of fun 2017 will bring! We welcome every opportunity to create and provide immersive experiential pre-show events for your venue and productions, wherever they may be and we look forward to hearing from you. Happy New Year!

]]><![CDATA[Busy Busy Fall! Join the Fun!]]>Sun, 25 Oct 2015 02:47:59 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/busy-busy-fall-join-the-funPicture
StageSmart Teaching Artists is having lots of fun this season and we invite you to join us!

StageSmart's President, Beth Anne Musiker, is proud to have been selected to present at ArtCamp 2 in Nashville on November 14th. Check it out here and join us if you're in town: http://artcampnashville.com

Beth Anne will also continue her work as a member of the teaching artist team providing professional development in arts integration practices for Tennessee educators during TPAC Education's Fall Institute the third week in November. 

Because there is always more fun to be had, Beth Anne will also be directing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for the inaugural community theatre production in Mt. Pleasant, TN. This wonderful adventure is being sponsored by the Mt. Pleasant Forward Foundation with support from the TN Arts Commission and Kids on Stage.


If you live near Mt. Pleasant, TN and want to get in on the action we welcome your participation and have many volunteer opportunities available! Send us an e-mail at info@stagesmart.org. Performances will take place December 17-20, 2015 and we'd love for you to make the show part of your Holiday entertainment.

Don't forget about ELF the Musical touring the country this Holiday season! See our blog post from August 31st for more information and a look at the official Study Guide created by StageSmart!

Let us know what we can do to provide experiential arts opportunities for your audiences, communities and shows! Need more info on anything in this blog post connect with us on Facebook or Twitter!
]]><![CDATA[ELF The Musical – Study Guide!]]>Tue, 01 Sep 2015 01:47:12 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/elf-the-musical-study-guidePicture
StageSmart Teaching Artists is delighted to have created the Official Study Guide for the 2015 Holiday Tour of ELF The Musical!

The Study Guide was created for 6th grade and is adaptable to most grade levels. Included are three complete StageSmart experiential, arts integrated lessons for the classroom, along with an interview with the show's director, Sam Scalamoni, wonderful productions photos and more!

Whether you love the movie, or you've never seen it, you'll love this modern classic holiday show! 

ELF The Musical is the hilarious and touching tale of Buddy the Elf. Not only does this show provide delightful holiday fun for all ages, it has a huge heart. In turn, it opens our own hearts and minds to the importance of our connections to one another; our need to balance expectations and disappointments; our struggle to establish a work-life balance; and our capacity to believe in the power of collective spirit and the magic of Christmastime.

This Study Guide is being offered exclusively to group ticket buyers and to you (see below), as a friend of StageSmart Teaching Artists! Why not bring your group of family, friends or students to see ELF The Musical in one of the many cities it will be playing this holiday season. Click the link for more information on the show and visit your venue's website for group ticket information: http://www.elfthemusicalontour.com 

Remember what Buddy says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”

Enjoy!
StageSmart Teaching Artists
elf_the_musical_study_guide.pdf
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]]><![CDATA[NYC....what is it about you?]]>Sun, 10 May 2015 00:16:42 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/nycwhat-is-it-about-youLast night we celebrated the opening of Annie Jr. at Mt. Pleasant Middle School for the Visual and Performing Arts. I was honored to have served as a guest director – mentoring and training both staff and students in preparation for their production. Everyone exceeded their own expectations and they delivered a terrific show! Naturally, their efforts were met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from friends, family and even board members of the wonderful "Kids on Stage" program that sponsors their theatre programming.

While the work done at Mt. Pleasant was a skills based training program offered via StageSmart Teaching Artists, the creative experiences we provide for Broadway and Touring Broadway shows are designed to engage audiences with the shows for which they are pre-ticketed.

No particular skill set required – just a willingness to have fun while exploring some of the creative challenges faced by the show's creators. These creative encounters are facilitated by StageSmart trained actors in the show and allow audience members to attend to the performance in a more deeply personal and connected way.

So, now that Annie Jr. is in the books it's time to really head to NYC!

So it's off to The Broadway League Engagement and Education Forum and Spring Road Conference we go!

This promises to be a crazy busy week full of new ideas, new shows, friends and colleagues old and new and, of course, lots of fun!

Below is a sneak peak at word magnet we've provided for the attendees. I'm sure this wonderfully creative group of folks will come up with some terrific word play to share!

Follow @stagesmarttas to keep up with everything along the way! Stay tuned!
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]]><![CDATA[StageSmarts landing here soon!]]>Mon, 16 Feb 2015 18:05:52 GMThttp://stagesmart.org/blog/stagesmarts-landing-here-soonPicture
What are you up to StageSmart?

So glad you asked! We've been traveling the country attending conferences, conventions and workshops (oh my!) in an effort to stay up to date on trends and best practices in the field so we can offer you the most impactful immersive arts experiences for engaging and developing your audience!

We'll be back soon to share what we've learned and how we can help you make a difference for your audience.

We invite you to reach out to us through twitter and facebook. 
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