We need Your Help

Kid Power and the Planet Protectors, our show about environmental issues, needs your help.

Kid Power Planet Protectors: Environmental Conservation Show by Kid Power Cares Inc. — Kickstarter 

 http://kck.st/XMbckm

It's a great project and every little bit helps.

Thanks.

"Age Appropriate"

Let’s talk about age appropriateness for a school show.  If you are reading this blog you probably know something about child development - either as a parent or as an elementary school educator.  Then you know that the difference in communication style and comprehension between a kindergartner and a fifth-grader can feel like they are not just five years apart, they are five light-years apart!  And you probably also know that many schools, when they book a program, want the program for the whole school, which usually means K-5 but could mean K-6 or even pre-K to 6.  That’s quite a range.  

So hear are some things to think about regarding age ranges and school performance material.

For some types of performances, the group or individual should be able to adjust the show so that it is appropriate for, say, grades K-2 and then for 3-5.  For example, if it is a story-teller - just one person, their microphone and maybe a few props - then one would hope that they have material appropriate for the different ages and the skill to adjust their vocabulary accordingly.  If it’s a musician or musical group, one would hope that when they talk about the music (if they do), they use language appropriate to the audience.  You should definitely ask a group before you book them if they adjust the show for different age groups. 

Which brings up our next point. If you are thinking of booking a show that has a lot of technical aspects or is a complex piece of theatre, it's possible that it only has one version. For example, if a show has original music, it's very difficult to have one set of songs for K-2 and another set for 3-5. That would mean, in effect, writing two shows about the same material and rehearsing two shows and staging two shows, etc., etc. Likewise, if a show has considerable technical effects, then chances are, the effects fit to specific words and timings in the script and having two versions of the show means having two versions of a soundtrack or a lighting plot or magic tricks or whatever. 

So what does that mean?  It means that many complex shows will probably be designed to target somewhere in the middle of the elementary school age range (actually, it will probably target the upper-middle, since a kindergartner will enjoy something geared towards a 5th grader even if they don't understand all of it, but the reverse is not necessarily the case). In this case, it is important to make sure the younger students have been prepped for the show.  Any good, professional company will send you a study guide before the performance and it should help you prepare your audience with vocabulary and concepts covered in the show.  Actually, it's a really good idea to do that with ANY show and with your whole audience - as we've mentioned before, bringing in an assembly or going on a field trip is an investment, and prepping your students is a great way to get the most out of your investment. 

Next time, we are going to look at the economics of Theatre for young audiences. 

How to Pick a School Assembly or field trip, Part 4

How to Book a Good School Show, Part 4

Kid Power makes educational shows for kids.  We bring them to schools all over the country as well as to small regional theaters where the kids come from their schools to see us. 

So if we were booking an assembly performance or field trip for your school, we would try to find the following:

1. Something the students can't get in any other way. 

2. Professionalism. 

3. A wide range of subjects and styles.  

4. A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum. 

Let’s talk about #4: A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum. 

“Wow, those lesson plans look great!” - That’s complimenting your school’s curriculum.  Ha!  We are hilarious. 

No matter how good a school show is, it's not going to take the place of in-class learning. If your kids see a great show about the environment or about health and nutrition, they will probably retain some of it.  But where an assembly program or field trip really pays off is when it is combined with in-class instruction. Then there is this wonderful synergy where they hear something in class and then hear it in a totally new way (for example, in a musical number) in an assembly, and the combination of the two makes much more of the learning stick. 

So you've got two ways to go here, or a combination of two ways:  you can find a program that fits into a curriculum that you know most of the school is doing - say, a science unit on the environment - or, you can book the show with enough lead-time so that the teachers can put together some material on the subject prior to the performance. Either of them work, but both of them require some forethought and some communication with the teachers in your school. We know it's not easy, but an assembly is an investment and you want that investment to pay off. 

Just as a side note here, if you want to book a show about the environment during the week of Earth Day or if you want to book a show about MLK during the week of his birthday, remember that everybody else wants to do that, too. You better book early. You might also consider that learning about how to protect the Earth can happen anytime, it doesn't have to be the week of Earth Day. It could save you a lot of hassles. 

Next, we will look at age-range challenges. 

Picking a School Assembly or Field Trip, Part 3

How to Book a Good School Show, Part 3

Kid Power makes educational shows for kids.  We bring them to schools all over the country as well as to small regional theaters where the kids come from their schools to see us. 

So. What kind of show would we book if we were in charge of assemblies for your school?  We came up with 4 main criteria:

1. Something the students can't get in any other way. 

2. Professionalism. 

3. A wide range of subjects and styles.  

4. A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum. 

Let’s talk about #3 on the list: A wide range of subjects and styles.

This one is pretty self-explanatory.  You want to have different kinds of shows over the 3 or 4 years it takes to turn over most of the population of kids at your school (if you have k-5 at your school, then most students are new every 4 years.)

Here’s something you might not have thought about, though: make sure that you have a range, not only of subjects, but of types of performances as well.  

Look at the shows your school has had in the last 2 years.  What subjects haven’t been covered?  Science?  Health?  Reading?  The Environment?  Social Studies?  Music?  Art?  

Then look at the types of performances.  Was there a play?  A 1-person presentation?  Story-telling?  A musical group?  A 2-person comedy performance?  A dance group?

If you’re new to booking outside performances and/or field trips for your school, it might seem like a lot of work to go back and find out what the school has had in the last 2 or 3 years.  But actually, it will save you time when you go to find a show.  For example, if you know you’re looking for a show about the physical sciences and you’d like it to be very active (maybe the last 3 assemblies were more stand-and-talk or sit-and-play), then it will be much easier for you to narrow down your choices.

Of course, if you find a company you like, you should definitely have them back.  Luckily, many of the groups you deal with will have several shows to choose from and, of course, your student population turns over every 4 or 5 years, depending on how many grades you have.  So you don’t have to completely start over every year. Just make sure you have a nice range of styles and subjects over the course of 3 or 4 years.

By the way, Kid Power has shows about both nutrition/health and about the Environment because those are two subjects about which we care very deeply. This works out well for you, because you can have us back the next year with a completely different subject. 

(We should probably mention here that in the near future we will have a 3rd show to add to our roster.)

Next post we will talk about the 4th criteria for booking a school show: reinforcing your school's curriculum.

Performances in March

Come see Kid Power's Operation Lunch Line 3D in March:


3/7/2012        Nashville, TN
3/13/2012 Cincinnati, OH (Norwood)
3/14/2012 Louisville, KY
3/16/2012 Merrillville, IN
3/21/2012 Cleveland, OH
3/22/2012 Toledo, OH
3/29/2012 Wichita, KS

http://www.kidpowerprograms.com

How to Pick an Educational School Show, Part 2

How to Book an Educational School Performance, Part 2

Kid Power makes educational shows for kids.  We bring them to schools all over the country as well as to regional theaters where the kids come from their schools to see us. 

So we got to thinking, what kind of show would we book for your school?  We came up with 4 main criteria:

1. Something the students can't get in any other way. 

2. Professionalism. 

3. A wide range of subjects and styles.  

4. A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum. 

Let’s talk about #2 on the list: Professionalism.

 A professional is “a person engaged in a specified activity, esp. a sport or branch of the performing arts, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.”  It’s also defined as “a person competent or skilled in a particular activity”.  

Practically speaking, we think professionalism means you can expect certain things from the organization presenting the show:

Professionalism means that the performers will show up on time at your school or the performance will start on time if you’re going to a theatre.  Professionalism means that the support materials will be good and that you will be able to get someone on the phone to answer your questions. Professionalism means that the show itself will be high-quality: the performers will be skilled; the material will be engaging; the audience will be able to see and hear; the content will be accurate and up-to-date.

How do you find that?

Well, you’re going to have to do a little research for this one. You need to look beyond the website or brochure of any group you’re thinking of booking.  Do a google search of the organization, but more importantly, do a search of the specific people involved with the show you want to book. There are a lot of booking organizations with multiple shows on their roster. The booking organization might be very professional, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all the performances you are interested in will be.  

Who wrote the show?  What other things have they created? Do they have any recognition in the field? Who is performing the show?  What are their other credits? Are the people connected to this production working in the field (and that means both the field of the performance - music, theatre, dance, etc. - and the field of education: a brilliant singer does not necessarily make a brilliant school show).  Find out everything you can. You should not feel shy about asking the company directly - by phone or email - for this kind of information. If they are hesitant to tell you about the skills and experience of the people involved in the production, that might be your answer right there.  

We wouldn’t place too much weight on the longevity of the organization itself. It could be a factor, but just because a company has been around for a long time, doesn’t mean they are professional - it just means they’ve had some kind of company for a long time.  Remember, anyone who can make a website and a brochure can have a company.  That doesn’t mean they have the quality of personnel and content that make for a professional performance.

We know this can seem a bit daunting, but most of this can be found out with a google search and a phone call to your top three picks.  A little research before you book could save you a lot of disappointment on the day of the assembly or field trip.  

Next post: #3. A wide range of subjects and styles.

How to Choose an Assembly Program, Pt 1

Ok, we've been talking about the important qualities one should look for in a school show. We thought of this list:

1. Something the students can't get in any other way. 

2. Professionalism. 

3. A wide range of subjects and styles.  

4. A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum. 

So let's talk about the first item. 

1. Something the students can't get any other way. 

We don't feel there's much use in booking a show that is similar to a lecture a teacher might give, nor does it make sense to book a show that feels like the students are watching a live documentary or video project. We're sure your school already has great teachers who create wonderful classroom presentations and we know you can buy DVD's or download excellent videos to help reinforce your curriculum. But if you're going to bring in a special program, it needs to be something that is unique. 

So what makes a school show unique?  

DIRECT PARTICIPATION

One of the main things that sets theatre apart from TV, film or even interactive technology is that the performers are in the same room as the audience and the performance is happening live. That means there is a direct relationship between the performer and the audience and it means that no two performances will ever be exactly the same. We think that live performance for students should highlight that aspect by having the audience be active participants (including some students participating ON STAGE) in the performance. It lets them know that this show is JUST FOR THEM and it creates a dialogue with them - both of which make the show more engaging and memorable. Not to mention fun. 

A UNIQUE PERSONALITY

A live presentation is going to be at its best when it has a singular personality and point of view. Of course, the content being presented must be educationally sound, but it needs to be more than a regurgitation of a couple of Wikipedia articles. We think you should pick a show that has a point of view, not just an interesting presentation of information. 

A STRONG COMBINATION

Good music can make a good show. Good performers can make an engaging show. Good technical elements (video, set, costumes, etc.) can make an interesting show. But the show you book should have a combination of most, if not all, of those elements.  The money allotted for shows or field trips is too precious to just settle for one thing. Even if a show is primarily about, for example, music, it should have more going for it than just good music: the performers should have personality; there should be some interesting visuals; it should have writing surrounding the music that does more than just introduce it. A worthy school show needs to have an effective combination of theatrical elements.  

We believe a successful performance for your students should be something that they could not get in any other way.  And we believe that direct participation, a strong personality and a balanced combination of theatrical elements can create a production that will supply that unique perspective for your students.

Next post we will look at #2 on our list of how to book a school show: professionalism.    

How to Pick an Educational Performance for Your School.

Kid Power makes educational shows for kids. We bring them to schools all over the country as well as to regional theaters where the kids come from their schools to see us.

So what kind of show would WE book, if we were booking for your school?

Well, one of ours, certainly. No surprise there.

But we would book our performances because we believe that our shows follow what we think are the 4 most important school show criteria:

1. Something the students can't get in any other way.
2. Professionalism.
3. A wide range of subjects and styles.
4. A program that reinforces and/or complements your school's curriculum.

We firmly believe that our shows fit all of these guidelines. And in our next few posts, we are going to look at these 4 criteria in more detail.

Feedback from a recent performance of Kid Power Operation Lunch Line 3D.

“I went to the Kids Power Program this am and I just want to tell you that I thought it was fantastic!!  I am a school nurse and oh how refreshing it was to have a PLANT-BASED theme of good nutrition!  LOVED the media literacy issue about the ‘skinny model’, too. SUCH A GREAT SHOW!!! The costumes were hilarious also! As an adult health educator it was pure joy to discover a program that addressed  the issues of unhealthy eating and lack of exercise in such an entertaining, informative and, like I said before, plant-based theme!  30,000 plants!!!! Thank you thank you thank you. This program will be an annual event for us!”

Penny Tylor R.N., B.S.N

Health Coordinator

Diocese of Tucson Schools

St. Ambrose School Nurse

Next week, we're going to talk about how WE would choose a performance for a school.

Stay tuned.

Introduction

Kid Power Programs creates live educational performances to promote the health of our children and the health of our planet. 

We currently have three shows ready to help educate and entertain your K-6 students.  For in-school assemblies, there is 

"Kid Power and the Planet Protectors"

 or

 "Kid Power: Operation Lunch Line 3D."

You can also choose a field trip to one of our National Tour venues for an expanded version of "Kid Power: Operation Lunch Line 3D."

At Kid Power we have three goals:

1. To educate the students and reinforce your curriculum in a clear and professional way. 
2. To entertain in an appropriate, fun and creative way. 
3. To engage the students and have them participate in the show in a way that makes the material memorable and exciting.  

In order to achieve these goals we have assembled an award-winning creative team with an average 30 years of experience in Theatre for Young Audiences. We have tested the shows and performed them in schools and theaters all over the country. We continue to update the shows with the latest information on nutrition, exercise and the environment.  And we hire amazingly talented professional actors to deliver our message in a dynamic, intelligent and appropriate performance. 

In this blog, we will give you more details on our productions, let you "backstage" into our creative process and, in general, talk about Theatre For Young Audiences and the rewards and challenges of presenting educational shows on health and the environment.  We hope you will join in the discussion. 

And we hope most of our posts won't sound nearly as formal as this one. 

Kid Power Coming Soon

Watch this space for Kid Power's posts on Theatre for Young Audiences, Health and Environmental education and anything else that seems interesting in the Kid Power world.

Kid Power Programs