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Storytelling and Musical Theatre
The following programs have been developed as 45-60 minute special events for libraries and schools and are geared towards children aged 4-10. All stories are participatory and engage the children with creative movement and by playing music and singing along.
Creature Teachers
"The deer represents gentleness, turtle carries its home on his back and gives us patience, eagle shows us the importance of vision and horse is strength and service."
Based on the Native American tradition of teaching with stories, Creature Teachers is an enlightening program that incorporates storytelling and puppet theater with participatory music and dance. The story is based on the Native belief that the ways of animals contain important life lessons. Children ages 4-8 contribute to the program by playing drums and percussion, singing and dancing along. After the story, everyone participates in a celebration of song and dance where we continue to share Native American rhythms, step dancing and rhythm games with the percussion instruments.
Rhythms of Life
"Boom-taka-taka-boom. In a small village in Nigeria, West Africa the community is awakened by the soft rhythm of the drummers. Boom-taka-taka-boom. Their first job is to wake up the chief and his family with a quiet song to welcome the day. Boom-taka-taka-boom. Their drums can be as loud as a herd of thundering elephants, but at this time of day they play as peacefully as a grazing herd of antelope."
 Thus begins Rhythms of Life, an uplifting, participatory storytelling event designed for children ages 6-10. Incorporating traditional storytelling, African music and dance, this life-affirming, multicultural program embodies positive life skills throughout. The story is based on the real-life early childhood experiences of Babatunde Olatunji growing up in Nigeria, West Africa. Children contribute to the program by playing, singing and dancing along and the finale is a fun, participatory musical event.
How Music Came to the Earth
"Finally the wind God touched down on the earth with the musicians and singers. They looked around curiously at the silent, waiting planet. Then they began to play."
Join Virginia Anderson and Craig Norton as they take you on a musical journey through time to when the Mayan Gods walked the earth before there was music. Children ages 4-8 will become the musicians, dancers and players in the story "How Music came to the Earth" as Playtivity brings to life this ancient Aztec legend. Storytime will be followed by a community drum circle where everybody participates in musical merriment.
Tree in the Wood
".and the green grass grew all around all around and the green grass grew all around."
After having a grand old time playing rhythm games and moving and grooving to the beat of the drum, children gather around Virginia and Craig as they put a new spin on the classic "Tree in the Wood". Children participate by using hand movements and singing with the chorus as they listen to an upbeat hip-hop rhythm that is the backdrop for this fun story. Improvisation is a highlight as the children guess in "what happens next?" This program is geared towards a younger audience that includes toddlers through kindergarten age children.
The Painted Balalaika
.and all of a sudden there was a ringing of bells and the drumming of drums and the paintings on the balalaika began to shift and change.
Everyone participates with playing their tambourines and drumming their drums as they become the wood nymphs and faeries playing along to this magical retelling of an old Russian story called "The Painted Balalaika". Virginia narrates and plays the balalaika while Craig plays the flute and wears many hats as father, shepherd, and czar of Russia. Children ages 4-8 play musical instruments, sing songs, and become enchanted as Virginia and Craig bring this Russian Cinderella story to life. After the story we all celebrate with some fun drumming, dancing and rhythm games.
The Hidden Treasure
"Yo ho ho ho.Ahoy there mateys! Set your sails on an adventure to find hidden treasure in far away lands.."
 Join Capn' Craig (Craig Norton) and the fair maiden, Kilani, (Virginia Anderson) as they
take you on a fun filled adventure to discover the hidden treasure in musical merriment. This participatory story is filled with twists and turns as children are introduced to world percussion instruments throughout the story. Children of all ages play act, sing songs and play fun rhythms aboard the HMS Playtivity in search of hidden treasure.
This story performance was developed by Playtivity for the Lucy Robbins Wells Memorial Library in Newington to help the library celebrate their summer reading program: RRRRR is for Reading! The program was presented during September 2006 for all of the Newington Elementary Schools.
The Drums of Noto Hanto
"Podo pada po DON kada DON.DON DON DON.."
This is a true story retold and illustrated with a beautiful message of creativity and courage. In a small fishing village off the coast of Japan, Noto Hanto is alarmed when they are warned of an approaching samurai ship. Both the adults and the children use the meager resources from the village in creative ways to ward off the ships and prevent a battle. Wearing wild masks, they played their drums whose tapping, pounding and booming voices "set trembling the very water of the sea." During the story, drums of different sizes are handed out to children ages 4-8 to play the parts of the drummers in the story. Craig acts out the parts encouraging the children to participate as Virginia plays the role of narrator.
Tabu and the Dancing Elephants
This story is set in an African Village with a little boy, Tabu and his parents who loves to play music. Tabu's favorite friends are dancing elephants who entertain him in the forest while his mother does the chores and his father goes about his business. One day, when the mother returned from working in the garden, she came back to their hut to find that Tabu had not returned from the forest. The fun begins when she sends her husband off in search of the imaginative little boy. This story is accompanied by the marimba and other African musical instruments. The children aged 3-6 are invited to play instruments and act out the parts of the story which features dancing elephants.
Ashiko the Spider (Ananzi's cousin)
"..when the African queen, Makeba, decided to have a celebration, she invited the best drummer in the village- Ashiko, but there's only one problem.."
Playtivity has created their own version of "Ananzi the Spider". Using puppets to represent the village members, participants are invited to join in the party by dancing and playing music as they go in search of Ashiko. Children ages 4-8 will celebrate in a delightful surprise ending which kicks off a fun, drum and dance party. |
