Arts Enrichment for Schools

“I just wanted to write a short note to let you know how wonderful your teachers are. Matthew is so good with these younger kids and certainly knows how to keep them engaged, and today Kim was fantastic too! It was so nice to hear giggles from my daughter throughout the class. Please pass on my appreciation to both of them for all their hard work in engaging these kids over a computer – they do a marvelous job. All the creative content that they come up with and improvise on the spot to keep them going along is so nice to see.” – Outreach 2020 Parent

Studio East has provided high-quality theater classes, workshops, and productions to local schools for over 28 years. When the pandemic hit back in March, Studio East was the first in western Washington performing arts organizations to adapt their classes and programming to be completely virtual. With experienced, best in the biz teaching artists, we are excited to offer in-person, virtual and hybrid fall programming this year for Grades 1-12. Our goal is to come alongside you, and support and inspire your students in their creative remote learning.

With Studio East, your students are given a safe environment to learn: Confidence, Self-esteem, Team-building, Responsibility, Time Management, Literacy, Public Speaking, Perseverance, and 21st Century Skills!

Take a look below at all of the ways you and your school or class can get involved with Studio East!

Questions? Contact our Education Director, Corey Dunne.

We’d love your help spreading the word about our programming! For messaging and promotional materials see our PTSA page.

+ ArtReach

ArtReach

ArtReach is a 6 week after-school residency program that for over 20 years has partnered with east side PTSAs to co-produce your school’s play, and this year we’re going virtual!

Our best in the biz Teaching Artists will guide your students through auditions, rehearsals, and filming while parent volunteers may choose to work behind the scenes to create programs, sell tickets, advertise performances, coordinate concessions, and more (all optional).

In addition to virtual rehearsals, Studio East will provide a digital activity packet to engage our young actors in some of the behind the scenes tasks. Students will be asked to create their own costumes at home from items around their house, design and create Zoom background images to be shared with the entire cast and implemented as scenery for the recordings, and build props out of recycled materials found around the house.

Interested in bringing ArtReach to your school? Contact our ArtReach Coordinator, Vincent Orduna, for more details.

Testimonials:

“Studio East ArtReach has allowed all of my children to participate in something they love. If it weren’t for this program that comes to our schools they would not be able to be so involved in theater. It has made a huge impact on their goals for the future and keeps them involved in a very positive way with other students at their schools.”

“I was so thankful that my student had a place where she was completely enthralled and excited and involved. This child is very hard to please, so this was a real gift.”

“My son’s self esteem has increased significantly by participating in this program. He did not want it to end and had no issues with staying late to practice. He was happy to get to know more of his fellow students which he would not have had the opportunity just by attending school.”

+ After School Enrichment

After School Enrichment

After School enrichment classes give children the opportunity to explore theater, when it may not be provided in school. Our classes typically meet once a week for 8 to 10 weeks, but can be customized to fit your particular after school needs. Classes are designed to run between 1–2 hours in length immediately following the school day on your campus. All classes culminate in a final informal showcase for friends and family.

Popular classes include

Acting 101
Learn to act! We’ll explore character creation through improvisation, theater games, and scenes work. We will build an encouraging environment in which to play!

Broadway Kids
A musical theater extravaganza! Students will learn a song, add movement, and create a scene to go with it. This class will focus on building creativity through vocal and physical exploration of music.

Wacky One Act
Starting from scratch, we’ll use our imaginations to create a spectacular story – anything goes! Then we’ll put our story on stage, creating wacky new characters and the set and costumes to bring them to life. We’ll work together to become writers, directors, actors, and designers.

Drama Medley
A perfect theater sampler for those who want to taste it all! Every week we will explore a different subject such as Improvisation, Physical Comedy, and Stage Combat. We will also learn basic acting technique, and show off our favorite scenes and games at the end of the session. A great place for young actors to have a ton of fun!

Other fun classes include
• Improvisation
• Stage Combat
• Scene Study
• Shakespeare
• Story Drama
• And many more!

Have a program idea? We are happy to work with you to develop a customized program for your school.

Interested in bringing a program to your school? Contact Education Outreach Coordinator, Kaysy Ostrom, for more details.

+ In-School Residencies

In-School Residencies

Enhance your school’s curriculum through a hands-on interactive class. We offer a wide variety of school day programs from one-day workshops to year-long residencies. Lessons are customized to enrich subjects taught in your classroom; fulfilling learning standards while teaching students life skills.

Playwriting
A fun interactive program paired with your English class. Over 10 weeks students will learn what it takes to develop a story, ending the class with their own short play.

Public Speaking
Confidently address the whole class and future boardrooms! Through games and exercises you will gain public speaking skills focusing on breath and voice techniques, body language, and audience engagement.

Shakespeare
Shakespeare as the Bard intended! Bring Shakespeare’s plays to life and learn how to speak and understand the language through exercises on iambic pentameter, rhythm, and modern day translations.

Theater Skills
Enhance your school’s existing drama program with specialized workshops in Stage Combat, Improvisation, or many other skills based classes.

Interested in bringing a program to your school? Contact our Education Outreach Coordinator, Kaysy Ostrom, for more details.

+ Mainstage Field Trips

There will be no Mainstage Weekday Matinees (field trips) for the 2020-21 school year.

Each school year, we invite schools to join us for a Studio East Mainstage School Matinee performance. These shows are approximately 2 hours long with an intermission, and are performed at the Studio East Mainstage Theater. Performers are our student cast, ages 8 through 19.

Tickets are $10/person for groups of 10 or more.

Please reach out to tickets@studio-east.org or call 425.820.1800, for more information and to make a reservation for your school, organization, or homeschool group.

Learn more HERE.

+ StoryBook Theater Field Trips

There will be no StoryBook Theater Weekday Matinees (field trips) for the 2020-21 school year.

Each season, we invite schools to bring their students to a StoryBook Theater show and experience the magic of live theater! StoryBook Theater offers weekday matinees for groups of 10 or more. Group tickets are only $9 for school matinee tickets to our StoryBook Theater season.

StoryBook Theater productions are 55-minute musical fairytale adaptations, written especially for young people ages 3-10, but fun for grown-ups too. Every story includes audience participation, and conveys a positive life lesson for children. StoryBook shows are never scary and always have a happy ending.

StoryBook Theater performs at Renton’s Carco Theatre, Kirkland Performance Center, Shoreline Conference Center, Everett PUD Auditorium.