Come to us or we’ll come to you! Our youth education program offers programs that can travel to your school or facility, or exciting opportunities to bring a group on a field trip.
Beyond the Stage Door Field Trips
Raleigh Little Theatre’s award winning education program is proud to offer this exciting drama based field trip. The two hour field trip includes a one-hour workshop and a one-hour backstage tour.
Theatre Workshop (one hour)
Choose one of these workshop options:
- Stories Alive! Workshop (for grades k-5)
- In this one hour workshop, students will participate in theatre exercises designed to sharpen skills every actor needs including the importance of listening, following directions, supporting others and focusing. Fun theatre exercises help to loosen the body and tighten the brain. Movement exercises help young actors discover how to communicate with their bodies. Finally, the class will bring a story to life using the skills they have learned.
- Act It Workshop (for grades 6-8)
- Students will learn the basics of effective communication through physical and vocal expression. Fun theatre games help to reinforce the value of focus and the importance of teamwork.
Lunch option
Between the workshop and the theatre tour, students may choose to take a half hour lunch break. The group supplies the lunches.
Backstage Tour (one hour)
Students will get a rare look at the world the audience doesn’t see including the costume shop, dressing rooms, backstage and the scene shop. Students will also get an actor’s view of our stages.
Cost for a two-hour field trip:
- For 10-14 students: $145.00
- For 15-30 students: $160.00
If number exceeds 30, we recommend that students be placed in more than one workshop grouping. RLT can accommodate up to 60 children per Field Trip. In the first hour, one group tours while the other attends the Stories Alive Workshop. In the second hour the groups switch.
Dress for Drama! Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothing which allows for freedom of movement and closed toe shoes (like sneakers).
School Residencies and Workshops
Raleigh Little Theatre is excited to offer theatre based programs to schools.
Let’s Write a Play!
Five Day Residency for grades K-5 grade.
In this five day residency, students will learn the building blocks of a story. They will then use “on your feet” theatre exercises to create a story, explore skills for acting out the story, discover ways to reveal character through their bodies and voices and learn ways to turn narration into dialogue. The result is a play of their own which they can rehearse and perform at a later date.
Teachers may choose to create an original fairy tale, a “How Come” story similar to Native American legends or a story which teaches a lesson. RLT teacher may visit 4 classes per day. Exercises are adjusted according to age group, for example the older students may do more work in small groups.
Stories Alive!
Workshop for grades K-5
In this one hour workshop, students will participate in theatre exercises designed to sharpen skills every actor needs. A brief discussion of the rules helps to reinforce the importance of listening, following directions, supporting others and focus. A check in or introduction exercise invites students to think outside the box and turn on their imaginations. Warm up exercises help loosen the body and tighten (focus) the brain. Movement exercises help young actors learn to communicate with their bodies. Vocal exercises teach students that the tone of their voices says more than the words themselves. Once these are completed the class participates in bringing a story to life.
Teachers may choose from a variety of stories representing different cultures, supporting important character traits or expanding the students understanding of a school topic. The Stories Alive! Program may be offered as a single workshop or a residency according to the needs of the school.
Books on Stage Literacy Program
Three Day Residency for grades 1-5.
This three day residency uses theatre exercises to promote excitement about reading and improve literacy skills. Using theatre strategies helps to increase comprehension, enjoyment and confidence in emerging readers. Participants are asked to read a selected book prior to artists’ visit. Participants will be able to identify elements of a story (plot, setting, characters, problem, resolution.) More importantly by becoming the characters in the book and reenacting scenes, students gain a better understanding of the book and feel a more personal connection with it. They, the reader, become a very important part of the process.
Book used will be chosen according to age group. Examples are Where The Wild Things Are snd Miss Nelson is Missing. Note: For the school year 2016/2017 for grade 4 we recommend using James and the Giant Peach. In April, 2017, Raleigh Little Theatre will present James and the Giant Peach in our Cantey V. Sutton Theatre.
Optional one hour Books On Stage Literacy Program follow up workshop (PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT for teachers) RLT teachers will meet with classroom teachers to unpack the drama based strategies employed during the workshop so they can use the strategies with any story they teach. Additional fee.
WORDS, WORDS, WORDS: What does Shakespeare really mean?
Two Day Workshop for grades 6-10 for total 2 hours.
“To be or not to be, that is the question.” “O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Sure these are some of the most famous Shakespeare quotations but what do they mean? Students will explore the magnificence of Shakespeare’s dialogue and text and learn fun tricks for decoding this flowery way of speech. In this workshop, participants will explore the different tools Shakespeare employs in his writing to reveal character, intention, and action for actors.
Through performance and text analysis, participants in this class will learn how Shakespeare uses language to aid our understanding of his great stories, not to confuse us. All examples used during the workshop can be catered to the specific play your class is studying! Students will gain confidence in reading and performing Shakespeare and learn techniques to approach all of his texts.
Tailor Made Workshops/Residencies
The teachers at Raleigh Little Theatre will work with schools to design workshops which support curricula and meet the needs of the students. Possibilities include Character Development, Auditioning, Stage Combat and History Alive! Workshops.
Technical Information
In most cases, RLT’s outreach programs require only a clear open space which allows for freedom of movement. If music is used, access to an outlet is needed.
Fee Structure:
Workshops: $80.00 per hour
Stage Combat: $100.00 per hour
Three Day Residency (12 hours) includes 4 classes per day and one hour planning: $1,010.00
Five Day Residency (20 hours) includes 4 classes per day and one hour planning: $1,650.00
Bookings and more information
To schedule a field trip or residency, or to get more information, please contact Meredyth Pederson, Education Director, education@nullraleighlittletheatre.org, (919) 821-4579 ext 245.