FINAL REPORT 2013-2014
THE ALLEY THEATRE
T
he mission of the Alley Theatre is to deepen the understanding of ourselves, one another, and the world we share by uniting theatre artists and audiences to experience the power of stories that illuminate the breadth and complexities of the human condition.
APPLYING THEATRE within OUR COMMUNITY
T
he Mission of the Education department at the Alley Theatre is to become a driving force for exemplary arts education practices, to nurture the next generation of theatre artists, and to harness the power of theatre to motivate community engagement, discourse, and empathy.
GATHER / NURTURE / ENGAGE / EDUCATE
1
THANK YOU O
ver the course of the 2013-2014 season, our community helped the Alley Theatre provide 202,610 educational contact hours to students, educators, patrons and community members. All told, the Alley Theatre’s education programs served 56,438 students and 1,940 teachers from 147 schools and 36 independent school districts. CORPORATIONS Anadarko Petroleum Corporation BBVA Compass Deloitte Enbridge Energy Company GDF Suez Halliburton JPMorgan Chase Kinder Morgan Foundation Macy's Marathon Oil Corporation Shell Oil Company Spectra Energy Wells Fargo Wood Group FOUNDATIONS Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Olshan Foundation Harvey Charitable Trust Jack and Annis Bowen Foundation Lillian Kaiser Lewis Foundation Hamman Foundation The Powell Foundation National Corp. Theatre Fund Knox Charitable Foundation GOVERNMENT Harris County Department of Education Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
2
OVERVIEW
3
STAGING STEM W
e are especially pleased by the strong response to our new arts integration initiative, Staging STEM, which combines theatre arts integration techniques that allow elementary teachers to teach challenging concepts in science, technology, engineering and math in more effective and engaging ways. This year we piloted Staging STEM in 7 two-week residencies that served one complete grade level. Working in tandem with HISD’s implementation of new learning objectives in STEM education, each residency’s curriculum was specifically molded to the districts new guidelines and the school’s needs. During one of our two-week residencies in Sharpstown, students from six 2nd grade classes learned about fractions and place value by bunny-hopping a number line and working with two-step math problems by packaging carrots in their very own factory. When tested the average overall retention of knowledge went 20 percent. In an English Language Learners class where children spoke seventeen different languages, vocabulary retention increased as much as 80 percent. This adds to the weight of evidence showing that properly implemented, high-quality theatre arts integration programs can have a powerful impact on young learners. In view of these results, HISD has asked the Alley to expand Staging STEM to 21 schools. Word continues to spread to other districts as well, leading us to expect a 400% increase in activity in 2014-2015.
“It was remarkable to observe the way the instructors presented different concepts in Science through dramatization, which even inspired those students who are often reluctant to participate, to become excited and get involved.” —Sandra Coley, 5th Grade, Sutton Elementary
4
OSKAR and the BIG BULLY BATTLE! T
his season’s Alley Shows for Kids (ASK) touring show, Oskar and the Big Bully Battle!, has been a runaway success across Harris County. To meet high demand, the sold-out tour was extended not once, but twice, and the overwhelmingly positive response has prompted us to continue the tour in the fall of 2014. Here’s the story. Oskar is 10! Oskar loves his new shoes! They belong in a museum of GRRRReatness! Or, at least they did until Frank steps on them. If apologies had happened then and there, the playground mishap would not have escalated into a humorous adventure illustrating the roles of victim, bully, bystander, and upstander. While the show deals with its subject in a humorous fashion, it makes a serious impact on student behavior. This assembly was developed by school administrators and theatre artists to help students understand the multiple perspectives involved in an escalating incident of bullying. Ultimately, students were taught how to respond when they are on their own playgrounds. Teachers, principals and administrators raved about the play, stating it was, “the best show we’ve seen in seven years.” In addition to the performance, schools receive a comprehensive Companion Guide to lead teachers and students through important subjects in the play. The Companion Guide contains activities and discussion questions specially designed to help teachers incorporate the play’s lessons into the classroom. One Katy Independent Kindergarten emailed at the end of the year to tell us that she still used, “What would Oskar do,” to help her students understand their own behaviors.
“From kindergarten through 5th grade, the kids were enthralled with the story. The performance was top-notch and by far our top performance in 3 years. Being at a title 1 school, many of these kids may never see a quality play and not only the lessons but the professionalism of the performers really gave the kids something to remember.” ̶ Stephens Elementary School PTA
5
SLAM POETS @ ALLEY THEATRE O
ur popular Slam Poetry program continues to grow, expanding from 4 residencies in 2012-2013 to 15 this season. This 5- to 16-day Artist-in-Residence Program helps every teen tell their story. When shared, these stories deepen mutual understanding and ignite community discourse. Our mission is to teach students the vital skills necessary to cultivate and nurture their own dynamic voices. We want to instill in students the courage to articulate and defend their most personal ideas and experiences in a public forum. By doing this work, the Alley Theatre enables students to become effective and creative communicators throughout their entire lives. We also started a thriving partnership with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, conducting Slam Poetry residencies at 3 juvenile detention centers, delivering 55 classes and 730 contact hours for 57 at-risk teens. The feedback from probation officers has been very positive, noting improvements in attitude, self-expression and study habits in particular. All schools participate in the Young Poets’ Slam, TEENPALOOZA, held on the Alley Theatre’s Neuhaus Stage each fall and winter. This year’s young Poets’ Slam, conducted in partnership with Writers In The Schools, gave poets the opportunity to compete for coveted spots on State and National Slam Poets Teams. In it’s inaugural year one of our poets ,Te’rell Cloud, placed first in the State of Texas and competed in the US national grand slam.
“The Alley has created an open door with the Slam Poets training model to have young people express – and to change their lives and world.” — Natalie Martinez, English Department Chair, Reagan High School 6
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS “My ability to do my best was brought out through this program. In the beginning, I was not aware of many of the things I’ve learned and I feel like I will be able to take great things away from this.” — Johnston Middle School Student
T
he Alley Theatre encourages schools to tap into to the resources of a professional theatre through the Alley Theatre School Partnerships! With the guidance of the Alley Theatre’s Education Department, Drama and English departments craft an arts education action-plan that complements the academic work done in classrooms. Partnership schools have access to the broad slate of workshops that the Education Department offers, as well as exclusive partnership programs that include the 360° Residencies in Shakespeare, Movement, and Playwriting, and Slam Poets @ Alley Theatre. Through discussions with teachers, we developed two new offerings this year — Monologues 101 and Theatre Through the Ages, a workshop that dovetails with World History TEKS. Students build self-confidence and hone skills they will use for the rest of their lives: learning to communicate effectively, resolve problems and conflicts, and work as a team. After focused conversations this year we have redesigned the program for 2014-15 to reach more deeply into schools by reaching into English departments as well with workshops in Shakespeare and the Greeks. Through the Alley Theatre’s deep personal involvement with teachers in each school, Alley staff members work closely with school leaders to design and monitor the progress of each partnership. In 2013-2014, the Partnership Program served 1,428 students and 111 teachers in 11 schools, delivering 6,175 contact hours.
For the 2013-2014 school year, the Alley Theatre’s official Partnership Schools were: Black Middle School (Houston ISD, Title 1) Carnegie Vanguard High School (Houston ISD) Humble High School (Humble ISD, Title 1) Katy High School (Katy ISD) Lee High School (Houston ISD, Title 1) Mayde Creek High School (Katy ISD) Milby High School (Houston ISD, Title 1) Reagan High School (Houston ISD, Title 1)) Austin High School (Houston ISD, Title 1) Sharpstown High School (Houston ISD, Title 1) High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Houston ISD)
7
ALLEY YOUTH COMPANY
A
lley Youth Company was a CASE After School Initiative grant-funded project from October 2013 to February 2014. Chosen from extensive auditions, 19 high school students from across the Houston area had the opportunity to learn how to build a touring theatre company and develop an original piece of theatre. Approaching Maximum Entropy was the result of over 100 hours of work between the students, Alley staff, and Alley Teaching Artists. The production combined movement, poetry, and dialogue to address current issues that teens are faced with on a daily basis and which are extremely relevant to their generation. The topics varied from local to global economic issues and showed the diverse backgrounds of the students’ struggles, including depression, self-image, bullying, dating and independence. Public performances were held in 6 different venues throughout Houston and serving over 320 audience members.
“What a great finale for the hard-working production team of the 2013-2014 Alley Youth Company— Approaching Maximum Entropy! …Coming from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods, the group gathered early in the fall with a challenge and a mission – create, produce and perform a play relevant to their demographic group... Sophie absolutely thrived in that environment. She quickly assessed her own strengths and interests and figured out how she wanted to contribute. Importantly, she made it through that middle period of any creative process where the situation looks grim and messy, and doubt begins to rise… but she stuck with it and saw a great product at the end. What a great life lesson! Many thanks to you, Mary and all those involved at the Alley Theatre for supporting this unique and effective initiative.” ̶ Mark E. Worscheh, AYC Parent
8
HYPE (HOUSTON YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS EXCHANGE) H
ouston Young Playwrights Exchange (HYPE) cultivates and showcases the talents of Houston teen playwrights. Over 160 students submitted 10-minute plays this year, six of which were selected to be HYPE playwrights. The HYPE playwrights continued developing their scripts throughout the summer with intensive workshops under the guidance of Alley teaching artists and guest mentors. After one-on-one coaching through casting, rehearsal, and production, the HYPE playwrights presented their plays in staged readings on the Alley’s Neuhaus Stage. The 2013 HYPE playwrights and productions were: Gerardo Velasquez, Soup and Gift Baskets Alric Davis, Different, Damaged, Damned Natasha Wright, The God Erotic Camron Alexander, Eloquence Katie Morrison, Pamoja Na Wema Angela Montante, Dorothy Brandy Barfield-Rood, Theatre Director at Humble High School, stated "I have witnessed a student transformations. Kids that think they have nothing to say and are incapable of writing become playwrights that have a voice and an outlet for their creativity."
“HYPE was absolutely life-changing. I loved the process so much. No one sugar-coated anything and everything was honest and genuine. I learned so much about writing and I love it so much more now than I ever have. It has prepared me for my future endeavors in the dramatic arts.” — Gerardo Velasquez, 2013 HYPE Playwright 9
ALLEY PLAY MAKERS
P
lay Makers camps were redesigned this year with a new vision to integrate science concepts using theatre techniques. Camps doubled enrollment from last year, making 2013-2014 the most successful year to date with over 240 students. Campers rotated through classes in movement, acting, playmaking and crafts taught by master teaching artists. On a scale of 1 to 5 (one being lowest and 5 highest) 99% of parents ranked the overall educational experience between 4 and 5. Our model strives to bring Playwriting skills and Science concepts to life as campers create plays based on curriculum themes such as precipitation, the life cycle of the butterfly, and climate change. For example, the story of the Magfield’s and the McCoyles, based on the Hattfields and the McCoys, showcased the campers new excitement for and knowledge of electricity. Parents have been amazed as children came home with new vocabulary and gestures for science and theatre concepts. Students study concepts that they will be learning in the classroom, giving them a jump start to their school year. The Alley is encouraging campers to see science in a new light and to continue learning new skills even while away from school. The theatre lessons of confidence and effective communication will last a lifetime, whether campers grow to become scientists or actors.
2013
CAMP ENROLLMENT
2014
“He is becoming less inhibited at Play Makers – he is not an inhibited child at home, but is shy in company. This performance was a huge breakthrough – projecting his voice; lines well articulated.” — Play Makers Parent
10
ALLEY CONSERVATORY
T
he inaugural season of the Alley Conservatory was comprised of a select group of 21 middle and high school artists from the Houston area. These promising young artists auditioned for the chance to receive five weeks of intense training in acting, voice, playwriting, and movement with our Alley Teaching Artists and resident company members, offering the unique opportunity to create a completely new and original piece of theatre. Guiding these students through the writing, refining, and production process, the Conservatory trained the next generation of theatre artists to explore and express their views of society and of the world around them. The perspectives shared by the Conservatory were as diverse as the members of the ensemble, ranging from various socioeconomic backgrounds and family situations. In addition to refining theatre skills, members of the Conservatory had chances to meet and be mentored by Alley Theatre directors and professional artists. The Conservatory culminated in two original productions, After Images and Crossroads. Both productions were premiered to much acclaim on the Alley Theatre Neuhaus Stage to large and supportive audiences.
“She wasn’t sure what to expect – it was more challenging than she thought it would be at first but I have seen her mature and progress throughout the 5 weeks and tonight’s performance was amazing.” — Conservatory Student Parent
11
STUDENT MATINEES
F
or more than four decades, Alley Student Matinees and School Nights have introduced hundreds of thousands of Houston schoolchildren to live professional theatre. Companion guides, produced by the ECE Department for each production, provide context and background and explore the plays’ central themes. Teaching Artists conduct classroom workshops to prepare the students for the performances, and afterwards, they engage them in moderated discussions and activities based on the plays. To ensure access, admission to Matinee and School Night performances is subsidized and costs no more than a movie ticket ($12.50). In recent years, the Alley’s student performances have included such classics as Our Town, Othello, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Arsenic and Old Lace, Doubt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Much Ado About Nothing, A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Miser, After the Fall, The Crucible, Sherlock Holmes, Proof, Twelfth Night and The Glass Menagerie. During the course of the 2013-2014 season, 14,821 students and educators attended Student Matinees, School Nights and in-school workshops staffed by theatre professionals. Students attended performances of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Kaufman and Hart’s classic You Can’t Take It With You, Alan Ayckbourn’s Communicating Doors, Jon Robin Baitz’ Other Desert Cities, the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck’s Fool, and the Houston premiere of Christopher Durang’s Tony Award-winning play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.
“Dear Alley Theatre, Thank you so much for the opportunity to see, “You Can’t Take it With You.” I loved everything about it! I really appreciated all of the work that went into every aspect of the production. It made me laugh, but it also made me think. I realized that although the show is a comedy, it is also very relevant.” —Nathan Richardson, HSVPA, Partner School
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Insert Peter’s Copy
Insert quote
ALLEY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
F
itzpatrick Internships at the Alley offer valuable experience for qualified college students, graduates and young professionals planning to pursue careers in professional theatre and arts administration. Part-time and summer internships with stipends are available in many areas, including development, administration, marketing, education and community engagement, costumes, lighting and sound, stage management, technical direction and more. Part-time interns commit 25 hours a week for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks, while summer interns commit 40 hours a week for 12 consecutive weeks from May through August. Over the course of the 2013-2014 season, 16 interns advanced their careers at the Alley.
“The best thing about working at the Alley is that I work for experienced professionals who delegate challenging tasks while maintaining a very educational environment.” —AmyJo Foreman, Alley Theatre Intern, 2013
ASSESSMENTS & MEASUREMENTS
F
eedback, both verbal and written, from teachers, students, teaching artists, and community partners plays an important role in shaping the content of each Alley Theatre Education and Community Engagement program. To measure student engagement, skills, collaboration and classroom climate, we aligned our teaching rubric with Project Zero’s Qualities of Quality Report, Studio Thinking’s 8 Studio Habits of Mind, Thriving Mind’s 6 Dimensions of Quality and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. With these tools we are able to assess anecdotally as well as statistically. ECE staff and teaching artists give students a clear understanding of their goals and performance requirements and work in tandem with teachers to design curriculum that aligns with the Texas Education Agency (TEKS) curriculum guidelines. We gather feedback from teachers and students, Teaching Artists, and administrators through pre- and post-assessment questionnaires, testimonials and artifacts, i.e. pictures and portfolios, that demonstrate learning. To gauge their effectiveness in meeting the TEKS requirements for high school curriculums, ECE staff relies on project evaluations by students and teachers as well as anecdotal evidence, such as testimonials from educators and audience responses from readings of student plays.
WHOLE SCHOOL | Staging STEM Math Assessment
ONE ELL CLASSROOM | Staging STEM Math Assessment
2nd Grade, Sutton Elementary, April 7-18, 2014
2nd Grade, Sutton Elementary, April 7-18, 2014
This year our ECE staff designed all new assessments to serve our more involved STEM residencies to complement with the HISD TIFF 4 STEM curriculum that is being implemented. Our work was reviewed to insure that the objectives meet district and state requirements. Pre-and post-assessment on core curriculum vocabulary and abstract concepts, such as the example above, is essential to the critical success and rapid acceptance of the Staging STEM program.
“Science test averages increased 17 percent and Staging STEM played a crucial role in our students’ newfound success.” — Principal, Wilson Montessori School, HISD Public Elementary School
12
DEPARTMENT SUCCESSES
T
he education department at the Alley Theatre has completely transformed this year. Here are some of our highlights. The Staging STEM program exceeded our most optimistic expectations, and we know it clearly answers an urgent need. This year’s ASK show, Oskar and the Big Bully Battle, was so well-received that we extended the spring tour twice to accommodate demand and will continue the tour in the fall of 2014. And have commissioned a brand new Oskar for the spring of 2015. These results validate the Alley’s decision to expand its focus in ECE programming from a narrowly defined set of programs for middle and high school students to a broader range of initiatives that serve students from Kindergarten through 12th grade.
We also observed that schools who established a link between their English and Drama departments as part of their School Partnership activities were much more invested in their work with the Alley. With that in mind, we have revamped our middle and high school programs by adding instruction in Shakespeare, Aristotle and Sophocles, monologue study and Theatre History Through The Ages. We have met identified needs that will expand our presence in the overall school population.
In expanding our focus this year, we have discovered that the education community is clamoring for more concrete arts integration activities that serve not only students who love theatre but also those who can benefit from the many ways in which drama can support and illuminate other core subjects. We are pleased that our contributions have met such rapid acceptance and strong endorsement and are eager to apply our skills to transform the K-12 experience and drive student achievement across the Houston area.
Overall, this year we have examined existing programs that had not been assessed in 5 to 10 years and are busy updating and refining successful programs such as HYPE. We met with teachers, principals and district administrators to inform and guide us in our transformation. We reorganized the department staff to meet greater demand for services and reinvented our marketing. We extended our reach of services in every program and built a flourishing summer program.
It has been an excellent year for us and by the reaction we are already receiving from the field for the upcoming school year, we know that our presence within the community as a valuable arts education partner will flourish and grow.
“As a result of the partnership, our students have become more aware of the broader scope of theatre training which helps them as they make career decisions.” —Brandy Barfield Rood, Department Chair of Theatre, Humble High School
13
FACTS & FIGURES Waiting for Nancy’s answer. She will know the numbers we want to highlight within the next couple of days.
AVERAGE DEMOGRAPHICS SERVED BY THE ALLEY THEATRE ECE DEPARTMENT
Average % Demographics Served
36 School Districts
12
LOOKING AHEAD W
e have had a terrific year of growth and the 2014-15 school year will be one of stabilizing and deepening our already thriving roster of programs. Beginning in August 2014, huge growth is anticipated in our work with arts integration through our Staging STEM program. The great impact of Staging STEM has prompted all the pilot schools to request multiple residencies in additional grades this coming year. Additionally, HISD has asked us to supply Staging STEM in 21 of their TIF 4 STEM schools. This activity will help us train more teaching artists in our arts integration techniques, design more applicable curriculum and reach more teachers with valuable examples of arts integration within the classroom. All of this activity will lead the way to the 2015 summer launch of The Alley Theatre’s Arts Integration Network, a professional development institute that trains Houston -area teachers to design their own units of core curriculum that integrate the arts into their daily instruction. While the Alley’s main theatre building on Texas Avenue will be undergoing a major renovation, the Alley will present its regular subscription season at the Wortham Theatre on the University of Houston’s main campus. Because of limited seating and other constraints imposed by this offsite venue, we have reluctantly decided to suspend our Student Matinees for the duration. This opportunity will help us devote staff and resources to developing an even more far-reaching Alley Shows For Kids. So, we are extending the tour of the phenomenally successful Oskar and the Big Bully Battle! into the fall of 2014 and will premiere a new commission by the same author in the spring of 2015 titled Oskar and the Curiously Colorful Clash! In this new saga, Oskar will wrestle with the theme of diversity, an appropriate and timely topic for students living in the most diverse city in the country. By the end of the 2014-2015 school year, we will have completely revamped our School Partnership Program to more deeply serve both English and Drama departments. We will be updating the 360° Residencies and have augmented the offerings adding options such as Shakespeare, the Greeks, and Theatre History. The partnership program has a new uniform agreement which supplies 150 hours of instruction once each school’s principal and English and Drama department leaders commit to the program. To date, we have had an overwhelming response to the new and more in-depth partnership program. And by the summer of 2015 we will have updated the HYPE program to reflect national practices. We have recently requested funding from the Kennedy Center’s VSA program to create Playwriting 360° residencies for disabled students in two public and two private middle and high schools. If the funding is approved, we will also pilot the program with young patients and their families at the University of Texas Mitochondrial Center for Excellence, expanding the reach of the Alley’s ECE programs to serve Houston’s medical community. A separate, complementary grant from the Kennedy Center would fund a professional development seminar at the Alley for 52 local educators who work with disabled students. This program would complement our VSA Discovery Playwriting contract and enable us to set goals, both directly and collectively, with our partners in the VSA Playwriting program (Reagan High School, the Briarwood and Joy Schools, and the UT Mito Clinic). Professional development exchanges between artists and teachers would help us tailor programs to match the
13
Alleytheatre.org/Education
Applied Theatre at the Alley education@alleytheatre.org 713.315.5424