Theater in Schools brings the magic of live performance to students in the Oxford Hills School District and our neighboring communities. Launched in 2019 in partnership with MSAD 17, this program gives students the opportunity to understand, at a critical point in their development, the relationship between private experience and public communication through theatrical performance.
Theater in Schools Offerings for 2023-2024
This school year, Celebration Barn is relaunching its Theater in Schools program with two lead artists: Karen Montanaro and YES! Theater. Both are longtime friends of the Barn and have extensive experience working with and performing for students. Learn more about each artist and their offerings below.
Karen Montanaro
Karen is a renowned physical theater artist known for pioneering mime dance, a unique combination of the two art forms. She is passionate about working with young people, as well as teachers, and has worked with schools throughout Maine and beyond. Her work is primarily designed to serve fourth and fifth grade students, but students on either side of that range may also benefit.
You can learn more about Karen’s work with students and young audiences here.
She offers two different engagements: a one-day workshop and a weeklong residency.
Offering 1: One-day Workshops
In this offering, Karen teaches up to three workshops, each lasting forty-five minutes, for up to three different classes. Alternatively—if, for example, a grade has only one class—Karen can teach a one-hour workshop and perform for the students and teachers.
In these workshops, students use the vocabulary of mime, dance, and improvisation to practice expressing their moods, feelings, and ideas in exciting new ways—putting them back in touch with themselves and their peers in an increasingly disembodied world.
Cost without subsidy: $750
Offering 2: Weeklong Residency
In this offering, Karen teaches a series of workshops over the course of a week that culminate in a performance by the students. Each class involved will take three one-hour workshops with Karen. Next, they will rehearse their performance for thirty minutes to one hour. Finally, each class will take part in the final performance, which will also include a performance by Karen herself.
In addition to learning how to express themselves, students will also develop their ability to collaborate with their peers and gain the confidence that comes from performing. This offering also emphasizes the importance of practice, focused work, and giving yourself permission to learn by doing.
NB: This engagement is designed specifically for students in either the fourth or fifth grades.
Cost without subsidy: $2,400
YES! Theater
YES is a theater company led by Maya and Brent McCoy, two extraordinary theater artists based in Vermont. The company creates performances and workshops for elementary and middle school students, and they have performed for schools across the northeast.
Offering: Her Majesty’s Secret Circus Show
YES is currently performing Her Majesty’s Secret Circus Show. This show uses tropes from spy movies to tell a heroic story, all while incorporating eye-catching circus work.
NB: It would be ideal to perform this production in a theater or auditorium of some kind, but it could take place in a gym or somewhere with enough open space to accommodate the performance.
Cost without subsidy: $850
Additional offering:In tandem with a performance, YES offers workshops that can last from one to four hours for one class at a time. These workshops build coordination and confidence, with a focus on goal setting, self-directed learning, and having fun with others.
Cost without subsidy: $125 per hour