The Ballad of Dixie & Billy Yank
Available Dates: September-November, 2010 & January-June, 2011
Age Group: 3-8

See the American Civil War through the eyes of a young Union soldier, and a girl from the South. Slavery and war are addressed delicately and honestly. Civil War era music helps to illustrate the story.

Curriculum Connections: History, Social Science, Music, Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

“Beathoven & The Big Note Band”
Available Dates: Multiple Dates
Age Group: K-5

"The Big Note Band" has fallen apart! They've lost their beat, can't remember
the melody and don't know the harmony! So their conductor, Beathoven uses comedy, magic and music to help them rediscover the essential elements of music. The band comes alive on a giant video screen with animated characters that interact with the audience. In the end, the band just can't get it together. They are fired and the audience becomes Beathoven's new band in a giant jam session. Beathoven sings and plays a vast array of musical instruments including banjo, guitar, Irish and African drums.

Curriculum Connections: Music and Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

Billy Jonas-
"Everybody's in the Band"
Available Dates: May 23 & 24, 2011
Age Group: 1-8

This is by far Theatreworks most popular in-school performer! Each year he is quickly “sold out” because of his music, exuberance and message that reaches everyone in his young audienc-es. Today's children are custodians of our future.  Recycling and protecting our environment is the focus of this upbeat musical program. Billy’s songs of environmental awareness and
stewardship stretched imaginations, involved children with one another and their surroundings, and spoke to the heart and souls of all who attended. His message to reduce, reuse, recycle and to care was integrated into original songs, stories, and improvisations with voice, guitar, and “industrial re-percussion” instruments made from found, foraged, and recycled objects.

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, Science, Global Ecology-Recycling,
Environmental Studies

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

Caribbean Sound
Available Dates: Multiple Dates
Age Group: K-12

The Caribbean Sound Educational Program gives students an introduction to the magical world of steel drums and history of the instrument as well as the musical styles from the Caribbean. An educational and amusing look at the history behind steel drums beginning with the discovery of Trinidad and Tobago by Christopher Columbus in 1498 to the present. Accompanied by a storyteller, encounter the enchanting sound of African drumming and rhythms, bottle & spoon bands of the early 1900’s, the great Tamboo Bamboo bands (an instrument made from large pieces of bamboo), metal drums from the 1950’s and finally combining all these elements with the modern steel drum, the instrument in use today. This is an exciting fun filled adventure of one of the greatest musical innovations of the 20th Century.

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, History, Music, Multi-Cultural

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

A Christmas Carol
Available Dates: November-December 2010
Age Group: K-8

Become a guest at the Dickens’ home as Charles Dickens and his sister, Fan, act out their own “Amateur Theatrical” version of Scrooge’s story. The two actors use only their imaginations & items from the drawing room to perform 15 characters from the classic story.

Curriculum Connections: Literature and Music

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

Doug Berky- Gems: the World’s Wisdom Stories”
Available Dates: January 25, 26, 27 & 28, 2011
Age Group: 1-6

The illusion of the mime, the antics of the clown, the transformation of the mask, the suspense of a good story and the excitement of improvisation, Doug inspires laughter and reflection. This performance uses storytelling styles from many cultures including masks, mime, inventive costumes and puppetry to introduce families to a collection of wisdom stories from around the world. Each performance is tailored to the audience, with performances including up to four story productions. A performance might include a selection from the following stories: "The Lion and the Mouse," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" (Aesop's), "The Drip Nose Boy" (Native American), "The Lame Man and the Blind Man" (Middle East), and “The Tiger’s Whiskers” (Korea)

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, Science, Global Ecology-Recycling, Environmental Studies

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

The Fairy Tales of Grimm
Available Dates: January-May, 2011
Age Group: K-5

Tales such as The Bremen Town Musicians, Rapunzel, Hansel & Gretel and Snow White come to the stage in the classical 19th Century theatrical style of “Melodrama.” Full of laughs & audience participation.

Curriculum Connections: Literature and Music

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

Glenis Redmond “Miss Poetic”
Available Dates: October 13, 14 & 15, 2010
Age Group: K-12

Glenis performs original poetry that tells stories from her life, her family and her African- American heritage – teaching audiences to claim their place and respect their own story. This is an interactive performance that gets students up on their feet and learning fun poems. Glenis is available to do creative writing workshops in addition to her performance.

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, Language Arts, Relationships & Family

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

The Hundred Dresses
Available Dates: September-November 2010
Age Group: 2-6

Wanda Petronski, the new girl in room 13, wears the same faded blue dress to school every day, but insists that she has a hundred bright, shiny new ones at home. As Wanda’s story unfolds, her classmates learn the secret of the hundred dresses and with it, a lesson in tolerance, in taking responsibility and in living with the consequences of our actions. An endearing tale, based on the Newbery Honor Book by Eleanor Estes, “The Hundred Dresses” focuses on the difficult issue of bullying and how mistreating someone because he or she is different from oneself brings as much harm to the bully as to the victim.

Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Character Development and Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Available Dates: January 2011
Age Group: 4-12

Sleepy Hollow, a village haunted by the legendary Headless Horseman, has a new schoolmaster-the somewhat hapless and extremely superstitious Ichabod Crane. When Ichabod tries to win the hand of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, he makes an enemy of her former suitor, the brawny Brom Bones. Brom vows revenge and, one dark and spooky night, Ichabod finds himself in for the ride of his life!

Curriculum Connections: Literature, History and Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

“Pirate Goodie & The Magic Chest”
Available Dates: Multiple Dates
Age Group: PK-3

Come along with Pirate Goodie Twoshoes and his parrot Pete on an amazing undersea adventure. Goodie can't remember how to open his magic chest full of treasure. So he calls upon the audience and his animated friends to help. The show includes a giant video screen with colorful animations and charming puppets. Plenty of magic, music and comedy make this show unforgettable.

Curriculum Connections: Character Education, Theatre Arts

Study Guide

“Professor Time”
Available Dates: Multiple Dates
Age Group: 3-5

Students find out what sparked the American Revolution and hear stories first hand from George Washington and Betsy Ross. The stories teach them about the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of the United States government. Students watch history come alive on a giant video with animated characters and historical images. The kids also participate in interactive comedy skits to prepare them for the time travel adventure. At the end of each performance, the kids test their knowledge playing a game show where they can win prizes.

Curriculum Connections: Literature, History,and Theatre Arts

Study Guide

“The Reluctant Dragon”
Available Dates: September-November 2010
Age Group: 1-5

Sir George is hired to slay the ferocious dragon who lives too close to the village, but the dragon is more interested in reciting Shakespeare than fighting. Together, they stage a monumental battle in Kenneth Grahame's charming story.

Curriculum Connections: Literature, Character Education , Theatre History, Audience Participation

Study Guide

The Red Badge of Courage
Available Dates: January 2011
Age Group: 7-12

The Civil War has been raging for two years when young Henry Fleming decides to enlist in the Army. On the eve of his first big battle, Henry fears what he will do when the bullets start to fly. Will he run or will he fight? Before the battle is over, Henry will have to decide for himself what it means to be brave. Share this classic story with your students as America commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Curriculum Connections: Literature, History and Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

The 12 Days of Christmas
Available Dates: November-December 2010
Age Group: K-5

Elves from the North Pole arrive for a world premiere performance, but the actors are caught in a snowstorm. Audience participation and Theatre Education must save the day in this TOTALLY INTERACTIVE show!

Curriculum Connections: Music, Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

The Ugly Duckling
Available Dates: January 2011
Age Group: K-5

It’s hard being different. When a strange egg shows up in Mama Duck’s nest and hatches, a very ugly duckling is born. After many failed attempts to “fit in,” the ugly duckling sets out on a journey to find his true place in the world. He soon discovers that he must learn to love himself before he can discover who he really is!

Curriculum Connections: Character Development, Family & Relationships,
Language Arts, Music and Theatre Arts

Study Guide (may not yet be available)

This performance is funded in part by a grant from the Southern Arts Federation in partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts and Florida State Division of Cultural Affairs.