PS 11 Play Reading

We have a new group of residency assistants (RAs) this year working with 3rd graders at PS 11 in Manhattan, guiding them as they write their own plays.  I teach classes 4-6, and lead my RA team, while Daniel Judah Sklar (playwright, master teaching artist, and creator of Playmaking) does the same for his team and classes 1-3. We call my RA team the PM group, and I couldn’t be more pleased with all of these talented women. Yep, all women! Daniel’s AM RA group is mostly men (they're talented, too). It just turned out this rare way due to everyone’s schedules. All of us (except for Daniel) graduated various different years from Circle in the Square Theatre School.

Today, we had our first reading of the kids’ scripts in the library at PS 11. Each RA had a guest actor (also from Circle in the Square) and together they performed the kids’ imaginary plays. It was beautiful to watch the children in awe of their words coming to life so spectacularly!

From now until the end of the year, we will guide the kids as they transform their imaginary characters into realistic humans. Then, in January, their realistic plays will be performed by the RAs (also professional actors) on the Broadway stage at Circle in the Square.

I’m incredibly thankful to Circle in the Square, Daniel Judah Sklar, and PS 11 for welcoming me to this job. I started as an RA a few years back, and continue to love working with the kids as a teaching artist. I’m also thankful to all who were involved in today’s first readings—especially on such a rainy day. We all got soaked on our way to and from PS 11. I’ll include two photos here (both taken today): One of my PM RA team, and the other of our team plus the guest actors--a mini Circle in the Square reunion!