2018/2019 First Play Readings at PS 11

Today we had our first 2018/2019 play readings of all the 3rd graders’ scripts in the library at PS 11 in Manhattan. This residency is part of the Arts Education for Actors alumni program at Circle in the Square Theatre School. 10 Circle grads per year work as Residency Assistants (RAs) in the classrooms at PS 11—five with Daniel Judah Sklar in the first three classes, and five with me in the last three classes. Daniel and I teach the classes, while the RAs mentor from 3-8 kids in each class. The RAs then type the kids’ plays, and act in them. While this first reading was done at PS 11, each child will get their final play performed on Broadway at Circle in the Square Theatre by the RAs, who are also professional actors.

This first reading is important for a few reasons: The kids get to witness their work start to come to life off of the pages. They can see and feel what they appreciate about their own scripts, and what might need editing. They can learn from seeing others’ plays, and they can support one another’s work.

We’re half-way through this season. The final performances will be at the end of March - early April.

During this reading today, each RA had a guest actor (also a Circle in the Square alum) read with them, so we had 10 actors reading plays in the library in various parts of the room, (while Daniel’s morning group did the same before we arrived). This relieves some of the pressure for the kids during their first reading. Their final plays on Broadway will be performed one-at-a-time on stage.

Circle in the Square has been in collaboration with PS 11 and Daniel Judah Sklar (who created this form of playwriting called Playmaking) for about 18 years. After starting as an RA, myself, I began teaching Playmaking five years ago. I also co-direct the annual Arts Ed program at Circle in the Square with executive director of the school, Colin O’Leary. I love this work, and am constantly grateful to be part of the team.

I’m lucky to have a talented, kind, responsible, and charismatic group of RAs. Each one of them works and relates beautifully with the students. Here we are (minus one: Molly Williams) today at the reading. We’ll take another photo at the final performances to include everyone.

Left to right: Sara Lily, Alex Acosta, me, Bryan Songy, and Robin Murray.

Left to right: Bryan Songy, Alex Acosta, me, Sara Lily, and Robin Murray.

Playmaking 2017-2018

It's that time of year again! This season of Playmaking at PS 11 is coming to a close. I taught my last classes there (until next season), the kids all finished writing their plays, we rehearsed them during the past two weeks, and have started the final performances on the Broadway stage at Circle in the Square. 

Playmaking is a form of playwriting created many years ago by playwright and master teaching artist Daniel Judah Sklar. Daniel, Circle in the Square, and PS 11 have been in collaboration for the past 17 years. I joined the team in 2014, and have been teaching classes at PS 11 as a master teaching artist for the past few years. 

We have a team of 10 Residency Assistants (RAs) who are also professional actors and fellow alumni from Circle in the Square Theatre School. They mentor 3-8 students of their own in each class. This residency is part of a year-long Arts Education training program, which I co-direct at Circle with Executive Director Colin O'Leary.

This year's 3rd graders at PS 11 were delightful. Some were passionate about writing from the beginning, while others struggled at first; but each and every one of them found and expressed their unique creative voice through writing and completing their own play.

Their first day started with a scribble scrabble, which sounds just like what it is: scribbling on a blank page. They do this for 20 seconds, then put pencils down. Similar to a Rorschach test--but without analyzing any of their answers--the kids then choose two of their favorite things that they see in their own scribbles, and create character profiles on them. They also learn about play structure and script format; how to build conflict into climax, then create action and resolution. They write their first imaginative plays, and witness them read by the actors. 

During the next step, we give the kids an artistic challenge, which is to transform their imaginary characters into realistic humans, while still keeping the essence of their original scribble scrabble characters. Their final realistic plays are the ones that are being performed at Circle in the Square this week. 

Not many kids can say that they get their original plays performed by professional actors on Broadway; but every single 3rd grader at PS 11 can. 

I consistently feel rewarded and lucky when I do this work. The kids brighten my days; I'm honored to call Daniel Judah Sklar my friend and colleague, and grateful that he taught me Playmaking years ago, and entrusted me to teach it; I so appreciate the whole talented team of 10 RAs; and I love still being a part of Circle in the Square after so many years (I graduated from the theatre school as a 20-year-old back in 1993).  

If you want to come see the rest of the children's plays at Circle in the Square this week, please drop me a line, and I'll give you the details. It's a rare and enriching experience to see the kids as they witness their own words come to life so beautifully on stage; and it's a delight to see the talented actors do what they do best. It's been an incredible pleasure working with them these past few months. 

Me and my team after the performance today. From left to right: Danielle Amendola, Matthew Boyd, me, Cristina Sebastian, Gretchen Schneider, and Shana Casey. (Photo credit: Colin O'Leary) 

2016/2017 Playmaking Final Performances

Yesterday was the opening day of our Playmaking 2016/2017 PS 11 performances at Circle in the Square. All the 3rd graders at PS 11 completed their final scripts; the Residency Assistants/professional actors typed and directed the plays in rehearsals last week; and now is the time that these young playwrights have been waiting for: their first plays on Broadway!

Playmaking is a form of playwriting that master teaching artist and playwright (as well as my mentor, friend, and colleague) Daniel Judah Sklar created many years ago. I teach Playmaking to three of the 3rd grade classes at PS 11 (Daniel teaches the other three). I also taught it to my team of RAs/actors so they could guide their own group of kids in each class.

The performances yesterday were spectacular. The actors/RAs and young playwrights made me so proud! I absolutely love seeing the kids’ faces when they see their plays come to life so beautifully on the Broadway stage. One child and his mom stayed in the theatre long after others left. His mom shyly confessed, “He loves it here. He just can’t leave!” I know how it feels. I truly do.

I’m looking forward to my other two classes’ performances this Friday and Monday. If you’d like to be in the audience, please drop me a line so I can give you the details. 

This is such a unique and extraordinary program that Circle in the Square created with Daniel and PS 11 way back when. I’m really lucky to continue to be part of it.

Here’s a photo of me with my talented team. It was taken yesterday before the kids arrived in the theatre. 

From left to right: Shlomit, Chelsea, Hannah, me, Sam, and Cait