Could that noise be coming from a monster? A Fullerton Union High School student performs a story written by an Orangethorpe School second grader for a new joint theater program suited to distance learning.
The show must go online
High school dramatists bring elementary students’ stories to life in online videos
February 1, 2021
In these unprecedented times, creativity and innovation have been instrumental in the classroom. A joint project between one Southern California high school and elementary school shows the true meaning of collaboration.
Pam Keller’s second grade students at Orangethorpe School in the Fullerton School District collaborated with Michael Despars’ Theater 2 Class at Fullerton Union High School in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District to convert the younger children’s collection of short fantastical stories to theater productions in a new program called Theater for Young Audiences.
The second graders submitted tales of sassy narwhals, monsters under the bed, and wiggly loose teeth. The high school students worked to bring the colorful stories to life through mediums ranging from puppet shows to rap battles. As the older students were tasked with taking the fantasy and turning it into a story without detracting from the original intent, they were inspired by the open opportunity to think creatively.
After months of hard work, the final projects were showcased to the public as a fundraising opportunity, with overwhelming, and much deserved, fanfare and praise. Although developed during a pandemic and facilitated online, this program can only improve and continue to showcase the value of collaboration.
A sassy narwhal created for the story “The Narwhal, the Mermaid and the Unicorn.”
High school students found creative ways to perform stories written by second graders, including the puppet seen here.
