Students Produce and Perform Children’s Story One-Act Plays

LEESBURG, VA: Theater students have been working on writing a 10-Minute One-Act of a Children’s Story.

The assignment required that the children’s stories are chosen from different cultures. The stories come from cultures all around the world, such as Greek mythology, Italian folktales, and many other cultures.

“The culture my folktale is from is the Asante people in Africa. They are on the north interior part of the western Africa coast,” sophomore Alyce Snead stated.

These one acts are based on many common children stories, such as The Greek Myth of Persephone. While some are more obscure, such as the Norse myth of Odin Going to the Well of Mimir.

“I’m doing a spin on Hansel and Gretel, and I’m making it Gretel and Hansel,” said sophomore D’Andre Bullock.

All of the one acts will be published. This is all possible after Tuscarora Performing Arts won the Wolf Trap Grant. These grants were awarded to local high school teachers who are working to bring new and exciting performing arts experiences to their students.

“I think this is a really creative project idea, and I’m really glad we won the Wolf Trap Grant to get to do it,” Snead stated, “It’s really fun.”

With the money, the class got the opportunity to meet a professional playwright, Paris Crayton. Crayton read through and helped students write their one acts and taught them skills they needed to write.

“My favorite part of this project was meeting and talking to Paris. It’s kind of cool, getting insight from a professional,” DJ Levi, sophomore, said.

The class will perform the one acts in a sensory friendly show. Many kids have issues with loud noises and flashing lights, so these shows are perfect to perform for them.

“The project is unique because this is something aside from what we usually do and we are making stories for children and younger audiences,” Bullock stated.

Not all of the one-acts will be performed, so the class will choose amongst their peers This will be based on ease of production.

“…the most memorable one act, that I remember is Jaidan Braddock’s Three Goslings,” Snead said.

This project helps students improve their writing skills and gives them a different perspective on theatre.