The Children with Electric Energy

My TAP Summer Teaching Experience at Popham Elementary

“Theatre Action Project!”, “Mr. Boone!”, “Ms. Stephanie!” — those were our refreshing daily greetings from the sleepy students at Popham Elementary’s Panda Explorers summer camp. There was just so much enthusiasm and excitement from these students each day. It was almost as if we had some secret candy store in our classrooms, that none of the others knew about, because these kids would either cheer or jump up when it was their turn to go to a TAP class. With all of that amazing energy from the kids I knew I would have to give double that energy back to keep them inspired. It was PLEASANTLY exhausting.

Each class was so different, but all working on projects that coincided with our camp theme ” The planet, all people, all animals, our responsibility.” Kindergarten loved to play with story journeys (where we would improv and pretend we were going to a castle, or we each had different super powers), 1st grade loved to illustrate and paint stories they created, 2nd grade was very into movement and pantomime exercises, and 4th grade was so eager to create ready to perform scenes with plenty of dialogue. The learning stages of child development were exemplified so clearly each day!

As the program continued I learned more about these students, many of whom did not have very positive family situations, and consequently more about why giving them an arts outlet is so important for them. There would be times when a student would open up and tell me about issues that a kid should not have to deal with and then an instant later they would jump up and tell me they had a new idea for their class story or movement journey. They were so resilient and ready to just be in the moment. During the last week I asked them why they were so excited about their TAP classes and each class answered with very similar responses, “because we get to play and have fun” or, “because I get to be crazy characters and go places I can’t go to in real life”.

I know the summer camp experience was enjoyable for these kids at Popham, hopefully one that some of them will remember for a long time. I know it will certainly be one that I will never forget.

Stephanie Chavez

TAP Teaching Artist

Theatre Action Project’s Makeover!

Check out the TAP mural that was painted this past weekend. The mural features puppets we have created over the years, students we have taught, and artists that have worked with us. Thank you to all of our volunteers and to J Muzacz and his amazing crew for making our office space a little more inviting! Check out some of the photos here.

Best Part of Summer? CAMP!!!!

Theatre Action Project is coming your way with a rockin line up of fun and creative summer camps! In case you didn’t know, TAP is the largest provider of arts education in all of Austin…wow!

TAP campers kicked off the summer by creating original stories filled with castles, monsters and perilous quests in our first camp, Fantastic Tales! Next week campers will travel around the globe exploring different types of music, art and theatre with World Adventures.

Scholarships are will available for Penguin Players, our 4&5 year old theatre camp!Also Penguin Players has been moved to the Rawson Saunders School. Now all of our camps are at one convenient location!

TAP is also offering two more camps: Adventures Around the World in partnership with UT and a FREE arts camps for 8th-12th graders in partnership with the Austin Bat Cave.

Sign up today! For more details email camp@theatreactionproject.org or visit our website at www.theatreactionproject.org!!!

Hanging with TAP is way cooler than hanging out in a Hot Tub

I was teaching TAP’s “World Theatre” curriculum at a school in Round Rock, in which we take the students on imaginary adventures around the world. In each lesson, the teaching artist leaves the classroom, puts on a costume piece in the hallway, and then re-enters as a “Teacher in Role” tour guide. I’m not sure how I got the idea, but when I re-entered the classroom as our tour guide, and the students asked me where Miss Natalie was, I told them that I was pretty sure I had seen her in the hotel, relaxing in the hot tub, eating chocolate cake and strawberries! The students laughed, and we proceeded with our lesson, doing narrative pantomime explorations of the Great Coral Reef. At the end of the lesson, I said “Hey, I have an idea! Let’s draw some pictures of all the fun things we did so that Miss Natalie can see, and she’ll be jealous, and then next time she’ll come with us instead of being boring and hanging out in the hotel!” The students drew lots of pictures of the beach, the ocean, the coral reef, etc., and a couple wrote things like “Sorry you missed all of the fun!” One drew a picture of me in the hot tub! I couldn’t stop laughing.

Natalie Goodnow

TAP Artistic Associate

TAP Teaching Artist’s Art Showing

Head on over to the Julia C. Butridge Gallery at the Dougherty Arts Center to check out the current show “Neon Fingerlips On A Global Trek Missing A Leg.” The show features work from Charles Bersola, David Wilhem, Patrick Yang, and our very own J Muzacz. There is an “urban/street” style featuring recycled art, doodles, doors, steel, light, monsters, and even a deer skull made out of bikes! The show is in its final week; you have until the 26th to check it out! Gallery Hours are Mon-Thur 10am-9:30pm, Fri 10am-5pm, and Sat 10am-4pm.

Stop by TAP before or after the show and come make art with J!

This weekend, the 26th and 27th, TAP will be painting a mural, led by TAP teaching artist J Muzacz. It is sure to be a fun project, so you definitely don’t want to miss out! If you are interested in volunteering please contact Volunteer Coordinator Megan Fullen at megan@theatreactionproject.org.

Want to see more of J’s art? Check out his website: http://www.jmuzacz.com/

Hope to see you there!