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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Children grow through theater experiences

By LYNN BULMAHN | News-Journal Staff Writer

DEBARY — Children's theater productions might not turn your child into a Shirley Temple or Macaulay Culkin, but chances are it will improve his or her school performance, local and national dramatists say.

"Children's theater really helps teach a lot of different subjects — multicultural studies about different countries and cultures, problem solving and language arts," said Darlene Lentz, director of the Storybook Children's Theater at the Sands Theater in DeLand. "I think theater people don't toot that horn enough."

The National Endowment for the Arts, in an online brochure, "The Theater and Children," says youngsters involved in theater often gain improved communication skills, development of imagination, aesthetic awareness and independent, critical thinking. Also, it helps them develop self-knowledge and social skills. That's in addition to such qualities as fun, recreation, an introduction to the theater and a "healthy release of emotions."

Learning a favorite skill or subject is how "many children actually learn to read, write, reason and cipher," according to John Froohnmayer, an NEA chairman, in a letter included on the brochure's Web site.

Pitts Walker, president of the California Educational Theatre Association, said children's theater "encompasses all disciplines" in helping youngsters develop academic abilities, problem solving and creativity.

That's not only the case elsewhere in the country, but in west Volusia County, too.

Ten-year-old Melissa Ezell is a case in point. When she first tried out for a production of "Annie Jr.," Melissa, who has dyslexia, didn't like to read out loud in front of others, her mother, Candie Ezell, said.

Theater changed that. "It's been a true blessing," Candie Ezell said. "It's gotten her writing, reading and doing things in front of people. It's just made a big difference in her."

The DeBary youngster has been in a class and summer production at the Sands Theater Center in DeLand, and she's taken part in three plays at DeBary Children's Theater.

Now in the fourth grade, Melissa has landed another role — the fourth daughter in the DeBary group's production of "Fiddler on the Roof Jr."

"It's been a total turn-around," her mother said. "Theater has helped her out immensely. A regular classroom just doesn't do all that for these kids."

Lentz said many people do not realize how academically enriching a children's theater workshop or production can be.

"None of our classes is about 'How to Make Acting Your Career,' " Lentz said. "Our primary focus here is enriching kids' language, verbal ability and writing."

Mary Jo Caroselli, co-founder and administrative director of DeBary Children's Theater, said children involved in scaled-down youth productions such as "Annie Jr." and "Fiddler on the Roof Jr.," are taught a lot more than how to act or what lines to say. The typical children's theater production, while not a classroom of strict academics, Caroselli said, "it certainly is a place of learning."

"Educational programs they learn along the way enrich (young participants') experience. They're learning it in a fun setting." She said educational programs, sold with the production kits, contain lessons in history, creative writing, science, math, language arts and social studies.

"It all connects to the performances," said Jacqueline Grad Rawiszer, who founded DeBary Children's Theater with Caroselli. The tools provide little actors with a deeper understanding of the characters they portray, and the time depicted in the script.

"Take Annie' as an example. We had a history teacher come in. She taught them the terms and expressions of that period, such as Hooverville' — so the kids could understand the word when it came up in the script," Rawiszer said.

Another exercise Rawiszer assigned was doing a "character study." Each young actor had to answer questions about the character's life, writing down the answers as they pretended to be the character they were playing. Since "Fiddler on the Roof Jr." has characters who decide to come to America, children in that production will be taught about immigration.

Productions during Sands' summer theater camps often round out a child's knowledge in specialized areas, Lentz said. One year, a camp produced a Japanese play. Participants had to learn about Asian drama.

Another workshop taught children to write and produce their own plays — an old-style radio play, a mystery, a clown show.

"We make it fun for the kids — and try to teach them something," Lentz said.

Some learning experiences are hands-on. Youngsters may help build sets, paint scenery, run a sound system or sell advertising.

"It's important what we do helps these kids feel good about themselves," Caroselli said. "By participating, they learn things they didn't know before."

Lentz said children with Attention Deficit Disorder often learn to focus and to work well with others by taking part in drama. "For some reason, theater helps," she said. "Even though there's a lot of stimuli, they learn you have to stay focused."

And, she said, home-schooled children participating in children's theater can socialize and work with others. The experience helps them develop group skills and leadership skills.

"I love to see the growth these children make," Lentz said.

"It's not so much a case of 'Let's get together and do a show,' " Rawiszer said. "We're turning them into better actors, better students and better citizens."

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