TOPS K-8: Family Cultural Celebrations 2005
In the spring of 2005, two 8th grade Language Arts / Social Studies classes at TOPS K-8 worked with Jack Straw’s team of artists to develop radio theater pieces based on their family cultural celebrations.
Working with journalist Chana Joffe-Walt, students developed interview questions for their parents and other family members who have stories and details to share about their celebrations. Students then worked with Chana to develop their written pieces, including sensory details, and ideas about sounds that could enhance the audio versions of their pieces. Once their writing was complete, students worked with theater artists Amy Broomhall and Laurie Johnson to develop their skills as readers of their work.
Both classes then came to Jack Straw’s studios, where they worked with Amy and Laurie and audio engineers Moe Provencher and Scott Bartlett to record their voices, sounds, and music. Each participant received a CD of everyone’s work in a final celebration at the end of the project.
TOPS Family Cultural Celebrations was produced by Jack Straw Productions (now known as Jack Straw Cultural Center), with the special support of the Washington State Arts Commission Arts in Education Program, the National Endowment for the Arts, the TOPS PTSA, and individual contributors.
The Jack Straw team included journalist Chana Joffe-Walt, audio engineers Moe Provencher and Scott Bartlett, theater artists Amy Broomhall and Laurie Johnson, photographer Dean Wong, Executive Director Joan Rabinowitz, and Education Manager Kim Banet. Thanks to TOPS teacher Tom O’Connor.
