Maka’s Biggest Challenge: A Review by Bonnie Pipkin

Ladies and gentlemen! Step Right Up! Feast your eyes on the creatures and creepers that run wild through the imaginations of our students! See for yourselves: a direct glimpse into the dreamscape! A tour of the mind of a child! We’ve got werewolves, vampires, angels, crocodiles, great balls of fire, a giant Claw Reaper named Bob, some Michael Jackson dance moves, and a journey to the top of a mountain on Challenge Island!

Everyone is a winner!

On Thursday, May 3^rd, at PS 15 Roberto Clemente Elementary School in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the students of Arts for All’s Step Right Up program put such a thing as was just described onto the stage. It was our sixth Step Right Up Production at that school (I can’t BELIEVE I’m even writing that!) and it was the latest and greatest of original masterpieces created in this inspiring program.

The Step Right Up Program is a ten-week residency during which students write and produce an original work of theater. The students are involved in all steps of the production: from the creation of the script, to acting, to creating costumes and sets, and finally to performing.

This time around, Robin Cannon and I (Bonnie Pipkin) worked with ten 4^th and 5^th grade students in the after school program. We wrote a story called MAKA’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE wherein an angel named Maka, her best friend Bleach, and her faithful dragon companion named Crystal, had to get through a series of challenges and reach the King of Light… or the world would grow dark. A cunning vampire named Rachael and a slick werewolf named Justin are on their tails trying to thwart them at every turn. For they- being creatures of the night- are of course more at ease in a dark world. But the strength and perseverance of friendship and courage are what save the world.

And I can’t make that kind of stuff up! That is pure 10 and 11 year old imagination come to life.

We did a lot this round with choreography, thanks to the expertise of Robin Cannon. And overall, the 25 minute show was a visual feat! I was so very proud of the ten students that stuck it through and really committed to making this show amazing. During Step Right Up, we try to teach resourcefulness as well as commitment. It takes a commitment to put up a show as each rehearsal builds upon the last. These students amazed this old veteran who usually has to pull out a few teeth (metaphorically, of course) to get the students to memorize their lines. Many of these particular students knew EVERYONE’S lines. I’m not kidding.

So yes, we wrote a play. We choreographed. We rehearsed. We painted a giant painting of a volcano. We made some costumes. Clayton Colwell wrote us some tunes to dance to. And then we did it. One rehearsal, the students were so inspired that they wrote a song that goes a little something like this:

This is impossible! This is impossible! This can’t be! This can’t be!
This IS possible! This IS possible! Look at me! Look at me!

When students are given the opportunity to tell the stories swirling around in their brains- and then see them come to life- it is truly inspiring for everyone involved. These kids constantly remind me that this IS POSSIBLE!

MAKA’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE came to life last Thursday. And all the kids went home proud of what they created and what they accomplished.

So did I.

We began with Adam Shortsen, Alan Ostroff, and Kristie Kerwin singing “Who I’d Be,” a touching number from Shrek the Musical. (Remember Alan and Kristie‘s artist interviews from past blog entries??) Immediately following, our own Anna Roberts Ostroff brought down the house with a comedic rendition of “Happily Ever After.”Alan again entertained by singing “Giants In The Sky”- how better to capture the Growing Up and Reaching Out spirit of the evening- and Elisa Winter (who, if you’ll recall, has also been featured for an artist interview) earned some big laughs with a childlike and mischievous cover of “My Party Dress.” Kristie Kerwin again took the stage to regale the audience with “Cock-Eyed Optimist” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic South Pacific, followed by a sultry performance of “Sweet and Lowdown” by our friend Jenny Long. The first-class entertainment kept right on coming as Maria Brinkman performed “The Life I Never Led,” and Elisa Winter and Arts For All board member Lena Moy-Borgen dueted “How the Other Half Lives.” Lena remained on stage for a solo rendition of “The Other Side of the Tracks,” and our friend Nanci D. Miles had the audience captivated with a sweet and heartfelt cover of “Always.” We ended the first act with a fun and rare demonstration by New York state yo-yo champion Stephen Moy (who definitely has the coolest yo-yo I have ever seen)!

The second act began with the cast reading student-written “When I Grow Up” selections, and our good friend Robin Cannon performed a charming rendition of “I Won’t Grow Up” from Peter Pan. She took the stage in costume as the title character, and the part of Tinkerbell was played by her very own hot pink guitar, Pinkerton!

It was followed with a very special thirty minute set from our friends PigPen Theatre Co. This uniquely talented group of Carnegie Mellon grads uses a blend of live music, puppetry, movement, and lighting effects to tell theatrical fables that are witty, funny, heartfelt, and everything in between. Just two weeks ago, these gifted gents launched their debut album “Bremen,” and the folksy selections they shared with our audience last Sunday proved that they are- as The Boston Herald said- a phenomenon. The group recently became the first in history to win the Fringe Festival’s top honor for a play two years running, and we were honored to share the stage with them! Be sure to check out the new album if you aren’t already a fan- they’re sure to be the Next Big Thing!

We’d like to extend a HUGE Thank You to everyone who helped make our fourth annual benefit a success- we couldn’t have done it without our staff, our performers, our volunteers, our audience, and anyone else who may have contributed in the smallest or biggest way! We’re excited to see what the future holds for Arts For All, and we’re glad to have our supporters and friends standing by us as we work to provide artistic opportunities to NYC’s in-need kids. Stay tuned to the blog and facebook to see what we’ve got coming up- and please contact us if you’re interested in volunteering. We’re always looking for volunteers for regular visits to hospitals and shelters, so don’t hesitate to reach out!

- The Arts For All Team

“I grow when I get hurt.
I grow when I fight for what I care for.
I grow when I live life to the fullest.
Growing up means figuring out what’s really important.
Growing up is like a shooting star going up in the sky until it hits it’s reaching point.”
~An Arts For All student!

In three words, describe yourself as a performer.
- Dirty saucy banana.

Ha! An interesting description for sure. Okay…What made you realize that you wanted to perform professionally?
- For a long time my focus was music (piano, cello, voice) and books, so I always thought I would be a musician or a writer. Then, when I was 10, my children’s choir decided to audition for the tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which starred Donny Osmond and was coming to the Chicago Theater. After a pretty crazy audition process, we were chosen to perform on a rotating basis. It was my first experience performing in a musical and I fell in love quickly. After that, my focus slowly shifted to musical theater… But thank goodness I kept up with my instruments, because that ended up being a major factor in booking my first job!

What a wonderful experience and great introduction to the world of theater! Could you share with us a story from your childhood that describes you as a performer?
- Almost every year growing up, my family would put together a performance for my grandmother’s apartment building. My dad played piano, my mom sang, and my grandmother, who had been a professional musician, was still an amazing pianist. I would also play piano, cello, sing, and eventually perform my own compositions (usually on guitar). The music ranged from musical theater to classical, Argentinian tango to Russian folk songs. This continued through college – at this point for my grandmother’s retirement home – and even when I was on the First National Tour of Sweeney Todd, a few of my fellow actors joined us and it was a blast.

I had no idea how much this “variety show” would define me as a performer. Being part of the creation process was incredibly rewarding. I loved the combination of different musical styles and instruments and getting friends involved. Today I consider myself to be an actor/musician in the fullest sense and love doing shows (and being in a band) that involve both. In addition, the idea of music as a community and family event has really stuck with me. There will always be music and performances in my house and in my life, and I try to instill this same feeling into my students.

That’s quite the family past time! You’re very lucky to be surrounded by people who are so supportive of your craft. Who in your life, either professionally or personally, do you look up to or admire and why?
- My grandmother is a huge inspiration. Aside from being an incredible musician, she and my grandfather (who died when I was four) clearly lived life to the fullest. After surviving the Holocaust they moved from Tangier to Madrid to Buenos Aires (where my Dad grew up) and finally to Chicago. As professional musicians they never made a lot of money, but they always made sure they had time to travel, relax, and enjoy life. Both her positive outlook on life and her profound love and understanding of music have affected me deeply.

Wow… You and your family are truly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing such touching personal stories with us. And it sounds like your family are quite the international travelers! If you were trapped on a desert island with only one musical score, what would it be and why?
- I’m not sure which score I would choose, but it would definitely be Sondheim. Maybe A Little Night Music, maybe Pacific Overtures, maybe Sweeney [Todd] for the additional memories…? Regardless, not only could I study his music forever without getting bored (or going crazy), but years later I would still discover something new and amazing that I hadn’t noticed before!

Who helps you get through your professional tough times?
- Well, I have two pups and a kitty who will always lift my spirits. My boyfriend and my parents are endlessly supportive and always ready with a reality check. But it’s my students who provide an escape and artistic outlet that has become indispensable. Lena Moy-Borgen and I started a business, Play On! Studios, that offers after school classes, summer camps, and private lessons in theater and music. I teach private piano and cello to over a dozen kids and adults and it is wonderful. I can be having the worst day, but my students require 100% of my attention and the moment I start teaching any negative thoughts are forgotten. I always leave my lessons feeling inspired, creative, and like I’m doing something amazing with my life: I’m giving people music!

Well said! And that’s exactly what we’re about here at Arts For All- making a positive impact on people through the arts. What is your favorite play- to see and/or to perform in?
- Anything new, inventive, and daring. I love it when a playwright takes on a controversial issue (The History Boys), makes me question the way I think (Doubt, Touch(ed) at Williamstown Theater Festival), changes my definition of theater (Sleep No More), or uses music in a different way (Spring Awakening, Once, any of John Doyle’s productions). These are the productions I want to see and perform in. And anything Sondheim.

What advice do you have for aspiring thespians?
- The sad truth is that most actors cannot make a living off of acting alone, at least not in the beginning of their careers. I’ve seen a lot of people get burnt out from inconsistent, physically and/or mentally draining non-theater side jobs. They either end up taking acting jobs that they don’t really want or drop acting altogether. Finding a rewarding second job is not a “backup plan”, it’s a way to continue acting in projects that mean something to you (and many of those don’t pay well) and to persevere in a very competitive business. It’s not a bad idea to start thinking about that sooner rather than later.

You’re absolutely right- that’s very practical advice! Thank you for your time and for sharing such wonderful stories and anecdotes with us, Elisa! Readers, don’t miss an opportunity to see Elisa and other Broadway actors share their talents in a very special performance benefiting Arts For All! THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 29th, join us at The Kitchen performance space for our fourth annual silent auction and cabaret. Not only will you enjoy a night of wonderful entertainment, you’ll be helping us bring artistic opportunities to NYC’s in-need children! Click below for more information and to reserve your ticket:

We hope to see you on Sunday!

~The Arts For All Team

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
~Confucius

In three words, describe yourself as a performer.
- Honest, Heartfelt, Intuitive

What made you realize that you wanted to perform professionally?
- It was a gradual realization for me.  I had many different interests but they all seemed to point me towards the theater, the interest in human behavior and how a magical theatrical experience can change lives and make a positive impact in the world.

That’s exactly what we’re about here at Arts For All- making a positive impact on the world through the arts. We’re lucky to have such talented volunteers and professionals who are aligned with our mission! Tell us- who in your life, either professionally or personally, do you look up to or admire and why?
- My sister, Katie.  Her love and passion for performing and the arts is what inspired me to get into it and continues to inspire me.

If you were trapped on a desert island with only one musical score, what would it be and why?
- South Pacific- classic Rodgers and Hammerstein, beautifully orchestrated, and I have a soft spot in my heart for it from personal experience. Not to mention it would be appropriate story-wise since it takes place on an island!

Haha! A fantastic answer with multiple meanings- I love it! Who or what helps you get through your professional tough times?
- Letters from audience patrons are wonderful reminders of how our performances can impact people.

Also a great answer! I think Barbra Streisand once said that your audience is your best judge. I can imagine few things more rewarding than knowing you’re truly connecting with the people for whom you’re performing. As someone who has both been in the audience and on stage, what is your favorite Broadway play?
- Tough call. I loved doing Monty Python’s Spamalot on Broadway.

And finally, what advice do you have for aspiring thespians?
- Follow your heart, stay true to yourself, be open, forge on…

Thank you for your time and for sharing with us, Kristie! Readers, learn more about Kristie by visiting her website, and don’t miss an opportunity to see her and other Broadway caliber actors share their talents in a very special performance for Arts For All this Sunday! It’s not too late to reserve your ticket to our fourth annual benefit and cabaret, “Growing Up ~ Reaching Out.” In addition to being a part of this special event, you’ll be helping us bring artistic opportunities to NYC’s in-need children! Click on the button below to RSVP!

Check back soon for another blog post. We hope to see you Sunday!

- The Arts For All Team

On March 21^st, I went to PS15 elementary school in Manhattan’s East Village to sit in on Literacy Through the Arts lessons taught by Lena Moy-Borgen, Shawn Shafner, and Robin Cannon. Literacy Through the Arts- one of Arts For All’s leading programs- focuses on increasing kindergarten, first, and second grade children’s phonemic awareness and letter recognition through a multi-arts curriculum in order to improve their reading, writing and verbal expression. Lena, Shawn, and Robin all have backgrounds primarily in theatre; but, as I witnessed firsthand, are uniquely adept in all things creative.  Kids in PS15’s kindergarten, first, and second grade classes had a blast dancing, singing, painting, and learning to their hearts’ content.

I started the day in Lena’s class where she started a first grade lesson with some movement and voice warm-ups. The kids were clearly excited at the opportunity to get a little loud and rambunctious in the classroom- they stood in a circle stretching their arms, legs, and vocal cords as Lena led them through a phonetics exercise. She ended the class with an expressive interactive reading of Mo Willems’s Knuffle Bunny, Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity (remember our interview with Arts For All playwright-in-residence Alan Ostroff? Mo Willems is one of his favorite children’s authors!). The kids loved it!

Next, I went to Shawn’s class where second grade students watched the classic tale of Cinderella as told through ballet. The kids engaged in animated conversation with Shawn and each other about how, even without any words, the familiar story was easily recognizable. The lesson highlighted the different ways symbolism, an important literary device, could be used to express the same idea. Emotion was a hot topic as Shawn explained how changes in music, movement, and scenery are used in different ways to convey happiness, sadness, fear, and excitement.

To end the day, I observed Robin as she taught a kindergarten class about the creatures of the sea through song and a watercolor exercise. As the kids colored pictures of different oceanic animals, Robin called on different students to identify and spell the name of each one. (Some enthusiastic students got further involved by making animals noises and movements. The dolphin impression was my favorite!)

A big Thank You goes out to Lena, Shawn, and Robin for letting me watch them in action! There is no greater indicator of Arts For All’s success than seeing firsthand the difference we make to these kids**. For many of them, the lessons brought to them by Arts For All are the only opportunities they will get to explore the arts. Knowing that they are smiling because of the work we’re doing is the very best reward!

- The Arts For All Team

“Art is the imagination expressed through the senses.”

~ Unknown

**Would you like an opportunity to see firsthand what a difference your contribution can make?? RSVP to our benefit and donate at the Executive Producer level for an opportunity to observe an Arts For All workshop!

More than thirty informative sessions were offered covering everything from how to address autism with art therapy to the use of social media in education to the use of hip hop in the classroom! Arts For All teaching artist Robin Cannon attended that session and later spontaneously incorporated hip hop into her own teaching practices. 5th graders enrolled in The Step Right Up theatre program at PS 15 took an excerpt from their own script and turned it into a rap, and Robin was able to capture this awesome recording!

A wonderful keynote address was given by Gigi Antoni, the President and CEO of Big Thought in Dallas, focusing on how the non-profit organization is bringing together a wealth of different resources in a collaborative effort to enrich learning and engage students in the home, classroom, and community. Antoni highlighted the importance of making the arts accessible by saying that “learning can take place everywhere, and everyone can be a teacher.” The importance of working together- as teachers, parents, and contributing members of the community- holds true everywhere; and by doing so, we can create a much more significant impact on education. Read more about Big Thought and how they are changing the way Dallas’s kids experience creative learning by clicking here!

Participants were also lucky enough to sit in on a panel featuring art educators from Venezuela, Scotland, and Finland. These three countries are global leaders in creative learning and are revolutionizing how the arts and mainstream education are incorporated. In Venezuela, a classical music program called El Sistema has captured the world’s attention by absorbing hundreds of thousands of youths of all socioeconomic backgrounds into professional caliber orchestras and ensembles. (A wonderful New York Times article on El Sistema can be found here.) Educators in Finland have been praised for creating an intensive and comprehensive curriculum of general educational objectives. And what makes these programs truly special is that education for every student is funded by the government through the university level!! (Click here for an insightful Huffington Post interview with Face to Face panelist and Finnish National Board of Education Counselor Dr. Eija Kauppinen.)

Arts For All teaching artist Shawn Shafner summed up the conference very well when asked what his overall impression of Face to Face 2012 had been. “My favorite thing about Face to Face is the camaraderie. It’s very easy to feel like the challenges we encounter every day as teaching artists are ours alone to bear. I love that yearly reminder that there are hundreds of people in this city all doing this work, and that we’re all working towards common goals of a better, more creative, more effective education for our kids.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! Face to Face 2012 was informative, enlightening, and most of all was a great time. I can’t wait to see what 2013 brings!

- The Arts For All Team

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
~B.B. King

When I reflect on those moments now- twenty-something years later- I realize how much of that little girl I still am and how important it is to keep my inner child alive as I navigate my adulthood. The shoes are a perfect fit, and my briefcase may contain a laptop instead of coloring books; but everyday I still have obstacles to conquer and goals to reach for. To reach for these goals with the positive and unwavering outlook of a child makes the task that much more exhilarating!

The 4th annual Arts For All benefit is coming up on Sunday, April 29th and this year’s focus is “Growing Up – Reaching Out.” We may be a young non-profit but we’ve grown up more than we could have imagined in a short time! Join us as we celebrate the success of the past and present, and share in our excitement as we look forward to a bright and unlimited future. We’ve served thousands of children in need all over the New York City area, and with the ongoing support of our contributors, we know we can serve thousands more in the years to come! In the next few weeks, we’ll be updating the site with details on how you can make a donation to the benefit, reserve your seat at the performance, or even volunteer to help us out with the event! If you don’t want to wait until the benefit, click the button below to make a general donation to Arts For All!

So mark your calendars. We not only hope to see you on April 29th, we hope to see you singing and dancing along with us as we celebrate with a night of great music, a wonderful silent auction and, of course, good company!

- Melinda and the Arts For All Team

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”
~Anne Frank

In three words, who is Alan Ostroff, playwright?
- Not that concise…

Nice answer! How did you first become a playwright?  
- About seven years ago, I was interested in creating a vehicle for myself as an actor so I could further my career, which at the time was solely performing. When my first play was produced, I realized that I liked writing the play as much as I liked performing it, so I developed as a playwright. I was also teaching at the time, and I realized that I could translate what I was learning about kids in the classroom into a script- about what entertained them and how their focus worked.

Most of your work has been written for children. Could you share with us a story from your childhood that explains you as a writer?
- Yes! I discovered my inner class clown in seventh grade French class- which was a hard time in my life. It was full of lots of middle school-age anxiety, and finding an outlet in creating humor completely brightened my life. There’s a connection between the comedy the audience gets out of my plays and the anxiety from which a lot of my characters need freedom. And since I discovered this whole thing in seventh grade French class, everything I write now is full of a whole heck of a lot of je ne sais pas…

Ça va, Alan… If you could only read one children’s book for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?
- Anything by Mo Willems- the man is a genius.

I’ll definitely check him out! I’m always on the lookout for good material to share with our readers and followers. Speaking of good material, what do we have to look forward to from you?
- Right now I’m creating a new draft of my play The Tall Tales of Enoch. The last time it was produced, it was plain to see that there are very specific times when the kids in the audience instinctively reacted. Enoch’s always stretching the truth about himself, which is his security blanket against his fear about the first day of third grade, and the kids in the audience kept yelling, “No, you’re not!” or “He’s lying!” Most of the kid’s shows I write encourage audience participation, so now that I’m armed with this knowledge about this particular script, I can pace it to embrace those opportunities better.

Where do you find inspiration for your material?  
- Kids I know. They say things that adults are not lucky enough to have the freedom to say anymore!

How true! Kids do say the darndest things. What do you find most challenging both- negatively and positively- about being a playwright?
- Knowing how to make it okay for the audience to laugh. Also, verb tenses. I think I’m still discovering how people really use them when speaking as opposed to how I use them when I’m writing. It sounds silly, but it’s a basic thing I find fascinating.

Me too! Verb tenses are fascinating as well as important to a well-written play. Let’s end the interview with a few words of wisdom to any budding playwrights that might be tuning in. What advice do you have for the thespians of the future?
- See shows as much as you work on shows- and that should be as much as possible!

Thanks for your time and fantastic input, Alan! Readers, you can learn more about Alan and his work with the Infinity Theatre Company, and be sure to check out The Tall Tales of Enoch and other productions currently booking at the Theatre for Summer 2012. Check back next week for an all-new blog post!

-The Arts For All Team

Teaching artist Mèlissa Smith kicked off January by teaching weekly movement and dance workshops to students K-1 at Project C.O.O.L. afterschool program in the East Village. Teaching artist Robin Cannon took Arts For All to the outer boroughs with weekly drama programs at PS 69 in Staten Island and The Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights.

We’re also thrilled to be further developing our Literacy Through the Arts program- an initiative that serves students K-2 and focuses on improving reading, writing, and verbal expression skills through a multi-arts curriculum of music, dance, and visual arts.  Teaching artists Shawn Shafner, Lena Moy-Borgen, and Robin Cannon are scheduled to teach LTA programs each week through May 2012 at PS 15, and this program is also expanding to Kindergarteners at Hamilton Heights Elementary in Harlem!!

This February will see the return of teaching artist Bonnie Pipkin’s Step Right Up program. Over the course of ten weeks, Bonnie and fellow teaching artist Robin Cannon will work with 5th graders at Project C.O.O.L. to create original productions of theater, dance, music and art. The residency ends on April 27th with an original theatrical production written, produced, and performed by students!

Get Involved, and let’s stay on track to hold on to that momentum through the rest of the year. Help us achieve our goal of serving more children than ever before! Learn more about these and other programs on our Current Programs page, and don’t forget to check back next week for an all-new blog post!

- The Arts For All Team

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
~John Dewey