This workshop is a collaboration between the artist, the teacher, and the students. Kate's background in improv, drama, puppetry, storytelling, textiles, and K-12 arts education can be combined to achieve all kinds of creative goals and fulfill the teacher's vision for what a visiting theatre artist can do for their students.
Teachers are encouraged to REACH OUT are share their idea of a dream workshop. Some ideas for a collaboration could be:
-Giving students a rock solid foundation for improv, performance and comedy
-Creating a puppet show (using shadows, foam, found objects, and trash!)
-Inventing a role drama based on a picture book
-Choreographing a group number for the school talent show
-Co-writing a script
-Devising a play based on current or historical events
-Building ensemble skills in movement, voice, and trust
-Using theatre games to build confidence and imagination
-Creating sets and costumes for an upcoming production
-Building a soundscape for a novel study
-Creating character masks for a novel study
-Painting & writing in character as a means of reflection
-Getting outside and making art with the land
The only limit is our own imaginations.
Any workshop will have the learning outcome of deepening both the students' and teacher's understandings of creativity, play, and collaboration.
Results of the finished projects will vary! Hands-on workshop will leave the class with physical creations (such as masks, puppets, props, artworks, installations, scripts), and performance-based workshops will give students useful skills, techniques, and processes to use in future creative projects.
| Grade Suitability | K-12 |
| Maximum Class Size | 25 students |
| Time Required | 40 minutes; prep time TBD |
| Material Required | Flexible - materials can be provided. |
| Material Cost | Flexible - material costs will be determined with the teacher in advance |
| Language of Instruction | English |
| Communities | All |
| Special Notes | A longer version of this workshop can be created. |
Kate has worked as a K-7 Arts Educator, and a 9-12 Drama, Textiles, and English Teacher in both the Yukon and British Columbia. They have a BEd, with a specialization in secondary theatre and humanities, from UBC.
Their education and work experience outside of schools is in Devised Theatre and Environmental Education. Before becoming a teacher, Kate worked in Interpretation for both Alberta Parks and Parks Canada. They have a BFA in Applied Theatre from the University of Victoria, and love to see theatre used in non-traditional settings.
In the Yukon, Kate has worked for the Guild Hall as an actor, director, and improv coach, and with Gwaandak Theatre as an actor, director, and artistic associate. She keeps busy with her artistic collaborators by crafting up shadow puppet plays and improv performances for local events including Theatre in the Bush, 'Round Back Summer Arts Festival, and S(Hiver) Arts Festival. She lives on the territories of Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council, in Kwanlin/Whitehorse.
Kate grew up in rural Alberta, on Treaty 6 Territory.