Alley Theatre

Description

Alley Theatre, acknowledged leader in American theatre, holds Applied Theatre, integrating drama in education, community, or therapeutic contexts, among its core values. The Alley Character Education Series (ACES) presents interactive touring assemblies for K-5th grade students. Delightfully wacky, these ‘Oskar’ plays are described as ‘vaudevillian—SNL for K-5th graders,’ and teach important life skills such as becoming an upstander against bullies, understanding the importance of diversity, social-emotional competence, resiliency, and coping with trauma. Comments such as ‘The kids were super excited from our last show and this show lived up to the hype!,’ ‘The music and special effects made a big impact!’ ‘Resilience was taught in a way the students could relate,’ and ‘The presentation kept the students engaged the whole time,’ are common. With small casts, a portable, easy-to-assemble set, and an interactive digital guide, plays are designed for school auditoriums, gymnasiums, and multipurpose rooms. They provide a framework for post-performance discussions in the classroom and beyond. The Alley is also available to visit classrooms with programs like Staging STEM (+), First Draft personal narrative, and Slam Poetry, as well as evidence-based professional development programs. TYPE, Texas Young Playwrights Exchange, is designed for live or virtual engagement throughout Texas. Photo by Tasha Gorel.