Kidworks Touring Theatre Co.

Description

Kidworks Touring Theatre celebrates its’ 35th season "opening the doors between education and imagination...and bringing literature, geography, history and science to life!" Since 1987, Kidworks has reached over one million children traveling to schools, libraries, park districts, and museums, offering interactive touring productions, "hands-on" drama workshops and long-term Artist-in-Residency programs for PreK-12th graders. All of Kidworks programs’ promote multi-cultural tolerance, world peace and a respect for nature. Kidworks brings education to life through dancing, drumming, drama and the visual arts, by incorporating an abundance of audience participation and providing useful teacher study guides.

Current Touring Productions: (PreK-8th grade)
• African-American History...Live!!!
• Endangered Animals! What’s a Kid to Do?
• Global Warming! What’s a Kid to Do?
• Holidays around the World
• Peace Tales around the World
•The Pharaoh, Sphinx and the Curse of the Mummy

Workshops & Artist-in-Residencies: (PreK-12th)
• African Dancing & Drumming
• Games & Dances around the World / Music around the World
• Hispanic Heritage / Native American / Ancient Greece
• Intro to Drama / Shakespeare

+Special Education Programs: For children with A.D.D./A.D.H.D., Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, Physical Disabilities, Visual & Hearing Impairments.

Work Sample

Kidworks provides a variety of multicultural and environment programs that tie in with school curriculums, library reading themes and community events.

Kidworks Touring Theatre Co. offers a variety of environmental programs that tie in with school curriculums and library reading themes. This video is a 4 min demonstration of our performance "Global Warming! What's a Kid to Do?" where Kidworks actors portray TV news reporters traveling to the Arctic, Antarctic, Australia and the Amazon documenting climate change and deforestation around the world. Children in the studio audience volunteer to play monkeys, fish, and endangered animals, as the students come up with positive solutions that make a difference. This program has been updated in 2022 with the latest information on Global Warming and its effects on our planet. We also have the sequel, "Endangered Animals! What's a Kid to Do?" available to tour. Both programs run 45 minutes and include teacher study guides. Recommended for Pre K-8th grade

Kidworks presents a 4 min demonstration of our performance "Peace Tales around the World," designed for children PreK-6th grade. In our action packed 45 minute journey, we visit Africa, the Middle East, India, China, Mexico, Jamaica and Native America, as stories, dances and traditions come alive.

http://www.kidworkstheatre.org

Please visit Kidworks Touring Theatre Co.'s website for a full list of our 10 Touring Performances and our wide range of hands-on Workshops designed for preK-12th graders.

History

Kidworks Touring Theatre Company is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) Organization, dedicated to "Opening the doors between education and imagination...and bringing literature, geography, history and science to life!"

Since 1987, Kidworks has reached over one million children; traveling to schools, libraries, park districts, and museums, offering interactive touring productions, a variety of "hands-on" drama workshops and long term Artist-in-Residency programs for children pre-K through 12th grade.

All of our programs promote multicultural tolerance, self-esteem, and a positive approach toward learning. We emphasize audience participation, encourage teacher involvement, and provide useful teacher study guides. Kidworks' goal is to reach out to as many children as possible from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, inspiring a lifelong love for learning while introducing students to other cultures through the arts.

For over 33 years, Kidworks has been providing "hands-on" theater based experiences for children from poverty-stricken areas of Chicago, to children in rural areas who have limited access to the arts. Known for our innovation and ability to adapt our programs based on the curriculum needs of schools and libraries, Kidworks customizes its "hands-on" programs for each individual organization.

Artistic Vision

All of Kidworks programs include an abundance of audience participation and teacher study guides to aide the learning. Kidworks programs promote multicultural tolerance, self esteem and a respect for the nature through dancing, drumming, drama and the visual arts.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

Many of Kidworks' students are children challenged with A.D.D. / A.D.H.D, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Physical and Developmental Disabilities, as well as Visual and Hearing Impairments. Our drama programs spark an extra boost to their self-confidence and provide a fun "hands-on" experience with instruments, costumes, and imagination.

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

Kidworks performers are African American and Middle Eastern and trained in a variety of ethnic dances, languages and traditions that they are able to bring to the children and make accessible for all. From teaching West African Dancing, to Salsa Dancing, to Belly Dancing, to Tai Chi, Yoga, Native American Pow Wow dancing and more.