Stories create connection and have the power to open windows into other times, places, and experiences. Wouldn't it be great to use theatre, storytelling and writing to create a dialogue across the generations? In this class, team-taught by acting teacher Susan Palmer and writing teacher Rebecca Yahm, students will explore ways that listening to and telling stories can create empathy and connection in rich an unexpected ways. In doing so, they will learn and practice a variety of writing, storytelling, speaking, and acting skills.

Students will learn about the process of doing oral history and develop interviewing skills as they gather childhood stories from our local elders. Then they will find the most captivating nuggets of stories within these interviews and craft them into written monologues for performance. To create powerful monologues, they will learn how to understand and evoke the social and historical setting as well as the characters and events. Students will develop performance skills that will allow them to bring these creations to the stage. The class will culminate in a public showing of students’ work in which the original storytellers will have a front row seat! There will be a post-performance discussion where students and seniors talk about the process together. Some weeks, students will need to do a little work on this project at home so that we can be ready to perform when the time comes.

Susan Palmer is an actor, director and teacher. She holds her MFA in theatre directing from Middlesex University in London England. She has performed and taught in Europe, Canada and at home with The Vermont Stage Company and at the new Waterfront Theatre. She currently teaches theatre to both adults and children at Vermont Commons School, Champlain Elementary and The Flynn Center of the Performing Arts.

Rebecca Yahm (Open Path Homeschooling Resources) has taught writing to children and teens in homeschool classes, schools, and camp programs. She has an M.Ed., experience teaching in both public and private schools, and a commitment to alternative education. She has been providing support services and learning experiences for homeschool families since 2003, and particularly enjoys guiding interdisciplinary creative projects like this one.