Published: 6/7/2022 5:37:53 PM
Modified: 6/7/2022 5:35:44 PM
TURNERS FALLS — Following last year’s residency focused on performances of “To Bee or Not to Bee,” Piti Theatre Co. led a six-visit theater residency with second- and third-graders at Sheffield Elementary School that concluded early this month.
This year’s focus? Improv.
“We have been doing more and more improv-focused residencies with schools,” Piti Theatre’s Co-Artistic Director Jonathan Mirin said in a press release. “It gives us a lot of flexibility to address what is happening in the moment with each class and encourages students to think and feel on their feet, say ‘yes’ to each other’s creativity, and learn how inclusion of different ideas and students can be practiced through improv.”
Mirin was joined by Piti Theatre ensemble artist Laura Josephs of Greenfield. They worked with six classrooms. According to the release, the residency was coordinated by second grade teacher Susan Pelis.
“It was a pleasure to work with Jonathan and Piti Theatre Co. for our second year,” Pelis said in the release. “Jonathan is masterful at drawing in children, from the most reticent to those who have had some experience on stage. He has an authentic way of making all children feel safe and comfortable sharing their creative selves with the group. Our children can easily transfer the social skills they’ve learned from participating in ‘Inclusion Improv’ to the school playground, their local parks and neighborhoods.”
The theater company is also offering Inclusion Improv to kindergartners, as well as third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, at Hawlemont Regional School in Charlemont. The release states Inclusion Improv was made possible thanks to funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s STARS program and the Montague and Charlemont-Hawley cultural councils.
Other upcoming Piti Theatre events include:
■The streaming premiere of the final cut of “Dexter and the Dinosaurs,” on Sunday, June 12, at 4 p.m., with tickets available through the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (deerfield-ma.org).
■A performance of “Calling Foundry Village” at Colrain Central School on Tuesday, June 14, at 2 p.m.
■And the Zoom premiere of a new batch of podcasts from Piti Theatre’s teen improv-inspired program Valley Playwright Mentoring at sometime in June at ptco.org.