SAGUACHE STORYCAMP ONLINE!
Although our doors remain closed, the Historic Ute Theatre team is happy to host Saguache Storycamp, a series of 5 FREE one-week virtual summer camps with Katrina Pratt director of Storycamp Dangercamp. This program is intended for Saguache County kids ages 6-12.
Saguache Storycamp is made possible thanks to support from a Saguache County Sales Tax Grant as well as partnerships with H.E.A.R.T. of Saguache/KV and Alpine Achievers Initiative.
Each one-week session of Storycamp offers child-centered adventures through a deep exploration of our natural surroundings, character development, collaborative storytelling, puppet-making, clowning, and scavenger hunts. Programming includes a combination of online guidance/communication and offline projects with family participation at home.
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At the end of each week, we will share what we have created on and off screen in a culminating event. This may be a performance, a storytelling experience (i.e. sharing stories inside forts we have made), or playing a game. Our aspiration is that kids finish the week with a sense of possibility and a feeling of connection.
While each session is thoroughly planned, there is space for the group to help shape the material. Just as is the case with Storycamp's in-person camps, this program is also child-directed, encouraging children to incorporate their interests, inspirations, and concerns into the projects. A few activities may require parental supervision.
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday, Friday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Session 1:
June 22nd - June 26th
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Clowning Around
For kids who enjoy being silly. Here’s a great excuse to bring some levity to your surroundings - even embarrass yourself on assignment. Circus can thrive even (or especially when) times are hard. We will have our first meeting working on character development. Choose an unconventional superpower - we will have a list or you can invent your own. Then we will have opportunities to develop our characters - their backgrounds, their voices, what scares them, what excites them. We will incorporate some improv games, we will come up with sidekicks. Our second session will be a time for face paint and really getting into the character. We are all together to solve a big problem. We may team up, we may do a little extra curricular performance for those kids who want to try. A fun social experiment that brings clowning to the grocery store, a family gathering, or even just dinner time. We can brainstorm ways of coming up with a short act that can be performed for family and friends.
Materials:
computer
paper
pencil
access to makeup or
face paint
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Parental Supervision?
Depends on parents' comfort with children using face paint or makeup. Permission to wear costumes or clothes in silly combinations is encouraged!
Session 2:
June 29th - July 3rd
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday, Friday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Hidden Treasure
Scavenger hunts! Here we go outside, map our homes, and the surrounding area. We can invent different names for different elements. The backyard may very well have a pit of lava or a rainbow forest one needs to traverse. Kids will get a chance to go on a scavenger hunt themselves and then will design one for parents/ friends/ siblings. This will test the seeker’s knowledge and give children a chance to reimagine their surroundings. First online meeting includes a “bingo” card they receive, riddles, and a physical challenge they have to overcome. Second meeting we come up with background stories for their treasure hunts. At the end of the week, we'll have an opportunity to share our experiences.
Materials:
computer
paper
pencil
colored writing utensils
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Parental Supervision?
Participation in end-of-the-week scavenger hunt if possible.
Session 3:
July 6th - July 10th
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday, Friday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Science Fair Theater
Together we develop a performance piece based on the inner workings of a larger system. This could be a solar system, the human body, an ecosystem, or one we imagine together. After choosing our subject, we enter into the world. Each participant makes a puppet that describes their part in the system - a personification of its composite parts. When each child has chosen a part, we then get to make puppets together and allow them to be reporters or storytellers about the subject. We can design sets/ diagrams, incorporate humor and learn piece by piece how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Materials:
computer
paper
pencil
colored writing utensils
fabric - soft material (old sweater, fleece, pajamas)
hot glue
flare - buttons, googly eyes, pom poms, craft fur, jewels
scissors
batting/ stuffing
cardboard
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Parental Supervision?
Yes, for hot glue projects.
Session 4:
July 13th - July 17th
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday, Friday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Choose Your Own Adventure - Collaborative Storytelling
Ever wanted to write a book? Here we incorporate storytelling prompts in order to build one together. We play improv games and learn a “yes and” approach to cooperative creativity. First meeting kids come with a story that they love - better if it is well known, like a fairy tale. We will take turns connecting our stories to one another. Fractured fairy tales where transitions lead to different worlds. Kids get a chance to describe these different worlds and use improv to maintain a narrative. At the end of the week we will take turns reading our story and sharing illustrations we may have created for it.
Materials:
computer
paper
pencil
colored writing utensils
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Parental Supervision?
Not necessary.
Session 5:
July 20th - July 24th
Zoom Sessions Monday, Thursday:
11 - 12:15pm MST
Radio Theater!
Here we explore the art of radio as we come together to make an original theatrical piece shared as a group. We will spend time outside our homes listening to the sounds around us. We investigate interesting sound effects, recording our findings and using them as Foley art. We will play with voice and how to create ambiance with sounds, painting landscapes for the ear. I will take the recordings we make and combine them into a final piece.
Materials:
computer
paper
pencil
colored writing utensils
recording device (cell phone?)
Parental Supervision?
Perhaps around cell phone/ recording device.