At the Alliance Theatre, we believe that artists deserve innovative and supportive environments to create their best work, and that includes ensuring their families are supported too. This is where EXPAND Childcare steps in—our revolutionary, free, arts-integrated childcare program that provides a nurturing space for the children of artists with non-traditional schedules. Serving infants to children aged five, this pilot program, supported by a grant from Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning, offers personalized care in a creative environment, right here at the Alliance Theatre.
A Safe Haven for Artists’ Children
Traditional childcare often doesn’t align with the unpredictable schedules of theater professionals. EXPAND was designed with this in mind, providing coverage during rehearsals, performances, and any other odd working hours. Whether you’re an actor preparing for a major production or a teaching artist shaping the next generation of performers, EXPAND ensures that the artist’s children are cared for by experienced professionals who understand the demands of an artistic career.
Our arts-integrated curriculum is specifically designed for early learners, with activities tailored to each child’s developmental stage. From story time and drama games to art-making and music, EXPAND isn’t just a place for care—it’s an environment that encourages creativity, empathy, and learning.
Immersed in World-Class Art
One of the hallmarks of EXPAND is the regular exposure to the artistic experiences that the Woodruff Arts Center has to offer. Children get to attend the Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young and take special trips to the High Museum of Art, providing them with frequent interaction with world-class art. This type of rich, arts-centered learning fosters imaginative play and cognitive development, giving children a head start on creativity.
Empowering Artists Through Training and Development
EXPAND also benefits our community of teaching artists by providing additional opportunities for work, training, and professional development. Just last week, we hosted a special training session for the teaching artists who will be providing childcare during this year’s production of A Christmas Carol. The session featured a Q&A with staff from the YMCA, where our team learned about emotional regulation strategies and other early childhood care practices, helping them create a warm and supportive atmosphere for all children in our care.
This holiday season, we are excited to offer full-time care to six children whose parents are part of the A Christmas Carol cast and creative team. These children will have a safe, educational, and creative space available throughout rehearsal and performance hours.
A Creative Future
EXPAND is not just about providing childcare—it’s about integrating arts into the lives of the next generation while empowering working artists. It’s a space where children can explore their world through creative play, artistic expression, and hands-on experiences that engage their hearts and minds.
We are proud of the impact EXPAND is making, not just for the children who participate, but for the artists whose work is enriched by the peace of mind that their families are cared for. We can’t wait to continue building on this innovative program and creating more opportunities for Atlanta’s artistic community to thrive.
How the Arts Allow Us to Reflect on Early Literacy and Language Learning
In Babble Lab, a scientist discovers the joy and chaos of language when an experiment causes sounds to take on life and sow chaos in her laboratory. When crafting this nonsensical celebration of sound, Playwright Autumn Ness took inspiration from Dada. Although this may seem like another bit of babble, Dadaism is a 20th century artistic movement in which artists rejected the logic, reason, and division associated with modern capitalism and nationalism. Instead, they embraced themes of nonsense and irrationality.
In the literary tradition, “Dadaism is trying to represent the sound over sense. Sound over meaning,” says Daniel Walter, Professor of Linguistics and German at Emory University’s Oxford College. “The point is to focus more on the sound.” This is seen in artistic developments such as “sound poetry,” or poetry that leans more into the aural sounds of the words, rather than their meanings.
At its core, Dadaism is about using art to challenge our preconceived notions and expectations. In a similar way, Babble Lab, through its playful representation of sounds and sense, allows us to explore a new way of seeing language learning.
“Preschoolers are already Dada,” says Ness. “They are bizarre, joyous, wondrous, and abstract.” Language learning begins before we are born. Studies show that we begin processing sounds and rhythms from inside the womb. That experience intensifies in our early years of life as we build up our mental bank of recognizable sounds. It’s noteworthy to highlight that we build our bank of sounds, not words.
“[When learning language] children pay attention to pure sound, and then they add meaning afterwards,” says Walter. “They have no concept that language has meaning until they start attaching sound patterns they already recognize to objects, and that’s not something they’re doing from birth.” Once children begin attaching meaning to sounds, the real work begins. Learning a language requires countless hours of listening, speaking, writing, and reading.
“I think one of the funniest things that people say is…language is just so easy for children.” Walter highlights that learning a language is an involved process. Although his research primarily focuses on adult second language learners, Walter is able to reflect on the challenges of learning a language while raising his three children under the age of five years old. “It’s not easy for anyone. All we ask of our three- and four-year-olds is to learn the languages we’re speaking on a daily basis. That’s their only job, and they do it every moment that they’re not sleeping.” It can be grueling and uncomfortable, and that’s before one begins to consider learning challenges such as dyslexia or ADHD. Then, it can feel like the letters and sounds themselves are running away or playing tricks on you, similar to what the scientist experiences on stage.
Through a show like Babble Lab, young learners and their families experience the joy of language without any strings attached. “The arts,” Walter says, “have the opportunity to bring in some of these critical ideas and force people to think Is it really easy for kids to learn language? When do children start learning? Why are the sounds important in how my child learns another language?”
As a story that presents the playfulness of words and sounds, Babble Lab offers another narrative for language learning that is open, non-judgmental, and crosses boundaries of language and culture. It invites everyone into the space to share in a nonsensical explosion of learning. But, just because it’s nonsense doesn’t mean it doesn’t have meaning or, more importantly, impact. Babble Lab shows children that learning language can be fun, and it reminds adults of the genuine labor that our young people undergo on a daily basis to communicate their basic needs and wants.
Performances of Babble Lab will take place June 22 – July 28, 2024 on the Hertz Stage.
Playwright and Actress Autumn Ness on Communication, Children’s Theatre, and Babble Lab
For playwright and actor Autumn Ness, theatre has been “the passion” since she was young. “I think I got started the way most people do, just loving big stories and playing through them in my head.” She’s always taken creative liberties with the art, which explains a choice she made at her very first audition when she was eight years old — Hansel and Gretel, coincidentally at Children’s Theatre Company.
“They gave us a little side to read, and I took one look at it and decided, ‘This isn’t what they need to see,’” Ness says. “I knew Hansel and Gretel was a scary play, and I thought the director should see how well I can be scared. So when it was my turn to stand in front of the director’s table, I put down the sides, opened my mouth, and screamed as loud and as long as I could. And everyone behind the table laughed. And I thought, How dare they?! Don’t they know this is important to the play? They called a few days later, and I had gotten the part. I can only imagine why they chose the little girl who clearly needed an exorcism!”
Since she started her career in theatre at Children’s Theatre Company, Ness was elated to write the script for Babble Lab. In a world where children’s theatre gets unfairly assessed and seems “somehow diminished or lesser than, … it’s so important to write quality work for children and families!” Ness says. “Theatre for youth and families is where it’s at right now. I think of Naomi Iizuka and Cheryl West in America, and Shonna Reppe and Bodil Alling overseas. Making such real and artful work without a nod to it being somehow for a younger audience.”
To bring the script to fruition, Ness acknowledges that they could have “thrown some random letters on the floor.” Instead, she drew inspiration from the Dada theatre movement and sound poetry, especially the poem Ursonate by Kurt Schwitters. “It’s about 25 pages of nonsense words, but it’s a thrilling read!” It seemed a perfect fit to help her on her journey into the lab for Babble Lab.
She also traveled to the Netherlands to study under Jaap Blonk, who she describes as “the world’s greatest authority on sound poetry.” Under his tutelage, she learned to not make the sound poetry “somehow be a disguise for true meaning. The meaning is in the pleasure of the sound. That’s a very hard lesson for a control freak Virgo like me!”
When the time came to start to bring the production to life, Ness “wrote some very basic puppet and static projection interactions” because she knew she “wanted these words and sounds to be the other characters in the play. Then Projections Designer Jorge Cousineau joined the project and “basically opened up the sky with what he’s capable of.”
Since there weren’t any more limits to the animation interactions they could have, they spent the first three weeks of rehearsal playing with live animation as they worked before solidifying what they wanted it to look like. After that, they practiced the timing relentlessly, getting the precision just right so that all the interactions between The Scientist and the animations would be as satisfying as possible.
Due to the unpredictability of the show’s audience, they had to break each animation up into very small sections so that The Scientist can respond in real time to what the audience gives her. The final product has upwards of four hundred cues. “Our Stage Manager is Wonder Woman,” Ness says.
In developing this project, Ness could barely contain her excitement, failing to “play it cool” at production meetings as the designers worked their magic. “It’s so humbling to have teams of people wanting the show to be exactly what you need,” says Ness. “I was so happy when we began previews and the shops and artistic team could sit amongst the kids and see their reaction to what had been built. I hope they felt like their hard work was worth it when they heard the kids’ reactions.”
Ness also pulled from her personal experience of watching her own children’s developmental journey to develop this script. “Their road to communicating was not smooth,” Ness explains, “as is the case for so many families. Talking, learning their letters, reading, writing. When you picture these childhood milestones, you think of joy and success. You never predict that getting to a milestone has tears and worries and fears.”
In addition to being entertained, Ness hopes that audiences can walk away learning something about what it means to make mistakes and learn from them. In Babble Lab, The Scientist makes a discovery after making a mistake, which leads her to more discoveries while also battling the consequences of the mistake she made.
“What does it mean to have words?” Ness asks. “Words can make people laugh, but they can hurt. Words can get out of control. You can have the biggest vocabulary in the world and still not be able to say what you mean or what you are feeling.”
As The Scientist goes on this journey alongside the youngest audience members, they observe as she learns how to get her needs met, express herself, and connect with others.
“I hope audiences recognize that the journey to using our own voice is difficult, and that we make mistakes in figuring out how we want to use that voice,” Ness says. “But it’s so important kids know that there is no one in the world who has their same point of view, and they have the power to express themselves and be heard.”
Performances of Babble Lab will take place June 22 – July 28, 2024 on the Hertz Stage.
Alliance Theatre helps improve children’s literacy skills.
Being an actor doesn’t always mean playing a role on stage. For 75 performers affiliated with the Alliance Theatre, plying their craft means doing so in front of a classroom of children.
“We have teaching artists in classrooms and summer camps,” said Christopher Moses, the Alliance’s Jennings Hertz artistic director. “They introduce our work to a new population. We’re not simply a place to see a show; we’re using art for the greater good of the community.”
A big part of that greater good is improving literacy skills among young learners.
Through the Alliance’s Georgia Wolf Trap Early Learning Through the Arts program, artists go through a week of training focused on early childhood development before being paired with classroom teachers to deliver 16 sessions of research-based lessons on literacy and social emotional learning.
They also hold one-on-one sessions with teachers, who then can use the strategies in future classes.
During the school year, artists are working in 89 schools and 287 pre-K and kindergarten classes around the state.
Last year, the program debuted in the pre-K classes of the Marietta City Schools.
“The program has all the learning outcomes we want married with arts integration,” said Carolyn Landreau, Marietta’s K-12 fine arts coordinator.
“It’s super engaging for students and teachers alike. It gives us additional tools to make learning more exciting while still hitting learning targets.”
A recent $60,000 grant from the Wellstar Foundation has helped the Alliance expand its outreach in Marietta beyond pre-K; the funds will underwrite the program for all kindergarten classes in the district’s eight elementary schools.
“My goal is to have as much access as possible for all of Marietta’s students,” Landreau said.
Lessons are rooted in phonics, comprehension, phonetics awareness, fluency and grammatical understanding, said Hallie Angelella, the Alliance’s Naserian Foundation head of early childhood programs.
“We use arts integration strategies that support what each classroom needs,” she said. “For example, we have a story basket with props that help tell a story and build anticipation. Kids get involved not just to listen but to act out or become the story. They’re using their bodies to comprehend the characters as well as the beginning and end.”
Measuring the program’s effectiveness is difficult, Landreau said.
“It’s hard to quantify because we’re not testing the outcomes of specific lessons. It’s much more about qualitative impact,” she said. “The feedback from teachers and students is that it increases engagement and gives teachers other strategies to get kids excited. And I can’t tell you how excited the kids are. If someone just read to them, they wouldn’t be nearly as engaged.”
SPRING IS HERE which means metro area schools will soon be locking their doors and school buses will soon be parking temporarily for spring break vacation.
And while there are countless offerings made available throughout the metro area for families choosing to not travel or traveling to the city, figuring out what to do to keep your children fulfilled and entertained during the break can be daunting.
Fret not. We thought it a nice idea to provide a short and inexhaustive guide to provide friends and patrons of the Alliance Theatre with options of what to do while on spring break.
Here you’ll find a carefully curated selection of suggestions for you and your family this spring break.
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE
The magic of theatre is that it can transport us to places we could have never imagined. And this season we have several productions available for families and young audiences designed to inspire creativity and catapult us into experiences of the unknown.
Opening April 1, THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY, our next Youth & Family show on the Coca-Cola Stage, is the story of a young Boy who learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Sponsored by the Zeist Foundation, Atlanta Public Schools families can see the show for free during spring break, April 2-8 (limit 6 tickets per family). *
And running through April 30, LIZARD & EL SOL, our bilingual TVY show performing in the Black Box Theatre, is an interactive adventure based on a famous Mexican folktale about a time when El Sol (the Sun) disappeared from the sky.
We also have offerings available for streaming as part of our Alliance Theatre Anywhere initiative. Join two overly curious scientists, ROOB & NOOB, who love nothing more than discovering something new on an interactive adventure as they build machines from simple objects and explore the wonder and sensations of each of the four seasons.
And of course, SIT-IN, written by Atlanta’s bestselling author, playwright, and Civil Rights Activist, Pearl Cleage (Blues for An Alabama Sky, In My Granny’s Garden, Tell Me My Dream) this original animated short celebrates the power of youth to change history. We meet three friends as they learn about the sit-ins of the Civil Rights era, and powerfully apply those lessons to issues they – and we all – face today.
CAMPS
Maybe you have a child who commands everyone’s attention when they are in a room, or a family friend who has always wanted to perform but never quite had the courage or confidence. Spring Break Camp is available for kids aged four to grade 8 during the week as a way of encouraging your child to express their creative side.
Spring break offerings are about more than just entertainment. Spring break offerings at the Alliance Theatre are committed to inspiration through creating memorable experiences and transformative opportunities. To learn more, visit https://www.alliancetheatre.org/.
*APS BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY Promo Codes: BESTCSK, CARVER, DOUGLASS, JACKSON, MAYS, MIDTOWN, NORTHATL, SOUTHATL, THERRELL, WASHINGTON
Alliance Theatre, Fernbank Museum of Natural History Celebrate 10th Anniversary of PNC Foundation, PNC Grow Up Great Relationship
PNC contributions to Alliance, Fernbank benefitted more than 13,000 Atlanta students
Alliance Theatre and Fernbank Museum of Natural History are pleased to announce the 10th anniversary of their association with the PNC Foundation in support of PNC Grow Up Great®. Through this unique relationship, the arts and sciences have received $1.5 million from PNC Foundation, and over 13,000 pre-K students have participated in Georgia Wolf Trap arts-integration residencies, dozens of field trips to see a Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young Production at the Alliance and hands-on STEAM programming at the Fernbank Museum.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary, the Alliance Theatre and Fernbank Museum will host a celebratory event as part of the Alliance’s annual Toddler Takeover Festival on Saturday, April 29, 2023 for all PNC Grow Up Great pre-K students and their families to visit the Alliance for a day of free theater performances, art-making, outdoor dance performances, music and much more.
“For the past 10 years, we have gladly supported the Alliance Theatre and Fernbank Museum through our PNC grants and programming; and we are proud to have given Atlanta’s youngest students and their families access to free, performing arts events and historic natural science exhibits,” said Eddie Meyers, PNC regional president for Georgia. “We know when there’s instruction outside of the classroom that includes fun, hands-on activities, children have a better chance of learning and retaining the information. These fieldtrips accomplish that in spades.”
As the number of field trips decline across the country, the relationship between Alliance Theatre, Fernbank Museum of Natural History and PNC Grow Up Great ensures that Atlanta Public Schools’ earliest learners benefit from the academic and social emotional growth that results from out-of-the-classroom learning opportunities. Research conducted through the Woodruff Arts Center’s Multi-Visit Program in partnership with the University of Arkansas’ National Endowment for the Arts Research Lab, shows that students who attend multiple art-centered field trips have higher levels of social-emotional skills, stronger school engagement and higher standardized test scores.
“Plus, studies have shown that 90% of a child’s brain develops by age five, which is why at PNC, we understand that a well-rounded education in and out of the classroom is a strategic investment in Atlanta,” added Meyers.
Support for Atlanta Public Schools
- In addition to field trips, the Alliance and Fernbank provide research-based support to Atlanta Public Schools and select Sheltering Arms early learning teachers, students, and families, to develop key early literacy and academic skills that will contribute to “scaffolding STEM concepts” and long-term academic and developmental success.
- Each of the 61 pre-K classrooms that feed into Atlanta Public Schools Kindergarten program receive special programming from Fernbank science educators and Alliance teaching artists. Teachers become equipped with tools to assist in increasing early literacy skills through arts integration, making learning fun for students.
- Integrated arts and science classrooms will receive a 12-session, Georgia Wolf Trap – Early Learning Through the Arts STEAM – residency and four planning sessions with an Alliance Theatre teaching artist, two customized workshops, streaming access to all Alliance virtual productions, and a private field trip to Fernbank. Students will also receive Fernbank-curated science learning resource kits that include books, exploratory toys, and discounted admission to the museum.
Furthermore, the relationship with PNC has also supported the development of two collaborations between the Alliance and Fernbank, the Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young production, DINOSAUR, and the animated short, THE CURIOUS CARDINAL.
“Over the years, I have had the privilege of witnessing hundreds of students and countless educators experience the wonderful partnership we have with Alliance and Fernbank through the PNC Grow up Great initiative,” said Bridget L. Bailey, early learning coordinator for the Atlanta Public Schools Office of Early Learning. “This unique collaboration has been instrumental in connecting educational learning experiences with drama and science, while providing unimaginable experiences for early learners in our district.”
CALLING ALL FUTURE SCIENTISTS!
Gather your materials and your mind to build your very own Roob and Noob machine! This year’s competition requires you to complete one task: Water A Plant.
Show off your creativity and ingenuity in whatever way is the most entertaining to you! Explore the most creative and entertaining way you can complete this simple task. No need to purchase materials, simply find items within your environment and see what you can discover. If you need some help or some inspiration, we’ve got you covered here!
Entering the contest grants you FREE tickets to attend Roob and Noob Community Day on November 5th at 11:00am! The contest winner will be announced the week of November 6th and their video will be featured on our social media.
For more about Roob and Noob, visit here.
Bina’s Six Apples takes place during the Korean War, but the trauma and tragedies of war are not a thing of the past. Every day across the globe, families are forced to flee their homes for safety. Ukraine is the most recent example.
While the subject of war is an adult matter, the images and sound bites are everywhere. With the accessibility of mass media in and out of the home, children have or will encounter stories of war taking place today. Children need to process these big ideas to release associated anxiety. Here are a few tactics for tackling those tough conversations.
- Set the Scene – Before approaching the topic, find a comfortable space in the home that represents safety and love. Turn off distractions like mobile phones, television, radio, etc. Make sure you have processed your personal feelings about war, or have a support system in place, so you come to the conversation as calmly as possible. Big feelings might present themselves, and as adults we need to be ready to meet these feelings with loving support.
- Listen – Start by posing one simple question: “what have you heard?” Before launching into explanations about the nuances of war, assess what your child is aware of. Use active listening to validate their thoughts. As your child shares their feelings, repeat them aloud to check for your own understanding. Be aware of what your body language might be broadcasting to your child. Folded arms or turning away can present a sense of shutting down or closing off from the conversation. Stay open and offer a hand to hold or a hug as needed. Take your cues from your kids’ responses. Let them know you agree with them if they are worried or scared, and it is our job as adults to keep our kids safe. Be careful not to go too in depth about your personal anxieties with war as they might project back onto your child.
- Answer – Provide simple and straightforward answers to their questions. Avoid metaphors and euphemisms as they can often be too abstract. Correct any misconceptions about what they have encountered in the media or through peers with facts. Model being a good citizen by avoiding stereotyping people involved in the conflict based on their nationality, race, gender, religion, or ability. And when you don’t have the answer to a question, it is okay to say “I don’t know.”
- Move – Sometimes kids just need to be kids. Anxiety can manifest in the body causing physical discomfort, headaches, lethargy, and more. Exercise and fresh air are great antidotes to anxiety and confusion. Take a family walk. Turn on music and dance it out. Invite their buddy on a play date. Do active things that spark joy in your child.
- Create – Art helps kids process big feelings. Invite your child to draw a picture about what they are feeling and wondering. Allow them to describe their art by using the simple prompt, “Tell me about this picture.” This question opens the door for children to share their perspective about the image without the adult mind projecting their own thoughts onto it. Avoid praise phrases like “great picture!” and “good job!” without using specific language. Rather, ask questions about what you see on the page, removing judgmental responses about their artistry. Art is a powerful tool for self-expression.
- Act – War can make many of us feel helpless. Discuss ways you as a family can help those affected by the war. Invite them to take part in an act of support, like writing a letter to your representatives or rallying the neighborhood to raise money for an aid organization. When children see they can have a positive impact, large or small, they understand they are a part of the solution. And as Fred Rogers famously quoted his mother, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Picture Books About War and Refugees
When Spring Comes to DMZ by Uk-Bar Lee
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The Day War Came by Nicola Davies
Lost and Found Cat by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes, illustrated by Sue Corneliso
Pea Pod Lullaby by Glenda Millard
Lubna and Pebble by Wendy Meddour, illustrated by Daniel Egneus
The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul
Resources
Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event, Child Mind Institute
Terrorism and War: How to Talk to Children, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
How to Talk to Children About What’s Happening in Ukraine, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News, PBS
How and When to Talk to Children About War, According to a Parenting Expert, Independent