Creative storytelling workshop
...using shoe box theatre, shadows, cut-out silhouettes, box art and marionettes
For years Tina and Sevim (St Paul's parents and teachers) have been visualising and dreaming about this puppetry and storytelling workshop for children and we are so thrilled to announce that it is finally happening.
We are offering a creative storytelling workshop for this coming academic year 2022-23 for ages 8 to 14.
Each half term we will create a finished project, six in total over the year. We will work with stories from around the world as well as fairy tales. Some projects will be in the form of an artwork to be taken home and some will be a collaborative effort.
Project 1: Shoe box theatre (6 weeks, 13th September – 18th October)
In the first half term every child will be supported in creating a shoe box theatre. An ordinary shoe box will be transformed, decorated and turned into a miniature theatre. Characters as well as the necessary backdrops will be drawn, which can be slid “onto the stage” on long sticks through slots in the side or back of the box.
Project 2 and 3: Shadow scenes (6 weeks, 1st November – 6th of December and 6 weeks, 3rd January – 7th February)
The following 2 wintery half terms will be the collaborative shadow projects. Each half term we will divide up the story into scenes and compile a storyboard. Then we will stage these individual scenes, make the relevant props and use the children as actors. The large photos in the email illustrate this project. Together we will create the scenes in the form of shadows in front of a backlit big white screen. Each finished still picture will be photographed and the story compiled in a small booklet with every child receiving a copy at the end of the year.
Project 4: Cut out silhouettes (6 weeks, 21st February – 28th March)
The children will be cutting out of paper the shapes and characters they need to illustrate this story. They will experiment with the effect of light and shadow and the various definitions they create. This project will also be photographed as a series of still scenes behind a screen within a larger box and included in the book at the end of the year.
Project 5: Creating a box art scene (5 weeks, 25th April – 23rd of May)
The story will be broken up into individual scenes and each child will create one scene using a box and various materials and techniques. This can take the shape of many layers of cut out paper lit from behind or be a three dimensional artwork.
Project 6: Marionettes (5 weeks, 6th of June – 4th of July)
The children will learn how to make marionette puppets, help to create the backgrounds and props for their chosen story and perform the puppet show together. Each child will be taking home the marionette they have made.
This kind of imaginative workshop is open to many levels of artistic abilities and will give plenty of opportunities for the children to learn and experiment with composition, prop making, creative problem solving, collaboration, storyboard drawing and acting whilst having fun with their friends.
This workshop will take place at Tina’s home at 31 Osbaldeston Road, London N16 7DJ and run every Tuesday afternoon during term time. It will be for a maximum of 10 children (including Tina’s 2 children). Children will be picked up from St Paul’s Steiner School at 3:30pm. Some children can ride their bikes to the workshop with Tina, the others will go on the short bus ride with Sevim. We will provide a healthy snack of fruits and crackers upon arrival. The creative session will be an hour and a half, finishing at 5:45 at which point children will need to be picked up.
Location:
31 Osbaldeston Road, London N16 7DJ
When:
Tuesdays, term time only
Duration:
3:30pm – 5:45pm (2 hours and 15 min)
Cost:
Each session is £25 including the snack and all art materials.
Breakdown of the year:
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Autumn term: 12 weeks
6 weeks: 13th September – 18th October
6 weeks, 1st November – 6th of December
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£300
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Spring term: 12 weeks
6 weeks, 3rd January – 7th February
6 weeks, 21st February – 28th March
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£300
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Summer term: 10 weeks
5 weeks, 25th April – 23rd of May
5 weeks, 6th of June – 4th of July
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£250
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To secure a place please email tina_maas@hotmail.com.
We require a £100 deposit.
We require termly payments but a yearlong commitment as each session builds on the next for this very unique and creative workshop.
Payments for each term are due on the first session of that term and the fee for the summer term will be less as it takes into account the deposit paid.
Sevim Metin and Tina Maas both have a background in film making and photography and share a love for storytelling, puppetry and creative forms of expression. We are both DBS checked, trained in Steiner pedagogy and hold valid paediatric first aid certificates. Between us we have extensive experience in teaching workshops, working with children as well as doing arts and craft projects and we are very much looking forward to engage with your children in this creative storytelling adventure.
