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Theatre in Education

Ask any parent or teacher — play is how our children learn. At Trike Theatre, our players work hard at learning. And we like making it easier for teachers to teach and students to learn through plays, with our Theatre in Education tools and lessons. It’s a children’s theatre workshop where students learn, celebrate their creativity and grow.

book a traveling show

SPRING 2024

Reed Turns Red

For PreK-2nd graders

Meet Reed, who’s suddenly swept away to a magical world when his BIG feelings get too wild. Join Reed as he teams up with a bunch of hilarious animal pals on an amazing adventure. They’ll help him learn all about his feelings and how to choose love over everything else! Drawn from the influential national Choose Love Movement.

SUMMER 2024

Logo Dog's Job (1)

For K-2nd graders

Bob the dog has been pretty happy just being Phoenix’s pet. But one morning, Bob decides he needs to advance his career and find a real job. The only problem is that Bob has no idea what he might be good at doing! This new play introduces our youngest audience to many different careers and community helpers.

in classroom workshops

Tiny Toy Tales Workshops (PreK-1st)

Trike Theatre’s professional teaching artists bring stories to life in your classroom, engaging young readers and strengthening literacy objectives! Tiny Toy Tales are well known folk and fairy tales that integrate literacy standards, involve all modalities of learning and come alive through tiny toys and props. After the Tiny Toy Tale is completed, students collaborate to re-tell the story by acting out the story elements. All Tiny Toy Tale workshops meet AR Literacy standards for PreK – 1st grade

 

TRASHY TOWN | KINDERGARTEN WORKSHOP

Trashy Town

(letter sounds/neighborhood buildings/maps) Kindergarten

Meet Mr. Gilly. He cleans up Trashy Town. There’s trash at the Grocery store, trash at the School, and trash at the Hospital. It’s a big job, but Mr. Gilly does it with a big truck, a big smile, and loads of style. Trashy Town features rhythmic, repeatable refrains, letter sounds, and a predictable story that will have children clamoring for repeat readings.

LEARNING STANDARDS:

(K) Literacy

  • Listen to a “text” and respond to questions
  • Identify major characters in a “text”
  • Retell Stories
  • Say the most common sound for letters in Alphabet

(K) Social Studies

  • Understand responsibilities of being a good citizen
  • Discuss ways people improve the community
  • Describe familiar places using words related to location, direction and distance.
The Gingerbread Man | 1st Grade Workshop

The Gingerbread Man

(5 SENSES) K-1st Grade

(letter sounds/neighborhood buildings/maps)

The mischievous Gingerbread Man gleefully runs from the Little Old Lady (who tries to grab him), the Skunk (who smells him), the rabbit (who hears him), and the squirrel (who sees him). The misadventures culminate with a fox (who eats him).

LEARNING STANDARDS:

(K) Literacy

  • Listen to a “text” and respond to questions
  • Identify major characters in a “text”
  • Retell Stories
  • Identify the main topic and key details of a “text”
    Gotta Go! gotta go! | K-1st Workshop

    Gotta Go! Gotta Go!

    (life cycle of a butterfly/patterns)

    K-1st Grade

    “I am what I am. I know what I know. And all I  know is that  I gotta go! I gotta go! I gotta go to Mexico!” The creepy-crawly bug doesn’t know why she does what she does. She only knows she has to do it. But making the journey seems impossible for the slow-moving critter, who has no idea what or where Mexico is. Each autumn, millions of Monarch butterflies migrate from the central and eastern United States and Canada to colonies in the mountains of Mexico, where they mate before flying north in the spring to lay their eggs.

    LEARNING STANDARDS:

    (K) Literacy

    • Listen to a “text” and respond to questions
    • Identify major characters in a “text”
    • Retell Stories
    • Identify the main topic and key details of a “text”

      Developing Conversation Skills Through Improv (2nd-4th)

      Improv provides a fun way for students to develop their active listening and spontaneous conversation skills. From circle time to morning meetings in the Responsive Classroom®, teachers are in search of ways to build a mutually supportive community, where students take turns leading and following, develop flexible thinking and build onto each other’s ideas. In this workshop, Trike Theatre Teaching Artists engage students in drama strategies that strengthen important conversation skills of eye contact, concentration, cooperation and saying “Yes, and…” to their partner’s ideas.

       

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      TRIKE ON TOUR FAQ

      Can you bring a play to me?

      Yes! Trike on Tour brings our mobile plays to you. We’ll bring the actors and set. You just provide the space and the audience!

      What happens when Trike Theatre comes to me?

      Our traveling team typically arrives with 2-5 members. They will set up the scenery and transform your space into the theatre. Our teaching artists will welcome the students warmly and open with some activities to engage students and set the scene for the play. They will then get into character and perform an interactive play for the students. The teaching artists will wrap up with some active reflection questions. The students will leave and the team will pack up the set.

      Who are your plays for?

      We specialize in plays for young audiences. Our tour offers plays ideal for students in grades PK-2 or 3-6.  

      How long is the experience?

      The event usually lasts 50-60 minutes. This includes the time for the play plus some pre- and post-show activities/discussion. Additionally, our actors will need about 45-75 minutes before the play to load and set up the scenery and 15-30 minutes after the play to pack up.

      My audience is young and has a short attention span. Is that okay?

      Of course! Our team is specialized in working with young learners. We do our best to keep the performance interactive and engage the audience at every age. We understand kids, so we don’t expect them to be still and quiet for the entire time. Instead we encourage them to respond, move, and be part of the experience!

      Where do you travel to?

      We are based in Northwest Arkansas and primarily tour in Washington and Benton Counties. We may be able to extend our tour to other locations for an additional travel fee.

      Where does Trike on Tour perform?

      Lots of places! We can bring a play to your gymnasium, cafeteria, library, or classroom space. We design our tour to be flexible to work with the space you have available.

      What are the space requirements for Trike on Tour?

      Our actors will need access to electricity and an open space of about 8’x16’ for the “stage.” You will also need additional space for your audience to sit comfortably.

      How big can the audience be?

      We recommend a maximum of 100 students per performance for the best experience. Ultimately, however, the audience maximum depends on your space restrictions and preferences.

      Can we book a performance outside?

      Yes, we can offer outdoor performances. For outdoor performances, you must provide the performance space (stage), or we can bring our mobile stage for an additional fee. 

      We want to take a field trip. Can we come to Trike instead?

      Yes, we are happy to open our space to your group when it’s available. At this time, the Trike space is limited to a maximum of 50 students. If we’re not able to accommodate you at Trike, you may consider booking a library, recreation center, or other community space where we could bring our tour to your group.

      How much does it cost?

      Booking the Trike Tour starts at $500. Prices may be customized with fees for extra performances, additional travel, mobile stage use, or supplemental workshops.

      Do you offer anything else?

      In addition to engaging, interactive plays, we also offer collaborative classroom/group building, creative drama, improvisation, and playwriting workshops that can be added on to your performance experience or booked separately. 

      Can you bring a drama workshop to my class on a specific topic?

      We love supporting education through the arts! Customized lesson plans or workshops are available for a curriculum design fee. Reach out to us to discuss your project and request a quote!

      Do you provide workshops for adults?

      Yes! We consider ourselves experts in arts integration and drama-based education. We help educators and others use the arts to support a collaborative classroom/group environment, to build engaging learning experiences through drama-based strategies, and to explore their own creativity through storytelling and the arts. Trike Theatre has provided professional development experiences through partnerships with the Walton Arts Center, Bentonville Public Schools, Springdale Public Schools, Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, Focus5, and many others.

      How can I fund this experience?

      Many people recognize the value of the arts in education and want to provide these experiences for students! Approach administrators or supervisors with an understanding of the benefits of drama-based education when seeking funding or approval (link: https://www.faustworld.com/the-benefits-of-drama-for-children.asp). PTOs and booster clubs are often willing to sponsor arts experiences for students.

      We also recommend applying for the Arkansas Arts Council’s Arts in Education grants (link: https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-art-council/about/aac-grants). Trike on Tour can be funded through their AIE Mini-Grant, and more extensive residencies/workshops may be eligible for the residency or curriculum grants.

      How do I book my experience?

      Easy! Let us know what you’re interested in booking through this form (link), and we’ll be in touch! Please give us at least two weeks notice before your requested performance date.

      FAQ

      Upcoming Trike Shows

      At Trike Theatre, we teach a love of theatre by seeing, learning, and doing it! You can pick and choose productions with your kids and friends. But we recommend seeing all our productions.

      Children’s Theatre Classes

      Teachers know there are multiple ways to learn. Maybe some of your students would benefit, grow and find their own character in a Trike Theatre Class. Please point them here!

      Donate

      Give ‘til It Hurts

      Trike Theatre exists to recognize and cultivate young people’s creativity, build their character and strengthen communities. All through fun! But we can only do that with our own community’s support. Plus, Trike is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. So, your donation is 100% tax deductible next year and you’re making a 100% difference today.