Andrea Green

 

Metaphorical Musicals-Teaching Tolerance and Understanding

 

Background:

Andrea Green is a playwright, composer, lyricist, director,

children’s music specialist and music therapist. She is nationally

known for her work creating musicals for children and family audiences,

as entertainment vehicles and as vehicles to teach tolerance.

Some of the issues addressed  in her musicals are:

dealing with prejudice, understanding adoption, overcoming bullying,

and understanding and accepting differences/disabilities.

 

Andrea’s musicals, (11 at last count) have been performed in schools and theatres

across the country.  Her memorable melodies and metaphors, move young performers

and audiences,  on many levels; emotionally, spiritually, socially, artistically and intellectually.

The framework of her musicals, encourage full participation, featuring EVERYONE.

 

The musicals include:

 On the Other Side of the Fence, Under the Fence,

The Return of Halley’s Comet, People of the Light,

 The Rainbow Sea , Blue Lou and the BullyFish

 (Book/stage adaptation of The Rainbow Sea, by Stephanie Portnoy),

The Same Sky, The Mulberry Bird (based on the book by Anne Braff Brodzinsky),

Homeroom (co-written with Selma Tolins-Kaufman),

Lenapo (co-written with Sara Feigenbaum), and Same City.

(ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, THE RETURN OF HALLEY’S COMET and

HOMEROOM, are published by Samuel French, Inc.)

 

Her most recent project was the creation of a book/CD and

stage presentation of Blue Lou and the Bullyfish (a story based on

her musical The Rainbow Sea), produced at the New York Musical

Theatre Festival in 2006. This musical has also been sponsored by the

D.A.R.E. program, performed in schools in New Jersey , to promote

anti drugs, alcohol and bullying.

 

As the musical creator/director/music therapist of the Something

Magical Project, a 25 year old, nationally recognized, musical

theatre program in Philadelphia , Andrea partners children from

Germantown Friends School, with youngsters from the HMS

School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, using her musicals to

encourage communication, understanding and friendship. This

program serves as a model for other programs and has received

national attention. . Her special work in this project, was featured

in the PBS Emmy-award winning documentary, called Something

Magical. (from her musical, People of the Light).

(www.somethingmagical.org)

Theatre groups that have performed her musicals include:

The Ritz Theatre Company, Westmont , N.J. , Gloucester Summer Stage, Gloucester , N.J. ,

Voorhees Summer Theatre, Voorhees , N.J. , Fusion Academy of the Arts, Cherry Hill , N.J. ,

Cherry Hill East Summer Theatre, Cherry Hill , N.J. , The Frohman Academy , Carmel , Ca.

The Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia , Settlement Music School , Philadelphia, …

and hundreds of schools across the country.

Andrea received a Bachelor of Music degree from The University

of Miami , in Coral Gables , Florida , and a Masters degree

in Creative Arts in Therapy, from Hahnemann University , in

Philadelphia, PA. She is a member of The Dramatist’s Guild,

The Children’s Music Network, The International Association of

Theatre for Children and Young People, and ASCAP.

 

Focus:

 

“If we could just recognize ourselves in one another” (Obama quote)

By using my musicals and their songs, my intention is to help children find themselves and find

connections with other children, who may seem “different.  I utilize my musicals as vehicles

to bring about therapeutic and social change and bring children together as partners and friends.

In intensive, fun, music-making workshops, my purpose is to involve teachers,

directors and their students (separately and together), in singing, dancing

and acting integrative experiences, that facilitate interpersonal communication.

Through the metaphorical musical, I hope to inspire and encourage children and adults,

 to forge new relationships and “work together” to overcome obstacles. 

When every child is valued and has the chance to be seen and heard, change can happen and

“fences” can come down.  As expressed in the song “Hooray, Take the Fence Away!”, from

my musical ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE,  when we “work together”

with concern  for every person, we can overcome our differences, develop mutual respect

 and find new friendship.

 

Offerings: 

 

Workshop for Teachers/Directors:

One Day-Two Day: ( 6 hours)

1.       Introduction-History/background- (Andrea at Piano)

Original Metaphorical Musicals-Teaching Tolerance and Understanding.

2.       Live Presentation- the songs…the stories….the characters…the themes….the musical framework..  (Andrea at piano)

3.       In large and small groups, adults will participate in active workshops, utilizing

the elements of the musicals, to explore character education themes.

4.       Teachers/Directors will explore how these songs and stories can address the needs of their students.

5.       Teachers/Directors will have the opportunity to present (act/sing/dance)…with fellow workshop participants, and express how this experience helped to encourage new ways of communication and partnership/friendship.

 

( Depending on the age and needs of the group, Andrea will present material from her recently published works, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, THE RETURN OF HALLEY’S COMET and HOMEROOM.  It is hoped, that these workshops, will inspire teachers/directors

to produce one of Andrea’s musicals, in it’s entirety, not only as a theatrical

piece but as a framework to teach tolerance)

 

Workshop for Students:

One Day-Two Day: (6 hours)

1.    Introduction by Andrea at Piano (large group singing)

2.    Presentation by Andrea (performing at piano) of a musical story.

3.    Children divided into pairs or small groups to participate in specific warm-up “break-the-ice” exercises related to the musical story to encourage communication

4.    Children, in pairs or small groups, will be given specific musical theatre tasks, that

     address the themes of the musical and more specifically, character education

     objectives/lessons…( to bring out the sharing of thoughts and feelings ….

     to spark communication between the children)

5.    Children, in pairs or small groups, will present to the larger/whole group.

6.     Everyone will sing together key songs learned and have the chance to verbally reflect on the impact of the workshop.

7.    Children will also be given time to reflect on paper what was personally learned.

 

5 Day Musical: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE (25 hours)

 

1. Andrea will work with children and teachers to produce mini musical.

2. Learning of songs and dances, selection of parts for every child.

3. Integrating the musical, in the classroom and with art teachers.

4. Workshops focusing on character education lessons/objectives.

(Children will work closely with Andrea on learning the songs, dances …

but will also work closely with each other, through the process…

learning how to support one another and become more confident in themselves.

5.    Children will perform musical for parents, friends and rest of school.

6.     Children will review with Andrea (cast party) the impact of the experience and reflect.

7.     Opportunities to write about the process and how each child relates to the story.

(The size of the group can be from 30-80)

(Materials will be provided to teachers for future use: exercises, songs sheets,etc. 

and C.D.’s will be available as well)

 

Availability

 

Andrea is available for Metaphorical Musicals- Teaching Tolerance workshops

throughout the United States .

 

Fee: Negotiable

 

Contact:

andreagreenmusic@gmail.com