Mary Huddleston Waxman, a graduate of Florida International University with a bachelor’s of music in applied voice, provides voice instruction to children participating in the joint effort between Sol Children Theatre of Boca Raton and Karen Slattery Educational Research Center for Child Development to provide kids with an educational opportunity through participation in the performing arts. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Steven J. Smith
Sol Children Theatre of Boca Raton is teaming up with the Karen Slattery Educational Research Center for Child Development to give kids an educational opportunity through participation in the performing arts.
The program will offer children two classes: one in creative drama and movement and another in musical theater. Classes will be at the Karen Slattery Center on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus. The musical theater performance class, for 7- to 12-year-olds, will offer 20 students a chance to participate in a fully staged musical production at Sol Theatre.
The collaboration with the Karen Slattery Center is a fitting one for Sol Children Theatre, a not-for-profit group dedicated to providing children with a safe, secure and professional theater experience as actors, backstage workers or audience members.
Under Artistic Director Rosalie Grant’s leadership, Sol took up residence at its current location at 3333 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, nine years ago. It shares space with Evening Star Productions — a community theater featuring adult actors — and Commedia Del Sol, a troupe of young actors that not only performs several productions there per year but makes the rounds of Renaissance festivals in the area, as well.
“Our first children’s production was Cinderella in October of 2005,” Grant said. “We also do integrated workshops with Commedia Del Sol in schools, such as Karen Slattery, which is how that relationship started.”
The collaboration between Sol and Slattery actually began several years ago with workshops Grant held at the Slattery Center’s FAU facility.
“I taught theater education workshops for the undergrads there,” Grant said. “It’s a two-hour workshop. I teach about different areas of theater and how to apply it to their own teaching techniques. One thing led to another, and they approached us to provide theater classes on site there.”
Sol Children Theatre has had as many as 60 troupe members, although currently there are about 40, who train monthly in classes offered at the theater.
“Our goal there is to turn out quality theater folk,” she said. “The kids range in age from 8 to 18.”
Keara Sikich, 12, who recently appeared in a Sol production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, said she really enjoyed the experience.
“It was really fun, because all the people I work with are so nice and we have a great time,” she said. “I enjoy being on stage. I really like getting laughs.”
Her experience at Sol has inspired her to keep going with her theatrical aspirations, she said.
“I want to continue working at Sol Theatre,” Sikich said. “I’m in the sixth grade and I’m involved with the drama department at my school, too. Right now they’re teaching us about how to conquer stage fright. The way to do that is to block out the audience and pretend there’s a wall there.”
Sikich wants to continue on with theater in high school, she said, and possibly college, thanks to her experience at Sol.
“It’s just so much fun,” she said. “Being with my castmates is like having another family. And playing someone else on stage helps me learn more about myself as a person.”
Lydia Bartram, director of the Slattery Center, named for the Delray Beach teen who was murdered in 1984 while she was babysitting, said she is enthusiastic about the collaboration.
“Our new initiative is a natural extension of the strong collaboration and vision we have with Sol,” Bartram said. “The principal goal of this partnership is to promote a passion for the arts as it directly supports healthy child development.”
Grant agreed. “Our goal is to provide the Karen Slattery youngsters the opportunity to have a high-quality recreational theater training experience provided by Sol,” she said. “To be on stage at Sol, though, you’ve got to be a little more trained. Our very youngest performers are 8 and they range in age up to 98.” ;
For more information about the Slattery/Sol collaboration or to register for Sol Children Theatre, visit www.solchildren.org or call Rosalie Grant at 447-8829.
For more information about the Karen Slattery Educational Research Center for Child Development, visit tinyurl.com/cpcqjg.
Comments