Chautauqua Storytelling: "The Back Story" - Part II

It was exciting for me to be named in a grant application to teach the performance art of Chautauqua as resident artist at Ash Creek Elementary in rural Arizona. I felt fairly confident about meeting the lofty goals of this particular grant, since I’ve worked in many schools and successfully taught storytelling and puppetry to students all around the country. 

But this project was different than others I had delivered in the past – it would be my first time teaching students how to tell a story Chautauqua style. I reviewed how I had come to this point as a storyteller:  

(1)  I began my studies about this art form by taking a class from a well-known and respected Chautauqua performer in Colorado, Susan Marie Frontczak (www.storysmith.org).  

(2)  For years I made a point to watch other Chautauqua artists. 

(3)  I spent time researching the rich history of this performance art. 

(4)  I developed and successfully performed a Chautauqua as Dusty Vail, a woman recalling her experiences growing up on an Arizona cattle ranch in the early 1900s.  

As I started to outline my lesson plans for the residency, I made a point to keep the project overview in mind:  

“The Ash Creek Living History Project is collaboration between Ash Creek School, the local rural community, and storytelling resident artist Glenda Bonin. Students will investigate local history and bring it to life through storytelling. They will survey historical resources to gather stories, learn and practice theater skills directly related to the Arts Standards, and develop a culminating theatrical production open to the local Sunizona community, as well as surrounding rural communities in the Sulphur Springs Valley.” 

One of the best things about this residency was that the principal and teachers were actively interested in the success of the project. The only other time I had encountered so much support for the arts was at a large and well-funded private school in Las Vegas. It was refreshing to be at a rural school where the value of the arts in education was integrated into every area of learning.  

Before I arrived, the students had started learning about the history of Sulphur Springs, and some had made appointments to interview elders in the community and gather memories of early days in the valley. 

Once I saw what had already been accomplished, I started to work with the core group of students in grades 3-8 to create a script for a program that would be the showcase for their Chautauqua performances. 

When I met with each class, my lesson plans included: 

• physical warm up exercise
• a theater game to help the kids work on becoming a character
• appreciations and suggestions
• skill exercises to polish Chautauqua performances
• a review of accomplishments to date
• homework to prepare for the next meeting 

The students wrote the outline of the show which I typed it out (with intentional errors) for the class to correct and approve. At the same time, students began work on individual Chautauqua pieces to include in the final performance. 

It should come as no surprise that the story line they came up with included a Paleontologist, a time machine, dinosaurs, ancient people, Conquistadors, Apache warriors, homesteaders, miners and the early ranchers with current ties to the area. 

The younger students K-2 had several supporting parts: some had walk-ons as small dinosaurs or Spanish Conquistador guards, and others gave voice to desert animals (puppets) to introduce the show and bring the play to a satisfying conclusion.  

Since this is such a small student body some kids had several different parts in the show, and they seemed to relish the challenge. The community performance was very well attended and the play was proclaimed a success. An after-show dinner and celebration proved to be a good way for the community to show support and give the kids a chance to bask the achievement of a job well done with family, friends and neighbors.   

If given the opportunity to teach the art of the Chautauqua in a school setting again, I would take more time to help students develop stronger performance voices. In this residency, many wonderful things were accomplished, but to my dismay individual vocal projection fell short for some of the young performers.

Chautauqua Storytelling: The "Back Story" - Part I

In 2001 I interviewed Dusty Vail, a remarkable woman who grew up in the early 1900s on the Empire Ranch in Sonoita, Arizona, once one of the largest cattle operations in the Southwest.  Although she was 86 when I interviewed her, her memory was razor sharp, and the stories she shared with me were full of adventures we can only imagine today.  

 

Dusty lived on the Empire Ranch from 1914 to 1927 when the property was sold. She told me she never forgot the lessons she learned during those formidable years when she was able to grow up as a tomboy at a time when little girls were supposed to be quiet and demure.

In 1988 Dusty’s childhood home and what remained of the ranch property was acquired by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Empire Ranch was designated an Arizona landmark in 2000. Since then, the BLM manages the property in partnership with the Empire Ranch Foundation The BLM and the Foundation have been working to restore the ranch buildings for future generations to learn about what life was like more than 100 years ago on a working cattle ranch. Each year an annual public “Roundup” is held on the property to showcase restoration progress. It was an honor for me when Dusty gave me permission to present her stories during these annual celebrations. 

Before Dusty’s death in 2003, I made a CD of her stories to share with her family and the public. Although I did not plan to do so, a few years ago I was asked to perform Dusty’s stories as a Chautauqua. I had been considering this story performance style for a while, so it was gratifying for me to have an opportunity to explore this art form. This type of storytelling involves becoming the person whose stories are being told. At the end of the show, the performer answers questions in “character,” and then time is given for the audience to ask questions of the storyteller. The Chautauqua is a wonderful experience for everyone involved. It is a memorable way to bring history to life.

Last year after I presented Dusty Vail in Chautauqua to celebrate Arizona’s Centennial, a teacher from Ash Creek Elementary, a rural area in the southeastern part of the state, applied for storytelling/history grant naming me as the selected artist-in-residence for the project. I was excited about the idea of teaching students how to bring history to life through Chautauqua performance. The grant application was accepted for funding through the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and I started to think about lesson plans.  

It may seem like a stretch to be able to include every student in a K-8 school in a Chautauqua performance for the public, but my previous residency work has taught me to expect nothing short of success when working with students. When the grant was written, there were just 21 students in the school, so I knew I would have plenty of time to work with each child and fulfill the goals of the grant. The grant application listed the following student goals to be met. 

(1)  Use acting to effectively represent a character and tell a story in the character’s voice. 

(2)  Develop a script for a narrative performance (grades 3-8). 

(3)  Design support for a performance using theater technology concepts and readily available materials. 

(4)  Collaborate to develop a culminating theater performance.

It should be noted that Ash Creek Elementary is an arts integration school. Each year, the school brings in artists from different disciplines to give students opportunities to experience art first-hand. The school’s arts based philosophy provided me with students familiar with a variety of performance styles, so teaching the kids about the art of Chautauqua was an extension of what they already knew. The students at Ash Creek were eager to embrace what I had to teach, and to my delight the teachers provided their wholehearted support by helping make the program a meaningful one.

 

The Chautauqua - A Storyteller's Experience

A teacher from Ash Creek School in Sunizona who had enjoyed watching me as Dusty Vail, subsequently submitted a grant application to the Arizona Commission on the Arts naming me as the Artist in Residence. The grant was approved, and my job as a storyteller was to introduce the art of the Chautauqua to all the K-8 students at the school. .   

The result was an original and creative show, “A Wild Ride Through Time: A History of Sulphur Springs Valley," performed by the students to a large and receptive audience at the conclusion of the residency.  For me, it was truly a “wild ride” full of surprises and a new respect for what kids can accomplish when a school supports the arts.

 

 

The philosophy of Ash Creek is to enhance academic learning through arts integration.  At the heart of the campus is the original 1912 one-room school house, built the same year Arizona became a state. This charming historic building currently serves as the public library, and is a poignant reminder of the people and events that have contributed to the diverse culture of the area.  

When I first arrived, I wondered how a small arts integration school could survive in a community where no-nonsense, hard work, plain talk and independence are a way of life. I soon learned that the school has been bringing in artists from different disciplines for several years. The students have come to love the arts, and the community supports and appreciates the different programs presented by the school.

As my residency progressed, I saw three important learning benefits unfold: 

(1)  By bringing art and history together in public performance, students are able to honor early settlers and acknowledge the respect current residents have for the land.

(2)  As students research and interview key people in the area, several core educational concepts are easily integrated into the project.

(3)  Student enthusiasm grows as the project develops. Some children who might find history less than exciting become eager learners, motivated by a new way to creatively explore the past.

Sulphur Springs Valley has a rich history of interesting events, including the exploration of the Spaniards in their search for the “seven cities of gold.” The area was once home base for the Apache and the stronghold for the elusive Cochise. The region was also part of the westward movement, attracting adventuresome homesteaders and making dreams come true for miners and ranchers in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

We asked students to compose stories from information obtained during the research and interview phase of the project. Proofreading and story evaluation were the next steps in the process. Finally, at age-appropriate levels, students were taught how to best incorporate each story into an original script written by students in grades 6-8. The entire process was designed to reinforce student knowledge of local history, social studies, geography and complement English language studies.    

By the end of the Ash Creek residency, several students had helped make costumes, props, the set, and take on the technical responsibility of serving on the crew. Teamwork, cooperation, negotiation and problem solving were a few of the learning benefits of this additional work.

Because of a shift in the population of the area, Ash Creek School currently has just fifteen students (K-8). Every child in the school participated in the project in age-appropriate ways. I found it amazing that this rural school took on this ambitious arts learning project with such enthusiasm and grace.

This is an example of why I so love doing what I do. Teaching and learning through art is a very good thing.

 

Writer's Block

If you have ever experienced writer's block, you will understand my prolonged period of communication silence.

Once a writer "takes a break" from a regular routine, it is easy to give into the demands of everyday living and to put the satisfaction of writing aside "for a while." Unfortunately, this can become a longer period of time than we'd like, and then an uneasy embarrassment descends, and this only leads to more procrastination. (You will note that I am making the assumption here that I am not alone, and have stepped outside myself in this paragraph by including others. I do hope some of you reading this  can identify with my discomfort about the situation.)

There have been days in the past few months when I have mentally made a note to be sure to include an event, a delightful circumstance or an intense experience on my blog. Then - I do nothing. I let a phone call or some project grab my attention, and I am off and running in another direction.

I know how important consistency can be when it comes to blogging, and yet my behavior runs contrary to my belief about this. It is truly an awful place to be, and it is uncomfortable to move forward. Yet, here I am again with hope in my heart and mind that I have finally overcome whatever was holding me back.

All this is to apologize to those of you who have taken the time in the past to read what I have had to say.

Please celebrate with me today as I write this post, and finally take on the monster called Writer's Block.

Many things have taken place since my last post in September, 2012.

(1) We celebrated the opening of The Storyteller's Guest House.
(2) With help, we developed website for the guest house (www.the-storytellers-guesthouse.com ).
(3) The holidays arrived and my focus was on family.
(4) I wrote an article for publisher Sean Buvala on family storytelling to include in his book, "How to Be a Storyteller" howtobeastoryteller.com .
(5) I was the resident artist for a month-long storytelling project at Ash Creek School in Sunizona, AZ.
(6) In January, February and March, several guests stayed at The Storyteller's Guest House.
(7) In March, I helped organize and produce the programs on the Storytelling Stage during the Tucson Festival of Books.
(8) We developed "Squirrely Shirley Digs up a Treasure Chest of Trouble," our newest summer reading library program.
(9) I continue to provide storytelling programs in and around Tucson.

My plan now is to bring you, my readers, up to date and then (finally) get back to regularly posting again. Yes, I am an optimist. Isn't that part of the description for writers and performers? How else can we explain our behavior?

Your patience and understanding is appreciated.