Creative Drama allows students to try out roles and play pretend. Drama is a natural impulse for children. It helps students learn to work together and think creatively. Drama fosters personality, growth, and self-esteem while strengthening language and communication skills. It promotes empathy and is often used as a problem-solving exercise. Creative drama also helps the child to learn how to become an appreciative and discerning audience member.

Drama Instruction - Kindergarten, Second & Third Grades

The drama teacher collaborates regularly with classroom and foreign language teachers to create arts- infused lessons. Students may use puppets, role play, pantomime, and create group scenes to apply skills and knowledge from core curriculum such as meteorology, geography, inventions and explorers. Teachers incorporate regular exposure to performing arts and artists to expand the student’s knowledge base of different cultures and increase their overall appreciation of different forms of expression.

Drama Instruction - First Grade

The drama instructor uses children’s literature as a basis for drama instruction. Drama helps students internalize the story, and literature is a wonderful springboard for dramatic activities such as pantomime, improvisation, and character development, as students portray animals and humans with various traits. Students are exposed to various unit studies throughout the year, focusing on dreams and imagination, fairy tales, and legends and folktales from around the world. Students learn to work individually or in groups to use their body and voice to communicate.

School-wide Drama Productions

Each year, students have the opportunity to be a part of a school-wide production. A few years ago, our school performed the musical Cinderella KIDS. With two separate casts and four performances involving 400 students, children became actors, dancers, singers, gymnasts, and stage production crews as they lit up the room performing for over 2,000 audience members. Students try out for parts, and all students who want to participate in the production are given a role. This is an exciting way to build and showcase students’ talents and allow children to light up the stage!  

Recent Spring Productions (All "Jr." or "Kids" Versions) Include:

• Alice in Wonderland

• 101 Dalmations

• Beauty & the Beast

• Annie

• The Lion King

• The Wizard of Oz

• The Little Mermaid

• Mary Poppins

• Willy Wonka

Drama Exposure

We believe that exposing students to strong acting is foundational to their own development as actors. As a result, we strive to make sure that every Pine Street student sees at least one theater production per year. Each grade level takes students on field trips to productions at performing arts centers like the Chapman Cultural Arts Center, the Peace Center for the Performing Arts, and Little Theater that are appropriate for their grade level as well as their curriculum content.