Creative Crusaders in Class 3

Creative Crusaders in Class 3

Sitting in a circle in the Black Box Theater, the Class 3 students were dressed curiously: One had on leopard pajamas. Another sported a fake mustache. Several had shiny capes cascading down their backs. Some carried shields and swords; others modeled bunny ears and slatted pink eyeglasses.

Far from a carefree costume party, this gathering was actually an inspiring Drama class. The culmination of a thoughtful, multi-part lesson, the unit tasked students with inventing their own superheroes, including their back stories, their special powers, and – as demonstrated today –their glorious outfits.

While they were encouraged to be as zany or tame as they wished, their superheroes needed to share a single goal: to benefit the world in an original way, explained Sarah Bellantoni, Head of Lower School Arts and Integration and a Drama teacher. Some of the students’ creations included “Puffball,” who can talk to animals; “Aurora Sky,” who controls the clouds; and “Electra,” who is able to shoot electricity from their hands.

Being mindful of unnecessary waste and expense, Ms. Bellantoni instructed each section of Class 3 to repurpose clothing and fabric and to find accessories and simple materials in their own homes. The students’ ingenuity was clear in their imaginative design choices that incorporated bubble wrap, feathers, ribbon, cardboard and more.

In earlier classes, the students wrote monologues to describe their superheroes’ unique talents, an exercise that helped inform this particular class, which showcased their acting ability, comic timing and collaboration. Working in pairs, the superheroes performed quick scenes that gave each person the chance to shine.

They were free to choose a setting from three options: in one of the superheroes’ homes; at “Superhero Headquarters”; or at a coffee shop. They could use basic props like chairs and wooden crates. In addition, the actors were asked to decide on the relationship between the superheroes. Were they strangers, friends or enemies? After a fast practice session, it was showtime.

“One, two, three action!” shouted Ms. Bellantoni. With their classmates watching intently, the first partners got up from the circle and moved to the middle. The two twirled around, sat in chairs and fell on the floor, all while delivering animated lines of dialogue.

“Make it heightened like a comic book,” Ms. Bellantoni instructed one duo. “Focus on what you say to each other and when,” she reminder another. “I love how clear your relationship was,” she told a third.

As pair after pair took center stage, the excitement grew. The audience was delighted by the mini-scenes, which were at turns silly, dramatic and hilarious. Even with different powers and personalities, the Superheroes gave convincing, collective performances and exhibited confidence and gusto.

“Well done, actors,” exclaimed Ms. Bellantoni. But this fun class wasn’t done yet. For the final minutes, the students lined up for a “Superhero Catwalk.” With boisterous music playing, they paraded across the Black Box Theater, showing off their creativity. As this group headed off for their next activities, another section of Class 3 superheroes was waiting, eager for their Drama adventure to begin.