Fredericksburg Parent

August 2019

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30 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • August 2019 ages & stages WRITTEN BY LENORA KRUK-MULLANAPHY Offers Children Theater With so many extracurricular activities to choose from, children may be overwhelmed when making a decision that's right for them. For those who express an interest in theater, whether it's performing, set design, lighting or backstage crew, the benefits they stand to gain — social and educational —are many. Stafford High School Director of Theater Michael D'Addario has led the theater department to earn more than 100 awards in district, regional, state and national competitions in the 10 years he's been at the school. With this year's performance of Alice in Wonderland, the high's school's theater department added another trophy to its collection by placing first in the Virginia High School League (VHSL) State Theatre Festival in March. "Students begin the program with an older student or 'buddy' who assists, coaches and guides them," says D'Addario, who added that older students become leaders through the program. According to the school's Fine Arts Teacher and Co-Director Chad Johnson, Theater I class plays an important role for students who feel isolated from their peers. "They enter a space where they're encouraged to communi- cate and develop confidence in front of their peers," he says. "These skills will be useful in any setting throughout life." The theater program at Stafford is a rigorous one that requires commitment from the students and, in return, they're given the resources to grow in theater. "We encourage the students to improve and excel and provide them with the tools to achieve," says D'Addario. A typical year in the school's the- ater program consists of a com- petition play, as well as spring and fall productions. Students in the competition play begin rehearsals in the summer, where it's structured to be fun and simi- lar to theater camp. D'Addario says the time students dedicate to theater culminates in enormous growth as actors, as a team and as young adults. a VARIETY of Benefits [ The benefits of participating in theater extend far beyond the stage. To help your child make a deci- sion about theater, consider some of the factors that make it a great choice. According to the Ameri- can Alliance for Theatre and Education: DRAMA IMPROVES ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. Studies show a relationship between theater par- ticipation and academic achievement. Students involved in theater tend to have higher standardized test scores and reading comprehension than those who don't. There's also a correlation between per- forming texts in the classroom and improvement of a variety of verbal skills, including increased story recall and understanding written material. ATTENDANCE. Participation in theater increases student engagement and encourages steady atten- dance. In fact, students involved in the arts are three times more likely to earn accolades for atten- dance than those who aren't. BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH DRAMA. High school students who are actively involved in drama show an elevated self-concept over those who aren't. Performing can help them recognize their potential for success and improve confidence. With so many benefits as an extracurricular activity, theater sets the stage for students to achieve greater academic success, provide a network of peers and promote confidence.

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