Tempest Productions has been providing theatre and arts-ineducation programming to communities since 1996 through access to quality theatre arts. We have designed and implemented programming in NYC, NJ, and PA Public Schools, Community and Senior Centers from pre-school age to adult seniors.
Our community-based programs, The Play's The Thing, The Journey Series, StoryBook Theatre, Reading Revelry, Reading Renaissance, Poetry Out Loud, and the Shakespeare Festival Series, have reached over 250,000 with family-oriented, experiential programs full of reading, writing, and arts activities. These programs enhance literacy and social-emotional learning, integrate practices of play-making, build appreciation for the theatre arts, and embrace experiential learning in theatre, song, dance, and movement.
Cynthia Mazzant (Co-Artistic Director/Education Director) has served as a consultant and theatre specialist designing programs for PreK-12 for various school districts and community centers for over 30 years. Cynthia was selected as one of the original members of the Arts Assessment in Practice Program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. She has received several NEA and local government grants to design and facilitate programs in public schools. Cynthia is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University, a member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers, an independent labor union, a member of The Dramatists Guild, Inc, and a member of the National Dance Education Organization.
Tempest Productions works with over 50 professional artists and has received numerous grants from the NY State Council on the Arts, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the PA Council on the Arts and from The After School Corporation. In Hudson County, Tempest has partnered with the Jersey City Board of Education, the City of Hoboken, Hudson County Libraries, and various other community organizations to bring programs into schools and community centers. Tempest Productions has developed and facilitated professional teacher development workshops for the Jersey City Board of Education, the NJ Education Association (via the Teacher Convention), and the Central Intermediate Unit #9 (PA) creating opportunities for teachers to learn about using arts in their classrooms.
Why Drama?
The mental requirements to understanding drama are similar to those for reading. Children who experience drama also appear more capable of making appropriate linguistic choices as well as expressing opinions or suggesting solutions. Children who re-enact stories are better at connecting and integrating events than children in a story reading group.
Arts-in-Education Guiding Principles
• To work with youth to explore creative dramatics and theatre as a means of expression;
• To increase literacy skills through the arts;
• To introduce youth to live theatre by working with classical texts and themes and infusing them with creative dramatics and creative arts techniques.
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