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KidSKALD Assemblies are More Nervewracking Than Regular Shows

Yesterday the fruit of several months of back-and-forth began to blossom and it was grand.

Last year, WNEP introduced the idea of a KidSKALD Competition to our annual storytelling festival and, due mostly to my lack of forethought, was a complete wash. We had no kids to tell stories so the evening was canceled. I promised myself that, if nothing else worked this year, we would have a KidSKALD.

Using my substitute teaching as an in, I selected several schools that I thought fit the model I was looking for: located in a less than affluent 'hood, smart kids without a ton of outside opportunities, great teachers, and a progressive thinking administrative staff. And I found Jose De Diego Language Academy, located just east of Humboldt Park.

After pitching the idea that we would cast our KidSKALD exclusively from De Diego and that we would look for the kids to tell their own stories rather than fables or epic tales or historical recreations, I waited. Chicago Public Schools can be slow, so I called and discussed and waited. Finally, the program got approval and we set up some dates to perform a series of short storytelling assemblies (to the get the kids excited) an audition/workshop the following (so I could select the "official" competitors) and three school days during which I could work with the kids selected.

At 8AM yesterday, Jason Adams, Michael Brownlee, Rebecca Langguth and my wife, Jen joined me in the small 150 seat auditorium. We were to perform stories for the entire seventh grade, followed by the entire sixth grade and finally the entire fifth grade.

Jason looked at me and commented that he hadn't been in an elementary school since he had been in elementary school. All four seemed a bit nervous - kids can be a pretty tough audience - but once they got started and it became obvious to the kids that this was new and interesting, the nerves wore off and the hambone came out.

Brownlee told a story of his trying to fit in with the cool crowd in school by engaging in egg-, toilet paper-, and fork-related vandalism; Jason brought his squeezebox (small accordian) and told a tale of a young ESKIMO WARRIOR; Jen told them a story of learning limitations and what it is to vomit up a gallon of milk on a bet; I told of a student in eighth grade that I felt I had failed to help; and Rebecca stole the show with her story of pretending to be blind to get attention when she was six years old.

The kids and teachers ate it up. One teacher commented that it was the best assembly they had seen in two years. The kids were wildly enthusiastic afterwards about signing up for the audition/workshop - originally predicted at a possible 10 - 15 kids, by the time I had hit all the rooms after, I had a list of 132 kids that I have to work with tomorrow to find my ideal twelve.

It all worked because they didn't water their stories down or talk down to the kids. I remember those lame-ass children's theater productions that toured schools and had nothing to do with either entertaining me or exposing me to the arts (a dumbed down version of Romeo and Juliet set in a high school is not the same as actually seeing Romeo and Juliet even if you use some of the famous catchphrases).

Bottom line? They rocked and now I have to go pay for it. 132 kids. Jeesh!