Arts Access School Time Program

Transcription

1 theatre dance music ballet visual arts Season Arts Access School Time Program A Christmas Carol December 12, :00 a.m. Hofmann Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts Presenting Field Trip Sponsor: Education Sponsor:

2 Welcome Dear Teachers, We have created the following study guide to help make your students theater experience as meaningful as possible. For many, it will be their first time viewing a live theatrical production. We have learned that when teachers discuss the upcoming arts performance with their students before and after the production, the experience is more significant and long-lasting. Our study guide provides pre and post performance discussion topics, as well as related activity sheets. These are just suggestions, so please feel free to create your own activities and areas for discussion. We hope you and your class enjoy the show! The Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) enriches the lives of thousands of East Bay residents every year by supporting programs at Walnut Creek s Lesher Center for the Arts (LCA). Through wellestablished business and community partnerships, fundraising and marketing expertise, we help arts organizations present professional-level theater, music and dance performances, visual arts exhibitions, and family events. Over the years, the Arts Access School Time Program has offered students and children in the community the opportunity to experience highquality live performances and visual arts exhibits. These programs engage students in the artistic process, cultivating an appreciation for the arts by combining education and entertainment which together help to make the arts a vital part of our schools and community. Our program offers funding for low-income schools, making the arts programs accessible to as many students as possible. Together with corporate, foundation and individual partners, the DRAA is able to make these opportunities possible. This year s Arts Access School Time Program would not be possible without the generous support of Target - Presenting Field Trip Sponsor, Wells Fargo - Education Sponsor, along with our other season sponsors including The Hewlett Foundation, Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, the Thomas J. Long Foundation and all the individual donors who support this program. Table of Contents Welcome & Program Overview...2 Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the Lesher Center for the Arts...3 Theatre Etiquette Guide...4 About the Producer...5 About the Performance...6 About the Art Form...7 Educational Activities...9 Study Guide Resources...18 Content Standards Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 2

3 Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the Lesher Center for the Arts Drop-off and Pick-Up: Buses should drop off at the Lesher Center for the Arts by pulling directly up to the curb in front of the theatre on Civic Drive or Locust Street in the designated loading zones, utilizing space efficiently so that the other buses can unload/load at the same time. As soon as students and chaperones have off-loaded safely, buses need to depart and find parking near the LCA to wait until the end of the performance. NO bus parking is available at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Loading zones are ONLY for loading and unloading. Ticket Information: Tickets are held by the DRAA and distributed to your group on the day of performance by a DRAA staff member who will be positioned in the area outside the front of the entrance to the theatre. Look for the brightly colored balloons!! Tickets should be distributed to each student prior to entering the theatre. Every attendee must have a ticket in hand before entering the theatre. All tickets are GENERAL SEATING, with no reserved seating available. If you have any special seating needs, please notify the DRAA prior to your performance so we can make the necessary arrangements. The Auditorium and Seating: The Lesher Center for the Arts features three distinct theatres providing a space tailored for every show and audience. Arrangements for accessibility seating options must be arranged for in advance. The Hofmann Theatre seats 785 patrons and is the largest of the three theatres in the Lesher Center for the Arts. It features a spacious main floor and a balcony featuring four sets of box seating areas. The theatre is used for large-scale productions including musicals, operas, ballets, symphonies and larger corporate functions. The Lesher Theatre seats 297 patrons and provides a more intimate space for mid-sized productions including musicals and plays. The Knight Stage seats 133 patrons and is a black-box theatre featuring a space tailored for smaller, more intimate productions and events. Seats can be added or removed as necessary. Lighting and Music The amount of lighting and music in the theatre will vary from time to time as the play or performance progresses. There may be times where it is almost completely dark. We are aware that this can be an exciting experience for some children and the level of energy can increase along with their 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 3

4 excitement. Music can also be used to create different impressions or communicate certain moods during the performance which encourages audience participation and spirit. At the Performance The live theatre performance is not pre-recorded with mistakes edited out. This makes it more exciting for an audience. Student s thoughtful attention and responses have a real effect and contribute to the quality of the experience. The audience gives energy to the performers who use that energy to give life to the performance! Theatre Etiquette Guide Going to a play is a special experience, one that can be remembered for a long time. Everyone in the audience has been looking forward to seeing the performance. There is a big difference in going to a theatre and to a movie. The actors are performing for you live onstage, and they can see and hear what goes on in the audience just as you can see and hear them. So, one behaves a little differently than when you are at the movies or at home watching TV. Some things to remember: Stay with your group at all times. Lights will dim just before a performance, and then go dark. Show your knowledge by sitting calmly. No talking or whispering during the performance. Laughter at appropriate times only. Keep body movements to a minimum. You can t get up and move around during the performance. Please use the bathroom or get a drink before seating for performance or at intermission ONLY. Show appreciation by clapping. The actors love to hear applause. This shows how much you enjoyed the performance. Don t leave your seat until the performers have taken their curtain call at the end. When the performance ends, wait patiently to exit. Be polite and attentive. Everyone in the theater is sharing the same experience and space. No taking of pictures or video recording during performance is allowed. TURN OFF ALL cell phones, pagers, beepers, alarms, anything that can disturb the production, actors and the audience members during the performance Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 4

5 About the Producer Center REPertory Theatre Company is the resident professional theatre company of the Lesher Center for the Arts. Their season consists of eight productions a year a variety of musicals, dramas and comedies, both classic and contemporary, that continually strive to reach new levels of artistic excellence and professional standards. CenterREP s mission is to celebrate the power of the human imagination by producing emotionally engaging, intellectually involving, and visually astonishing live theatre, and through Outreach and Education programs, to enrich and advance the cultural life of the communities we serve. What does it mean to be a producing theatre? Center REP hires the finest professional directors, actors and designers to create our productions. These are not touring productions they re conceived and developed at the LCA, the sets and costumes are built in their shops, and the actors rehearse in the LCA rehearsal hall. Whether the production is a Bay Area premiere or a Shakespearean classic, each is devised to be a one of a kind, artistic creation that will be a unique theatre experience for the audience. What does it mean to be a professional theatre? It means that all of the artists and artisans are career theatre-practitioners. Many of the actors are members of Actors Equity Association or are Equity Membership candidates; many of the directors and designers are members of professional unions. All do theatre because it is their profession and their passion. CenterREP presents the classic holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol, to fans from all over the bay area. Adults and children alike enjoy this adaptation of Charles Dickens traditional tale with spectacular special effects, scary ghosts, and good old-fashioned story telling. Scott Denison has directed this production for the past 15 years, bringing in gifted actors who return year after year to take part in the performance which has included 3 Scrooges, 6 Tiny Tims, and an abundance of local talent Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 5

6 About the Performance Guiding Questions: 1. What is the play about? 2. What are some major themes of A Christmas Carol? 3. Who is the author of the original A Christmas Carol? What is the play about? The best way to familiarize students with the story of A Christmas Carol is to read Dickens original story (or an abridged version for younger readers, of which there are many). The characters in our musical adaptation include the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge; his poor but happy employee, Bob Cratchit; Cratchit s family, including the frail Tiny Tim; Ebenezer s loyal nephew, Fred; and, Fan, Scrooge s late sister (in flashback). The day before Christmas, Scrooge is as surly as on any other day of the year; refusing to see any significance to the holiday, he acts as he always does -- mistreating Bob Cratchit, his clerk, refusing to contribute to the local charity, and turning down his nephew s invitation to celebrate Christmas with his family. Ebenezer insists that Christmas is nothing but humbug -- he s even grateful that it only comes but once a year. It is only that night when he is visited by a succession of spirits: the ghost of Jacob Marley (his deceased partner) and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come -- that Scrooge learns the consequences of both his past and present actions and reconsiders his point of view. Grateful for a second chance, Scrooge vows to help his fellow man including Bob Cratchit and his little son, Tiny Tim and is reunited with his family, finally accepting his nephew s offer to share his holiday celebration. Though it all may only have been a dream, Ebenezer Scrooge is a changed man. What are some of the major themes of A Christmas Carol? The power that people have to change their own destiny The Christmas Spirit/Reflection of what s important You get what you give (It s better to give than to receive) Forgiveness Learning from mistakes Family Charity 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 6

7 Who is the author of the original A Christmas Carol? Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February June 1870) was an English writer and social critic who is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period and the creator of some of the world s most memorable fictional characters. During his lifetime Dickens s works enjoyed unprecedented popularity and fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was fully recognized by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to enjoy an enduring popularity among the general reading public. As a prolific 19th Century author of short stories, plays, novellas, novels, fiction and non, during his lifetime Dickens became known the world over for his remarkable characters, his mastery of prose in the telling of their lives, and his depictions of the social classes, mores and values of his times. Some considered him the spokesman for the poor, for he definitely brought much awareness to their plight, the downtrodden and the have-nots. He had his share of critics like Virginia Woolf and Henry James, but also many admirers, even into the 21st Century. Use these sites for easy reference: Guiding Questions: 1. What kind of performance will this be? 2. What elements of this performance will you experience? 3. What are some terms that are used in theater production that we use in everyday speech? About the Art Form What kind of performance will this be? Discuss with your students the differences of theater production (play, musical, or ballet). Play - A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Musical - A production in which singing and dancing play an essential part. Musicals developed from light opera in the early 20th century. Ballet - An artistic dance form performed to music using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful, fluid movements and the use of pointe shoes Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 7

8 A Christmas Carol is a dramatic play with music. The play conveys emotion using the undertones of music to set the moods. This element was common during this era of history. There are dramatic points in the play that contain scary elements (such as eerie ghosts, dark sounds, and dramatic lighting). What elements of this performance will you experience? Explain to the students that a theater performance is different from any other multi-media outlet (concerts, movies, bands, video games, etc). Below are things to expect while experiencing a LIVE performance. 1. Theater is a live performance with actors performed before a live audience. It can take place in a setting as simple as your school auditorium, or in a space large enough to seat thousands of people. 2. There are different styles of theatre which are based on the time period of the play, or the desire of the director. A Christmas Carol is set in the time period of the early 1800 s, so the style of language and dress reflect those of people living in that era. 3. Theater has many purposes to entertain, to educate, to affect social change. 4. Generally, there is an underlying conflict that is resolved or illustrated through the play. This allows the audience to relate to a character or group of characters and build a personal experience during the performance. Elements of producing a play can include live actors, dialogue/language, characters, music, dance, singing, lighting, setting, costumes, sound effects, and many different career opportunities for theatrical production. Some examples include: Choreographer: the person who designs or plans the movements, the development, or details of a dance. Composer: a musician who writes the music for performance. Designers: the artists who create and plan the designs for a production. Director: the person responsible for the interpretive aspects of a stage production; the person who supervises the integration of all the elements, as acting, staging, and lighting. Musical director: the person who is responsible for rehearsal and performance of all music in the play. Playwright: the person who creates (writes) the script for a play or stage production. Producer: the person who provides the general supervision of a production and is responsible for raising money, hiring technicians and artists, etc. Stage manager: an assistant to the director of a play, in overall charge backstage during the actual performances. Public relations/business director: the people who advertise and publicize the production and have oversight for royalties, press releases, photos, public service announcements, ticket sales, box office management, house management and even ushering. Technicians: skilled theater artists, working prior to the production to create the sets, costumes, props, special effects, lights, sound, and make up for a production Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 8

9 Stage Crew: skilled theater technicians who work during the performance to ensure that all elements of the production appear on stage as planned by the director and designers (lights, sound, costumes, make up, props, and special effects). What are some basic terms that are used in theater production? The following is a list of theatrical terms to introduce your students to some basic parts of a theatre performance. Act: a major division of a play. Acts may be further divided into scenes; may be used to indicate a change in time or place. Antagonist: the principal character who is in direct opposition to the protagonist or hero of a narrative or drama. Audition: the opportunity to read for a part in a play. Blocking: blocking is the process of planning where, when, and how actors will move about the stage during a performance. A term coined by W.S. Gilbert, who used small wooden blocks to represent actors, moving these about on a miniature of a set of a planned work. House: the place where the audience sits to enjoy the performance on stage. Improvisation: the act of composing and performing during the play without previous preparation. Protagonist: the main character in a play. Scene: a part of a play that constitutes a unit of development or action, as a passage between certain characters. Seating: orchestra, mezzanine, balcony, box seating, loge. Wings: In the Wings is an expression from the theater, referring to the areas on the sides of the stage hidden from the audience. Educational Activities Before the Performance Ideas Discussion Question: Have you ever seen live theatre before? What do you think makes a good performance? Review/Discuss Vocabulary list below. You may also wish to review Charles Dickens original story or an abridged version for younger readers, although it is not necessary in order to understand the play. (Although a film version, of which there are many would be interesting to compare to the play, we suggest that students view a film adaptation after seeing the play -- to avoid confusion and to preserve the element of surprise!) Familiarize students with the country and customs of England (Great Britain). Where is it located? How long has the country been in existence? How is Great Britain different than the United States (language? customs?)? Have they ever heard someone speak with a British accent? The story was written in the 1840s and takes place in the large city of London. How was the country different at that time compared with the present day? What do you associate with the holiday season (whatever holiday your family celebrates)? 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 9

10 ( Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men? ) What special things do you do? Do you eat special foods? Do you visit family? Does your school do something for the community, like collect toys, clothing, or canned goods? Why do you think that people do these kinds of things around this time of year? Watch for the ways that the characters in A Christmas Carol celebrate the holiday. Discuss further the life of Charles Dickens and bring in some of his books. Discuss why he was so famous. The genre of A Christmas Carol is Fantasy. Have your students look up the word in the dictionary. Ask your students what it means and have them make a list of other fantasy stories; discuss examples of fantasy and reality. A Christmas Carol Vocabulary character: a person represented in a story, drama, etc. conflict: to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash plot: Also called storyline, the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story theme: a unifying or dominant idea; a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition ghosts: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied spirit imagined, usually as a vague, shadowy or evanescent form, as wandering among or haunting living persons humbug: nonsense; especially something designed to be deceptive or misleading miser: someone who hoards money greed: selfishness beyond reason Scrooge: a character in the story A Christmas Carol; a miserly person esquire: a title of courtesy used following a gentleman s name workhouse: institution where poor people were confined because they couldn t pay their bills counting house: a building or office for bookkeeping and other business transactions betrothed: a promised in marriage or to be engaged scalawag: a rascal farthing: a British coin equal to one fourth of a British penny ha penny: a British coin equal to one half of a British penny: a half penny wretched: miserable, deeply afflicted odious: hated, repugnant frugal: thrifty, spends money sparingly sixpence: a British monetary unit equal to six pennies shilling: a British monetary unit of small value reprobate: someone who is thoroughly bad Ghost of Jacob Marley: his old partner who died seven years earlier Ghost of Christmases Past: a spirit that takes Scrooge back in time Ghost of Christmas Present: a spirit that shows Scrooge the present day Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: a spirit that takes Scrooge into the future After the Performance Ideas 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 10

11 Discuss your favorite scene from the play. How do holiday traditions compare between then and now? What occupations or jobs would be necessary to produce this play? Talk about values and behavior of the characters in A Christmas Carol. Here are some sample questions: Who are the villains in the story? Who are the hero-heroines? Why? Is there magic in this story? When does this happen and how? Are there bullies and victims in this story? Who are they? How do they change? Who is kind and generous? Who is mean and selfish? What did they do or say to make you think so? Is there a problem to be solved in the story? What is it and how is it solved or resolved? Are there promises broken in the story? By whom? What are the consequences? Word Search (template attached) Other Activities Ideas Artistic Expression Using visual art supplies (i.e.: feathers, glitter, clay, colored paper, etc). Create a character that you can see coming alive on stage. Create a setting for your own fantasy (template attached). Create a map or diorama of the setting of the performance. Have students draw, paint or color a scene that they liked best. Creative Dramatics Have your students re-enact scenes from the performance. First, have the students discuss specific scenes who were the characters, where did it take place, what happened? Simple masks can be made to represent the various characters. Students can act out or sing their favorite part of the performance. Have students write their own dialogue of a life lesson they learned. Act it out with a partner or group. Have students partner up and change places with each other for a day. Creative Writing Write a paragraph on a character from the play using their character traits. (not just their physical traits, rather what s on the inside--clever, boastful, caring, hard working, etc.) Write a thank you note to the sponsors and/or the performers (template attached). Write a persuasive essay or letter to/about Scrooge encouraging him to maintain his good will spirit (template attached). Compare and contrast the three spirits who visit Scrooge. What are their main similarities? What are their main differences? Do their differences have any thematic significance? (Why, for instance, do they look and dress so differently?) Write an invitation to a classmate for a holiday celebration. Write a letter to your favorite character (template attached) Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 11

12 Dear,

13 Dear (who was your favorite character?), I am (how old are you?) and in the grade at (school name?) _.I came to see you on stage in A Christmas Carol at the Lesher Center for the Arts on (date)! I thought the play A Christmas Carol was (how did it make you feel and why?). My favorite part of the play was (what was something that was real to you?). I really liked your character because (what was it that made you like them?). The set looked like (what did you see?). The music sounded like (what did you hear?). Something else that I really loved about the play was. I would like to come back to the Lesher Center for the Arts and see (what is a play that you think is fun?). Love,

14 Name: Date: A Christmas Carol Directions: Create your own fantasy setting. Where and when would it take place? Write a few sentences about your unique fantasy.

15 A Christmas Carol Word Search W M S B M Z L X G I U T E C K J G U H J Y T U R M O L I N W E H P E N T T G Z U N I E R S P B S Y F H K F B O A H F L E O H K S A V Y N A I R O T C I V S P B R I C F F A P P R E N T I C E T S I C B G T T H E S M O G U B M U H H A B F Z S Y O A F Z C K T I N Y T I M G M S L H D E M R T I R I P S C R O O G E R G E U X K E C N A R O N G I B Y S W Y O C S D Q R K L N O I T C A E R I B V H F S E V Z U J E M K C R U T C H H N Q L S M S K H T O R C H A R L E S D I C K E N S U S T N U K C O H U T E R U T U F A A H O X A E V E N O T S B M O T I D D O R Y H P E S S U S S E N I P P A H E U R T V K C D E E B H T W S M A S T N A V R E S R Y E R U T K O H C S A D N G S L K A K O E E P W U G G B T C E U U S V K T N A W H R P A J E X S F G X A S V X C Q Z C W E G T Z O S I E D Q E J S A I S N O S I R P T APPRENTICE BAHHUMBUG CHARLES DICKENS CLERK CRATCHIT CRUTCH DEATH EMOTION FUTURE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS GREED IGNORANCE NEPHEW PAST PRESENT PRISONS REACTION SCROOGE SELFISH SERVANTS SPIRIT TINY TIM TOMBSTONE TRANSFORMATION TRUE HAPPINESS TURKEY TURMOLI VICTORIAN WANT WORKHOUSES

16 Name: Date: A Christmas Carol Directions: Write a persuasive essay to Scrooge encouraging him to maintain his goodwill spirit.

17 Name: Date: Fantasy Acrostic Directions: Write an acrostic poem about Holidays. Begin each line with a word or phrase that starts with the letter on that line. H O appy L I D A Y S

18 Study Guide Resources Brockett, Oscar G. The Essential Theatre Holt Rinehart & Winston, 1966 ISBN Abel, Lisa, ed. Theatre: Art in Action National Textbook Company, N Website: Website: Websites A large site which includes a biography of the author, online copies of each of his novels, shorts stories and essays, as well as a number of articles on the author. An online quiz on A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol: Comprehension Questions Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol Children s Book Almanac Dictionary: enotes: A Christmas Carol summary The Literature Network: Web English Teacher Wikipedia: Charles Dickens Books A Christmas Carol 2. Hirsch, E.D., What Your Second Grader Needs to Know. Delta, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, with Illustrations by P.J. Lynch, Candlewick Press. A Christmas Carol (picture book edition) by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Brett Helquist Videos A Christmas Carol (original) Disney s A Christmas Carol Mickey s Christmas Carol 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 18

19 Content Standards California Department of Education Curriculum Development Resources The Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve, represents a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities in dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts that all students should be able to master at specific grade levels, prekindergarten through grade twelve, in California public schools. (The standards listed below are based on the existing California Visual Arts State Standards) DANCE 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Dance 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Dance 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Dance 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Dance 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Dance to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers MUSIC 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Music 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Music 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Music 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Music 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Music to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers THEATRE 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Theatre 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Theatre 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Theatre 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 19

20 THEATRE (continued) 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Critiquing Theatrical Experiences 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre, Film/Video, and Electronic Media to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers VISUAL ARTS 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works in the Visual Arts 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy help build creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and communication. They set another bold precedent to improve the academic achievement of California s students. The standards develop the foundation for creative and purposeful expression in language fulfilling California s vision that all students graduate from our public school system as lifelong learners and have the skills and knowledge necessary to be ready to assume their position in our global economy. (This study guide offers suggestions across the curriculum and is aligned with Common Core ELA Standards. For your specific K-12 grade level, please refer to CA Content Standards). About DRAA and the Arts Access School Time Program The Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) enriches the lives of thousands of East Bay residents every year by supporting programs at Walnut Creek s Lesher Center for the Arts (LCA). Through wellestablished business and community partnerships, fundraising and marketing expertise, we help arts organizations present professional-level theater, music and dance performances, visual arts exhibitions, and family events. Over the years, the Arts Access School Time Program has offered students and children in the community the opportunity to experience high-quality live performances and visual arts exhibits. These programs engage students in the artistic process, cultivating an appreciation for the arts by combining education and entertainment which together help to make the arts a vital part of our schools and community. Many of these programs offer funding for low-income schools, making the arts programs accessible to as many students as possible. Together with corporate, foundation and individual partners, the DRAA is able to make these opportunities possible. Thank you to our AASTP Sponsors The Arts Access School Time Program would not be possible without the generous support of Target Presenting Field Trip Sponsor, Wells Fargo - Education Sponsor, along with our other season sponsors including The Hewlett Foundation, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, and the Thomas J. Long Foundation and all the individual donors who support this program Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA P. 20