Established in February of 2011, the Theatre Institute at Sage is dedicated to providing quality live theatre and arts-in-education programming to Capital Region youth, educators and residents. The Institute also provides opportunities for Russell Sage students as performers, technicians and teachers. Programs include educational support services (such as in-class preparations, teacher in-services, post-show residences, and study guides), after school drama programs, weekend workshops, and several theatre camps during the summer for children ages 6-18.

Margot and Murray -- her fluffy, loveable and kid-friendly Sheepadoodle, love to visit with children aged 3 – 7 years and talk about friendship, bravery, and perseverance. Margot’s energy is infectious and she easily bonds with children. And Murray is a hit with kids. In Margot’s debut children’s book, Murray Goes to the Playground, Murray learns an important lesson: while not everyone may want to be your friend, there’s always someone out there who will be your friend. Our 30- 45 minute school visits include an opportunity to meet and pet Murray, reading our book, Q & A, and a discussion about making friends, meeting dogs, or moving on from rejection. Murray has his Canine Good Citizen accreditation.

Griffin Brady is a celebrated teaching artist who holds a masters degree in Ethnomusicology and is the acclaimed director of the Slyboots School, Slyboots Circus and the Bernard Woma Dagara Music Center USA. Griffin leads tours to schools across the country with the Slyboots Circus and the Saakumu Dance Troupe from Ghana, West Africa.

The Schenectady County Historical Society shares stories, inspires dialogue, and encourages understanding of the history, people, and cultures of New York's Capitol Region. Founded in 1905, today we bring history and culture to life through exhibits, programs, and community events. Many teachers know us from the fantastic field trips we offer at our historic sites, like the Mabee Farm. However our programs can be brought to the classroom by our expert educators. Using engaging slideshows and real historic manuscripts, we can bring to life any topic in the K-12 social studies curriculum.

We deliver programs directly to schools and communities that empower young people to become courageous changemakers by fostering empathy, understanding and action against intolerance. Through the powerful lens of Anne Frank’s diary, we inspire the next generation to learn from the past, challenge prejudice and build a more compassionate and just future. Our interactive theatre performances are a transformative tool, engaging students on a deeply emotional and intellectual level. They bring history to life, spark critical conversations, and inspire young people to act with courage, empathy, and understanding. "Conversations with Anne" is our signature one-act solo show that immerses students in the powerful words of Anne Frank, bringing excerpts from her diary to life in an engaging and emotionally-charged performance. Students connect with Anne on a personal level through this intimate portrayal – hearing her thoughts, fears, and dreams. The performance culminates in a Q&A session, where students can ask questions and engage directly with the character to deepen their understanding of Anne’s experience and the historical events surrounding the Holocaust. It gives a human face to history, inspiring young people to reflect on the impact of intolerance and the importance of standing up for what is right. Through Anne’s words, students are reminded of the power of their own voices in shaping the future. For grades 4th and up. "Letters from Anne and Martin" draws profound parallels between the words of Anne Frank and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The performance combines excerpts from Anne’s diary with key moments from Dr. King’s 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', highlighting their shared themes of hope, resistance, and the fight for justice. Through the dialogue of these two remarkable figures, students are offered a unique lens on the struggles for human rights, both during World War II and the Civil Rights Movement. The show serves as a bridge between history and the present, highlighting how lessons of the past are deeply connected to the challenges we face today. By weaving Anne’s reflections on the horrors of war with Dr. King’s calls for nonviolent action, the show is a powerful teaching tool for understanding both the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. Students are empowered to see the relevance of these movements in today’s world, encouraging them to take a stand against prejudice, bigotry, antisemitism, racism and discrimination, to promote equality, and work towards a more just and inclusive future. For grades 6th and up. Our newest one act solo show, "Plenty of Courage", takes the audience on Anne's journey of discovering herself, her ambitions and her drive to live fully and bravely. Delving into some of her lesser known entries, this performance reveals the more vulnerable side of the young diarist. While in hiding from the Nazis with her family, the Van Pels Family and Fritz Pfeffer during World War II, writing to her dear diary, Kitty, brings Anne enormous comfort. But through it all there is another war silently raging, and it is the one Anne is fighting with herself. It's a transformative experience that invites audiences to step into the shoes of one of the most important voices of the 20th century and grapple with the harder questions of what it means to be human. For 7th/8th grade, high school and up.

Presenter: The Park Theater Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the Glens Falls community by providing a venue for quality and affordable entertainment and educational opportunities in the performing arts. Program Description: The Park Theater Foundation is excited to offer audio/visual technology and jazz workshops with students from middle school to high school levels throughout Warren and Washington Counties. Workshops will include demonstrations of various instruments, technologies and techniques as well as their interactions on and off stage, culminating in a final performance at The Park Theater in Glens Falls. Purpose / Application / Structure: Music Appreciation / Cultural Education - Artists will provide demonstration and history of instruments / musical style in both assembly and small-group settings. Audio Technology Comprehension - Engineers will demonstrate various audio / lighting effects culminating in a performance following the artists workshop session. A maximum of 8 workshops can be hosted on-site with your school equipment provided or at The Park Theater (dependent on availability). This program is completely customizable to better suit your needs - inquire for more information!

Once Upon a Toon is a unique hybrid of storytelling with live cartoon illustrations. Multi-Emmy Award-winning cartoonist Joe Wos draws the stories as he tells them, in a lively and engaging program for all ages. Pulling from original stories and folktales with a twist, this live show is like watching a picture book being drawn before your very eyes. Each presentation includes a short guessing game, a how-to example, and two illustrated stories. Yielding between 15-20 drawings at every show. Best of all the illustrations stay with your school and may be displayed, auctioned, or even photocopied to share with students. Popular illustrated tales include Joe’s original pun-filled adventure “Don on the Farm” about a duck who longs to be a rooster, and with some help from his friends, they all help each other achieve their dreams! Joe also puts his unique spin on such classics as The Crowded House, How Turtle Flew South, How Elephant Got His Trunk, and many more.

Daryl Cobb is the author of 18 books for children, and a premier children's educational presenter. Daryl's experience as a professional actor, musician and singer makes him one of the most imaginative and dynamic author presenters in the country. Daryl's versatility makes him the perfect choice for in school author visits at every age level. Very few authors can captivate children the way Daryl does. His music instantly grabs everyone's attention, and he keeps them on the edge of their seats with his storytelling. His interaction with the student body is playful and fun. And his life experiences (in baseball, with bullies and ADHD) make him relatable to all and his literacy message very powerful. His author visits programs are inspiring! Daryl's programs are interactive and include his "Music, Sign-along & Storytelling" assembly for K-2 and his interactive "A Writer's Journey" assembly that uses storytelling, music, graphics and live action readings to teach the kids about the writing process.

Mayta's Movement Programs: Teach to inspire. Touch the heart. “Ye are the fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch.” Baha’u’llah A philosophy centered on teaching the love of the art of movement, multiculturalism, and helping students become peaceful, global citizens. Fusion Dance: This program has been developed to enable participants to understand, be inspired by and learn about different cultures through dance. It features Flamenco (Spain), Bharatanatyam (India), West African, Modern (USA), Latin, and Caribbean dance styles. The goal of this program is for students to learn the differences, similarities, history and cultural aspects of each dance style. Students engage with this material through an embodied, experiential approach. Spanish Language through Movement: This multidisciplinary program was developed to enable participants to learn, interpret and understand Spanish language through movement. The goal of this program is to foster learning of conversational skills in a new, fun way, for use in travel and daily life. The aim is for each participant to develop a love for Spanish culture and an excitement to learn more about this beautiful language. As a key aspect of cultural immersion, students learn Latin dance styles such as Salsa, Merengue and Bachata. Creative Movement and Yoga: Explore the world of movement! This lively class introduces participants to the basic dance concepts such as rhythm space, and music. Literature, poetry, visual art, props, yoga and storytelling are included to allow the participants to stretch their bodies and their imagination! This class will improve flexibility, creativity, concentration, focus, balance, bodily awareness, and strength. Transcending language prejudice through movement: Let's have a conversation about language, being bilingual, having an accent and how one gets treated because of how one speaks. Lets listen to each others stories about language and its affects. We will be creative and explore the power that language has on the world through movement. My aim is that we find our respect for the languages of the world and to bring awareness that languages bring us together. Through movement explorations and story telling.

“Stand Up for Your Greatness!” In this inspirational program, Ed Gerety shares with his audience specific strategies, principles, and techniques to be resilient, embrace change, achieve goals, and step up as a leader. The social and emotional needs of students today are more important than ever. Ed delivers a powerful message that connects with the hearts and minds of his audience. He reminds students of the importance of taking care of themselves, taking care of one another, standing up for their greatness, and for the greatness of others. Areas of Focus in this assembly program include: • The power of respect and responsibility • The impact and consequences of our choices and decisions • The issues of bullying and peer pressure • Appreciation for our abilities and the people in our life • The courage to believe in oneself • The power we have to reach out and make a difference Ed speaks in the education industry specifically at middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, and conferences. His primary audiences include students, teachers, administrators, coaches, parents, and student-athletes. For 30 years Ed has spoken on character education topics that build and support a positive and inclusive school climate. His expertise is in teaching the skills that teens and young adults need to develop to become leaders in school and in life. Ed’s longevity as a paid-professional speaker is rooted in the excellence he brings to the platform, the relationships he forms with his clients, and the results produced in positive outcomes measured by schools. Clients say that there is authenticity and vulnerability in his presentations that distinguishes him from other speakers.

Our virtual school author talk program brings the magic of stories to inspire, educate, and connect with students in the classroom. Whether it's the laughter from a funny tale, the curiosity kindled by a mystery, or the wonder of discovering new worlds, each BookBreak virtual author talk is designed to spark a love of reading and enhance literacy. Our innovative platform connects students with renowned authors virtually, allowing schools to participate who would not normally be able to afford the speaking fees of bestselling authors. With BookBreak, you can offer your students the excitement and inspiration of a live author event, empowering them to thrive as readers and writers. With over 2,000 subscribing schools and counting, our goal is to embed author talks as an integrated component of student learning. By seamlessly integrating these virtual author sessions into your curriculum, you’ll ignite a fire for reading, kindle a passion for writing, and captivate even the most reluctant readers. These interactive experiences are more than just talks—they’re a catalyst for transforming student motivation and cultivating a vibrant school-wide culture of reading. Use our curriculum aligned virtual author talks and included pre- and post- activities and watch as your students’ enthusiasm soars and their love for literature flourishes!

We offer hands-on learning experiences for all levels and ages in the creation of woven three dimensional baskets, lanterns, living structures and sculpture.