From classic Greek literature to the urban beat of modern poetry, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center will complement classroom learning next year with a culturally diverse mix of music, theatre, comedy and dance for young people. Highlights of the upcoming annual season of TPAC Education’s “Humanities Outreach in Tennessee” (HOT) include the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Nashville Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, two native North American works, Latino modern dance, and theatre from the United States, Canada, England, Italy and Scotland. During its 27th year, TPAC Education’s curriculum-based programs will serve up to 40,000 students from pre-school through high school, providing teachers with comprehensive resources. “This year’s season is more diverse than any we’ve ever presented’a full spectrum of literature, history, art and culture from around the world,” said Sherri Leathers, TPAC Education’s Director of Programming. “The offerings for high school students range from the ancient Greek epic The Iliad to contemporary spoken word poetry. Younger students can see a play adapted from African storytelling or a performer who blends theatre, comedy, and circus arts into his work. All with direct links to classroom learning, there’s tremendous diversity in artistic styles and connections to world literature, history and cultural traditions,” said Leathers, suggesting that teachers make reservations as soon as possible as some of the pieces will sell-out quickly. The full schedule from TPAC Education is: ‘ The Drum Is the Thunder, The Flute Is the Wind, September 23-26; Kevin Locke Native Dance Ensemble, renowned for authentic dance, drums, flute songs, and tribal stories; ‘ Luna Negra Dance Theater, October 29-31; a Chicago-based company dedicated to Latino choreography, featuring Hispanic artists and music; ‘ Jason and the Argonauts, Visible Fictions, November 10-13; An innovative staging from Scotland of one of the first recorded myths of the quest of a hero, Jason, who risks danger at sea on the Argos to reclaim the Greek throne; ‘ Amahl and the Night Visitors, Nashville Opera, December 9-11; the world’s most performed opera about a shepherd boy who meets three kings following a star to Bethlehem; ‘ The Iliad: Book One, Aquila Theatre Company, January 12-15; a British-American troupe’s staging of Homer’s epic poem, one of the earliest known works of literature, which conveys the feel and impact of Greek verse; ‘ Circus Incognitus, February 3-6; starring Jamie Adkins, who blends the arts of theatre, comedy and the circus; ‘ The Fisk Jubilee Singers, February 12; the historic, world-renowned choral of students from the Nashville university performing spirituals; ‘ Spirit Horse, Roseneath Theatre, March 2-4; a Canadian First Nation interpretation of an Irish legend; ‘ The Gruffalo, Tall Stories, March 9-11; A British acting company’s take on the award-winning children’s story derived from a Chinese fairy tale; ‘ Mayhem Poets, March 30-April 1; featuring spoken word artists who blend hip-hop rhythms, rap and rhyme with a message to “write, not fight” in a theatrical performance of streetwise slam poetry; ‘ Butterflies, “Farfalle” in Italian, April 16-17; involving the audience in an exploration of the natural world’plants, insects, the moon and more’with projected light, sound and movement on an interactive carpet with touch-sensors, from Teatro d’Piazza o d’Occasione; and ‘ Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, April 29-March 1; Dallas Children’s Theater production of a Zimbabwe folk tale with African drumming, dance and song; HOT is one of four programs of TPAC Education, which has served more than 1.4 million students and educators to complement basic learning goals and state curriculum objectives. TPAC Education supplies guidebooks for each production with lesson plan suggestions and study materials for use before and after the performance, identifying “learning links” to curriculum requirements, including history, literature, language arts, science and social studies. Post-performance discussions and in-school visits also may be scheduled. Financial assistance is available to subsidize ticket and travel costs for eligible students and school systems. For reservations or more information, visit www.tpac.org/education or call 615-687-4288.
