Penn, theater group reach out to neighbors

Before leaving Henry Lea Elementary School for the summer, students will be visited by a flaming salamander, the North Wind and an evil troll king -- all courtesy of Penn's Graduate School of Education.

As part of its ongoing outreach to the community, the University has contracted with the West Philadelphia-based Curio Theatre Company to present the classic fairy tale "The Frog Prince" in a musical performance at the school.

Lucy Kerman, special projects coordinator at the University President's Office, said the effort is part of the School of Education's program to bring professional development in literacy, science and math to Lea Elementary and other Penn Partnership Schools.

The partnership between Curio Theatre and Lea Elementary represents "a wonderful opportunity to bring theater into these schools," Kerman said.

"What impressed me most about Curio is they came with a commitment to be involved with public-school children and families," she added.

Curio Theatre has been working with teachers in preparation for the June 3 performance of "The Frog Prince," a tale about a prince who is turned into a frog and regains his human form after he convinces a beautiful princess to kiss him.

The seven-actor company, which started four years ago as a touring group, will soon have a permanent home at the Calvary Center for Community and Culture near 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue -- about two blocks away from Lea Elementary and the Penn Alexander School, run by the University through a contract with the Philadelphia School District.

Curio Theatre co-Artistic Director Jared Reed said his company has always wanted to have a home in a part of the city that has been overlooked by theater arts companies.

"West Philadelphia is under-represented in classically oriented theater groups," Reed said. "In time, we hope to be an arm" of the area.

Two weeks ago, the company held a two-hour session at Lea Elementary to introduce 12 literacy teachers to stage production.

Reed said the company showed the teachers how "to have a better understanding of teaching Shakespeare without the fear of it."

"What we try to do is take classic works and re-imagine them for today without taking away the classic power," Reed said.

Loretta Solomon, one of Lea Elementary's literacy teachers, said the entertaining session was very helpful and hands-on.

"It was grown-ups playing as if they were the kids," Solomon said. "Teachers in public schools never get to play."

Community Arts Partnership Director Maori Holmes said Lea Elementary and Curio Theatre will split the $1,500 cost to pay for putting on the production and workshops.

"We thought what they presented would bring not only something that would be fun, but also would relate to the core curriculum," Holmes said.

Curio Theatre Managing Director Keren White said that the company hopes to continue its work with city schools.

"We hope," she said, "that it's a beginning of an outgoing partnership -- to work with more schools in Philadelphia."

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