DCPA NEWS CENTER
Enjoy the best stories and perspectives from the theatre world today.
Enjoy the best stories and perspectives from the theatre world today.
Want to enliven the holidays? Look no further than these tips from DCPA Director of Education Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski who has mastered the art of celebration, collaboration, and creativity! If it works for a three-year-old, it can work for your family!
Raise A Toast!
You can be the one who makes any holiday gathering (in person or virtual) special by offering a toast. A toast is a gesture of warmth that marks a moment – or series of moments – with words from the heart. Take the toasting stage! These tips from our public speaking coaching team will put the cheer in cheers!
Add a new spin and invite a series of toasts: have everyone offer a toast from the point of view of pets, from the perspective of the weather, or from the viewpoint of the holiday decorations.
Raise A Camera!. . . Online or in person!
The tradition of holiday photographs can be adapted to screen shots from online sessions where everyone joins a theme of what they wear, what they hold, where they are in the screen, or what is in the background. A lovely item to hold with backgrounds dimmed is a candle- beautiful and memorable group screen shot.
For in-person photographs, consider creating tableaus:
Raise the bar of fun! . . . with Improv Games
Holiday games abound! The perfect way to connect and laugh with family and friends! Choose one of these merry improv games to entertain and engage the whole group, young and old!
I’m Wrapping a Gift . . .
Player 1: “I’m wrapping a gift and it’s an APPLE” (picking an object that begins with A)
Player 2: “I’m wrapping a gift and it’s an APPLE and a BALLOON” (adding an object that begins with B)
Heads and Tails
Name Six
Raise A Hunt!
A Holiday Scavenger Hunt – fun for the whole family! I spy with my little eye two ways of adapting a holiday-themed scavenger hunt! Each player receives a list of things to look for. The list can be modified as individual game boards (like Bingo cards) and the first to fill their card wins the hunt.
For in person gatherings –
For virtual gatherings-
Raise A Book!
Much like our popular Book Stars literacy program, narrate your favorite holiday book! To boost your vocal impact, consider these tips:
To boost your vocal impact:
This is a great year to revisits the familiar favorites of Charles Dicken’s, A Christmas Carol (c. 1843) A Visit from St. Nicholas (more commonly known as, Twas the Night Before Christmas c. 1837) attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, and Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel’s, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (1957) can always top the list. A Child’s Christmas in Wales (c. 1952) by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and little tree by American poet e.e. cummings can provide poetic celebrations of the Season. The Poetry Foundation website, https://www.poetryfoundation.org, has a diverse listing of poetry for both Christmas and Hannukah. Two volumes of A Treasury of African-American Christmas Stories have been edited by Bettye Collier-Thomas. Nicolás Kanellos’ editing of Noche Buena: Hispanic American Christmas Stories celebrates traditions within the LatinX communities.
Explore the inspiration behind these fun holiday activities online at denvercenter.org/education.
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