The ongoing pandemic has had masks at the top of nearly everyone’s mind, including teaching artist Serena Ebhardt of EbzB Productions. “During the height of masking for the pandemic, I started thinking how cool it would be to create a workshop around the history of masks and all their different uses through time, from drama to medical to safety and beyond.”
And though masks are thankfully starting to become a smaller part of our lives, the EbzB workshop at Bennett School struck a chord with fifth graders there.
After learning a bit about the history of masks and exploring many different kinds of masks used in everyday life, the kids were given the opportunity to design a mask of their own.
Once masks were finished, they chose a partner for the “playwriting” portion of the workshop. Serena and EbzB partner David zumBrunnen gave each pair one single word. It was the only word they could use in the scene they were to create. Kids were given time to rehearse their scenes, and on the last day of the workshop, each pair performed for their classmates.
While the scenes were fantastic, the conversations after each scene, when students were asked to describe what they just saw, were a glimpse into the vast imagination of fifth graders. Rarely did two students see the same thing, and the different points of view were often thoughtful and fascinating.
“There are some real characters in this class, and this workshop is letting them shine. Some of them for the first time,” one fifth-grade teacher tells us. One student was so inspired by the workshop, they presented David and Serena with a gift: handmade drama masks.
On performance day, Bennett’s music teacher shared her thoughts about the residency’s impact. She’s a part of their community, in and out of school; these kids are deeply important to her. “So many of these kids have faced some really big challenges, and this kind of thing is exactly what they need . . . . They will remember this. It will have an impact for them for a long time.”
How Do We Make It Happen?
The Chatham Arts Council could not bring professional artists like EbzB Productions into Chatham County schools without the dollars to make it possible. This residency was powered by Miki Adams. Our partners at Chatham County Schools, Chatham County, and the North Carolina Arts Council also help make this important work happen.
Individual gifts are absolutely critical, too. We’re working to expand the Chatham Artists-in-Schools Initiative with a goal of being in every single school in Chatham County, every single year, by 2025. Click here to be part of this artistic endeavor–and all our Arts for Resilient Kids efforts.
If you need more inspiration, here’s Siler City Elementary Principal Tania Poston speaking with WRAL about the importance of our Artists-in-Schools Initiative. Enjoy!
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