MARYSVILLE — Allen Creek Elementary students will be treated to entertainment with a message Feb. 19, when the Taproot Theatre Road Company will perform “Alexander and the Dragon.”
Allen Creek Elementary Principal Kristin DeWitte explained that the Taproot performers have appeared at the school about once every other year, as many as five times. She sees their plays as a means of getting “more mileage out of the minutes we have” to devote to such programs.
“It’s a good exposure to the arts for the kids, since the Road Company puts on a high-quality presentation,” DeWitt said. “The kids think they’re just being entertained, but they’re also getting an underlying message that goes along with our curriculum anyway.”
In “Alexander and the Dragon,” Alexander returns to school after summer break as a fifth-grade student, but even though he imagines himself as a knight, he fails to stop a new girl, Maddy, from getting bullied on the school bus. As a result, Alexander sees himself as allowing a princess to be captured by a dragon, and tries to find a way to make things right.
The Taproot Theatre Road Company’s current repertoire focuses on teaching students how to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment. “Alexander and the Dragon” is intended to teach kindergarten through sixth-grade students how to recognize, refuse and report bullying, as well as the responsibilities of bystanders, initiating friendships, engaging others in conversation and forgiving others.
“Taproot Theatre really knows its audience,” DeWitte said. “They spend a lot of time thinking about how to develop material that’s best suited for this age group. It’s like fairy tales, with humor and morals that kids can learn from and carry throughout their school years. We see bullying at younger and younger ages, and it helps to have something that’s fun and visually stimulating to address it. This is the Sesame Street of school assemblies.”
DeWitte thanked the Allen Creek Elementary PTSA for its fundraising on behalf of such programs.
“Our parents are partners with the school and are awesome providers,” DeWitte said. “Our PTSA’s motto is that it’s all about the kids.”
