Green Kids theatre troupe begin 17th season
By Matea Tuhtar
The Green Kids theatre group is set to embark on its 17th season of shows to teach kids about saving and protecting our planet.
This year’s play is a vaudevillian comedy entitled “Palais Oops! A Green Pantomime.” written and directed by Brian Richardson. This sketch comedy delivers humor, wit and important lessons about major environmental issues including climate change, sustainable development, recycling and natural resource depletion.
Established in 1991, Green Kids started when Plan-it-Recycling Incorporated recognized the need for entertaining, educational programming for school-age children about the importance of environmental stewardship. Today, they’re the only not-for-profit theatre group dedicated to environmental education in Canada.
The shows are designed for K-6, with slight adaptation for the younger years. The scripts are reviewed by an environmental review committee, and the shows begin in spring, touring five provinces across the country.
The performances are interactive and teach environmental lessons by focusing on positive aspects of environmental issues, and avoiding blame. They’re designed to provide kids with simple tools on how to ‘live green’.
“We want the shows to be a fun experience,” says Daina Leitold, tour manager of Green Kids. “We want to keep it current, and cool for the kids.”
The shows run 45 minutes long, with question/answer periods at the end. When booking a show, schools also receive a Teacher’s Kit – an educational package that lets teachers prepare students for what they will see, and help process the information after the show.
An “envirosaurus” named Rex joins the actors on stage, though sometimes Rex steals the show – during and after the performance.
“Rex was stolen from our van one year and kept getting spotted through the night. We kept getting sightings of “Rex is driving a car” and “Rex is walking down the street,” says Leitold. The envirosaurus was eventually returned, though slightly worse for wear after his adventures in the city.
Besides the school shows, this year’s season also includes a mall tour in Calgary and B.C. The actors travel in a “Bio-Bus” – a school bus that runs on vegetable oils and solar panels, and which also doubles as an RV, complete with kitchen, bathroom and shower. This way Green Kids ‘practices what it preaches’ by using alternative fuel, and saving expenditures on transport and hotel costs.
Leitold says the shows get a great response from schools.
“The kids want to know what they can do to help, which is great. We can get the kids thinking about their practices at home, and give schools ideas on how to go green.
We want to expose current issues and get kids interested.”
The cost of a single performance in Winnipeg is $400, and $425 for anywhere else in the province.
To find out more about Green Kids Inc. or to book a spot on the 2008 tour, visit www.greenkids.com, or call Daina Leitold, Tour Manager at 204-940-4745. The website also includes resource packages for teachers and online versions of the plays.
