PARP Theater
Advanced Acting students bring storybooks to life
“I know this book.” “I have this book.” “I wish this could go on forever.”
These are some of the whispers overheard at the world premiere of the 2024 PARP Theater at Increase Miller Elementary, on March 1. The annual event features students in John Jay High School Advanced Acting class performing favorite children's books. It’s been a March “Pick a Reading Partner” (PARP) tradition for over ten years!
No spoilers here, as of this writing the show has not yet traveled to Katonah Elementary and Meadow Pond Elementary stages. Suffice to say that characters portrayed include interrupting chicken, a duck with a hilarious walk, kittens with British accents, a big guy and a fish out of water … seven stories in all.
"These actors are as good as anything I've seen in professional children's theater," said John Jay High School's acting teacher Bill Friedman, who has a background in children's theater.
actors shine with minimal props
favorite stories with new twists
visit creates connections with literature and between students
"At John Jay High School, acting is a class," Friedman said to Increase Miller Elementary students in his introduction. "These students took favorite picture books from when they were in elementary school and created these plays for you."
The high school students created scripts, designed the costumes, determined the staging, cast and directed each play.
After the performance, Friedman moderated a Q&A with the actors. The elementary students asked thoughtful questions about staging decisions, named their favorite characters and guessed all of the books the performances were based on.
Bravo Jordyn Blachar, Samantha Donnelly, Aya Greenspan, Tahlia Koenig, Ollie Pezone, Francis (Jack) Pryor, Maclain Rockett and Alec Schwartz.
