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22 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, February 20, 2008 The Kâ€"W Children‘s Prama Workshop‘s Deanne Bingleman and Michael Robinson are running a pilot outreach program at Lexington public school this week to teach students about live theâ€" atre Some kids don‘t know much about live theatre. But that‘s about to change for students at one Waterloo school thanks to a pilot community outâ€" reach program being put on by the Kâ€"W Children‘s Drama Workshop. "I think theatre is a really magiâ€" cal thing, and the more people we can reach the better," said Michael Robinson, who directs shows for the drama group. The outreach program is designed to teach kids about the acting and choreography in KWCDW‘s upcoming production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prior to them seeing it. The pilot will be held at Lexingâ€" ton public school today and Thursâ€" day, before all the 340 students attend the show at the Registry Drama group teaches kids about live theatre By JENNIFER ORMSTON Chronicle Staff Theatre in Kitchener later this month, "The hope is they will feel like a bigger part of it, and that they‘ll realize how much work ... went into what they see on stage," said Deanne Bingleman, the executive choreographer for KWCDW. He will teach younger students about the stage with handsâ€"on games. Older kids will learn about the characters in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory through monoâ€" logues. And Robinson sees it as an opportunity to prep the students. _ _ "I think when they come and see the show, they‘ll definitely be able to relate to it a lot more," he "The characters are so big and outrageous in Charlie," he said. "There‘s no normal characters, so it‘s really fun." Bingleman will take them ARTS FOCUS & ~eeikre oes * o e U 2 Ll . C J a t nE 109: Solid wood furniture ied by herea‘s best builders in ST‘J Solid wood furniture crafted By thearea‘s best builders in styles inspired from traditional classics to contemporary flair, then handâ€"finished by St. Jacobs Furnishings through an Oompa Loompa dance with basic jazz and hipâ€"hop steps. _ And there will be time at the end of the second day for students to ask questions, which is one of the things school principal Frank Ewald is looking forward to. "It gives the students the opporâ€" tunity to see, hear and ask quesâ€" tions of some very knowledgeable and experienced performers," he For Bingleman, the hope is this program will teach kids that they can move. She hears lots of chilâ€" dren rehearsing for KWGDW shows say they can‘t dance â€" a notion she tries to dispel. "We might not all be Karen Kain at the end of the day, but we can all move, and I‘m hoping people will realize our bodies are built to move and we can have fun doing that." A mother of three, Bingleman said the arts are often overlooked in : T ez .n4 J ts mug&;gmmnflummu%g{m some schools, and many children can‘t afford to take part in artsâ€" related extra curricular activities. "They‘re so bombarded by TV and whatnot these days that they don‘t have that creative outlet," she "(It) is important to reach these kids so they know that world exists," she said, _ _ Ewald agrees that with the popâ€" ularity of video games, TV and movies, this is a good chance to teach kids about live theatre. "My perspective is I believe it‘s incredibly important to have that opportunity for live theatre, to bring text to life," he said. The KWCDW, meanwhile, is a safe place where kids can express themselves, said Robinson, who wishes schools were like that as "I have actors coming up to me and saying ‘It‘s really great to be St Jacobs Farmer‘s Market Complex, 878 Weber Street N., Waterloo 519.747.1832 FURNISHINGS a The KWCDW is a notâ€"forâ€"profit organization dedicated to educatâ€" ing children aged six to 15, and Binâ€" gleman sees this program as a way to give back to the community that supports its many ventures. here because I can be myself and I‘m accepted and I‘m not considâ€" ered to be a geek,‘ " he said. _ "It‘s a wonderful break from reality," Robinson said about the show, which is based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Facâ€" tory runs Feb. 28 to March 2 at the Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick St. Tickets, which cost $17 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $8 for children, are still availâ€" able but selling quickly. They can be purchased in uptown Waterloo at the Gospel Lighthouse and the Waterloo Community Arts Centre. by Roald Dahl For box office information, call 519â€"725â€"3586. 0 B S JENNIFER ORMSTON PHOTO