‘There is power in imagination’: Springer launches new Theatre for the Very Young

The Springer Opera House is joining an innovative new movement in theater.

Their new series titled Theatre for the Very Young debuts its first production this month — putting the Springer on the map as one of the first to offer educational theater experiences for children up to age 5.

Sally Baker, Springer’s director of education, is spearheading this new effort. A native of Columbus, Baker graduated from Hardaway High School. She holds a bachelor’s in English education from the University of Georgia, and a master’s in Theatre for Youth from the University of Texas-Austin. After working in prominent children’s theaters in California and Tennessee, she returned home to Columbus in 2015 to work for the Springer as the director of their Springer Academy.

To say Baker is passionate about children’s theater and arts education would be an understatement. An eager champion for arts education, Baker is a large part of the reason Theatre for the Very Young is being made available to Columbus’ children in the early stages of this new genre of theater.

So what is it, and what can parents and teachers expect for their children from this new theater experience?

Baker recently corresponded with Sunday Arts reporter Carrie Beth Wallace to discuss the Springer’s new series and the shows featured in their first production.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Describe this new series. Who is the target audience? What shows will be in this first season and why?

A: Think back to your earliest memories. Chances are, you remember the whole sensory experience: the way your mom’s chocolate chip cookies smelled or the sound of your brother’s laughter or the feeling of wind in your hair while you were swinging on the playground. This immersive experience is what the Theatre for the Very Young (TVY) series at the Springer hopes to capture for our youngest audience members.

TVY shows are geared toward audience members up to 5 years of age and their big people. This theater is different than a child size version of adult theater. Just like a 4-year-old is not a miniature 8-year-old, TVY is not just a simpler version of traditional children’s theater. TVY is a developmentally appropriate, interactive and educational exposure to the elements of drama like characters, story, conflict, setting and theatrical production elements. It will be different than anything you have ever seen. Come willing to join the worlds of these stories.

The TVY series in January 2018 will include “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Wheels on the Bus.” Both shows are about 20 minutes long with interactive activities related to each story available prior to the shows. Both scripts have been developed specifically for the Springer audience and for the kind of experience we want our audience to have. Audience members can buy tickets for one show or both shows. There will be a break in between the shows for bathroom breaks and to explore those pre-show interactive elements.

Q: Who are the actors you have brought into this first season? Why?

A: Education is at the center of what we do in the Springer Children’s Theater, both for actors and audience. The actors for both of the shows are members of the Springer Theatre Academy. As director of the program, I saw a need for our students to explore how art is created for a different audience. The casts of the shows have not only learned about child development, but they have also conquered the challenge of breaking down each story to find what message they want to communicate to the audience. With coaching by professional directors, the students have worked as an ensemble to take a seemingly simple story and figure out the clearest way to tell this specific audience that story. That is not an easy task. What we hope is that these plays will provide a profound experience for both the very young and their families.

Q: In what way do you personally foresee this new series impacting our community?

A: As a parent of a 1-year-old and a 6-year-old, I see my own kids gravitate toward artistic experiences that ask them to think and respond in their own way. Too often, I find myself interpreting the world for them instead of giving them an experience and asking them about it. TVY asks kids to interact in an imaginary world without telling them the “right” way to respond. As adults, it is our responsibility to provide experiences for young people that help them think deeply about what they see and feel. I think it is the responsibility of theater to give families an experience to talk about something meaningful. That’s how our kids grow. Arts education is not about training the next Broadway star or award-winning composer. To me, arts education is about teaching people to communicate more effectively with each other. TVY provides that opportunity for families to communicate and grow together through a shared experience.

Q: Are there any schools the Springer is partnering with for this new series? Will there be school performances?

A: There are no school performances for this inaugural year of Theater for the Very Young, though preschools and day cares are already asking about it for next year. If you are interested in school performances for this new young audience, please let us know. We want to provide the experiences are audiences are interested in.

Q: How have you seen children’s theatre changing over the years to encompass younger and younger audiences?

A: I am hopeful about the trends in American Children’s Theatre. It seems that more scripts are being developed for young audiences that find appropriate ways to deal with what our kids face every day. Families are being given the opportunity to talk about challenges facing kids through the powerful lens of theater. What is so exciting to me about Children’s Theater is a willingness to believe the imaginary. While a relatively new trend in America, TVY relies on kids’ flexibility of perception. If an actor says “I’m riding a bus!” and holds his hands as if gripping a steering wheel, the bus becomes real. There is power in imagination. What could happen if we asked kids to imagine a better world for themselves? That could become real, too.

Q: Please briefly describe the session you held in the Fall with local preschoolers and their families. How did you use this session to inform your actors? What did you find helped most?

A: One of the special challenges of this inaugural season of TVY is learning the audience. For over 145 years, the Springer has served audiences of children and adults, but we have never performed for the little bitties. Our cast needed to understand what kind of experiences very young children responded to. We know that if you ask a ten-year-old a question, they will most likely answer. But if you ask a two-year-old a question, their lack of response does not indicate a lack of interest. You just have to communicate differently! In the fall, about 10 kids aged 1 through 6 came to be a test audience. The cast members of “The Wheels on the Bus” and “The Ugly Duckling” tried out some of what they had been working on. They used music, games, call and response, and story starters to see how kids would react. It was magical. One of the things we learned was how to engage the little ones and their parents at the same time. We will use that learning to shape the performance of these plays.

Also in the fall, the Springer hosted Nicole Adkins, a professor at Kennesaw State University, who has worked for several years in Theater for the Very Young. She has literally written the book. Nicole gave an introduction to Child Development and the craft of TVY to our casts, she observed rehearsal and gave feedback and she will be back to see the production in January. We are thankful for her guidance In helping shape these productions.

Q: Anything else you’d like for our readers to know?

A: Joseph Springer looked around Columbus and envisioned the people of this community supporting a European-style Opera House about 145 years ago. Over the years, the Springer has grown and adjusted its programming to meet the needs and requests of our community. I am proud to work with a company that is dedicated to innovation within its very old walls. The Springer will be on the leading edge of developing work for theater for the very young and I am delighted to share that work with a community I love so much.

This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 6:04 AM with the headline "‘There is power in imagination’: Springer launches new Theatre for the Very Young."