Taproot Theatre’s Road Company Teaches Coeur D’alene...Of Bullying This Fall

Taproot Theatre’s Road Company Teaches Coeur D’alene Students The Serious Consequences Of Bullying This Fall

Seattle, WA - Taproot Theatre’s Road Company is teaching students in Coeur d’Alene the serious consequences of bullying October 20-24 with two new educational touring plays, Alexander and the Dragon and New Girl. The plays are two of three bullying and harassment prevention plays the group will perform at schools throughout the Pacific Northwest this academic year.

In Alexander and the Dragon by Bethany Wallace, students in grades K-6 learn how to respond to bullying and build social skills by following a 5th grader named Alexander on an imaginary quest to conquer a fire-breathing dragon and rescue a princess.

With the widespread use of cell phones and social networking sites among children and teenagers, New Girl by Josh Hornbeck is aimed at preventing cyber bullying by educating students in grades 6-12 about the serious consequences that sending or posting insulting or threatening messages can have.

The Road Company’s current educational touring plays teach students about bullying and harassment prevention by utilizing principles from the leading curriculum on the topics: Committee for Children’s “Steps to Respect” and “Second Step” programs.

Schedule :
The Road Company will kick off the Coeur d’Alene tour with a performance of New Girl on October 20 at Woodland Middle School (8:30 a.m.), and then will perform Alexander and the Dragon at nine of the ten elementary schools in Coeur d’Alene: October 20 at Fernan Elementary (1 p.m.), October 21 at Hayden Meadows Elementary (9:30 a.m.) and Skyway Elementary (1 p.m.), October 22 at Borah Elementary (9:50 a.m.) and Winton Elementary (2 p.m.), October 23 at Ramsey Elementary (9:30 a.m.) and Dalton Elementary (1:30 p.m.), and October 24 at Atlas Elementary (9:30 a.m.) and Bryan Elementary (2 p.m.).

School Touring Plays

New Girl

By Josh Hornbeck
For Grades 6-12
A play about the faces of harassment and the function of community.

Rachel is the new girl at Clements High. She wants to fit in and get along with everyone. But when two of the school’s popular kids attempt to sabotage her friendships with two of the school’s outcasts, Rachel learns that the way she treats others can have serious consequences.

From cyber-abuse through instant messages and online social networking sites to verbal abuse in the halls, New Girl looks at the consequences of our actions and the need to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

Education Goals:

- Examine various forms of bullying and harassment, both subtle and overt
- Learn importance of respect
- Explore the dangers of cliques
- Understand personal and social responsibility

Alexander and the Dragon

By Bethany Wallace
For Grades K-6
A play about bullying prevention.

Being a 5th grader is even harder than being a knight. When "Sir" Alexander returns to school after a summer of battling make-believe foes, he fails to stand up for the new girl getting bullied on the school bus. He unknowingly allows Maddy (Princess Madeline) to be captured by a "dragon," and is stripped of his knighthood. Will Alexander conquer the fire-breathing dragon and rescue the princess? Will his heroic quest restore his honor?

Education Goals:
Bullying Prevention and Social Skills

- Recognize, Refuse and Report
- Responsibility of a bystander
- Initiating a friendship
- Engaging others in conversation
- Forgiving others

Camp Super Friend

By Bethany Wallace
For Grades K-6
A play about forming friendships and appreciating differences.

Marvel may be a super hero, but that doesn’t mean he knows how to be a super friend … yet. At Super Camp, the summer camp for super heroes, Marvel discovers it’s a lot harder to make friends than he thought. With some helpful advice from his dad, and the assistance of his camp counselor, Marvel learns what it takes to make and be a good friend.

Meanwhile, the evil Professor Nemesis has come up with a sinister plan to strip all the super-heroes of their powers. It’s up to Marvel and his new friends to use their special gifts and work together to save the day.

Education Goals:

Friendship and Social Skills

- Starting a conversation
- Joining a group
- Showing respect for others
- Bullying prevention
- Appreciating differences
- Teamwork.