Lisa Golda, Teaching Artist at Von Humboldt Elementary

This week, students at Von Humboldt had a special treat: CAPE (Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education) artist Ashley Winston came to finish staging two scenes of our upcoming opera, Il Giasone/Jason and the Argonauts! This year, CAPE artists are working with students at each of our partner schools to create various elements for our production; including sound effects, props/special costume pieces, visual projections, and staging! Their creative participation is bringing incredible artistic depth and a sense of unlimited possibility to our process.
Ashley's energy and relentless enthusiasm got even normally reticent students up and on their feet during fast-paced warm-up exercises. Her staging of the scene in which Jason gallantly carries a disguised and ever-heavier goddess Hera across a river incorporates fabric "waves". Students LOVE moving the fabric to create the illusion of water! Students seem to relish their roles, playing the hero Jason's jilted girlfriends Medea and Hypsipyle with appropriate angst. At the end of two jam-packed (and, thanks to Ashley's focused leadership and "stage management" provided by three COT Teaching Artists), productive classes, students were confidently running scenes filled with thoughtful dramatic details. Thanks, Ashley! COT TAs (myself and Kim) will now finish blocking the show and incorporate Ashley's staging into the productions at our other COT schools.