• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
/
January 20, 2011

New Victory Workshops: Where kids bring art to life

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

I often praise the New Victory Theater on my site. I am not employed by them, or under contract with them at any capacity. However, I do like to give them a lot of mention because they are among few great non-profit organizations in the city dedicated not only to the arts, but to exposing children to it. The calendar of upcoming performances at the New Victory has always been good, but I find it even more exciting this year.

When not providing the experience on stage, they open their doors to welcome young audiences and their family to  workshop events. For kids from as young as 4 to teens, these workshops allow for the family to come together and experience things from the performers’ perspective. They provide children and adults an opportunity to engage and perform through a series of exercises, activities, and role-playing that is not only educational but incredibly entertaining.

I recently attended a workshop geared towards tweens and teens focused around the New Victory’s current production of Nearly Lear, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear and which the New York Times described as “a frisky, funny, vaudevillian gloss on a great play and could certainly serve as a tantalizing introduction to the lifelong pleasures of seeing and reading Shakespeare, who was, among many other things, a great spinner of yarns”.

I failed to make it to the performance beforehand, and worried that it might mean the workshop would be irrelevant. However, the Re-inventing Shakespeare workshop – lead by teaching artist McKenna Kerrigan – did not allow for any thing or anyone to feel irrelevant. Within this 1 1/2 hour workshop, adults and teens/tweens not only had the opportunity to examine and discuss the lines and verses from the original King Lear, but also participate in playing out scenes as they understood them, both in a group and individually.  There was no wrong way to do things, no moment of awkwardness or embarrassment. Ms. Kerrigan was encouraging, energetic, and brilliant.

I worried that my 13-year-old would not participate, or would moan and groan through the process. I was pleasantly surprised to witness him engaging with others in a separate group from my own, and fully act out the roles given without a negative word or expression. Some other kids, and parents, were extremely outgoing and expressive. There were even a few who were true lovers and fan of Shakespeare and were familiar with his works. Not my son, but this didn’t really matter.

In speaking to other teens in the class, it is clear that the New Victory’s workshop team has mastered the ability to connect with this audience group.  A few even shared that they have come to several of the workshops, and some expressed a preference to attending the workshops before they see any of the Shakespearean productions at the theater. “I like coming to the workshops before the shows because I feel like I understand the play a lot better,” said one loyal 12-year-old attendee.

The workshop space is also a great place to be. Over looking 42nd Street, in a large rehearsal studio, you can’t help but feel excited to be standing in a place where so much talent has stood before.

As we left the workshop, I asked my son what he thought.

“It made me feel like a little kid…and I like that. I liked that I was able to just have fun and not worry about it not being cool, cause it kinda was.”

I’m sure you think me a sensitive fool when I tell you his words made me tear up a little. But if you have a 13-year-old, you probably understand what a big deal those words were.

Thank you again to The New Victory theater for all they do, both on stage and off, and for providing us the opportunity to experience the workshop.

Please check out their site at www.newvictory.org for more information on the workshops and other family events. These workshops are $17/$12 for members and require pre-registration.

[subscribe2]

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
The fun of Eataly
Next Post
Exploring Inwood Hill Park, a piece of Old New York

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe54 Post(s)
  • North America318 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the way. 

@shellyk_025 @the_garage_at_rye 

#baristalife #barista #coffeeislife
Woke up feeling rested after going, going, going f Woke up feeling rested after going, going, going for over a week…and grateful for the privilege that is living in such a beautiful region. There are so many points of access for relaxation and stillness here, including right outside my door. So before delving into the work day, I took a peaceful walk, stopped for brekkie (thanks, @ellasacreshomestead), and continued the day refreshed.

If 10 years ago…or even 5 years ago…you had told THIS Brooklyn girl that she would find joy living full time in rural NY, I would’ve laughed in your face. And while NYC will always be home and #1 in my heart, as I live through my 3rd year here, I have to say…yeah. I get it. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #citygirlinthecountry
When your bestie is also your boss and you share s When your bestie is also your boss and you share shifts at your barista jobs it’s easy to forget it’s WORK…☕️😅❤️ 

@seschieber @the_garage_at_rye 

#fingerlakes #baristalife #workbestie
A moment of zen, Finger Lakes edition. #citygirl A moment of zen, Finger Lakes edition. 

#citygirlupstate #upstatenewyork #fingerlakesnewyork
Love coffee as much as I do? Here is my (very, ver Love coffee as much as I do? Here is my (very, very) short list of fave coffee shops, from Manhattan to Brooklyn. 

I spend A LOT of time at coffee shops…whether in my job as a barista or during my free time exploring endless cafes during my travels, but especially around NYC and the Finger Lakes. These are the most noteworthy cafes I find myself returning to again and again in New York City.

📍@conwellcoffeehall in the old Life and Trust Building in the Financial District. An epic space, great brekkie and coffee, brought to you by the same folks of Sleep No More…who (separately but in the same space) offer similar interactive-style performances we know them for, this time revisiting the age of old money, big banks, and the stock market crash collapse of 1929.
📍The @bookclubbar is a bar, book store, and coffee shop in the East Village. Cozy, with outdoor seating, and a wonderful selection of books, booze, and brews. Very few people get all of these elements to work well. They nail it.
📍The @plantshednyc in the East Village. Airy space with a beautiful selection of flowers and plants, and big, bright windows whereby to enjoy your cafe choice. 
📍@DawnsTillDusk in Dumbo is a cafe by day and wine bar by night. It’s a Yes to both for me!
📍@Usaginy in Dumbo is an art gallery, with small bookstore and gift shop, and cafe…but their in-house freshly made onigiri is 😘👌🏾
📍@pplnyc in Williamsburg is rustic, and pretty, and cute…and yeah, the coffee’s good!
📍@bluebrown_nyc in Williamsburg stole my heart when I first visited last year on my birthday. I love the vibe of this community cafe and the creativity they bring to their pastries and drinks.
📍@Devocionusa (anywhere), though my local spot is Dumbo. I love that they are all about the coffee…and just the coffee. No fancy, trends here. Come for the impeccable coffee, and delicious pastries, and cool vibes. But mostly, the coffee.

This list doesn’t even make a dent on my long list of cafes but they are the highlights. Share your fave spots in the comments! ☕️

#nyccafe #coffeetiktok #coffeelover #coffeeshop
This is your reminder to PLAY. No matter your age. This is your reminder to PLAY. No matter your age. Play. Play with your partner. Play with your adult friends. Play with your kids, even the adult ones. Play with strangers. The world can be cruel and hard and deflating. So, when the opportunity comes…and even if you need a nudge from your loved ones…give your heart, soul, and mind a reprieve and play. 

Today me and mine played at the Keff Joons pop-up in Dumbo, Brooklyn. This is @cj_hendry latest art installation where they transformed a Brooklyn warehouse into balloon-filled dreamscape and playground for all. There is no fee and the earlier you arrive the shorter the wait. Once inside you become one with the art in a fun and dramatic way. But hurry! The installation is only up till April 20th! 

📍50 Gold Street, Brooklyn, NY

#nycart #artpopup #brooklynny #funinnyc #thingstodoinnyc

Copyright © 2025 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice