Program / Event Details

Drama Residency Program: Mask Making and Performance

Available for the 2024-2025 school year!

In the “Mask Making and Performance” residency, students embark on a creative journey to craft  their own unique masks using various craft materials. Guided by Teaching Artist Tarshai Peterson, students will create full-face masks and engage in pantomime to bring their characters to life without the use of spoken language, focusing on body movement, facial expression, and storytelling through physicality. For those interested in using dialogue, students can create half-face masks, enabling them to speak and build more complex characters that integrate both verbal and non-verbal expression.

This residency is designed for students in grades 3-12 and can be customized in collaboration with classroom teachers to align with a specific theme, curriculum, or learning objective. 

Skills Students Will Learn:

• Character Development: Students will craft detailed characters through mask design, considering personality traits, backstories, and motivations. By wearing the masks, they embody these characters and bring them to life in a fully immersive way.
• Pantomime & Physical Storytelling: Through the use of pantomime, students will learn how to communicate emotions, actions, and narratives without words, relying solely on their body language and facial expressions.
• Conflict & Resolution: Students will create scenes that involve conflict and work collaboratively to resolve these conflicts within their performances, enhancing their problem-solving and communication skills.
• Building Imaginary Worlds: By developing their own characters and narratives, students will gain the confidence and creativity to construct entire imaginary worlds, enhancing their creative thinking and imagination.

Why This Program is Beneficial:

• Increased confidence in performing and presenting in front of others
• Enhanced ability to collaborate and work as a team to build stories and characters
• A deeper understanding of character creation, storytelling, and the power of non-verbal communication
• Strengthened problem-solving abilities through exploring conflict in performance
• A greater appreciation for the art of mask-making and performance as a storytelling tool

NOTE: Before the residency begins, the type of mask (full-face or half-face) will be discussed and chosen based on the needs and goals of the class. An additional craft fee will be added if mask materials are provided by The Treasure Box LLC.

To learn more about this program and others, contact Teaching Artist and CEO of The Treasure Box LLC, Tarshai Peterson: ThetreasureboxMD@gmail.com | 202-455-5704