The Shadow Box Theatre

Shadow Box Theatre Workshops

The Shadow Box Theatre offers a comprehensive Theatre Arts Workshop program with an emphasis on puppetry designed for public school and private schools, both during and after school for children. In addition we offer workshops for teachers, staff and parents. Each program is designed for the specific school, its population and needs. Our workshops open the doorway to a child's imagination through theatre arts, puppetry and creativity while supporting content areas and curriculum through an innovative pathway to language and literacy.

SBT is fully registered with the NYC Department of Education as an arts-in-education provider. Our workshops comply with NYC Child Care Training Regulations, required NYC Dept. of Health (SACC) training hours, Curriculum Standards and Content Areas in line with the Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts and the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts.

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For Students

Student workshops are designed for children to explore artistic pathways to literacy. This is done through the use of puppetry, movement, music and storytelling. These theatre techniques allow children to build vocabulary, listening and public speaking skills, teamwork and problem solving as well as opening their creative spirit. Our teaching artists work collaboratively with classroom teachers, enhancing the curriculum while accepting the student's individual needs. Our workshops are tailored to each school, and can run during classroom hours (as multiple or individual workshops) or after school as well.

For Educators

Teacher workshops open the doorway for the use of the creative arts in the classroom. Providing skills and concepts they integrate the arts into the core curriculum, to expand as well as enrich the learning experience. Through arts techniques we spark the teachers' creative muse so they can then access the child’s imagination so words become an open sesame.

For Family

Parent workshops are designed to encourage parents to get involved with their children's learning, creating an opportunity for adults to become an integral part of their child’s education. Parents explore language as well as opening their own creative spirit. Parent/child workshops support parents and ESL learners to become active partners via storytelling, encouraging the joy of the love of books. Working together also affords the opportunity to meet other parents, fostering an environment for playful exchange, community sharing and school identity.

Workshops 3K/PreK to 2nd Grade and Special Needs

Our Teaching Artists are prepared to teach single and series workshops in puppetry, drama, storytelling and movement via virtual platforms like Zoom and Google classroom. Other standardized workshops are or will be prerecorded and can be accessed with live assistance via the above platforms or accessed directly by special password on our Vimeo video platform. Workshops can also be custom designed based on one of our storybooks or according to your curriculum or any other special requirements or needs. Live or customized workshops will generally run 45 minutes to 1 hour based on type and activities. The unit price for workshops is $125 per session. For standardized, pre-recorded workshops, the unit price is $75-100 and will generally last about 30 minutes, with activities that can be worked on after the session’s conclusion.

Workshops for 3rd to 10th Grade

Our Teaching Artists have special workshops in Acting, Storytelling, Improvisation and Playmaking/Sketch Comedy, as well as advanced techniques in Puppet-making and Puppet Performance. These workshops are primarily live via Zoom or Google Classroom and custom designed. Prerecorded workshop series can also be customized. Unit price for these workshops is $125 per 45 minute to 1 hour sessions.

Afterschool & CASA Workshop

Our CASA program is tailored to the needs of individual schools and student populations. SBT workshop leaders have worked with students from Pre-K through High school as well as with parents. Our creative arts techniques range from various forms of puppetry, drama, music, and movement, to creative writing and the art of story telling. The needs of the school dictate the creative experience. Every CASA creates a world unto themselves.

Meet the Author Workshop

Sandra Robbins, the author of our books, CDs and shows, is the founder of The Shadow Box Theatre. She created SBT while she was a teacher as well as a writer, dancer, and choreographer. But the inspiration for the theatre came from her urge to nurture the creative spirit of her own children and their friends. Her shows, books and CDs bespeak that desire. Her workshops bring to the audience her fifty years of experience as a creator. A 'Meet the Author' workshop is a unique experience in which the audience is as much a part of its creation as the author.