Denise Caskey & Bridget Wilson
It’s a whale of a tale. Children from the community worked with Wendy de la Harp and UW Professors Cecelia Aragon and Mark Clementz to combine science and art.
Two University of Wyoming professors and a dance instructor from the community have found a way to make science exciting by using theater as a learning tool.
Professors Cecelia Aragon and Mark Clementz are working with Wendy de la Harp, a dance instructor and owner of Dare 2 Dance, a community dance studio that specializes in teaching dance to children.
“[de la Harp] brought in the community resources,” Aragon said. “She has excellent rapport with kids and parents.”
Aragon is an associate professor of theater and dance, and she is the coordinator for the theater education program. Clementz is an associate professor in geology and geophysics and a research scientist whose focus is the early evolution of whales from land to sea.
“Evo-Cete: The Big Blue Journey” is the product of their collaboration, and Laramie will have three chances to see it. The first show will be at 1 p.m. Friday in the Education Auditorium; two other shows are planned for 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The idea is in its third evolution. In the first stage, students from Aragon’s class received a raw script. They took that script, gave the characters life and put on a performance using stick puppets.
In the second evolution, Margaret Rattenbury replaced the stick puppets with children playing the characters. This led to a third stage of evolution that incorporated dance into the performance, and that is what audiences will see Friday.
“In this phase we’re focusing on inner space which consists of ocean life, and then we’ll hopefully focus on outer space in the next few years,” Aragon said. “We’re calling this inner space, outer space and creative space.”
The musical aspect of “Evo-Cete” also was one of the phases that took place as UW music students Evan Bradley, Daniel Galbreadth, Jessica Riis and Kyle Duffee began composing the music last semester.
One of the play’s goals is also to illustrate what theater education and theater for young audiences are about.
“Theater for young audiences is for children, by children. Children’s theater is usually focused on the production itself, whereas theater for young audiences is typically used as a learning tool,” Aragon said.
Children performances hit home for Aragon, as she is currently working with theater and dance colleague John O’Hagan to create a concentration in theater for young audiences.
“Children respond differently than adults. They’re very creative and open to ideas. Children believe in the world they create onstage,” Aragon said. “Adults are always thinking about the future or the past, but children just live in the moment.”
However, working with children is a little different for de la Harp, who is used to working with professional actors and dancers.
“I’ve spent most of my life working with professionals, and in some ways it’s more relaxing to work with children,” de la Harp said. “With professionals, there is a standard of excellence that you expect, and it’s frustrating if you don’t get that. With children, as long as they look happy, I’m happy.”
She also believes that it is important for children to take part in productions when they are young so they can get a feel for theater.
“It’s wonderful to expose children to theater education at a young age. Whether or not they go on to be an actor or an actress, they’re going to be our future audiences,” de la Harp said.
Every elementary school in Laramie will be represented when the young actors and dancers take the stage.
Putting it all together takes creativity and ingenuity. “Science gives us the facts, and dancing translates that into imagery,” de la Harp said. “For example, echolocation is illustrated with a ball.”
Clementz hopes that performances like this can develop into something regular once the remodel of the UW Geology Museum is complete. There will be a stage installed in the museum that would be perfect for performances like this, Clementz said.
Even with the creators and directors of the play coming from different backgrounds, Aragon said it was easy to work together.
“Mark really saw us as scientists, and we really saw him as an artist. Once we became comfortable sharing that space, it was really easy to work together. It was really just an exchange of knowledge,” Aragon said.
Sponsors for the show include UW Theater and Dance Department, the UW Department of Geology and Physics, the UW Geology Museum and the College of Education.
The Wyoming Arts Council, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and Dare 2 Dance are sponsors. Annie Burgman from Science Kids of Wyoming also helped with the funding of the program.
Children representing every school in Laramie honed their acting and dancing skills while learning about the evolution of whales. Evo-Cete blends art and science in a way that makes learning fun and interesting. Laramie residents will have three chances to see the show — 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
