By Kimberly Fu
Special to the Star-BulletinNINE times out of 10, kids will name Saturday as their favorite day of the week. Scrap the textbooks, ditch the household chores and leave the homework until Sunday --Saturday is for pure, unadulterated fun.
But what constitutes entertainment?
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
The cast from left: Front row Lauren Combs, Katy Lonners,
Daniel Ching, C.J. Obata, Jeffrey Matsunaga, Rich Kuhlman.
Back, Shawn Nomura, Shawn Agustin, Colin Fearn, Brenton
Yuen, Jared Schreiber, Dylan Hays
Today's kids don't seem very interested in hanging out at the mall, swinging around a baseball bat and scoring a couple of homers, or even catching a few waves at Sandy Beach. They want something different, something more challenging, an activity that will make them think as well as provide enjoyment.Enter Imagine, a Saturday drama program for kids that is as educational as it is recreational. The Honolulu Theatre for Youth program, barely three years old, uses a multitude of acting techniques to stimulate the natural creativity that children have.
"We're not looking to make stars or performers of them, just help them grow from where they are," said Tracy Hirsch, HTY drama education specialist. Hirsch said the program helps kids broaden their imagination and encourages them to take risks -- which can aid in their personal development.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Instructor Sasha Fegan directs the class.
Problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, patience, compromising and sharing are other skills students learn."Sometimes, you see a lot of growth," said Hirsch. "With some kids, you do see a big difference ... You see more confidence, more change."
Claire Ballon, 10, a Punahou sixth-grader said the program boosted her self-confidence by helping her to accept and like the exuberant personality that others sometimes don't understand.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Rochelle Lee does some stretching.
"They make me feel ... welcome," said Ballon of her Imagine compatriate, adding that because they have a lot in common, they are more accepting of one another. "We're open. We let our feelings out. That's our personality, big and open and friendly. People from Imagine are pretty much ready to step out into the world and combat anything."
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Candice Chun expresses herself.
Such personalities seem to thrive on the acting portion of Imagine. Through creative movement, pantomime, character work, improvisation and, sometimes, mask-making, students become the characters they learn about and set their minds free.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Lauren Combs leads the class
"We listen to stories and use our bodies to act them out," said Matthew Matsunaga, 8, a second-grader at Punahou. A Chinese fables class last year helped him learn about and experience his Chinese culture, Matsunaga said.He added that the acting portion of Imagine -- where students imagine themselves as mythological beings and perform their actions in freeze-frame -- allows him to express his creative side.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Daniel Ching interprets an emotion.
"(Acting) helps you to be more open to the world," Ballon said.Ten-year-old Candice Chen would lose a part of herself if she didn't have an outlet for acting.
The Kanoelani Elementary fifth-grader said she appreciates that the program teaches students to act, a career she strongly desires. She descibed the class as somewhere she belongs, where she can act out all of her feelings. Kids of all ages can benefit from the class, she said.
"It's really fun and I bet if a lot of people tried it at least once, they'd like it," she said.
By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
The plays the thing for these youngsters
of the Imagine program.
All the students interviewed said giving up a few Saturdays was no hard decision -- because what they received in return was priceless. Whether an outlet for acting, meeting and making new friends or a boost in self-esteem, Imagine added an indelible something to their personalities, their selves."I want to continue as long as possible," said Lindy Higa, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Pearl City Highlands. "It's a change. I love letting my imagination go wild."
Play acting
Honolulu Theatre for Youth will host the next Imagine program beginning April 11 through May 23. Halawa District Park students will experience a fantastic "Space Odyssey," while those at Kilauea District Park will explore the magical powers of dragons of several cultures with "Dragon Tales."
Halawa class: grades K-1, 1:35-2:35 p.m.; grades 2-3, 2:45-3:45 p.m.; grades 4-6, 3:55-4:55 p.m.
