Reading support project MHS presents puppet theater

The MHS Drama Program and its International Thespian Society are making available to elementary schools a puppet performance of a series of folk tales and legends from Micronesia and around the world with puppets, live performance, and music. This presentation with both traditional and non-traditional puppets, performed in styles of presentation which vary from tale to tale, have been designed as a Reading Support Project.

As a Reading Support Project, reading tools will be provided to teachers to be used with the production in their reading classes.. The schools will be provided with a tape of the show for their students to preview and scripts for two of the presentations. After the presentation, audiences will be part of an interactive drama experience designed to complement the puppet performances, and will be issued a writing challenge if the teacher wishes.

In addition, on “The Novel Hour” which airs on Radio Station KRNM (88.1 and 89.1 FM), Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday at 11:00 a.m., students can listen to a tape of the two scripts during the week of the puppet presentation.

Performances are available weekday afternoons from 12:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. either at the elementary school or at MHS theater.

This newest addition to the MHS Theater Family joins the award winning Thespian Society productions, the National Forensics League Team, the Radio Club, and the Theater Sports productions, in bringing local, national and international dramatic experience to Marianas High School and the community which it serves.

To date, the puppet theater has rendered over 20 performances including appearance at Project Wet held at Tanapag Elementary School, Mount Carmel, Oleai Elementary School, and Garapan elementary School. Students from San Antonio elementary School have also visited the MHS Studio Theater.

In addition, the group hopes to develop a permanent place at the Garapan Street Market where they performed last week.

Other community projects of the group in the future are “The Chamorro Story”, an original play on Chamorro life which will performed on stage on Oct. 26 through Oct. 28 at the MHS Studio Theater and being set as a radio mini-series in both Chamorro and English on KRNM’s Saipan Studio Theater beginning Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.; and development of a series of commercials on the effect of Type 2 diabetes on teen members of the community.