The Department of Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University is hosting a 10-hour intensive workshop on “The Power of Puppetry” as the 2017 Appalachian Summer Theatre Education Program (AppSTEP). This two-day program on June 14 and 15, is designed for pre-service and licensed theatre teachers and practitioners who wish to gain further knowledge in theatre education topics.
AppSTEP explores content in exciting ways by combining practical and creative elements, allowing participants to refresh and renew their skills as theatre artists. Instructors and specialists provide stimulating and engaging small group sessions on how to do and how to teach theatre. In addition to small group sessions, AppSTEP provides participants the opportunity to attend performances, special events and other activities.
Aretta Baumgartner, the guest presenter for AppSTEP 2017, currently serves as the education director for the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, the largest organization in the country dedicated to the art form of puppetry. With 25 years of extensive experience in puppetry and education, Baumgartner serves on the Board of Directors for the Puppeteers of America, participating in their Puppetry in Education & Therapy and Scholarship committees. Her recent presentation and teaching credits include the Southeastern Theatre Conference Teachers Institute, Educational Theatre Association National Conference, International Thespian Festival, Creative Mornings Atlanta and the Creative Problem-Solving Institute. Baumgartner invites teachers and students of all ages to enjoy and explore puppetry’s power to transform the classroom and the stage.
For teachers, AppSTEP provides a convenient and affordable method of gaining professional development (PD) and continuing education units (CEU). Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate for hours of participation, which may be used for CEU or PD credit with prior approval from an arts education coordinator. Licensure renewal candidates must check with a local school system to determine what coursework and documentation is required before applying. There is no formal academic or college transcript credit available through this program at this time.
For more information on AppSTEP, or to register, visit theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
Media Contact
Gordon Hensley
hensleyg@appstate.edu
About the Department of Theatre and Dance
The Department of Theatre and Dance is one of seven departments housed in Appalachian’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also offers coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Its dynamic co-curricular production program provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region.
About Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
Aretta Baumgartner
Aretta Baumgartner, education director for the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, will be the AppSTEP 2017 guest presenter. Photo submitted by Aretta Baumgartner