PRESS / FEEDBACK

Educational Outreach Feedback

With consideration of the obvious, Walt and his team are actually doing what they are teaching. This makes a difference to many groups. It is important that theater groups work with professionals. What is not obvious is that the entire experience benefits the group. They are able to take class in an actual club where the professionals perform. That alone adds an immersion quality not available by hiring just an improve teacher to come to a studio somewhere. Walt and his team make sure that anyone that wants to be involved is able to get up and do the work. Its been a favorite experience for many of my groups.

• Matt Koke, e.e. Tours

As a former Theatre Teacher,and now a tour operator, I have been taking groups to Walt (Frasier, Artistic Director) for years. His workshops and shows are amazing. The kids learn a lot, in the workshops, have a great time participating in the show and his performances and workshops are always age appropriate. I love that the kids always brag to their friends that they perform on Broadway, because of the opportunity to be in the show with him and his performers.I highly recommend him and his crew. – Thank you

• Ana Queeny Mederos-Blanco, Miami Tour Operator

“Here’s my report:  OMG it was awesome!  Truly one of the best activities I’ve ever seen take place here at Summit!  We gave them a very large group of kids to work with, and they handled them wonderfully.  The way that they related to the kids was terrific, and the activities they led worked on so many pragmatic language skills in SUCH an effective way, including increasing the kids’ awareness of their bodies in space, body proximity, eye contact, voice, and generally how others perceive them from their non-verbal cues.  They also did word association and one-word stories that involved verbal expression and required kids to follow a story line. Almost all of the kids looked like they were having a fantastic time, and it was an activity where the shy kids could get to interact with others in a very structured (hence comfortable) way.  At the end I spoke to the three members of the improv group and raved about how great they were and told them the specific ways that the activities helped our students.  They asked me a number of questions, such as regarding how to handle various students’ behaviors, and we talked about upcoming activities.” 

• Regarding shows, workshops and residencies – Lisa Palotti (Speech Teacher)  to John Renner (Principal) Summit School, Queens NY

It is often a challenge for a Cultural Arts Chairperson to findperformers who are professional and innovative. I have had the pleasureof coordinating performances of Improv for Kids for our Elementary and Middle schools over the past three years. The actors are skilled,engaging, highly energetic, and extremely creative. Even students thatwere reluctant to volunteer to participate in assemblies were eager to join in the performances. Also, it is rare to get a group that plays sowell to all ages, hence their success at both the Elementary School and Middle School levels. I look forward to bringing Improv for Comedy backsoon.

• Betsy Sirk Cultural Arts Chairperson, William H. Farquhar Middle School, Olney, MD.

I just wanted to thank you and the rest of the cast for a wonderful show. Thank you for being so accommodating, particularly since we were early. The kids truly had an amazing time (despite the inability of the group to think of any interests beyond X-Box)! It is the mark of a truly successful trip when even the teachers are in a good mood on the bus ride home. Generally, students love field trips up until we get there, at which time they list all of the reasons the trip is “boring.” This time, the students were too busy enjoying themselves to talk to each other at all. On the way home, they could not stop talking about how much fun they had and could not wait to get back to school to brag about it to the students that did not attend. You have a great cast and clearly love what you are doing. Thanks again and I hope to see you all again next year! – Stephanie Pollack

• Stephanie Pollack, Pearl River Middle School, New York State