The Grand Opera House is pleased to present the Stage of Discovery school matinees. Each show has been carefully selected to complement curriculum standards in science, social studies, language arts, and performing arts. A field trip to The Grand may be your students' first experience of live theater, and it is sure to be a memorable one. We hope to inspire a love for the arts that will continue long after the final curtain.
Both 9:30 and noon performances are offered for most shows. Running time is approximately one hour. Tickets for all shows are only $6 and one ticket is free for every 15 purchased. Families are welcome!
Study guides for each show include lessons and activities for use in the classroom before and after your visit. Our education staff is also available to visit your classroom before the show to help prepare your students for their trip to The Grand and facilitate classroom activities.
Transportation scholarships of up to $500 are available to K-12 schools that demonstrate financial need. The funds may be used only for transportation to and from The Grand Opera House. Download a scholarship application here. The Grand’s bus subsidy fund is made possible by AstraZeneca.
For questions, to make a reservation, or request a classroom visit please contact the Education Manager, Briana Feinberg, at (302) 658-7897 or bfeinberg@grandopera.org.
October 26: Patchwork: The Little House Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Grades K - 5)
Theatre IV
Laura Ingalls Wilder's tales of outdoor adventure and pioneer spirit will inspire your students as they have millions of boys and girls for over 70 years. Born in 1867, Laura traveled across America's rolling plains in the back of a covered wagon. The Wilders created patchwork quilts that would later help inspire her time-honored books. Laura's quilts still exist today, and their patterns recall her beloved family - her strong and caring Pa, her heroic sister Mary, her warm-hearted Ma - and their adventures as they crossed the wild and often perilous frontier. Join the Ingalls in this adventure (authorized by the Laura Ingalls Estate) as they face the hardships and the triumphs of the wondrous new land, with sometimes only their faith and the love of family to sustain them.
Curriculum Connections: English Language Arts, Geography, History, Theatre, Visual Art
DOWNLOAD THE PATCHWORK STUDY GUIDE
Curtain Call: Delaware Quilts
Walk to the Delaware History Museum for a special one-day-only exhibit of quilts made in Delaware, created exclusively to complement this performance of Patchwork. Just like the Ingalls family patchworks, these beautiful handmade quilts, dating from 1800 to 2003, tell the stories of the Delaware families who made them. Reserve with your tickets.
Encore: Plain and Fancy OR A Proper Day’s Work
Receive a special discount when you book Patchwork and one of two Winterthur programs in October or November. Plain and Fancy is a program at Winterthur that explores the practices of decorating textiles with weaving, dyeing, and embroidery. A Proper Day's Work is an outreach program in which students tackle Laura Ingalls Wilder’s daily chores. Call Lois Stoehr at (302)888-4645 for more information.
November 16: Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Grades Pre-K - 4)
Dallas Children's Theater
When the farmer's away, the animals will play! In this hilarious sequel to the barnyard blockbuster, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, good ol' Farmer Brown has left his city-slicker brother in charge of his farm while he takes a much-needed vacation. He's left detailed instructions on how to take care of the animals so that nothing will go wrong, including the important warning "Keep an eye on Duck. He's Trouble." But when the instructions fall into the wrong hands (or wings!), Duck takes the opportunity to do a little re-writing - with a few creative embellishments that result in madcap musical mutiny. Soon it's pizza for the hen, bubble baths for the pig and movie night for the cow! Will the Duck be discovered as the true author? What will happen when Farmer Brown returns? This funny and colorful musical for young audiences teaches respect, compromise, and the value of friendship.
Curriculum Connections: English Language Arts, Music, Theatre
Watch a video of Giggle, Giggle Quack.
Download the Giggle, Giggle, Quack Study Guide
Illustration by Betsy Lewin; Used with Permission of Pippen Properties, Inc.
Curtain Call: Critter Categories
Learn about the differences between pets, farm 
friends and wild animals with the Brandywine Zoo’s traveling zoo. This fun program is full of cool facts, puppets, an interactive game and, of course, several live animals! Reserve with your tickets.
Encore: Visit the Brandywine Zoo OR Bring the Zoo to You
Visit the Brandywine Zoo or bring their Traveling Zoo Program to YOUR institution. Choose from a variety of programs, including: Senses, Adaptations, Habitats, Skeletons, Animal Behavior and much more! Contact the Education Department at (302)571-7850 ext. 208.
Encore: Giggle, Giggle, Quack comes to Coverdale Farm
Does Duck really know the best way to care for the animals? Visit Coverdale Farm and become farmers for a day by hand milking the cow, feeding the sheep, caring for chickens, preparing the perfect pen for pigs, and discovering what ducks really need every day. This Call Michele Wales at (302)239-2334 x143 for more information.
January 25: Star Trek Live (Grades 4 - 12)
Mad Science Productions
Audience members join Captain Kirk and Spock as cadets at Starfleet Academy. As they are introduced to the proud legacy of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Earth comes under attack from alien forces, leaving the fate of the Federation in the hands of the cadets. They'll have to quickly learn the science behind modern space travel, communication and technology, as they draw on the achievements of science in the 21st century. It will require all their knowledge, ingenuity, and logic to discover what is happening and how to set things right before it's too late! Awesome special effects, unrivaled audience interaction and an exploration of real space-age technology take everyone on an unforgettable journey through the Star Trek universe.
Curriculum Connections: Applications of Science, Physical Science, Technology, Theatre
>> DOWNLOAD THE STAR TREK LIVE STUDY GUIDE
Curtain Call: StarLab and DuPont’s Space Age Materials
Experience the constellations in the Delaware Aerospace Education Foundation’s StarLab inflatable planetarium at The Grand. Study Mars rocks and build a Mars Rover. Learn about the materials used by NASA developed by Delaware’s own DuPont. Reserve with your tickets.
Encore: DE Aerospace Education Foundation Programs
Visit the DASEF Environmental Outpost or bring one of their outreach programs to YOUR institution. Choose from programs on a variety of topics, including: earth and space science, force and motion, aviation and more! For more information contact Lynne Bloom at dasef.outpost@verizon.net or (302)834-1978.
Encore: DuPont Challenge Essay Contest
The DuPont Challenge offers 7th-12th grade students the opportunity to write an essay discussing a scientific discovery, theory, event, or technological application that has captured their interest. DuPont will award over $50,000 in prizes for students & teachers! Visit www.thechallenge.dupont.com for more information.
February 1: The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon (Grades Pre-K - 3)
Enchantment Theatre Company
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"One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins Harold and the Purple Crayon, the first of seven delightful picture books by Crockett Johnson, following the zany adventures of an inventive young boy. When Harold discovers there is no moon shining, nor is there a path to walk on, he simply draws them. And thus his journey begins. Resourceful and brave, Harold creates the world he wants to explore, using nothing more than a big purple crayon and his fantastic imagination. Audiences will take a wild ride as Harold jets to Mars, joins a circus, and meets a princess in an enchanted garden. Combining life-size puppets, masked actors, video animation, magic and music, this show will amaze anyone whose heart is young and adventurous.
Watch a video of Harold and the Purple Crayon
Curriculum Connections: English Language Arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Art
>> DOWNLOAD HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON STUDY GUIDE
Curtain Call: Your Adventure with a Purple Crayon
Take students on an adventure of their own as they create a hands-on art project inspired by The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon right here at The Grand! Reserve with your tickets.
Encore: The Power of the Purple Crayon
Visit the Delaware Art Museum for a special tour available only to Harold and the Purple Crayon ticket holders in December and January. Just like Harold, students will go exploring and discover the many wonderful examples of creativity and artistic expression represented in the museum’s collection. To schedule a tour contact Cynthia Smith at csmith@delart.org.
April 20: Peter and the Wolf: The Making of the Ballet (Grades Pre-K - 6)
First State Ballet Theatre
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Go behind the scenes with First State Ballet Theatre to discover what it really takes to be a ballet dancer. Audiences will get a sneak peek at how dancers train to develop the strength, precision, flexibility, and grace they need to perform on stage. After the demonstration and a Q&A with the dancers, students may even get a chance to come on stage and try some choreography themselves. The performance concludes with the classic Peter and the Wolf. Children will be delighted as the dancers become the bird, duck, and cat who help Peter catch the wolf before the hunters do. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see both the beautiful ballet performance and the process of creating it!
Curriculum Connections: Dance, Music, Theatre
Encore: DanceWorks!
Bring your students to The Grand for FREE weekly dance classes! In collaboration with First State Ballet Theatre, The Grand offers dance instruction to local elementary schools and daycares throughout the school year. The classes focus on developing discipline, cooperation, listening skills, and spatial awareness, as students are introduced to rhythm, choreographic patterns, and the structure of dance for theatre. DanceWorks! culminates in an end-of-year recital for children and families on stage at The Grand. Contact Briana Feinberg at (302)658-7897 or bfeinberg@grandopera.org for additional information or to register your class.
May 3: Songs From the Soul (Grades 3 - 12)
Theatre IV
This historic collection of African-American music from slave songs to jazz, blues, Motown and rap is not only toe-tapping good fun; it's also a vital history lesson that teaches pride, responsibility and respect. The songs chronicle the experiences of African-Americans in this country and illuminate the impact of music on our American culture.
Curriculum Connections: History, Music, Theatre
>> DOWNLOAD SONGS FROM THE SOUL STUDY GUIDE
Curtain Call: Traveling the Blues
Delve deep into the development of the blues and its impact on American jazz, rock and contemporary pop! Students will listen to musical demonstrations with Arts Academy faculty and participate in group exercises to enhance their understanding and awareness of these American musical styles. Reserve with your tickets.
Encore: Delaware’s African American Heroes
Introduce students to five remarkable African Americans from Delaware who have overcome insurmountable odds to achieve greatness. Special discount for Songs from the Soul ticket holders only. For more information call Kathryne Larrivee at (30)295-2388.
Professional Development Workshop: Songs from the Soul
April 9, 2011, 9:00-4:30 at The Grand - In this workshop designed for both music specialists and non-music teachers, participants will mine the historical significance of African-American musical traditions with guidance from professional musicians. Through active listening and hands-on music making teachers will explore the unique rhythms, cadence and social contexts of these musical forms. 6.5 clock hours. $50 registration fee. Contact Libby Quartullo at (302)992-1404 or olq@udel.edu for more information.