Long gone are the stand-in-one-place-and-sing days. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus really wowed Foster Your Dream’s kids. So much so that the group-home that came for the first performance, inspired a second group to come listen! The young chorus and orchestra sung and played their hearts out and were theatrical, also.
There was choreography. There were visuals. There was harmony. There was diversity. There was a connection. Everything that music and art can do for the soul.
BAM is one of our biggest supporters. We had small groups go to many performances of the following BAM-tastic events …
The Toad Knew … a nonverbal rollicking event with acrobatics and water play and a LOT of stagecraft!
The Toad Knew
The Crown Heights film … based on a true story that some of our kids could relate to only too well!
Crown Heights Film and Real Life
A new year of Teknopolis Fun … we got to bring groups for both days.
Enjoying some virtual fun!
We always have a blast because BAM makes our groups feel free and joyful! Thanks, always, to Ms. D!
Based on a true story about Sara Baartman, an African Woman who was enslaved because of her beautiful booty, Venus of Hottentot wowed several small groups of foster children who had never been to the theatre!
Powerful Woman
Susan Lori Parks, a brilliant African American Female writer, chose to focus on a strong figure in history to illuminate in her play off-broadway. Our kids felt empowered at the end after experiencing all of her trials and tribulations in living technicolor!
Amazing Production!
As the curtain went down in that moment just before the applause starts, the 16 year old sitting next to me said in a soft voice “w o w !” That kind of reaction makes all our slow-going hard work worthwhile.
With one of our clients in love with the theatre, we were able to get a few tickets to the Broadway production of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION!
A Star Studded Cast
Allison Janney and Corey Hawkins wowed us from really great orchestra seats. Our clients seem to love seeing actors they only see on television do live theatre!
Luckily our client was over 18 because there was one ‘racey’ scene, but it was befitting the wild story and based on real life so nothing gratuitous there!
We are grateful to Donald Yonker who organized this opportunity for us.
Our first ever Holiday Toy Drive was such a success!
When a child gets pulled from their dangerous living situation they often get placed in the Children’s Center while waiting for a foster home. They are scared and sad. We decided to give them a few minutes of distraction and hopefully happiness by letting them choose a toy and bring it with them to their new home.
How did this start?
Painted Angel overlooks our Human Angels!
The angels at the Signature Theatre organized the first one for us.
Left to Right: Molly Shoemaker, Frank Gambino, Colleen Hughes, Sarah Lang
It started with a bin….
…and a few toys from patrons and staff …
… and bloomed in to a wonderful experience and inventory fun. Many thanks to Colleen Hughes and ACS!
Then another surprise happened as Nancy Sing Bock from neighboring PS51 brought over a group of students with a load of toys! Ms. Bock had walked by the Signature theatre many times on her way to her school and one day saw the sign for the FYD Toy Drive. She wanted her children to understand service and ‘giving’ first hand so they organized their very own toy drive! Literally the day before everyone scattered for the holidays, this group came by with yet another load of toys and the Signature staff and FYD was in happy and humble shock.
THANK YOU TO ALL AND LET’S KEEP THE TOYS COMING! CONTACT ME TO FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE TOYS TO US! sue wolf at foster your dream dot org (all smushed together!)
Sometimes the theatre things we rustle up are too “out there” for children who haven’t been exposed to much theatre. So when we approached The Children’s Center we asked the recreation director, Timothy Dugger, to keep an eye on BAM’s website and let us know if his children wanted to participate in something. He was excited about TEKNOPOLIS and we scored 12 tickets from Dewonnie Frederick!
Everyone had a blast and we poured a little science knowledge into our kids and got them out and about on a Saturday afternoon!
