As an artist, Gina derives so much joy from various forms of sculpture, and any work that provokes thought and imagination.She works primarily with lightweight materials, such as paper in all its forms, and recycled materials whenever possible.She loves creating odd characters and creepy creatures, anything with personality.Puppetry opens up a world of fascinating options.
In her classes, students take inspiration from world culture puppetry arts, and create original characters. They make connections to academic content, tell their own stories, and perform with much less inhibition as they can choose to hide behind the puppets and scenery. In her classes “weird” is okay, original thought is celebrated, and “messing up” artistically is not a fear.Process is emphasized over product.Students learn technique, build skills, retain content.
Each workshop is tailored for each group of teachers and students. Teachers provide the academic focus – standards, content, and objectives, and these inform the puppet and theater styles that are integrated. A workshop may include design, creation of age-appropriate characters, theater games, story-telling, or performance on any scale, from classroom skits in small groups, to school wide productions, through individual and team work. Please see examples on her website.
25 + years working as a theatre artist-in-residence with schools in SC, NC, FL and LA for the past 12 years, 65-75 schools per year. Also 28 years working in SC schools as a classroom teacher (10 years as a high school English and Drama teacher and 18 years as an elementary and high school principal).Yes, I’m getting on up there. LOL
BA, Wofford College (English)
MEd., University of South Carolina (Ed Admin)
MA, University of South Carolina (Theatre with an emphasis in directing)
My five-day residencies culminate in a full-scale production (Shakespearean or Musical).All production costs: sets, costumes, royalties, music… are included in the residency fee.
I usually work in conjunction with my wife, Dorothy Martin, who is also on the roster.
A professional touring theatre company in continuous operation since 1981.
The company provides sets costumes, scripts and music in conjunction with professional consultation in theatre and musical theatre productions.
Trent Arterberry’s unique brand of physical theatre combines mime, storytelling, puppetry and audience participation. “A proven crowd-pleaser” (The Boston Globe), Arterberry has performed everywhere from New York’s Radio City Music Hall to the QE2 luxury liner. He has given thousands of performances at schools across the US and Canada, and currently offers three different educational programs for elementary, middle and secondary school audiences.
Also an active artist-in-residence, Arterberry has directed performances with upper elementary, middle and high-school students, including plays by Shakespeare, Dickens as well as contemporary and original works.
“Arterberry grabs children from his first entrance with an arsenal of body movements and self-generated sound effects … In short episodes as a racing-car driver, a pilot, a robot, a digital dude, and a puppet named Mr. Bigg, he fascinates his young audience and involves them in trying some of his moves.” —NOW Magazine, Toronto
“Arterberry’s genius is two-fold — storytelling that doesn’t patronize and the agility to make it vastly entertaining.” —Monday Magazine, Victoria
Jef is a mime and variety artist currently performing at fairs and festivals, libraries and schools as The InterACTive Theater of Jef.He has performed at such places as Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, The Strawberry Festival in Fort Mill, the Saluda County and Newberry County Libraries, and Pontiac Elementary in Elgin.He is also a teaching artist, sharing workshops and residencies in mime, mask, physical dynamics, Commedia dell’arte, melodrama and circus arts.
Jef studied Mime with C.W. Metcalf, Tony Montanaro & Jacques Lecoq.He also studied Period Dance & Style with William Burdick, Clowning with Peter Hoff and John Towsen, Acting with Bill Hickey at the H.B. Studio, and Commedia dell’arte with Joan Schirle and Donald Forrest at the Dell’Arte School.
He began his professional career with the TOUCH Mime Theater, performing for folks of all ages throughout the United States.He then created and performed as the mascot Wool E. Bull for the Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, NC.He began his variety arts work as one half of the duo, Ken & Jef.He now performs his wacky brand of theater for children and families as a soloist: combining mime, juggling, clowning and variety arts.
Mahoganee, a South Carolina Native & East Coast based artist blends a Style of Southern Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues & Hip-Hop (deemed Funky Organik Soul) is a renowned vocalist, recording artist, songwriter and youth educator-mentor with national credits to her name. With over 20 years of experience in her field, she evolves as a consummate personality. Mahoganee is sought to perform at numerous and reputable corporate, private, civic and community events with audiences of dignitaries and 21st century iCons. She has amassed a growing fan base and continually earns respect from her “age-peers” and her “age-seasoned ” audiences. Both groups of supporters appreciate the sultry, earthy, authentic, vocal range spanning more than four octaves, and her commanding acapella stage presence. She has performed for audiences of 20,000 + with music heard in over 24 countries. Her music can be heard on numerous local and national FM/AM radio and internet radio stations.
Pantasia is one of the Southeast’s longest-running professional steel bands with performances spanning Ohio to Florida, Barbados, St. Lucia and Hong Kong. For 25 years, Pantasia has been a part of the “steel band movement,” assisting schools with grant writing and instrument acquisition, providing professional development training for teachers, as well as serving as artist-in-residence through educational school assemblies and residencies for more than 350 schools- both in the U.S. and abroad. Its director Kimberly M. Roberts began as a certified teacher in Lexington Two and is now an internationally-recognized steel drum education specialist. Mrs. Roberts is the consultant for steel drum manufacturer Panyard, Inc., is co-designer of the Jumbie Jam steel drum, and author/composer of the instrument’s instruction manual. In 2016, Pantasia furthered the steel band movement by traveling to Hong Kong to establish their county’s first steel band. Teaching at the prestigious Kellett British International School, Mrs. Roberts set up steel bands for students in elementary, middle, and high school. She has also presented at SCMEA and music conventions throughout the United States.Mrs. Roberts is the author of Trinidad’s Musical Journey, Jammin’ Geography- Caribbean Cruise, and the Beginning Guide to the Jumbie Jam.
Kimberly M. Roberts began her career as a certified teacher in Lexington School District Two and pursued her passion for both teaching and the arts as an artist-in-residence in the area of literary arts and music. She has taught in more than 350 schools, as well as dozens of libraries, child development centers, festivals, and Arts camps throughout the United States and internationally.
Mrs. Roberts presents programs on topics including: steel drums, ukulele, “STOMP” percussion, rhythm composition/performance, poetry, creative writing, arts integration, and additional topics which can be found on her website www.SCTeachingArtist.com.
Mrs. Roberts has taught students across the entire age spectrum and has successfully worked with every type of learner including the academically gifted, behaviorally at-risk, and children/adults with severe to profound developmental and physical limitations.
She is the director the Pantasia Steel Band- one of the Southeast’s longest-running professional steel bands and is an internationally-recognized steel drum education specialist through her work with the NAMM Award-winning Jumbie Jam steel drum.
Mrs. Roberts has presented at SCMEA, the SC Book Festival, and music conventions throughout the United States and is the author of Trinidad’s Musical Journey, Jammin’ Geography- Caribbean Cruise, and the Beginning Guide to the Jumbie Jam.
Shannon Ivey, MFA, AEA, is an actress, director, activist, educator, StorySlam maven and Tedx Presenter. She holds an MFA in Acting from UNC Greensboro and a BA in Theatre from Mississippi University for Women.Ms. Ivey has over 20 years of experience teaching theatre, facilitating workshops, directing and devising plays and musicals, as well as creating performative experiences for audiences of all ages.Ms. Ivey facilitates Story Slams, Theatre of the Oppressed workshops, and participatory/ collaborative events to encourage the use theatre and storytelling for social change.Ms. Ivey is the proud founder of the #whatshesaidproject, which uses first person storytelling to empower women of all ages.
FMI: www.whatshesaidproject.com