Writing an Educational Show

In the last twenty fours years or so, my wife and I have written plays, and shows for children's theatre, birthday parties, fairs, theme parks and educational venues. So when the opportunity came for us to write an entertaining, educational show about the Edwards Aquifer we were more than ready. We tapped into all of experiences (acting, clowning, magic, puppetry, prop building, etc.) to accomplish our goal. 

All of the Doc Edwards shows my wife and I have written are meant to fun, funny, as well as educational. In the course of six years we've written three shows for the Edwards Aquifer Authority: Karston's World Pre-K, Kinder; Amazing Aquifer Adventure 1st-3rd Grade; History of a Rock Star 4th-5th Grade. I've performed these shows countless times to thousands of children while continuing to refine them.

 We're not teachers, at least not in the traditional sense and we don't want to be. Besides, classroom teachers do that very well already and have that base firmly covered. Doc Ed is meant to be something different. He's something that the kids don't get to see everyday. And his school presentations should be memorable.  For that reason, my wife and I have made comedy, magic and puppetry a integral part of all the shows. 

Those elements were and continue to be commonly in any variety entertainer's repertoire. They are tried and true and can be combined with the educational components for the Doc Ed shows or for that matter,  any other educationally oriented show...all you need is a little imagination.

For the really little ones in pre-k and kinder the "Karston World" show is simple, interactive and physical. No overwhelming amounts of info here. Simple! 

There's also plenty of silliness for kids used in tandem with the educational material. We've also got a puppet in the show who is the innocent comic character, a la Stan Laurel or even Ernie from Sesame Street while Doc Ed plays the "straight".  It's a classic combination that has proven effective for our kindergarten show.

The pre-k and kinder children also engage the performer without hesitation.  At that age they'll want to comment about almost anything during the course of the show. When they do that, I think it's important not necessarily to stop it but simply to keep it to a minimum in order not lose the momentum and rhythm of the show. Kids will talk. It's going to happen. You can't become flustered. You just have to know how to work with it and keep moving. Keeping it light and playful is important. That helps keep them attentive.

The Amazing Aquifer Adventure show introduces first through third grade students to the basics of the Edwards Aquifer providing them with quite a bit of info in short amount of time. Given that sometimes the audience members aren't far removed from kindergarten it's still important to keep it playful even as you're trying to teach them.

 This presentation includes a magic trick and a skit with an audience volunteer. Both elements are written to be interactive moments and include a healthy dose of humor as do all of the presentations we've written. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!

  The magic trick is one commonly seen at birthday parties sometimes called "The Stratosphere". We've using this particular magic trick in our shows for years to great effect.
  
 It's composed of a tube with three different colored circles (red, yellow, green) painted on the tube and within, nested in a clear plastic tube, are three balls, one of each color. Our version is done with a box and blocks. The colors are those used on a map of the Edwards Aquifer region representing the three parts of the aquifer.

 The last show "The Edwards Aquifer: History of a Rock Star", geared for 3rd through fifth grade students is more technical but still includes plenty of comedy, magic and a skit. The magic trick is the "dove pan" and is used to "make" limestone and reinforce what it takes to make it. This magic trick is part of a skit and includes an audience member. This segment takes anywhere from five to seven minutes and longer if the audience is really having fun and is necessarily the longest segment because what follows is a good deal of "educational material" sprinkled lightly with humor.  That skit is a breather in preparation for what's about to follow.

As contractors we have to accept that sometimes our clients will want certain things included that might impede the rhythm and flow of the show. It's our job as performers to make those drier educational segments work within the context of the show.  In such cases, one might have to improvise bits of comedy to keep the energy and enthusiasm of the audience from waning. It's important to end it on a high note and for us that's a laugh. As I pointed out before, we're not teachers. We want the kids to want to learn more about the subject but leave them with a smile.

Even though all the Doc Ed shows have been done hundreds of times for thousands of children we're always looking for ways to improve them. In fact, any of those shows as they are today have evolved from their original form to certain degrees. Sometimes the change is in the pacing or perhaps there's an added moment of comedy that is accidentally discovered and then kept. 

We love doing shows for entertainments sake and we always will. Laughter is the goal for us whether it be in a school, theater or circus.  But after years of writing and performing educational shows, we're now able write and educational presentations with great ease.  And we'll be writing and performing them as long as they continue to be fun.   

               

Recognition

In 2008, the Doc Edwards Education Program was awarded the Environmental Recognition Award by the Texas Association for Environmental Education. Pammy and I are very proud to be are major part of such a wonderful program and to be recognized for our contributions in bringing the Doc Ed show to life for elementary school age children and future stewards of our precious resource: The Edwards Aquifer.

On Being Doc Edwards

Good fortune happens when opportunity meets planning. I think Thomas Edison said that. Very true. But a little luck never hurts either. I've tried to set a course for myself as a freelance artist, clown and actor as much as is possible but some of the most interesting work has come my way unexpectedly. I fell into my role as Doc Ed, I think, mostly by happenstance. 

Before coming home to San Antonio we spent a many fruitful years in Dallas, Texas learning new performing skills and always working. Making a living as an actor in Dallas was something we did for years.There was theater work, "industrials", commercials, video work not to mention clown work  at festivals and other public events. Twelve years ago it became necessary to move back home.

 In San Antonio, making a living  as actor is virtually impossible. What theater work there is pays little to nothing and the very established theaters that pay somewhat decently (of which there are less than a handful) keep those roles to their company of actors. What is an actor to do? Scramble for a while...and then shift gears. My wife and I tried clowning locally for a while but found the market for it had declined so she began baking at a local chain and I fell back to my artistic skills which were not used as often in Dallas. I painted murals, taught art classes and workshops. Then one day, I was hired by Raining Popcorn Media, a local educational publishing company, to create a comic book commissioned by the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) education department about a character that would come to be known as Doc Ed, Aquifer Explorer.

I drew many characters studies of the way I pictured my future alter-ego until they chose one they deemed appealing and fit the Doc Ed persona. It so happened, unintentionally, that he resembled me. Well, the book was printed and the Edwards Aquifer's education department seemed happy. Fast forward to a few weeks later when I received a phone call from Raining Popcorn Media's art director informing me that the Edwards Aquifer Authority's education department wanted to do a live version of Doc Edwards and that he had recommended me for the part. I have to mention that I'd known this art director for many years. He was an old college classmate who was very familiar with my performing experience which included children's theater and clowning with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus for a few years...plus he also mentioned to them I looked a lot like Doc Ed. At first I was hesitant.  Presenting an educational show that needed be educational, entertaining and funny AND whose subject was primarily water seemed, at first, impossible. Still, it was a chance at possible regular paying gig. I auditioned and got the part. 

But the good folks at the EAA needed a show for Doc Ed. So my wife and I, together with their educators, wrote a show that was both educational and funny.  It was written with a 1st through 3rd audience in mind  introducing them to the fundamentals of the Edwards Aquifer. My wife and I spent many days and late nights trying to make this subject funny. Thankfully, our clown side came to the rescue. A clown can find the humor in almost anything. 

Part of being Doc Ed also included a crash course in the Edwards Aquifer, water conservation and preservation. Once I was ready, I began taking the show out to schools, libraries and environmental events in San Antonio and the surrounding communities located with the Edwards Aquifer region which covers sixteen counties. Lots of driving involved. 

Five and a half years later we continue our work with the EAA having written and performed three different Doc Ed show for thousands of children and adults throughout the region. I've also drawn another Doc Ed book as well as created a variety of "Doc Ed" art for various educational materials and for the Doc Ed website. From time to time I've also made a few props for the shows as needed. 

We're now in the process of writing a fourth show which features a puppet character of a Texas Blind Salamander and written for kindergarten audiences introducing the youngest of  students (and perhaps future scientists) to the Edwards Aquifer. Twelve years ago we could not have imagined we'd be heavily involved in this hybrid form of live education and entertainment. 

What does it all mean? For one thing, it means that we have managed to find a way to feel like performers again despite so many obstacles. And we've discovered a new venue in which to ply our trade as actors, clowns and writers. More importantly it taught that opportunities can come from the most unlikely places. Scan the artistic horizon in the most unlikely of places and take a chance. It might pay off.

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