Years ago, Young Audiences of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta asked me to write a 500-word essay on my pedagogical philosophy for my artist’s “portfolio.” I’ve reworded it here to bring it up to date. And if you’re actually reading this thing, you’re spending too much time in front of a screen.
Here it is:
At the beginning, this will sound like boasting, but this Portfolio Process is, after all, a self-exalting endeavor, so what-th’-hey.
The New Orleans Public Library’s Children’s Resource Center, built in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, has a multi-paneled mural by artist Susan Guevara. She borrowed a quote of mine for the images: “Don’t Be Afraid to be Amazing.” There it is, on the wall of that old Carnegie Library. (And now, that quote appears on a set of 365 inspirational cards sold at Target.)
I had presented a three-week tour of children’s programming in all the public libraries in South Louisiana in 2003 – I repeated the tour in 2006 when the storm cleanup was getting into full swing. I wrap up all of my shows with that little tagline in hopes of giving children (and grown-ups) the license to allow their imaginations to be limitless, to encourage them to know that their fancies have validity. As I say in writing and storytelling workshops: Pay attention to yourself! Those ideas you have are good. Keep dreaming good things!
Ah, but if I were ever be quoted for prosperity again, I would want it to be this little performance credo: Treat children with the respect you give adults, and treat grown-ups with the exuberance kids crave. For the past forty years of gigging in preschools and retirement communities and theatres, this has worked pretty well.
In my serendipitous career, I am sometimes a comedian, sometimes a songwriter, sometimes a theatre director. Along the way, I became an arts educator to boot. True, at the beginning, this was a fairly passive process. When I was at Disney, some teachers asked me to come play for their kids. Gigs beget gigs, and as these requests occurred more and more. When I came back to Georgia, some teachers and artists referred me to Young Audiences. This has been a happy happenstance.
• • •
From time to time, I get asked, “What do you like best, performing for grown-ups or kids?”
The answer is easy: “Both!” Of course, this doesn’t happen in schools (except I do like to keep the teachers engaged, especially the ones tapping away at their phones). But there’s a sweet dynamic when I can address children and adults in the same room at the same time.
Now, I must digress to tell you, there’s this nonsensical habit those adults in charge have when everybody is assembling; they want the kids to sit on the floor and the grown-ups to sit in chairs behind the kids. “No!” says I. “I want you all together; this is family entertainment, y’all!”
• • •
I work in a world of funny. Which is to say, my way of teaching is presenting the material through humor. It’s fun. It works. I know if they are laughing, they are learning. And listen: even if I don’t take myself seriously, I take this education mission seriously. So there.
I could go on and on about how I use humor and music to make emotional connections for cognitive development, creating deep and enduring learning and bladda-bladda, but I would exceed my allotted five-hundred words.
And it wouldn’t be funny.
– Andy
“…apart from anything else, I think of laughter as the sound of comprehension.”
– Tom Stoppard
Listen, if you're a Marguerite fan, and you're a fan of her boyfriend Ike, you'll learn that Ike is based on the farming practices of my Dearest old friend, Ron Balthazor. This is the book Ron began in Ike's voice, only the publisher wanted in Ron's own voice. A good decision, I assure you. This is a wonderful read. And this will be a wonderful event!
At The Burke Arts Council. Andy will perform, Free the Imprisoned Lightning.
Such a convivial and sweet gig. 85 Chester Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11218
Mattenees every day at 2 PM, with an evening show on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30!
Mattenees every day at 2 PM, with an evening show on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30!
Mattenees every day at 2 PM, with an evening show on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30!
Mattenees every day at 2 PM, with an evening show on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30!
Mattenees every day at 2 PM, with an evening show on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30!
Yes, all of Andy's albums are available via your favorite streaming platform, but when you download ‘em onto your phone, you don’t have to deal with that pesky data loss. (Sounds like a CD skipping, doesn't it?)
See ALL albums here (click)! This will take you to THE STORE.
Recorded live at the National Storytelling Festival. The title story is a patriotic tale of German Jewish immigrant Leopold Mendelssohn, who as a young man in the early twentieth century, buys a Model T truck, tricks it Read more
Recorded live at the National Storytelling Festival. The title story is a patriotic tale of German Jewish immigrant Leopold Mendelssohn, who as a young man in the early twentieth century, buys a Model T truck, tricks it out to live in, and begins his journey from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to the Deep South, which will become his adopted Home.
Recorded live at the National Storytelling Festival! A Storytelling World Award Winner! More adventures from Andy's 85-year-old, newly minted physician aunt, Marguerite Van Camp and her boyfriend, Ike!
