About Story Quest
For the fourth year Mudlark Theater is hosting Story Quest in partnership with the Evanston Public Library, a hybrid book and theater club for Black-identified youth. By combining theater activities, literary analysis, and community building, the program will continue to spark participant's imaginations, build literacy skills, and expand social emotional development. This year, Story Quest will celebrate their time together by presenting an original performance based on this year’s book!
Open to Grades 3rd - 5th
CLass Dates
Tuesdays, 4:30-6:00pm at Evanston Public Library
January 21 - March 18
Final sharing on the last day of class!
Parent Orientation:
January 14th 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
OUR 2025 Book!
Ellie Engle doesn’t stand out. Not at home, where she's alone since her dad moved away and her mom has to work so much. And definitely not at school, where her best friend Abby—the coolest, boldest, most talented girl in the world—drags Ellie along on her never-ending quest to “make her mark.” To someone else, a life in the shadows might seem boring, or lonely. But not to Ellie. As long as she has Abby by her side and a comic book in her hand, she’s quite content.
Too bad life didn’t bother checking in with Ellie. When a freak earthquake hits her small town, Ellie wakes up with the power to bring anything back to life with just her touch. And when a video of her using her powers suddenly goes viral, Ellie’s life goes straight into the spotlight.
Surviving middle school is hard enough. Surviving middle school with paparazzi on your front lawn, an international star wants you to use your powers on live tv, and you might be in love with your best friend but she doesn’t know it? Absolutely impossible.
Teaching Artist
Avery Ford (he/him) is an actor, improviser, and theater educator originally from Houston, Texas. This will be Avery’s second year back with Story Quest! Avery’s role as Education Coordinator at Mudlark has allowed him to craft the Story Quest curriculum into a fun and engaging program where a story on paper can come to life with the help of your imagination and new friends!
Avery attended Howard University and Colby College where he graduated with a BA in Acting Techniques and a B.Ed in Education. Since moving to Chicago in 2023 he has been a teaching artist with Congo Square Theater, Filament Theatre, Northlight Theatre, and a monologue coach for the August Wilson Monologue Competition. Recent performance credits include Fences (National Players), Much Ado About Nothing (National Players), Ripcord (Oil Lamp Theater), Improvised DCOM (iO Theater), and Keystone Deconstruction (iO Theater).
Objective
The Learning Through The Arts program will help develop a student’s creative side with an arts-based curriculum. Collaborating with several Evanston arts programs, including Mudlark Theater, Cherry will bring local artists into the classroom once a week for music, dance and theater.
Curriculum
We have intentionally designed this class to be interdisciplinary, so as to leave space for the many types of learners and makers that may enroll in this program. While all activities are rooted in theater, we always endeavor to expand beyond performance to offer young people a more holistic, inclusive view of our tradition.
Young artists will learn about using their body, voice, and imagination to build characters. Mudlark Teaching artists will be introducing performance fundamentals, building social emotional skills through theater games, and creative drama exercises.
In terms of performance, it is our hope that this class will culminate in a sharing that can be filmed and sent home for families to enjoy and celebrate the work of their young artists. Young artists will have the option to perform and/or make objects for this final sharing.
Latinidades for Families
Thank you for your interest in Latinidades! We want to keep you informed about our programming and exciting opportunities for your child. Currently, we are not offering any sessions for Latinidades this winter. However, we encourage you to check back with us soon for updates on future programming.
Latinidades is a transformative initiative that celebrates Latinx identity, empowers young artists, and preserves our vibrant cultural heritage. We are dedicated to providing a nurturing space where creativity and self-discovery flourish. As we continue to develop enriching experiences, we look forward to welcoming your child into our dynamic community.
Stay tuned for updates and announcements on upcoming sessions and events. We can't wait to share the transformative journey of Latinidades with your young artist. If you have any questions or inquiries, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Latinidades for Educators
At Mudlark Theater, we are dedicated to honoring the power of knowledge and resource sharing when it comes to identity-specific programming. As educators, we understand the importance of bringing inclusive and culturally responsive experiences to our communities. With this in mind, we have curated a series of sessions designed to support the Latinx community in Evanston.
We welcome fellow educators to learn more about each session by accessing the public resource guides below.
We believe that the impact of these sessions can be magnified when shared and we encourage educators to come together to explore the materials, share their insights and experiences, and build a community of mutual support and learning.
Session 1
Winter 2022
Que es Latinidad?
Session 1 of the project was a 10-class exploratory workshop that sparked creativity and self-discovery among middle school and high school students in Evanston. Centered around the thought-provoking question "Que es Latinidad?" the sessions delved into the diverse and multifaceted Latinx experience. Through engaging art projects, the students embarked on a journey of personal research, exploring the intersection of creative expression and their own unique histories. The workshop served as a vibrant platform for young artists to delve into their cultural identities, fostering a deeper appreciation for the power of art as a means of self-exploration and connection to their heritage.
Session 2
Spring 2023
Northwestern’s Myrna García, associate professor of instruction in Latina and Latino Studies program, reading Marisol McDonald’s Doesn’t Match, a book about a Peruvian-Scottish-American girl.
To unlearn some of the stereotypes associated with people migrating from Latin America and other Spanish-speaking countries, Mudlark’s Latinx program highlighted the beauty of the migration of butterflies, which are called “mariposas” in Spanish.
SPRING BREAK 2023
Session 2 of the Latinidades project, the Latinidades Break Camp, was a 5-day program empowering young artists to explore and celebrate Latina/o/x identities. Supported by Northwestern University, the camp combined theater games, exercises, and personal research, fostering a strong community while creating performances. Participants embraced their diverse backgrounds, finding joy in creative expression and affirming their cultural heritage. The camp left a lasting impact, empowering young artists to connect with their identities within the artistic community.
Session 3
Summer 2023
NORTHWESTERN COURSE
Session 3 of the Latinidades project was a dynamic collaboration with students enrolled in Doctor Myrna Garcia's course, Latino 391: Curandera hi/stories, mo(ve)ments, and knowledge production at Northwestern University. Through their culminating projects, students offered a response to Mudlark's piloted work and their own research with the goal to bridge the gap between academic knowledge in Latinx Studies and arts-based education that empowers young Latine students to connect with their cultural histories and creative spirits.
Guided by the concept of "historian as curandera [healer]," coined by scholar Aurora Levins-Morales, the students engaged in critical inquiries into untold or underrepresented Latinx histories. By challenging harmful narratives and stereotypes that have long pathologized Latinx communities, they embraced the importance of asking questions as a means of empowering creativity and expression. Through this transformative process, the students curated digital archives and designed a curriculum deeply informed by independent research in Latinx Studies and performance studies, setting the stage for an empowering and inclusive educational journey.
Program Info
PROJECT GOALS
The project's mission was twofold: to empower young artists by providing them with a platform to explore their identities through art-making and performance, and to create a comprehensive resource for educators and organizers interested in incorporating Latinx perspectives into their teaching and community initiatives. Through this collaborative effort, we aim to amplify Latinx voices, engage with rich cultural heritage, and empower youth to explore and celebrate their identities. Latinidades is a dynamic partnership between Mudlark, Northwestern University, and dedicated educators, scholars, and students, driving positive change and fostering inclusive education and performance.
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
The Historian as Curandera
History is also the story we tell about the past to explain the present and imagine the future, a job that can't be left to storytellers with a stake in exploitation. The Historian As Curandera talks about my vision of what an activist historian does and why it matters. - Aurora Levins Morales
(Image by Ricardo Levins Morales.)
"The Historian as Curandera" by Aurora Levins Morales is an essay that offers a fresh perspective on engaging with marginalized histories. In this piece, Morales challenges readers to critically examine untold histories. She invites us to question the influence of our own perspectives and positionality on our understanding of the past. By making absences visible and centering the marginalized, we can uncover hidden power relations and transform historical narratives.
The concept of the historian as curandera becomes a powerful tool that empowered us to imagine and create rich, creative narratives and performances that honor and celebrate diverse histories.
Guided by the concept of "historian as curandera [healer]," we encouraged critical inquiries into maligned Latinx histories. Emphasizing the importance of asking questions as well as answering them, we challenged students to explore positionality, evidence, marginalization, and power relations. By embracing complexity and disrupting harmful narratives, we empower students to imagine and create rich, authentic narratives and performances that honor their identities.
Dr. Myrna García
Associate Professor of Instruction, Latina and Latino Studies at Northwestern University
Gabriel Guzman
PhD candidate in Performance Studies
Anastacia Narrajos
Mudlark Education Manager Emeritus
Henry Godinez
Department Chair; Professor Department of Theatre at Northwestern University
PARTNERS
The Latinidades project is done in partnership with Northwestern University. In collaboration with professors Dr. Myrna Garcia and Henry Godinez, who bring their expertise and knowledge to enrich our program, The Mudlark team, headed by Anastacia Narrajos, began to collaborate with our partners to build a new project focused on the Evanston Lantine community. Doctor Garcia's research on Chicana movements and her popular course on Latinx Chicago paired with the assistance and expertise of Gabriel Guzman provided valuable insights and the involvement of Northwestern students in our project. Professor Godinez contributes his deep knowledge of the Latinx literary and theatrical archive and performance practice, serving as a basis for our program. Students enrolled in Doctor Garcia's Latinx Chicago course played a vital role in the Latinidades project. Their culminating projects resulted in a creative response to the piloted work conducted by Mudlark and their research on cultural performance in the city. These projects will inform the next stage of the project's curriculum development, adding valuable perspectives and insights.
TEACHING ARTISTS
The Latinidades program at Mudlark Theater boasts a diverse roster of Latine Teaching Artists who have generously shared their experiences and passion for art to create a vibrant collection of lessons for the program. Each Teaching Artist brings a unique perspective, cultural background, and artistic style to their teachings, resulting in an exciting and dynamic curriculum that reflects the rich diversity of the latine community. From storytelling to dance to visual art, the Latinidades program celebrates the power of art to connect, empower, and inspire latine youth. The Teaching Artists' dedication to their craft and to creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all participants is truly inspiring.
RESEARCH/PROJECT ASSISTANTS/ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATORS
Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated and passionate research assistants has been tirelessly working to curate a treasure trove of resources for teaching artists and to unearth inspiring examples of Latinx performance. Their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts have brought together a collection that celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and richness of Latinx cultural expressions.
Daniel Calderon
Kelly Vogt
Marisol Barrera
