educational touring initiative
Greenbrier Valley Theatre has received grant funding to offer our Educational Touring Initiative to the students of West Virginia. Through this program, GVT is able to reach outside of our building to expand arts access to students of all ages across the state. We offer schools a performance of an original play about a unique piece of West Virginia history and a selection of workshops that correspond to state curriculum. By aligning theatre programming with state-mandated educational goals, GVT aims to be a resource for teachers to help foster creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning, to help students excel academically and personally. We believe that the arts are instrumental in forming identities, both shared and within the self. Exploring these topics through an artistic lens, led by Teaching Artists, encourages students to develop increased social engagement, improved civic discourse, and to reduce other-regarding behavior.
For more information about booking the ETI Program in your school, please contact education@gvtheatre.org.
Spring 2025 ETI Offering
You’ve probably heard of many famous lions, like the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz, Simba from Disney’s The Lion King, but have you heard about the famous lion from West Virginia? That’s right! In the 1890s, a lion cub was raised by a local resident of Alderson, West Virginia after she found him near the river. He was a friendly neighbor in town, but as he grew into his full size, the town became nervous about having a lion roam freely. So, the town council declared that any lion would have to be on a leash. The rest is history…
From quiet beginnings in Alderson, West Virginia to the famous tents of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, this unique piece of West Virginia history will remind us all to embrace where we come from and roar through the challenges we may face so that we can embrace our destiny of greatness.
This 30-minute performance is appropriate for all ages!
This production is performed by two professional Teaching Artists from Greenbrier Valley Theatre. The simple set and costumes allows for this show to be performed in a library, gymnasium, auditorium, or cafeteria space. Other requirements for this performance are: access to the space at least 1 hour before the performance for load-in and set up, access to outlets for lighting and sound equipment, a secure and private space for the actors to prepare for the show.
