"World of Wonder" Enchants Students

Generally speaking, teachers of kindergarteners and first graders spend a lot of time coaching their charges to sit quietly and pay attention during assemblies and other large-group events.

No such reminders were necessary as students in grades K-3 were treated to a 45-minute performance titled World of Wonder last Tuesday morning.

The presenter, Leland Faulkner, was so engaging that the few times individual audience members became restless, they were gently urged to focus by those sitting near them. In sum, the kids didn’t want to miss a word of what Faulkner shared with them.

“My job is to remind everyone that we are surrounded with wonder all the time,” Faulkner said after greeting the students. “We can dream anything!”

Dressed in all black and utilizing minimal props and scenery, Faulkner brought several simple concepts to life.

World of Wonder opened with a series of magic tricks that had the kids angling to discover the secrets of the illusions.

Next, after asking the students to look closely at their hands, Faulkner showed them what “just a pair of hands and the ability to dream” can communicate.

“It doesn’t matter what language you speak,” he said. “Your hands can speak any language.”

Faulkner then ducked behind a lit, circular screen and presented his “shadow show.” Using only his hands, he fashioned images of easily-recognizable animals and other figures. When two gorillas appeared to kiss, the audience screamed with surprise and delight.

Another segment of the show featured a single piece of paper. Large, white, and pleated, it was fashioned into a multitude of different props for a fast-paced series of mini-skits.

When Faulkner announced that he was about to begin the final portion of his presentation, a chorus of disappointed students cried, “No!”

What followed was storytelling. Faulkner shared a fable about a character he called “wise, even though some people think he’s a fool.”  In keeping with the theme of the earlier parts of the show, only a few simple props were used. Faulkner’s physical and verbal dramatization conveyed the emotions of the tale.

Darsi Decker’s third graders had high praise for Faulkner’s performance. Calling it “awesome,” and “interesting,” they all agreed that it was enjoyable.

“I’ve never seen them more engaged,” Decker said.

Avery Callison, a first grader, couldn’t name a favorite part of World of Wonder.  “It was all really good,” she said, adding that she was pleased when she “found out how some of the tricks were done.”

Second grader Aidan Jones, who said that it’s possible to “doze off” during a less compelling assembly, named the shadow imagery his favorite segment. Aidan was surprised at the range of things that Faulkner was able to make with only his hands.  “I really liked it,” he said.

Organizers Stacy Harris and Ann Budner, co-chairs of McCarthy-Towne’s PTSO’s Cultural and Performing Arts Committee, agreed that World of Wonder lived up to its positive billing.

Harris, who saw Faulkner perform at a Young Audiences showcase event, called last week’s performance “absolutely delightful.”

Budner said the students were “fascinated” and that the themes were “beautiful, and touching.”

“This was the first school show I’ve done in a while,” said Faulkner, who remembers being in 6^th grade before he saw his first cultural performance at school.

“I’ll never get tired of them,” he said. “I’m happy and thankful that schools are still supporting the arts.”

Each of Acton’s five elementary schools has a Cultural and Performing Arts Committee with a separate budget. CPAC is funded by donations made by the schools’ families. McCarthy-Towne requests $8 per child and brings an average of three performances to the school each year.