Portrayals & Wax Museum
Workshop for Schools
Stimulating Thought…
Sparking Curiosity
Farm Girl on the Front Lines: Deborah Sampson’s Secret!
How did this humble heroine hoodwink the Continental Army?
Students dive into the secrets of Massachusetts heroine and mistress-of-disguise Deborah Sampson, (aka Samson) as she tells her one-of-a-kind story. Deborah is the only woman known to have disguised herself as a man and served in the Continental Army without detection. Riveted by her story, children learn details their Colonial heritage that re-enforce and complement textbook information; they also meet someone who leveraged her inner resources (respect, persistence, kindness etc.) to achieve her dream!
Raised as an indentured served in Middleborough, this self-educated young patriot taught school without ever having attended school) and worked as a weaver, all the while dreaming of becoming a soldier; she developed a plan that made this dream a reality. Children see that with hard work and qualities such as determination, resourcefulness and patience it is possible to achieve even seemingly unattainable goals. What worked for Deborah can work for them!
Topics include
- Childhood as an indentured servant
- A free-spirited woman in Colonial America! Trouble!!
- Her first plan, failure, revised plan, and success!
- Her (elite) position in the Army, keeping her secret
- Close calls and her famous injury
- Corporal Robert Shirtliffe (Deborah): assistant to General Patterson
- The secret’s out!
- Marriage and life as a farmer’s wife in Sharon, MA
- Another “first”!
Deborah’s story dispels many of the myths that circulate about her and places her in relief against a backdrop of traditional Colonial culture. Peppered with props and period games, this interactive performance tells the story behind America’s famous principled deception and reveals the character of the quiet rebel who pulled it off. The students can volunteer to get “into the act” by being the town crier, playing a period game, reading a tongue twister or Colonial-Schoolhouse Rules!
45-minute performance (flexible)
Wax Museum/Living Biographies Workshop
Does your heart sink to see students are so excited about their characters but so nervous when portraying them? Do wish they could relax and have more fun at the big event?
In this workshop, children learn easy-to-implement storytelling techniques that ease anxiety and stimulate the imagination, They learn how to take a canned-sounding presentation and make it pop with their own creative touches while remaining true to their character.
- Create imaginative, enthusiastic greetings for their visitors
- Use body language and simple props that make the characters realistic.
- Make the content that will excite them and their visitors
- End a portrayal in a way that makes it surprising for visitors and memorable
Many children not only come up with ideas for their portrayals; others who feel “stuck often ask the class for ideas. The result is a highly interactive, supportive and encouraging atmosphere.