This week, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School welcomed a residency from Great Lakes Theater, offering sixth-grade students a new way to experience literature through performance and storytelling. Professional actor-teachers led workshops centered on The Diary of Anne Frank, helping students explore the text through movement, dialogue, and discussion.
Students stepped into the characters’ experiences by using acting techniques to better understand themes such as courage, identity, and resilience. The residency is part of Great Lakes Theater’s approach to using performance as a tool to support literacy and deepen comprehension.
“Experiences like this help students connect more personally to what they are reading,” said sixth grade ELA teacher Olivia Bongiovanni. “When students are actively engaged, the learning becomes more meaningful and memorable.”
In addition to the Anne Frank workshop, students had the opportunity to participate in elective acting sessions during Growth Block. These workshops focused on collaboration, voice, and expression, giving students space to build confidence while exploring acting through gameplay.
“I think residencies like this provide a powerful extension of classroom learning. The workshops help students see the text from new perspectives,” said Bongiovanni. “They asked deeper questions and made stronger connections because they were experiencing the story, not just reading it.”
The Great Lakes Theater residency was made possible by a grant from the Chagrin Falls PTO.
