We believe that drama encourages self-expression, cooperation, body awareness, confidence, and empathy.
All Cottonwood School students participate in the Drama Program each week led by our Drama Director, Lisa Fenstermacher. Lisa is a graduate of UNM's Department of Theatre and Dance, earning a BFA in Theatre Education with a minor in Special Education. She has been teaching Acting for Stage, Film and Television for 20 years. She has also collaborated as a teaching artist in the Albuquerque community including Play Conservatory, UNM Children's Theatre Program, The Growing Stage, Aux Dog Children's Theatre Program, North Fourth Arts, The New Mexico Young Actors, Talent Development Studios and the Kimo Theater.
The Cottonwood School drama classes are process oriented allowing for creative problem solving and artistic collaboration. The students' personal and social skills are strengthened within the class through games, exercises, and performances. Each week, drama classes are scheduled for our Early Childhood, Junior Elementary, and Senior Elementary classes with age appropriate lessons and performances being offered at each level throughout the school year. Students use dramatic arts to express their ideas through Story Theater, improvisation, published works, and their own play-writing.