College theatre students share how they are staying creative and productive during times of isolation and uncertainty. All this time at home seems familiar, reminding students of the times they spent entertaining themselves all day as children. While the action figures and Legos are no longer in use, the storytelling remains the same. They share crafts and activities that elementary through high school students can try out for themselves. Learn more about supporting and collaborating with fellow creatives- they might be just down the hall!
What’s inside:
Join the Ditch Your Back up Plan Community Group
1:14: STERLING OLIVER, Kansas State University
- 1:30: Imaginary city with siblings
- 1:57: Being creative and productive on your own
- 2:25: Acapella music- do it yourself
4:39 OLIVIA CARTER, Kansas State University
- 4:44: Journaling and writing from photographs
- 5:28: Finding stories outside
- 6:03: Childhood creativity and painting on walls
- 6:16: Being a creative kid with a learning disability
- 7:12: Story telling activity with photos as a writing prompt
- 7:35: Theatre after quarantine
8:09: JACKSON BERLAND, Kansas State University
- 8:29: Writing letters to imaginary friends for song lyrics
- 8:42: Creating characters as a kid
- 9:20: Collecting things that don’t belong
- 8:58: Creative Sandwich activity
11:25: KATIE HAYES, Rockford University
- 11:45: Small projects
- 11:50: Recreating stories as a young theatre kid
- 12:27: Embroidery as a hobby
13:29: TRACE CAMPBELL, Kansas State University
- 13:40: Painting and making sure there is color
- 13:50: Free time as a kid
- 14:05: Fight choreography with action figures
- 14:45: Using your surroundings
- 15:28: Aluminum foil sculpture/action figure activity
16:48: KENEDI KELLEY, Kansas State University
- 17:13: Learning Morse Code
- 17:33: Free time as a kid
- 17:43: America’s Best Dance Crew
18:42: TREVOR SEYL, Wichita State University
- 18:55: Creative time
- 19:22: Sports kid turned theatre student
- 19:52: Dancing with the baseball team
- 20:08: Do something out of your comfort zone
21:34: JACKIE OVASSAPIAN, University of Illinois
- 21:48: Senior year during quarantine
- 22:28: Doing creative things for fun
- 23:05 Watching live theatre online
- 23:24: Jackie’s creative childhood
- 23:49: Crafting activities
24:28: ZACHARY SMALLEY, Kansas State University
- 24:46: Zoom performances
- 25:18: Free time as a kid and trying different sports
- 26:18: Creating unique characters
27:34: GRACE ROUSH, Wichita State University
- 27:55: Reading and watching during down time
- 28:08: Making movies with siblings toys, watching Disney movies
- 29:07: Take this time to explore your craft
- 29:25 The internet and podcasting
30:02: DANIEL MASSEY, University of Illinois
- 30:19: Staying active with sound design
- 31:03: Keeping off the screen at night
- 31:24: Legos and music as a kid
- 31:40: Pick up an instrument or make your own
- 32:20: Apps for learning music
- 31:47: Create with your friends
33:27: KRISTEN CRUZ, Kansas State University
- 28:38: Teaching yourself calligraphy and catching up on reading
- 34:04: Cooking something new
- 34:18: Outside air bending
- 35:08: Make a fort, make a poster, make a map
- 35:49: Make a short film or write something new and perform it
Live Theatre/Online Entertainment Selections
- Weekly production free, National Theatre on Thursday evenings
- All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Apollo Theatre, London
- Lear by Young Jean Lee
- A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansbury, PBS American Playhouse
- Fool for Love by Sam Shepard starring Sam Shepard
- The House of Blue Leaves by John Guare, 1986 Broadway cast
- The Nance by Douglas Carter Beane
- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams from American Playhouse-televised
- The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, stage actors filmed for televised production
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Jessicca Lange, Alec Baldwin and John Goodman, 1995 filmed for television
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Ann-Margaret, Treat Williams 1984, filmed for television
- The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, a US/Canadian co-production
Key Quotes:
- “I’m making sure the walls have color.”
- “The large majority of my free time was spent in imagination land.”
- “My eyes would fog over and this world would be in front of me.”
- “I need to find other ways to be creative on my own. Especially during these times.”
- “It’s awesome to hear the power of music that you create with only your voice. It’s awesome and I geek out about it all the time.”
- “Support your fellow artist as we get through it together.”
- “I’m pretty lucky to be an arts major at this time. My assignments are pretty creative.”
- “I would imagine what was happening on stage when I would listen to the soundtrack.”
- “Using music and instruments as a way to stay active and away from a screen at night.”
- “This is my creative time.”
- “I went, I auditioned, I got a role, and I haven’t stopped since.”
- “Sports are creative, but this [Theatre] is what I needed as a kid. [Sports] kind of led me to be a director.”
- “I made a lot of characters as a kid.”
- “I had cardboard taped to my head and I was a lunch box for a day.”
- “But made a sandwich. Sandwiches are tasty.”
- “It was a literal movie happening in the middle of our living room.”
- “If there is a project you are working on, put it out there…it would help a lot of people.”
Support the DYBP Podcast!
…on Instagram! …on Facebook! …and Twitter!
Let your voice be heard:
- Share your story on social media–use #DYBPcast !
- Ask questions, make comments, express yourself freely. Email Jen, 213-915-6883 text or call
DYBP graphic design © 2020 by Laura Gernon