WHIPPERSNAPPERS BLACK HISTORY 2015
Whats on offer?
African/ Caribbean workshop
songs, drumming, musical instruments, costumes, dancing and traditional music. Suitable for younger children.
£120 plus Vat one tutor £190 plus Vat with live percussionist
£220 plus Vat one tutor and live percussionist
Half days and full day visits available – prices negotiable
Suitable for nurseries and reception
The Story of Anancy and The Bananas
Anancy loves bananas but he hasn’t got any. So off he goes to Linstead market to find some. While he is there he meets his friends the monkeys, the tigers and the elephants who all have lots of bananas. Trickster Anancy is always getting up to mischief, so how does he get his bananas? Yellow bird gives him some wise words of wisdom. Enjoy this interactive story with role play, costumes, music singing and a valuable message.
£120 plus Vat one tutor
Half days and full day visits available – prices negotiable
Suitable for preschool children, nurseries and reception
Theatrical African & Caribbean Story Telling
Can be suitable for whole school including Juniors
Suitable for 3 year olds and above.
£275 plus vat one show
£380 plus Vat half day with workshop
£500 plus Vat whole day with workshops
To celebrate Black History Month 2015 Whippersnappers have a collection of traditional Anancy stories that are available for nursery and school bookings.
Whippersnappers reincarnate Anancy and traditional West African and Caribbean stories through narration, puppetry, song, dance and audience participation. These educational and entertaining theatre shows will teach children about traditional Ghanaian and Caribbean culture, history, geography and language.
For Junior pupils we have a 45 minute performance entiltled “The Story Of Africa”. Black History music workshops are also available with drumming, singing and role play. (See below)
Whippersnappers’ Black History performance was an exciting and genuinely interactive session. Vibrant and inspiring. It encouraged children to explore their creativity …. A great success.”
Jane Mcathy. The Design Museum.
“Lively, highly interactive ….great fun! The company really engaged with their audience.”
Beth Edwards, Polka Theatre.
Anancy and Miss River
Can be suitable for whole school including Juniors
Particularly suitable for nursery, reception and infants.
A Traditional Caribbean tale
Anancy does not know how to share with his friends. However he does eventually learn a valuable lesson when he befriends beautiful Miss River. Anancy loves to dance, splash and swim with Miss River but when he invites her to his house for a party he gets even more wet than he bargained for!
£275 plus Vat for 2 artists – 45 minute show with story telling,back drops, props, songs, audience participation and live music.
Half day and full day bookings with drumming/drama workshops available.
Darg and Puss 
Can be suitable for whole school including Juniors
Particularly suitable for nursery, reception and infants.
An adaptation of a traditional caribbean tale
Set in Kingston Jamaica – Woof to the Beat is a World famous Dog Rap Star. He also has a passion for gardening and his home grown mangoes are his pride and joy.
Meet Miss Lottie and Miss Puss and find out who is the Mango thief.
Lots of drama and inter – action with the children ,original pickny beat songs and traditional Jamaican folk tunes.
£275 plus Vat for 2 artists – 45 minute show with story telling,back drops, props, songs, audience participation and live music.
Half day and full day bookings with drumming/drama workshops available.
Anancy and Miss Snake 
Can be suitable for whole school including Juniors
Particularly suitable for nursery, reception and infants.
A Traditional Caribbean tale
Anancy is lazy and he can’t be bothered to do his work so he calls up snake to help. Snake agrees on the condition that he can have a bite of Anancy’s big toe! How will our spider trickster Anancy get his work done without getting his toe bitten?
£275 plus Vat for 2 artists – 45 minute show with story telling,back drops, props, songs audience participation and live music.
Half day and full day bookings with drumming/ drama workshops available.
Boacy Rat 
Can be suitable for whole school including Juniors
Particularly suitable for nursery, reception and infants.
A Traditional Caribbean tale
Boacy rat is no ordinary rat. He is the finest gentleman and best dancer in the whole of the Caribbean. But when Boacy Rat meets Brother Cockroach the best drummer in the Caribbean, he is challenged to a competition. With a little help from their friends the audience we have a vote to see which dancing / drumming group gives the best performance.
£275 plus Vat for 2 artists – 45 minute show with story telling,back drops, props, songs audience participation and live music.
Half day and full day bookings with extra performances and or drumming workshops available.
The Story Of Africa
Suitable for Juniors or whole school performances
This show is designed to give children a flavour of Africa through storytelling, song, drumming, live percussion and dance. The show is performed by Connie Bell a professional Jamaican storyteller who is accompanied by Christian Joseph Mathurin a professional actor and percussionist from Guadaloupe.
The show lasts 45 minutes and can be accompanied by Drumming and poetry workshops
“The Story Of Africa” performance – £285 plus Vat
Half Day in school with performance and workshops £350 plus Vat
Whole Day in school £500 plus Vat with performances and workshops
Connie Bell Biography
Informed and inspired by the art of Afro-Caribbean cultural icons like Louise Bennett, Imogene Kennedy and Amina Blackwood-Meekes, Connie Bell’s spoken word and storytelling performances combine penetrating insight and alluring warmth with a healthy dose of ancestral rhythm.
Since graduating with an Early Childhood Dip Ed and furthering on with an M.A. in Applied Theatre Connie Bell has been an active member of Apples & Snakes (Britain’s leading performance poetry organisation). Having worked extensively in Literary and Cultural Arts for Companies such as Bernie Grant Arts Centre, The National Archive and Entelechy Education Arts etc, she has gained plaudits and praise for her unique style and ablitity to reach a diversity of children and parent audiences.
Her enthralling performances give thanks to those who came before and celebrate those fortunate enough to live in the present. Taking her cues from the Afro-Caribbean tradition of the griot, entertainment, education and a heartfelt Joie de vivre characterize each performance.
CREDITS
Credits include: Polka Theatre, Homiman Museum, Design Museum and Livesey Museum, Harrow Arts Centre. Croydon Warehouse Theatre.
Black history workshops for keystage 2
The workshop will be delivered by Katherine Vernez a professional actress who trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Cost:, £125 plus Vat for a half day and £200 plus Vat for a full day.
Who are Yaa Asantewaa, Claudia Jones, Harriett Tubman, Oluadah Equiano, Marcus Garvey, and Toussaint L’overture?
Through drama participation this workshop will develop children’s understanding about these 5 black historical characters and what positive differences they have made in our lives today. Children will be using role-play, improvisation, narration, music, mime and costume leading to a class or assembly performance.