Actor Lisa Illia roped her cape around her face, only her darkened eyes peered through a small opening. She then drew down her cape to reveal streaks of red rolling down her face, the mouths of her young audience drooped as she opened the book the Five Haunted Houses, and began to read the second story: “Jake stood on the sidewalk all alone. He looked up at the house. A big full moon shone down on it. Jake felt a shiver creep up his spine”.
So began a thrilling afternoon of reading and storytelling by volunteers of BookPALS, Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools, a program of the nonprofit Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Volunteers Lisa Illia, Audrei-Kairen, and Las Vegas BookPALS Coordinator Barbara Bidell wowed the crowd at the Silver Mesa Community Center for Make a Difference Day. The volunteers donned costumes and animated creepy stories for children who wanted to take a break for the community center’s annual Halloween Party. Overall, about 30 party goers sat and listened throughout the afternoon as Lisa and Audrei – both professional performers, used their acting talents to take on the personas of ghosts, goblins, black cats, and witches, to name a few.
The afternoon ended with multiple pleas by the students, who also wanted to read some scary stories. Second and third graders shared parts as they read aloud a rousing rendition of “M & M and the Halloween Monsters” by Pat Ross. The students read with expression and enthusiasm, as modeled by the actors.
“It is immensely satisfying to see that students are motivated to read to the extent that they would do so in front of a crowd of their peers,” said Coordinator Barbara Bidell. “That is what we endeavor to do --- get children excited about reading.”
BookPALS
http://www.bookpals.net/content/article.php?story=20080106132040284