Pulling the strings behind the scenes as tour director at Dallas Children’s Theater is third-generation Lakewood resident Sarah Jane (Sally) Fiorello. As someone who spends her career reaching children through the theater, Fiorello perceives the unique advantages the stage has in forming young minds.
“I personally like the education that comes with theatre — and you’re training the audiences of tomorrow,” she says. “With television and movies these days, people have forgotten how to enjoy a live performance. If you don’t train them early, you’re going to lose them.”
Once upon a time, Fiorello was one of those young minds herself. In fact, she credits her high school drama teacher, Billy Watson, with getting her interested in theater and in influencing her to continue her drama studies.
After receiving her BA in theater from Baylor University, Fiorello joined the Kathy Burks Marionettes (later the Kathy Burke Theatre of Puppetry Arts) where she aided in the design of the Haymarket Theatre in the then new (and now defunct) Olla Podrida shopping mall. Thirteen years ago, she began freelancing at the Dallas Children’s Theater — designing, directing and acting.
In 1988, Fiorello came on board full time as DCT’s national tour director. In this capacity, Fiorello plans and supports their national tours by writing press releases and supporting DCT’s press agent. Her job involves managing the touring staff and traveling to tour destinations to fine tune the technical aspects of a show.
Most recently Fiorello is co-directing, along with Douglas Burks, the theater’s current touring production of “Young King Arthur” by DCT resident playwright Linda Daugherty. The show toured Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana throughout 1999, and will continue to be performed in the coming year in 17 additional states from coast to coast. Fiorello says that schools across the country find many ways to use the experience to expand their students’ horizons, primarily third grade through middle school.
“We have study guides that go with each production so that teachers can see how the show can be incorporated into various curriculum,” she explains. “For instance, in our ‘Young King Arthur’ study guide, we suggest that a journalism teacher have students write a news story about what happened in the play; we mention the five elements of a news story, that sort of thing. For art class, we discuss the medieval arts — even how to make a stained glass window.”
Another important lesson in this particular production is about family. In this version of the popular mystical tale, the magician Merlin chooses to give young Arthur to a loving family to be raised. By having a nurturing, ordinary childhood, the boy grows up to be an extraordinary king. Along with this life-affirming message, there is plenty of magic to keep restless little bodies planted attentively in their seats — a position that, incidentally, is the law of the land at DCT.
Fiorello has her hands full managing the 10 adult actors who play 40 roles, including children’s parts, as well as looking after the technical support staff. The myriad of details she faces city-by-city includes performance venues and accommodations.
Another of Fiorello’s skills is working with rod puppets in an art form called “black theatre,” a name derived from its form. Puppets, inanimate objects or abstract figures are placed in a flat stream of white light; the puppeteers are hidden behind the light. Clothed in black velveteen, they are in plain view yet virtually invisible. The Kathy Burke Theatre is currently offering this type of performance with “The Nutcracker” at DCT through Dec. 22. The show is geared to various ages and, of course, has a study guide for schools.
When done with her on-the-road duties for DCT, Fiorello loves coming home to Lakewood, to a 1926 home that originally belonged to her grandfather and later her mother.
“I was blessed to have this house in my family,” she says. “A lot of artistic people live in Lakewood. I think the neighborhood lends itself to creative people.”
For more information about Dallas Children’s Theater, call 214-978-0110 or visit their website at dct.org.
