<PRINT ON COMPANY/VENUE LETTERHEAD>
<Insert date>
Dear Principal,
As you may be aware, the <Insert Centre Name> regularly programs theatre events for young audiences, and we would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of a very special theatre performance coming to <OURTOWN> in <MONTH>, that we believe will be of particular interest to teachers of children in Grades Prep to Four and to your teacher-librarian.
Imaginary Theatre will present their exciting adaptations of two of Anna and Barbara Fienberg’s well-loved TASHI book series: Tashi and the Mountain of White Tigers and Tashi: Lost in the City from <Insert dates to Insert dates>.
These wonderfully imaginative performances have proved to be incredibly popular with children and their families since first being staged in 2006. Not only do they provide a mesmerising introduction to live theatre and its power to turbo-charge the imagination, but they have also proved to be a highly effective stimulus to literacy skills development.
Many reluctant readers (particularly boys) after seeing and enjoying the performances, want to read the books for themselves, and with sixteen books in the series, that is potentially a lot of reading!
The Tashi stories cleverly promote creative problem solving, child empowerment and rational thinking through an age-appropriate fictional context, and are so popular with families, schools and community libraries that they are Allen & Unwin’s highest selling children’s book series after Harry Potter.
Over 45,000 children, their families and carers across Australia, have already seen the live performances of TASHI.Imaginary Theatre specialize in making theatre for young audiences and in their experience, children as young as 4 and as old as 10 have thoroughly enjoyed and are completely engaged by the Tashi plays.
A teacher in remote Queenslandwriting about her students’ enjoyment of the TASHI plays, had this to say:
“They loved the bright colours of the stage and were in awe as this was their very first ‘live performance’. All of the children were actively involved in the experience, from the Prep students through to our year 7’s they were on the edge of their seats, soaking up the atmosphere, not missing a word or action from beginning to end.
Our children talked non-stop all the way home about their favourite part in the play or their favourite character. The children have all taken a greater interest in chapter books (especially Tashi).”
We hope that you might promote these performances to your schools early years teachers (fliers are included) and support an excursion to see the TASHI plays. We have also sent a letter to your teacher librarian to inform them about these exciting page-to-stage adaptations and the accompanying teachers notes that encourage teachers to introduce the plays before visiting the theatre, and include post-show activities for deeper engagement and curriculum connections.
For more information on how to book and to access the education resources, please go to our website at <www. INSERT VENUE WEBSITE > or call us on <Insert Telephone number>.
Yours sincerely,
<Insert person’s name>