School Shows Bring Learning to Life
“Your school shows are great experiences for my students.”
– Lucienne Wurr, Kindergarten Teacher
It begins simply, with a school bus ride to Wells Fargo Center for the Arts where a kindergartener experiences a live stage performance… often for the very first time!
Suddenly, a whole new world full of imagination and creativity is at hand, instilled by
the thrill of live music, dance, and theater.
From these early experiences with live performance on through high school and into college, students begin to form a deep relationship with the arts as a valuable tool for learning...
and a means for more effective communication.
“The Rennie Harris Puremovement school show was very educational,” said a teacher from Journey High School in her evaluation of the renowned Hip Hop dance troupe. “We learned a lot about the roots and the history of Hip Hop, and had a great discussion about how the present is a reflection of our past.”
Through the Center’s school shows, students actively explore the beauty, diversity, complexity, and challenges of the world around them through the dramatic process. Difficult life experiences that might otherwise seem taboo, such as bullying or racism, are easier to confront when presented on the common ground provided by the arts. Through early exposure to live performance, students generate an appreciation of the arts as a vital force in their lives and are encouraged to develop their own creative voice.

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts presents more than two dozen school shows annually,
serving 30,000 K-12 students and teachers from a five county region.
2008-2009 School Shows
Slammin All-Body Band - Thursday, October 2, 9:30am
Four Winds American Indian Dance Group - Friday, October 10, 9:30am
James and the Giant Peach - Wed, November 12, 9:30 SOLD OUT • 11:30am Show Added
Wings of Courage - Thursday, November 13, 9:30am
East Village Opera Company - Wednesday, November 19, 11:30am
Romeo & Juliet - Monday, December 1, 9:30am
Franklin's Family Christmas Concert - Tuesday, December 2, 9:30am
Biglittlethings - Friday, January 9, 9:30am & 11:30am
The Peking Acrobats - Thursday, January 15, 9:30am & 11:30am • SOLD OUT
The Hot Club of San Francisco - Friday, January 16, 9:30am
The Ant and the Elephant - Tuesday, February 3, 9:30am • 11:30am Show Added
Four Score & Seven Years Ago - Fri, February 6, 9:30am SOLD OUT • 11:30am Show Added
Cuentos del Arbol - Thursday, February 26, 9:30am
The Secret Life of Bees - Friday, February 27, 9:30am • SOLD OUT
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters - Friday, March 6, 9:30am
Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Wednesday, March 11, 9:30am • SOLD OUT
Ailey II - Thursday, March 12, 9:30am
Butterfly: The Story of a Life Cycle - Friday, March 13, 9:30am & 11:30am • SOLD OUT
Anne Frank: A Voice Heard - Thursday, March 19, 9:30am
The Rainbow Fish - Thursday, April 2, 9:30am • 11:30am • SOLD OUT
Pippi Longstocking - Friday, April 3, 9:30am • SOLD OUT
The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe - Friday, April 24, 9:30am • SOLD OUT
Mexika: Sounds of Ancient Mexico - Friday, May 1, 9:30am