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Burst: A Romp and a Whoopee
is a multi-media show that combines live performance, animation, video, colorful props and the element of surprise to tell a new story about the power of play, the imagination and the individual.

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Arabella immerses herself in a world of the senses: swooshing silks, whirling necklaces of pearl, whining balloons and singing pipes. She searches out the unusual and finds ways to turn ordinary objects into things both magical and ridiculous. Although she is mocked and misunderstood, Arabella persists, eventually creating an entirely new invention that enriches the lives of those in her community.

Burst is a complete 35 minute program which is suitable for a classroom or a gymnasium full of kids, K to 5. Burst features Karen Penley as Arabella live interacting with a variety of video characters played by Karen Penley.


Get Your Students Excited About the Arts
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Kids can profit from the rich culture of the arts at an early age, but most grade schools have been forced to leave out the arts. What to do? Let me get your students excited about the arts by presenting a whimsical and inventive performance that entertains while it educates.

Burst underscores the five senses; the building blocks of all art forms, while modeling the 4 steps of creativity and problem solving: immersion, incubation, illumination and translation.

Burst references innovative artists such as M.C. Escher, Alexander Calder and Andy Goldsworthy as well as illustrating visual arts elements from the California Arts Standards in whimsical animation sequences.

But most importantly, Burst entertains while it educates. Burst surprises, Burst delights, Burst expands the world of perception and possibility with the blurt of a balloon and a tumble of hats.


Pre-Show, Post-Show and Theater Curriculum
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In order for your students to get the most out of a Burst assembly, I suggest implementing the Pre-Show and Post-Show curriculum which can be downloaded from this website. I also offer a theater curriculum booklet with ten weeks of graduated exercises and games that can be used in the classroom and focus on voice, body shape, movement, character and story.

I have been entertaining and educating kids and adults for 26 years. I have directed 80-100 children in large scale musical productions of Guys and Dolls, Annie, Seussical and Camelot as well as taught in many theater programs at private and public schools throughout the Bay Area. My sold out circus performances in San Francisco were called "fresh and surprising" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Please call or email me to ask questions or schedule an event at your school. Please visit the videos part of this website to see video clips from a live Burst assembly.

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