Fine Arts Council Conference 2025: Arts Unleashed: Full Schedule

Welcome to the Sched site for Arts Unleashed: Conference 2025 for the ATA Fine Arts Council.

10:45am MDT

OWN THE STORY: Collective Storytelling & Adaptation for the Modern Classroom

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm MDT

Let's face it, sometimes a traditional five act play isn't the right fit for your students. In this session, learn how to employ interactive storytelling techniques and collective creation to adapt classical stories into relevant, modern day stories with your students. Whether it's a drama class, a performance troupe or an English unit, this collaborative creativity can work for all ages, encouraging students to take ownership of the project and employ their own voices. Presented by Ellen Chorley, an Edmonton playwright and drama teacher (teacher at Foote Theatre School at the Citadel, Director of the Theatre Network Summer Academy) who has lead collective student adaptations of Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (updated to warring punk bands in 1997), "Electra" (re-imagined as an action revenge), "Tristian and Isolde" (told with puppets and two huge parachutes), "The Beggars Opera" (set in an1980s caravan village) and many more.

Speakers

Ellen Chorley

Ellen Chorley (she/her) is an Edmonton-based playwright, producer, performer and arts educator. She is the current Artistic & Festival Director of Nextfest (Edmonton’s annual emerging arts festival), the Academy Director of the Theatre Network Summer Academy, an acting and playwrighting... Read More →

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm MDT
Dance Studio B

Drama, Musical Theatre