Hi! I’m Jess, and I’m a children’s theater artist, teacher, and former babysitter with over 20 years of experience playing with kids! I’m offering low-cost online playtime for families who are stuck at home just like me, to raise money for freelance artists who have lost their income.
What Will We Play?
Playtime sessions will focus on having fun and building the interpersonal and social-emotional skills kids usually practice and learn on the playground. I have a “menu” of fun activities and games we can play together over video call – board games and thoughtfully selected picture books for cozy times, and dance and theater activities to get kids up and moving! I can do a 1:1 session or host a group of up to 4 kids for a 30- or 60-minute slot.
Storytime sessions will share a comforting, age-appropriate picture book with kids. I’ll dust off my acting and audiobook narration skills to read a comforting picture book appropriate for young children (2-4) two days a week, and one for older kids (5-8) two days a week. Guest artists may pop in to read to us, too! I’m collaborating with other arts teachers to find picture books with positive, resilience-building messages (that are also fun and have great pictures!) - suggestions are welcome! These 20 minute story sessions are being offered on a pay what you can basis.
(Ready to book a session? Scroll down!)
About Me
I’m a theater and teaching artist and former babysitter with over 20 years of experience. I am currently on the faculty at the Lucy Moses School on the Upper West Side where I teach theater to kids aged 4-12, and I run two nonprofit theater companies that create original, adventurous new work for children and families. (More here.) I’m currently a LabWorks Artist at the New Victory Theater (NYC’s nonprofit international family theater) and have been selected to join the 2020 cohort of New York Foundation for the Arts’ “Emerging Arts Leaders” program. I have a BFA from the University of Miami and an MA from the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in London.
Rates
30-minute sessions are $20 for a solo, or $10/child for a group (2-4 kids). You can book up to two sessions back-to-back.
Storytimes are pay what you can - Suggested donation is $5.
If you’re interested in a group session, I can help put a group together, or you can invite friends!
ALL PROFITS WILL GO TO SUPPORTING ARTIST FREELANCERS CURRENTLY OUT OF WORK. I’m lucky to have a flexible day job I can do remotely, but most artists I know pay their bills with gig work they can’t do in current conditions. There is no relief package currently being discussed that includes gig workers, and many of our gigs come from nonprofit organizations that are extra-hard hit by the economic crisis, as they rely on donations to survive.
Half of the proceeds will go to Artist Relief Tree, which is redistributing donated funds directly to freelance artists who have lost income due to cancellations.
The other half will be set aside to pay artists involved in my two current projects, Beyond the Wall | Más Allá del Muro and Mathilda and the Orange Balloon when they resume. Both projects are non-profit, serve marginalized children, and provide freelance income to children’s theater artists and teachers. Both projects have activities that have been cancelled this spring, and I want to offer paid work to the artists I collaborate with as soon as we find a way to continue, online or in person.
Questions?
Email me! jess@jesskaufman.net