“Of all Mr. Costello’s talents, the one I appreciate most is his rapport with the kids.”- Jeremy Brunaccioni, Kindergarten Teacher
photo by Kristin Angel
Little Pig Joins the Band
A musical author visit
One of the messages of LITTLE PIG JOINS THE BAND is that everyone has something to contribute to a group endeavor – especially when it comes to making music. In this mostly-musical author / illustrator program David Hyde Costello shares some of his original songs, and some of his home-made musical instruments. These are built with materials that are either very inexpensive or found in a typical recycling bin. There is a bit of engineering, a bit of invention, and a lot of entertainment designed to nurture the idea that when it comes to making music, everyone can join the band.
Fee: $500 for one session, $750 for 1⁄2 day, $1500 for a full day, plus travel expenses for locations outside Hampshire County, MA.
Overview:
Appropriate for grades K – 6
Approximate time: 45 minutes
(Plus about 10 minutes at both ends for setup and packing.)
Recommended maximum audience size: 50 (flexible)
photo by Kristin Angel
I Can Help
A pattern of kindness creates a community
All the animals in I CAN HELP will be familiar to kids, with the possible exception of the sunbird. That’s why the sunbird has his own special song at the start of the program.
When David reads the book, children will quickly recognize the pattern of the story: one animal is helped by the next, who is helped by the next, and so on. The final page provides a view of the community that is created when individuals pay attention to one another and offer help.
A brain-storming session with the audience yields a new drawing of a scene with other animals that might have appeared in the book if the story’s pattern had continued beyond its 32 pages.
The program closes with a visit from a 6-foot-tall giraffe puppet who needs help reaching some delicious-looking leaves.
Fee: $500 for one session, $750 for 1⁄2 day, $1500 for a full day, plus travel expenses for locations outside Hampshire County, MA.
Overview:
Appropriate for grades Pre-K – 2
Approximate time: 30-45 minutes
(Plus about 10 minutes at both ends for setup and packing.)
Recommended maximum audience size: 50 (flexible)
photo by Jason Threlfall
Here They Come
A Halloween Visit with David Hyde Costello
David Hyde Costello brings a range of skills to the stage in a one-man variety show. With ukulele accompaniment, Costello opens with an original song. He gives a spirited reading of his book and then draws a new monster on the spot, created entirely by taking ideas from the audience.
To close, David introduces us to a character from his book a young hobgoblin who emerges tentatively from a box to answer kids’ questions (answers are given in Hobgoblin language and translated by David).
Fee: $500 for one session, $750 for 1⁄2 day, $1500 for a full day, plus travel expenses for locations outside Hampshire County, MA.
Overview:
Appropriate for grades K – 6
Approximate time: 45 minutes
(Plus about 10 minutes at both ends for setup and packing.)
Recommended maximum audience size: 50 (flexible)
The Author’s Sketchbook
Creating a story together
People often ask an author, “Where do you get your ideas?” For David Hyde Costello it usually starts with a sketch. In this program it starts with a scribble. Audience members provide ideas for how to turn the scribble into a drawing. That drawing becomes the start of a story-writing session. David creates the illustrations and leads the discussion as kids generate the plot.
After the new story is done, David briefly shares some of the sketches that were the start of his books, and talks about the development of his ideas from the first stage to the final published work. To close, David presents a telling of the story that he and his audience have just created. The new story’s illustrations are left with the classroom of collaborators.
Fee: $500 for one session, $750 for 1⁄2 day, $1500 for a full day, plus travel expenses for locations outside Hampshire County, MA.
Overview:
Appropriate for grades K – 6
Approximate time: 45 minutes
(Plus about 10 minutes at both ends for setup and packing.)
Recommended maximum audience size: 50 (flexible)
