BALTIMORE — Students from Mother Mary Lange Catholic School and Winfield Elementary School got an early Halloween treat when the Grinch visited downtown Baltimore for a literacy-focused event at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center.
The furry, green character who was once "oh-so mean" brought Halloween fun with an educational twist, helping students explore character development through Grinch-themed crafts and activities.
"I think that it's a great opportunity. This is our first field trip of the year so they're so, so excited. I think it's a great way to push literacy into the classrooms," said Alicia Prempeh, a third-grade teacher at Mother Mary Lange Catholic School.
The Grinch is a couple months early and some students were able to see him in the flesh
During the interactive session, the Grinch engaged students in discussions about storytelling and character analysis, asking them to consider what makes a character memorable.
The event is part of the Hippodrome Foundation's ongoing programming designed to introduce schoolchildren to the arts. For every Broadway show at the theater, the foundation creates educational components based on state curriculum guidelines, offered free to schools.
"With the Grinch, this was the perfect opportunity for our young learners to get in and learn all about characters. But we did it in a fun way so it was educational and made them want to learn," said Barb Wirsing, education director for the Hippodrome Foundation.
The visit included a surprise trick-or-treat experience, with theater ushers and staff distributing candy and treats to the excited students.
"I didn't expect that we were going to trick or treat. I got like fruit roll-ups, lollipops, a toothbrush," said Orville Parry, a third-grader from Winfield Elementary School.
The event concluded with storytime as the Grinch read from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" to the captivated audience.
"Today was really really fun and really really silly. The silliest part was when he started posing," said London Duckett, another third-grader from Winfield Elementary School.
"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the musical runs at the Hippodrome Theater from November 26 through 30.
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