PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Typically during this time of year, Plymouth State University’s Emmy award-winning TIGER (Theater Integrating Guidance, Education, and Responsibility) theatre company, a collaboration between PSU graduate-level integrated arts and school counseling programs, would be busy presenting its popular educational performances to elementary, middle and high school students throughout New England. But with its season cut short by the sudden transition to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TIGER team quickly mobilized to create “TIGER TIME” – an engaging, entertaining video series for children in kindergarten to grade four that can be incorporated into remote learning curriculum by teachers and enjoyed by parents and children.

TIGER is a theatre company designed to help children, schools, parents and communities deal proactively and positively with social issues and concerns facing children in schools today. Based entirely upon the anonymous writings of schoolchildren, TIGER performances incorporate live actors, theatre, movement and music to engage audiences. The performances explore topics such as trust, empathy, inclusion, confidence, bullying and more to help students learn to create more positive social interactions at school, at home and in their communities.

The 20-episode TIGER TIME series features PSU TIGER actors past and present, community actors, local artists and New Hampshire Artist Laureate and PSU Professor Amanda Whitworth. Alex Ray of the Common Man Family of Restaurants appears in four episodes where he cooks-up tasty, kid-friendly dishes in his home kitchen. Episodes incorporate storytelling, music, singing, dancing, activities, magic tricks and more, communicating positive lessons that children can easily grasp. The episodes average 10 to 15 minutes in length.

The TIGER TIME Episode on “Respect” featuring Alex Ray can be viewed on YouTube. *Plymouth State University grants permission for distribution and broadcast of this and all TIGER TIME video files.

“We were so disappointed when our performance season was derailed; however, this unfortunate situation opened the door for us to bring TIGER to a much broader audience,” said Trish Lindberg, Ph.D., Artistic Director of TIGER and Producing Artistic Director of PSU’s Educational Theatre Collaborative. “We are proud and excited to offer TIGER’s informative and positive messages online through TIGER TIME, and we hope that educators and families, not only regionally, but all over the country and the world, will find the TIGER TIME episodes useful, entertaining and fun!”

In addition to the many TIGER actors and guests who lent their time and talent to the series, Dr. Lindberg was assisted in developing and producing TIGER TIME by PSU integrated arts graduate student and internationally known storyteller, Fidaa Ataya, who is from Palestine. Ataya brought enthusiasm and extensive film experience to the project, and is a featured performer in the series.

“TIGER TIME is great educational programming that is professionally done, and also fun,” said Alex Ray, owner and founder of The Common Man Family of Restaurants. “I think it’s up there with Kermit [the Frog] and Mister Rogers as rare ‘good TV’ for children.”

TIGER TIME episodes can be downloaded and viewed individually, or as a full playlist of 20 episodes. All 20 TIGER TIME episodes can be viewed and downloaded at PSU’s TIGER TIME YouTube channel. For information about the Plymouth State University and TIGER, visit www.plymouth.edu.

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