Award-winning playwright and director, Arlene Hutton, came from New York City to visit with the third grade students in preparation for their Women of Character play. Women of Character is part of the third grade Global Ed unit. 

Hutton talked to the girls about theatre, her career as a playwright and director, and how to be "present" onstage. She gave them some basic pointers about projecting to be heard and talked about the importance of using research to learn about your character. She also shared that acting is not just about saying your own lines but about listening to others and learning about their characters.  

Hutton's advice aligned perfectly with Sacred Heart's global competencies including "Communicate with agility and engage in respectful dialogue," "Recognize and value diverse perspectives," and "Investigate the world with intellectual curiosity and cultural literacy." 

Students then participated in a storytelling exercise. With a partner, they created dialogue using the letters of the alphabet. The first person said a line that started with the letter "A," and the second person said a line that started with the letter "B."

They then went through the alphabet as far as they could. The girls had a lot of fun and created some adorable scenes!