Southland Sings offers two programs: “My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song” and our new “From the Page to the Stage.” Both programs serve K-12 children, children with disabilities, children undergoing residential psychiatric treatment, children experiencing homelessness, and system-engaged youth.

“My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song” teaches children to become writers, composers, singers, and performers of their own original musicals. Working together, the students improvise and write melodies with original accompaniment, and then merge their musical creation with their own lyrics. The finished piece contains 5-8 original short songs and poems, dialogue, movement, and narration. There is also an optional component that allows students to create original animations of their work.

“From the Page to the Stage” uses the same methodology as “My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song,” but the students create a play instead of a work of musical theater.

In both programs, students determine the theme and plot of their work, create characters, dialogue, and narration based on their life experiences or on a common classroom subject. Students work both individually and in small groups over 10-14 consecutive 60-minute weekly sessions. The project culminates with a student-performed show for a live audience.