The children’s puppet show was again performed, this time in the cultural center Artistas del Acero. On October 24, Tony, Lala, Estelita and Don Gritardo, the main characters of the show, stressed the importance of taking care of our ocean to a group of primary school children.
Sandra Pineda, director of Teaching, Learning and Scheduling at Artistas del Acero, praised the show, as it seeks to raise consciousness of the pressing problem, the formation of garbage islands in the sea. "For us, it’s very important to take part in the education of children, which is the aim of our “Audience Training Program”. We achieve this through events like the puppet show organized by IMO. I want to highlight the idea of bringing the two projects together in order to benefit children,” said Pineda. Thus, both the puppet show Tony Tonina and this program could contribute to the education of coming generations and generate change in the future.
This was the fifth time the play linking the ocean and puppet theater has been performed. IMO’s Outreach deputy director and marine biologist Bárbara Léniz emphasizes how rewarding it is to contribute to society in this way. “The performance of the show was highly successful, as always. Children got involved in it enthusiastically, and they were very interested in the story. This particular occasion was special because we put on the play in a professional theater, which made for a different atmosphere. The lights and the music worked their magic, so we could enjoy the play. This is the beginning of a cooperation agreement between Artistas del Acero and IMO, which, without a doubt, will be very useful for our future activities,” concluded Léniz.
The show was attended by 90 students along with their teachers and some parents. Young people with special educational needs also participated in the event, which represents a contribution to IMO’s inclusion commitment.
Actor George Soto, who works Tony and Estelita in the show, spoke positively of the performance. “To be in a real theater really plays in our favor since the audience pays careful attention. The fact that we are in a theater environment, in the dark, and that the stage and the lights also play an important role is extremely beneficial: children watch the spectacle much more attentively. The message was spread in a more intense way, with the children actively participating and focusing on the play,” he explained.
Gonzalo Ramírez, the actor working Lala and Don Gritardo, agrees with his colleague. “It’s always great to perform Tony Tonina, a science-based play with a very important social message aimed at children. Change begins with them; we need to talk to them about this subject, so that we can make a change in the long term. Taking care of the planet and not contaminating the ocean are some of this show’s main lessons,” he concludes.
The Artistas del Acero Audience Training Program has existed since 2014 with the aim of fostering theater attendance from primary school on. It therefore always seeks to incorporate artistic works complementing the contents of the school curriculum. This is the reason why it teamed up with IMO, which also makes an important contribution in the light of the fact that 2017 is the Year of the Oceans.
