Incite / Insight Network Spotlight Summer / Early Fall 2018 11 a familiar place , and her engagement with the story that motivated her to speak to the character and tell him what to do . There is an intimacy about taking live theater into the schools , libraries , and other places where children already feel at home . Particularly with very young children , that sense of familiarity results in the children being more alert and confident .
Touring theater is not an easy road , literally . Designing productions that can travel one , two , three hours or more , be set up in thirty minutes , and performed in any size room or spatial orientation , is restrictive . It ’ s been especially challenging to create productions that also meet one essential test : cast , costumes , props , set , and sound must all fit into one fuel efficient vehicle . These challenges continue to force us to be both creative and efficient . A touring production like those we perform doesn ’ t have a lot of bells and whistles , but it is often the first experience the young audiences we serve have with live theater . No matter how much fun we have performing , we take that responsibility very seriously . We feel it is our duty to make the shows we bring to these communities inviting , engaging , and as professional as they would experience in any traditional theater .
Pat Haines-Ainsworth is a teaching artist , actor , playwright , and director in the greater Seattle area . For the past twenty years , she and co-producer , Alexandra Clark , have managed Last Leaf Productions . Last Leaf is a small , touring theater in Washington State . Pat has selected several favorites from the thirty plays written for Last Leaf and made them available to other theater companies and schools via her website , winkingkatbooks . com . She also works as a teaching artist in the visual and performing arts in public schools , private schools , and has taught and directed students at professional companies in the Seattle area . She is currently working with composer , John Allman , to create an original musical for young audiences commissioned by Second Story Repertory in Redmond , WA . Pat is married and has two grown children plus two small , furry ones .