Tai Nicholas was quite surprised when she first encountered the young theater talent ready to showcase itself in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Recently hired as the public school district’s talented theater teacher, Nicholas said she was concerned with how difficult it could be to teach young children and keep their attention. Her program is open to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

“Coming in, the kids completely blew me away,” Nicholas said. “I was not expecting them to be so advanced, aware, talented, creative and imaginative. That gave me a lot to work with. They’re very excited. I see why they were chosen for the program. They are very passionate about it and very enthusiastic about it. That makes my job ten times easier.

“Of course, they are kids and have short attention spans at times, but the passion is there and the excitement is there so that makes me even more excited to do what I am doing.”

What she is doing is visiting a different school a day each week, categorizing her instruction based on the level of her students and their experience in the program.

In sessions that generally last between 45 minutes and an hour, the class covers acting techniques, play readings, script analysis, monologue presentations and scene study.

Elementary talented theater is open to all students but those interested must secure a teacher recommendation, prepare an audition monologue and earn sufficient scores through state testing, Nicholas said, a process that has produced a determined and committed student body.

“Talented Theatre is a creative way to express yourself,” Nicholas said. “It involves your emotions, your feelings and expressing that artistically, verbally and through creative writing and story telling. That is where drama comes in with the whole theatrical aspect of it.”

That talent will be on display for all to see from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School, where, for free, students will perform two scenes from “Annie” and two scenes from “Cinderella.”

Having only worked with her students since March, Nicholas didn’t want to deny her talented bunch a chance for an end-of-the-year showcase even if time negated a full-fledged production.

“It is their chance to shine but it is also a chance to expose the program,” Nicholas said. “I’ve talked to several people since I started who said they didn’t know anything about it. It’s a chance for people in the community, (parents or students) who may be looking for something like this.

“There are people interested in taking acting classes or getting involved in drama or theater in some way. This gives them a chance to get exposed to the program and see what it is all about.”

Nicholas, a LaPlace native, said she would be spending the summer in Atlanta pursuing her own acting career. Should the opportunity present itself to grow the talented theater program next school year, Nicholas is already working on a full-year schedule that is equal parts fun and informative.

“Sometimes it is more about just having fun and allowing the kids to express their passion and show their individuality,” she said.

“However, sometimes there is something going on like a current event and you want to get a message out to the people and use a play or theatrical production to do that and get people thinking and aware.”

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.