Dear Educators,
Imagine the world’s greatest stages moving directly into your classroom—welcome to our 2026–2027 Education Series.
The seasons open with an internationally acclaimed guzheng composer, Wu Fei, who blends Chinese sounds with mindfulness. Her concerts are offered for students who are musically inclined and students who could use a break! Middle schoolers will benefit from social and emotional learning through the folk tales of David Gonzalez, who uses storytelling to help students overcome bullying and focus on the power of kindness.
Hear the stories of immigrants through Layer the Walls, and share your own story in our community installation. Dive into rich theatrical storytelling that brings history, science, and literature to life with The Magic School Bus, Janet’s Planet Astronaut vs Aquanaut and Sonia De Los Santos sharing her picture book.
I am very happy to share two new works that Zoellner is a national commissioning partner with Theater for Young Audiences; Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar, which tells the story of the invention of the steel guitar and Inlet Dance Theatre’s What Do You Do With A Problem?, based on the children’s book.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our long-standing supporters Richard H. Johnson, Anne Kline, and The Long Family and to our generous corporate education sponsors:
Air Products, PPL, Just Born, Capital Blue Cross, Waste Management, Embassy Bank, Truist Bank, and Customers Bank
Zoellner Arts Center is a proud community partner of Lehigh Valley 250 and we thank them for program support.
We can’t wait to welcome you and your students to Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University.
With Appreciation,
Zaharo Candi Staurinos Director of Community Engagement and Impact
HOW TO BOOK TICKETS
Reserving tickets for Zoellner School Show performances is simple and easy using the on-line School Show reservation forms! Simply follow the link on the show(s) you are interested in to request tickets.
There is a separate form for each show. The main contact for your group should be filling out the form as this is who will receive all communications about the performance and tickets. We fulfill requests on a first come, first served basis, and may require a deposit to hold your order if an event is popular.
CAPACITY
Baker Hall: 900
Diamond Theater: 300
Well-Being Concerts: 40
Questions about the ordering process? Contact the Ticket Manager 610-758-2787, ext. 0 or inzschtx@lehigh.edu
Questions about content and grade levels? Contact the Education Engagement Coordinator 610-758-5774 or inzschtx@lehigh.edu
THURSDAY OCTOBER 15
10:00AM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: 9 - 12
WU FEI
Estimated performance runtime is 45 - 60 minutes, including Q&A.
PENNSYLVANIA
STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.2 Historical and Cultural Context
9.3 Critical Response
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Wu Fei, internationally acclaimed guzheng virtuoso and composer, offers a contemplative live music experience blending traditional Chinese sounds with improvisation and mindfulness.
A classically trained composer, singer, and master of the guzheng, the 21-string Chinese zither. Wu Fei has performed around the world at venues and festivals including the Forbidden City, New York City, Paris, Tokyo and at the Big Ears Festival in Tennessee.
She plays in the guzheng’s vernacular — a musical language at least 2,500 years old – mixing Western classical and Chinese traditions with a contemporary, idiosyncratic sound.
The 10 am performance will explore Chinese instrument and introduce students who study music to a new way of thinking about music lessons and sound.
Well-Being Concert | 12:30pm | Grades 11 - 12
Event has limited seating and will take place on Baker Hall stage with school groups and public audience members choosing from a variety of casual and comfortable seating options, with mats, cushions and chairs available.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5
DAVID GONZALEZ
Maddog and Me - Bullying and the Power of Kindness
Estimated performance runtime is 45 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
Curriculum Connections: Anti-Bullying, Character Education, Storytelling, English Language Arts, and Visual & Performing Arts
This entertaining mix of world folk tales and personal stories addresses the universal experience of standing up for yourself in the face of adversity and bullying. Through fables, myths, and stories from his own life growing up in a rough neighborhood, award-winning storyteller and educator Dr. David Gonzalez, accompanied by Daniel Kelly, offers insights and strategies for cultivating compassionate relationships and communities.
Gonzalez is a musician, poet, and storyteller, he received the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from International Performing Arts for Youth, was nominated for a 2006 Drama Desk Award, was a featured performer at the 2007 National Storytelling Festival, and is a Joseph Campbell Foundation Fellow. He has created numerous theatrical productions that have been performed at the best performing arts centers, theaters, and festivals in the United States. Gonzalez received his doctorate in Music Therapy from New York University’s School of Education.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE TICKETS
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10:00AM & 12:00PM
BAKER HALL SUGGESTED GRADES: 3 - 8
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18
10:00AM & 12:30PM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: 3 - 12
LAYER THE WALLS PART II
Midcentury (1930 -1970)
Estimated performance runtime is 60 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for Civics of Government:
5.1 Principles and Documents of Government
5.2 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
5.3 How Government Works
5.4 How International Relationships Function
Academic Standards for History:
8.1 Historical Analysis and Skills Development
8.3 United States History
8.4 World History
Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.2 Historical and Cultural Context
9.3 Critical Response
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Layer the Walls Part II explores the realities of living in a tenement, the discrimination and struggles many new immigrants faced when entering the United States. This performance explores:
A Chinese father swims across the Hudson River to save his family
A Teen Holocaust survivor finds home in NYC
Puerto Rican cousins become involved with the Young Lords’ fight for healthcare justice
In addition the specifics of Chinese immigration, Puerto Rican migration, and immigration from World War II refugees are explored. Storylines center on the Chinese Exclusion Act and family separation; Chinese ribbon dancing; the aftermath of the Holocaust and Displaced Persons camps; the NYC garment industry; The Young Lords and the fight for healthcare equity. This piece is told with rod puppets, half mask, and shadow puppetry.
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE STUDY GUIDE
ABLAYE CISSOKO & CYRILLE BROTTO
Well-Being Concert
Estimated performance runtime is 45 - 60 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.2 Historical and Cultural Context
9.3 Critical Response
9.4 Aesthetic Response
In this interactive Well-Being Concert, Senegalese kora master and djeli (storyteller) Ablaye Cissoko and French accordionist Cyrille Brotto showcase music’s singular ability to bridge cultures, expand traditions, and connect individuals. “Both the kora and accordion somehow carry a living tradition. They awaken all our senses and allow us to see humanity differently,” Cissoko told the UK’s Songlines. Audiences enjoy casual and comfortable seating options as they explore new cross-cultural connections and find inspiration that lasts long after the performance ends.
Event has limited seating with school groups and public audience members choosing from a variety of casual and comfortable seating options, with mats, cushions and chairs available.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE TICKETS
CLICK HERE FOR THEIR WEBSITE
THURSDAY JANUARY 21 12:00PM
FOWLER BLACK BOX THEATRE
SUGGESTED GRADES: 11 - 12
Limited Seating
MONDAY FEBRUARY 22
10:00AM & 12:30PM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: K - 5
MAGIC SCHOOL BUS
Lost in the Solar System
Estimated performance runtime is 60 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for English Language Arts:
1.5 Speaking and Listening
Academic Standards for Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Hop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this new musical adaptation based on the original book series published by Scholastic.
When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! But when rivalries both old and new threaten to tear the students apart, our young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system.
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE STUDY GUIDE
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO
JANET’S PLANET
Astronaut vs Aquanaut
Estimated performance runtime is 60 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for Science,Technology, and Engineering:
3.2 Physical sciences: Chemistry and Physics
3.3 Earth and Space Sciences
3.4 Technology and Engineering Education
Academic Standards for English Language Arts:
5.5 Speaking and Listening
Astronaut or Aquanaut—which path would you choose? Step into the ultimate exploration showdown with Janet’s Planet! In this lively, interactive program, audiences are invited to compare two of the most extreme frontiers humans have ever explored: the vastness of outer space and the mysterious depths of Earth’s oceans.
In one corner stands the astronaut, suited up for life beyond our planet, navigating microgravity, spacecraft, and distant worlds. In the other, the aquanaut braves crushing pressure, darkness, and incredible marine ecosystems beneath the waves. Through engaging audience participation and surprising science connections, Janet reveals how these two seemingly different explorers share remarkable similarities—from specialized training and life-support systems to teamwork and problem-solving in extreme environments.
As the friendly debate unfolds, you’ll discover how space science and ocean science influence one another in technology, research, and exploration. By the end, you won’t just learn—you’ll decide: would you rather soar among the stars or dive into the deep blue sea? Get ready for an educational adventure that inspires curiosity, sparks imagination, and brings science to life!
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THURSDAY MARCH 18 10:00AM & 12:00PM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: 3 - 7
MONDAY
26 10:00AM & 12:30PM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: 2 - 6
JOSEPH KEKUKU AND THE VOICE OF THE STEEL GUITAR
Estimated performance runtime is 50 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.2 Historical and Cultural Context
9.3 Critical Response
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Academic Standards for History:
8.3 United States History
8.4 World History
Academic Standards for World Languages:
12.5 World Languages in the Community
Academic Standards for Science, Technology and Engineering:
3.4 Technology and Engineering Education
It’s 1885, Oahu. An eleven-year-old Native Hawaiian boy takes a drill to his guitar and unlocks a brand new sound. Hawaiian music—and the music of America—is never the same. This new play traces the incredible invention of the steel guitar from the taro fields of Hawaii to vaudeville halls of New York City to clubs in the south filled with blues, country, rock and roll music and beyond. With a thrilling live slide guitar soundtrack and projections, this production celebrates innovation, engineering, and the global exchange of ideas and sound.
This new production is made possible with commissioning support from the TYA Tour Development Collective with contributions from Des Moines Performing Arts, Dayton Live, Playhouse Square, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Zoellner Arts Center, Midwest Trust Center, and Wharton Center for Performing Arts.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PROBLEM?
Estimated performance runtime is 45 - 60 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Academic Standards for English Language Arts:
1.5 Speaking and Listening
Produced by Cleveland’s Inlet Dance Theatre, this dance theatre adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestseller by Kobi Yamada, What Do You Do With a Problem? is a powerful story for all ages about a child facing a persistent problem. At first, the problem feels overwhelming, growing larger the more it’s ignored. But when the child bravely confronts it, the problem reveals unexpected possibilities. This moving production invites audiences to see challenges in a new light—reminding us that within every problem may lie a hidden opportunity… and a chance to discover something meaningful about ourselves.
This new production is made possible with commissioning support from the TYA Tour Development Collective with contributions from Des Moines Performing Arts, Dayton Live, Playhouse Square, Gogue Performing Arts Center, Zoellner Arts Center, Midwest Trust Center, and Wharton Center for Performing Arts.
WEDNESDAY
MAY 12
10:00AM & 12:30PM
BAKER HALL SUGGESTED GRADES: Pre K - 3
THURSDAY MAY 20
10:00AM & 12:30PM
BAKER HALL
SUGGESTED GRADES: K - 3
SONIA DE LOS SANTOS La
Golondrina
Estimated performance runtime is 55 minutes.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE STANDARDS:
Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities:
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
9.4 Aesthetic Response
Academic Standards for English Language Arts:
1.5 Speaking and Listening
Academic Standards for History:
8.4 World History
Latin Grammy–nominated singer/songwriter Sonia De Los Santos shares La Golondrina, her debut picture book in this special bilingual musical performance. On the porch of her grandmother’s home, a girl watches a migratory swallow swoop and dart, delighting in its song and imagining the journey it will make–much like the one her papá is making, and that she will soon make too. Based on her popular song, Sonia De Los Santos shares the music which inspired this joyful celebration of home, family, and the journeys that shape our lives and communities.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE TICKETS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE STUDY GUIDE
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO
