Meet Melanie

Hi! I'm Melanie (or Ms. Harrison, depending on who you are!)

I am a theatre educator at PS 294: The Walton Avenue School in the Bronx, NY. In my time at PS 294, I have proudly:

Founded a sustainable, culturally responsive K-5 theatre program
Founded our afterschool musical theatre program and directed/produced our first-ever musical
Supported PS 294 in becoming the Bronx's first-ever International Baccalaureate (IB) elementary school
Served as a founding member of our equity team, which focuses on creating an anti-racist, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and ability inclusive learning environment

I love making theatre a transdisciplinary learning experience which supports my students' growth as global citizens.

I firmly believe that rich, substantive theatre pedagogy empowers students of ALL AGES to imagine a better world.

Other career highlights include:

Working as a lead teaching artist with Broadway Bound Kids, the Arthur Miller Foundation, and the Redhouse Arts Center
Developing and piloting investigative theatre tools for young learners with NYU's Verbatim Performance Lab and presenting my findings at American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE)
Winning a CNY Arts Decentralization grant and Disney's Broadway Junior grant
Showcasing my students' work at the Bronx Borough Arts Festival
Collaborating with Broadway Bound Kids, the Arthur Miller Foundation, and the NYC Department of Education to facilitate various professional developments for theatre educators with

Teaching a 1st grade theatre class at PS 294: The Walton Avenue School in the Bronx, NY

With the cast of SLUT: The Play by Katie Cappiello