Sugar Skull! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure

Sugar Skull! is a joyful adventure that delves into the rich traditions of Día de Muertos to deepen students’ understanding of Mexican and Latin American culture. Featuring regional dances of Mexico, colorful costumes and traditional music Sugar Skull! teaches about Mexican culture beyond the expected!

In this story, Young Vita thinks her family has gone loco planning a celebration for deceased loved ones. Why throw a party for the dead? But when a candy skeleton on her Abuelita’s cemetery ofrenda suddenly springs to life, Vita meets Sugar Skull, the charismatic candy skeleton who dreams of riding the exclusive train to Who-Knows-Where. But can this clever girl help him get on the train before it’s too late? Join Vita as she finds herself on a magical, musical journey to unravel the true meaning of Día de Muertos.

*This performance takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15), honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latin American communities.*

Educator Resources

Changemaker Kiliii Yuyan

National Geographic photographer Kiliii Yüyan takes students on a vivid journey through powerful images and on-the-ground stories that show how Indigenous communities are protecting the majority of the planet’s biodiversity. Drawing from work in places ranging from California and Alaska to Australia and Mongolia, he explores how generations of place-based knowledge, rooted in caring for land and water, can guide modern conservation. Along the way, Kiliii offers an inside look at life in the field and shares unforgettable encounters with wildlife that shape his storytelling.

Kiliii Yüyan is a Nanai (Siberian Native) and Chinese-American photographer based out of Seatle. His award-winning work spotlights Indigenous communities and conservation issues through photography, writing, and filmmaking, with features appearing in National Geographic Magazine, The Guardian, Sierra, and Vogue. On assignment, he has fled collapsing sea ice, weathered botulism from fermented whale blood, and found kinship at the edges of the world. Known for his joyful grin, Kiliii has reasons to be thankful: he’s survived a hunting polar bear and charmed sea snakes. But perhaps it is easiest to say that he is a storyteller who seeks to understand the world from many human perspectives.

*This event takes place one week after Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 12) and ahead of National Native American Heritage Month (November), honoring Indigenous knowledge, storytelling, and relationships to land and water.*

Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical

Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog have started an epic club to teach 21 rambunctious baby frogs how to make their own comics! Their fishy father Flippy is overjoyed that his kids will learn to unleash their creativity, but when the frogs’ constant bickering and outrageous imaginations send their comics comically off the rails, Flippy flips out! Will the club survive? Will the frogs ever get along? And will creativity finally save the day? All will be answered in this madcap musical based on Dav Pilkey’s irreverently hilarious book series.This hilarious musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man spin-off series, Cat Kid Comic Club, is written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander – the team that brought you DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL! Direction and Choreography is by Marlo Hunter.

Keith Ladzinski: Forces of Nature

Journey to the farthest reaches of the planet with National Geographic storyteller Keith Ladzinski in a sweeping, image-driven talk that explores weather, wild places, and the forces that shape life on Earth. Through behind-the-scenes stories, from storm chasing in Tornado Alley to documenting remote polar landscapes, students learn how photographers and filmmakers plan, observe, and work safely in extreme conditions to capture a single moment. The program connects visual storytelling to science and conservation, helping students think about Earth systems, cause and effect in nature, and why protecting ecosystems matters.

An esteemed photographer, filmmaker, and Emmy-nominated director, Keith Ladzinski is known for captivating imagery at the intersection of adventure, nature, and conservation. He has dedicated his career to documenting the world’s most remote landscapes, from the Arctic to the Himalayas, and his award-winning projects include stories on the Great Lakes of North America, sauropod dinosaur discoveries in the African Sahara, and the impacts of overharvesting krill in Antarctica. Keith is a co-founder of Triage Creative, a founding member of the SeaLegacy Collective, and an ongoing contributor to National Geographic. Whether dangling from ropes thousands of feet up to document first ascents in interior Antarctica, trekking on Mount Everest, scaling ancient giant redwoods, or diving with wild alligators and navigating saltwater crocodiles, he goes to the extreme to bring nuance, sensitivity, and depth to the stories he shares.

This talk is part of the Vital Impacts Student Speaker Series, presented in collaboration with Changemaker Talent. These compelling talks blend storytelling with award-winning imagery to bring to life the biodiversity crisis and the people and programs working toward a sustainable future.

DanceAspen Take Me Home

Behind the Curtain with DanceAspen offers students a rare, insider’s look at the creation of Take Me Home, an evening of world premieres by groundbreaking American choreographers. Join us at the Wheeler Opera House as DanceAspen opens the doors to a live technical rehearsal, revealing how lighting, costumes, sound, and staging come together in real time while dancers rehearse onstage. This immersive experience gives audiences a taste of our premiere lineup and a glimpse into the collaborative artistry, precision, and hard work that bring a production to life.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

A fresh, theatrical retelling of the classic fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf invites young audiences to explore big ideas through an engaging story. With humor, suspense, and heart, the performance sparks conversation about honesty and trust, the consequences of our choices, and how courage can show up when it matters most. Designed for PreK–Grade 3, this student matinee supports classroom learning around character education, listening and comprehension, and making connections between actions and outcomes.

Silas lives in a small valley village where life revolves around sheep, wool, and winter knitting, culminating in an annual “best jumper” contest at the village party. When Silas is sent up the mountain to watch the sheep and guard them from wolves, he grows lonely and jealous of the celebration below and cries “Wolf!” just to bring his mum and grandfather running. Twice he tricks them, and twice his grandfather warns him that no one believes in a liar, even when he tells the truth. But in a harsh winter, real wolves appear, and Silas must find the bravery to protect the flock on his own. When he returns home, he discovers his mum has finally won the jumper contest, with a sweater that tells Silas’s story and fits him perfectly.

Casey Anderson: Among Wild Predators

National Geographic Explorer Casey Anderson brings students into the world of wildlife filmmaking and real-life conservation, using stories from the field to explore how predators shape ecosystems and why protecting wild places matters. Through vivid images and behind-the-scenes experiences, students learn how scientists and filmmakers track elusive animals, what it takes to work safely and ethically around wildlife, and how human choices affect habitat and coexistence. The talk encourages curiosity, respect for nature, and practical conservation-minded thinking students can connect to their own communities.

Casey Anderson is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, adventurer, and National Geographic Explorer who has spent the last three decades traveling the world to capture wildlife stories through the camera lens. Born and raised in Montana, he grew up exploring the wilderness and, by age eighteen, was guiding wildlife filmmakers into remote locations to track and film some of the most elusive animals. At twenty-six, Casey adopted an orphaned grizzly bear, an experience that led him to co-found the Montana Grizzly Encounter, a sanctuary for bears saved from inhumane situations. Casey has appeared on Nat Geo WILD, BBC, PBS, Travel Channel, and Discovery Channel, and has been a regular contributor to Conan and Oprah.

*Timed with animals emerging from hibernation in the spring, this program connects seasonal wildlife behavior to real‑world conservation, predator–prey relationships, and coexistence in shared habitats.*

This talk is part of the Vital Impacts Student Speaker Series, presented in collaboration with Changemaker Talent. These compelling talks blend storytelling with award-winning imagery to bring to life the biodiversity crisis and the people and programs working toward a sustainable future.

Anand Varma: Exploring Nature’s Hidden Worlds

Step into a world of wonder with biologist-turned-photographer Anand Varma as he uses cutting-edge imaging to reveal nature’s hidden stories. Through dramatic photos and short videos, students explore life beyond the naked eye, from the early life cycle of honeybees to the lightning-fast biomechanics of hummingbirds and other animals. Along the way, Anand connects photography and science as tools for observation, experimentation, and discovery, inviting students to ask questions, notice patterns, and see the natural world with fresh curiosity. Anand Varma grew up exploring the woods near his home in Atlanta, Georgia, and first picked up his dad’s old camera as a teenager as a way to share what he was discovering. He studied integrative biology at UC Berkeley and now photographs for National Geographic, where he received an Early Career Grant in 2010 and has produced multiple magazine stories, including the 2014 cover story “Mindsuckers.” Known for a graphic, high-contrast visual style and an inventive approach, Anand builds custom equipment and elaborate setups, using tools like wind tunnels, black lights, tanks, and everyday household items, and collaborates with scientific experts to illuminate details we can’t normally see, from baby bees in their first days to animals in motion. His work aims to spark wonder by revealing the beauty and complexity hidden in the everyday natural world.

This talk is part of the Vital Impacts Student Speaker Series, presented in collaboration with Changemaker Talent. These compelling talks blend storytelling with award-winning imagery to bring to life the biodiversity crisis and the people and programs working toward a sustainable future.

Collision of Rhythm

Collision of Rhythm delivers a high-energy performance with a wide range of instruments including drums and percussion, piano, marimba, saxophone, and beatboxing — with the unique elements of tap-dancing and bounce juggling. The duo is comprised of musical virtuoso and award-winning educator, Aaron Williams, and accomplished performer and keynote speaker, Bronkar Lee. Together, they bring a mind-blowing and wildly captivating rhythmic experience with an empowering message of joy and connection through music. This inspiring show is jam-packed with audience interaction, laughter, engaging stories and jaw-dropping performances for all ages and backgrounds.The duo is comprised of tap-dancing classical and jazz virtuoso, Aaron Williams, and beatbox-juggling keynote speaker, Bronkar Lee. Aaron’s background in music education (Level 3 Certification in Orff Schulwerk pedagogy and recipient of ACEMM Winter Spotlight Award) combined with Bronkar’s background in entertainment (Featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Madison Square Garden, and a SuperBowl commercial) and public speaking (President of the Georgia National Speakers’ Association) makes them a triple threat. The duo brings world-class entertainment, a passion for community outreach, and an empowering message of joy, hope, and connection through rhythm and music. Concerts, Community, and Content!