The Story Pirates help L.A. school kids’ imaginations set sail

It’s a packed theater at the Geffen Playhouse on a recent Saturday. And the audience is hypnotized.

Lips are suctioned around pacifiers. Hands tug on T-shirts with images of Spider-Man or Barbie emblazoned across the front. Binkies and stuffed animals stand by. And sneakers that light up along the bottom beam brightly.

On stage, ducks that moonlight as scientists are getting lost in cyberspace. A sumo bullfighter named William — with the help of his best friend, who happens to be a baby … and happens to have a mustache — is attempting to fight a big bull. A girl is being tied to a tetherball pole. And a bear is a guest at a tea party.

But it wasn’t a performance of “Nightmare Alley,” the production that had just wrapped its run at the theater. The cast is a nonprofit group that turns kiddie stories into works of theatrical art.

Based in New York City, the Story Pirates aim to foster that kooky imagination — the one that envisions talking fire engines that are friendly with squirrels and kids who mimic their dogs’ toilet drinking habits — among children and teens through writing.

And now the swashbucklers are expanding their efforts to Los Angeles and are teaming with the Geffen Playhouse, as part of their educational outreach programming, to loot the minds of children in L.A.-based schools and transform the kids into storytellers.

“Our students need as much help with writing as possible,” said Judi Garratt, theater specialist for LAUSD. “They’re used to texting. They need to know how to set up a conflict and resolution. They need to know how to think outside the box.”

The Pirates, whose shows have been described as “ ‘Monty Python’ meets ‘Schoolhouse Rock,’ ” received national attention in 2008 when “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart called them “crazy entertaining” on “Larry King Live.”

But before there can be a show, there has to be writing.

The Pirates first conduct a “Greatest Hits” performance, in which they highlight their funniest songs and story adaptations, at the participating school. Then over the span of two to three weeks, the Pirates work directly with students — with curriculum tailored for each grade — in a series of workshops to help them create original stories.

“When you teach solely to a test, you run the danger of stifling creativity,” said Benjamin Salka, producer of the group. “Story Pirates shows kids that writing is not just something you learn to pass a test. It’s a way to make their friends laugh. It’s a way to foster ideas. It’s a way to influence the way people feel. It’s a way to better their lives. To have their voices heard.”

After three workshops, the Pirates leave and give students time to work on their own stories. During Story Love, the residents read every story and write positive comments and suggestions — “I wonder what would happen if the dragon had gone to a different castle that morning?” — to further propel their imaginations The fourth workshop is dedicated to helping the students refine and revise their work. And then it’s time for another show.

The Pirates collect all the stories and select a few to which they will then add their signature process of creating musical sketches, which feature various “proptumes” — a mixture of interchangeable props and costumes. None of the students know which work will be performed.

“It so cool to see how they transform your words into all that,” said Zoe Taylor Wasserman, 10, who attends Wildwood School in Culver City and is the author of the tetherball-pole tale. “Mine was based on a true story. I was tied to a tether pole and my dad got mad. But the Story Pirates made it look way funnier.”

The organization recently conducted residency workshops in three LAUSD elementary schools: Braddock Drive, Rockdale and Lorena.

“The way they react when they realize their story got picked is so heartwarming to see,” said Desiree De Bond-Vargas, principal at Rockdale Elementary, where two third-grade classes participated. “And it’s not a competition. If anything, it fuels them to keep writing. They get inspired from all the different tales they hear and see. They are on the edge of their seat the whole time.”

The Story Pirates were founded in 2003 by a group of recent Northwestern University graduates, including actress and comedian Kristen Schaal (“Flight of the Conchords”). Its cast includes actors, lawyers, therapists and others.

They are based at the Arthur Seelen Theater in Midtown Manhattan, where the group performs a weekly show, which contains 10 to 12 stories and features outlandish costumes, puppets and sometimes short films made by the group.

The Pirates had previously been partners with the Geffen on three small-scale tours. But the recent — they hope long-term — partnership was solidified in December and 22 Story Pirates native to Los Angeles were hired.

It’s a comprehensive program, but it’s not cheap. About $300,000 a year is needed to sustain the partnership between the Geffen and the Story Pirates, said Geffen Playhouse education director Debra Pasquerette.

“We don’t have it,” she said. “But we need to find a way to get there. With budget cuts plaguing California schools, programs like this are more important than ever. We’re always looking for new ways to supplement schools that can’t afford the full cost of the programs.”

Maybe the kids can write a happy ending.

yvonne.villarreal@latimes.com