a world premiere by Melissa Leilani Larson
September 2026-May 2027
Fourteenth Annual Free Elementary School Tour serving students in grades 4-6 statewide
Malia and Chester have been best friends forever.
But now Malia's dad has a new job,
which means she has to move really far away.
So what does that mean for sixth grade?
A road trip through friendship, postcards, and the scientific method.
Read on for details on Core Standards and Intended Learning Outcomes, how to bring SNAIL MAIL to your school, and public performances.
CAST & CREATIVE
Playwright: Melissa Leilani Larson
Actors: Chelsea Chen, Austinn Le, Akina Yamazaki, Benjamin Young
Education Liaison: Penny Caywood
Director: Jerry Rapier
Designer: Arika Schockmel
Graphic Designer: Aaron Asano Swenson
Education Coordinator + Photographer: Sharah Meservy
Tour Manager + Photographer: Kallie Filanda
CORE STANDARDS & SEL OUTCOMES
Core Standards in Fine Arts, Health Education, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies are integrated into the script and study guide, alongside all six Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Outcomes: Understand and Manage Emotions, Set and Achieve Positive Goals, Feel and Show Empathy for Others, Establish and Maintain Positive Relationships, Make Responsible Decisions, and Self-Advocate.
SNAIL MAIL also demonstrates Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) which tie in directly with Science with Engineering Educations (SEEd) Standards.
And in the age of instant messaging and digital communication, SNAIL MAIL invites students to discover the joy of slowing down and writing with intention. Amidst historically low reading levels, historically short attention spans, and the new bell-to-bell ban on smartphones and other devices in Utah schools, SNAIL MAIL directly supports and enhances the objectives of Utah's K-12 English Language Arts Standards to create proficient readers, writers, and communicators.
INTENDED LEARNING OBJECTIVES
SNAIL MAIL provides an accessible and interdisciplinary experience that invites students to reflect, imagine, and connect. By engaging with Snail Mail and the accompanying study guide activities, students will:
- foster scientific curiosity, appreciation for the research process, and observational thinking.
- develop empathy, emotional literacy, and resilience.
- deepen their understanding of narrative structure, character development, and theme.
- cultivate an appreciation for theatre as a collaborative art form and its power to illuminate complex topics.
BRING SNAIL MAIL TO YOUR SCHOOL AT NO COST
Click either the Schedule In-Person Performance (mid-April, 2026) or Schedule Virtual Performance (early November, 2026) button below for details.
FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
in the Studio Theatre @ The Rose
138 W 300 S, downtown SLC
- Saturday, March 27, 2027 at 4pm
- Saturday, April 3, 2027 at 4pm
Free-but-required tickets available at the Single Tickets button below.
