For the past decade I've been exploring the process of theatre as a conversation, a "community talking to itself." I've had unique opportunities to utilize this process with some extraordinary young people in education and enrichment programs around the U.S. Based loosely on the methods utilized by the artists of the Tectonic Theatre Project (The Laramie Project, The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde) a theatre piece is created out of interviews, historic documents and found text. The students create theatre from the ground up, writing interview questions, talking to stakeholders, crafting the structure and the style, designing, building, researching, and ultimately performing. This process embraces virtually every theme a young person might wish to explore through performance. I have been part of projects that created theatre which explored bullying and the search for self, commemorated significant events, and the fear of approaching adulthood. If there are adolescents in the room with imagination and energy, theatre can happen. Largely driven by the students themselves, these projects were a revelation for both artist and audience. Above all they were a celebration of the community that created them. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to talk about the ACTUP experience!
