| NEXT STAGE EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPS
If you are an individual or an organization (such as a school, a non-profit, a drama club, or a youth group) that represents a group of young people, you may be interested in learning how Dramatic Adventure Theatre's Next Stage Empowerment Workshops might positively impact your young people (which I will refer to as students). If so, please read on and feel free to contact us with any questions as they arise.
The empowerment workshops utilize theatre as a tool for teaching not only artistic skills, but also life skills. Your students need not have any knowledge (or active interest for that matter) in theatre to participate as they will be taught from the ground up. In learning how a play is created and performed, our students improve their collaboration and communication (talking, listening, and responding) skills. As our students learn the ingredients necessary to write a play, they begin to see the basic dramatic structure of life.
Each workshop day, we explore a different theme... all relating to theatre, but easily translated to their own lives. For example, as they learn the importance of SETTING in a play, they learn how the world around them influences their circumstances and behavioral responses, but that they also have the power to influence and change the world around them. As they examine the role of RELATIONSHIPS between characters, they are able to see the impact of those that are in their own lives... by birth, by law, and by choice. As they look at CONFLICT, they discover how easy it is to fall into trouble. Then they quickly learn the term RAISING THE STAKES, and begin to visualize how one's responses can quickly escalate a small conflict into a much larger conflict. But most importantly they discover RESOLUTION and learn that all shows must come to an end... by making each student the writer of their own plays, they discover that they have the choice on how they would like to resolve their own stories.
The empowerment workshops keep the students physically, mentally, and emotionally stimulated for the full time. The workshops are filled with physical games and focus exercises. In fact, all lessons are learned in the form of a physical game or exercise, but we do break up this activity with writing exercises as well, that allow them the opportunity to dig deep and make their voices heard (while at the same time providing opportunities for our students to appreciate the voices of others).
At the end of all our workshops, we believe that it is very important to have a performance. This brings closure and fulfillment to the experience for everyone involved and I promise you that each student will be proud of what they accomplished... even if it was a struggle to get them to that moment. It's in the pressure of preparing for a performance that the cruciality of collaboration becomes so clear... as they will be depending on each other to succeed.
Each group we workshop with has their own set of challenges and so we also know the importance of adaptation and may change the structure on the fly if something just isn't working. However, our methods are well tested and universally successful.
OH, and let's not forget the importance of having a little post-performance party. Each student needs time to bask in their achievements... and partake in some pizza!!
TARGET STUDENTS
Our workshops can be easily adapted to fit the needs of your students, but are ideal for students from junior high on through high school. These workshops were organically created with students living in difficult situations all around the world and thus best target those students who are in need of hope and encouragement. However, the lessons learned in our workshops are valuable lessons for anyone, regardless of who they are, what there age is, or where they come from.
BASIC GOALS
1. To teach theatre: Basic acting & playwriting skills
2. To build a play: To subtly look upon the dramas at play in one's own life... and have fun in the process.
3. To perform: Get each student working together to achieve a common goal
DESIRED IMPACT
1. Empowerment: Students empowered with social & artistic tools/ life skills and the self-confidence to go out there and use them.
2. Creativity: Students left with a "portable" artistic outlet having helped them open up and tap into their unique experience
3. Hope: Students left with eyes opened to the world around them and inspired by the possibility of alternate story lines
SCHEDULE
This is a week long program, divided into six, 2-hour, workshops. These workshops are ideally placed as a short-term after-school type program Monday through Friday with a special Saturday Presentation & Party. If you are interested in something shorter or longer, contact us and we can discuss the feasibility of such a change.
Here's the daily schedule which, of course, can be adapted to meet your specific needs:
MONDAY
Today's Theme: INTRODUCTION & SETTING
Warm-up (20 min)
"On Your Feet" Workshop (50 min)
Writing Exercises (40 min)
Wrap-Up Exercise & assign home work (10 min)
TUESDAY
Today's Theme: RELATIONSHIPS
Warm-up (20 min)
"On Your Feet" Workshop (50 min)
Writing Exercises (40 min)
Wrap-Up Exercise & assign home work (10 min)
WEDNESDAY
Today's Theme: CONFLICT & "RAISING THE STAKES"
Warm-up (20 min)
"On Your Feet" Workshop (50 min)
Writing Exercises (40 min)
Wrap-Up Exercise & assign home work (10 min)
THURSDAY
Today's Theme: RESOLUTION
Warm-up (20 min)
"On Your Feet" Workshop (50 min)
Writing Exercises (40 min)
Wrap-Up Exercise & assign home work (10 min)
FRIDAY
Today's Theme: COLLABORATION
Warm-up (20 min)
Play Development (1.5 hours)
Wrap-Up Exercise & assign home work (10 min)
SATURDAY
Today's Theme: PERFORMANCE & APPRECIATION
Warm-up (20 min.)
Rehearsal (40 min.)
Performance Presentation (approx. 30 min. - depends on the number of students)
Party (30 min. +)
NOTE: In the above schedule, the exact times and placement of the"On Your Feet" workshops and writing exercises will vary from day to day. For example, we may do 10 minutes on your feet, then 20 minutes of writing, then 15 minutes of on your feet, then 5 minutes of writing, etc., etc.
LOCATION REQUIREMENTS
All we require from you is a safe, empty room with space to move around (appropriate for your group size - for example an empty classroom). It would also be nice if the space had a chalk or dry-erase board, but is certainly not a requirement.
We will provide any other necessary tools and will also provide the party food and drinks. Please let us know in advance if there are any dietary restrictions that we should be aware of. We usually just bring pizza and a variety of drinks, however you are more than welcome to supplement this party with additional foods!
COST
Program cost is determined by the size of the group and staff required. Please let us know if you are interested in smaller or larger groups than those listed below. Those groups will be negotiated on a case by case basis. And please note that although 4 DAT Teaching Artists are ideal and will greatly improve the quality of the experience for each of the participating students, that 2 DAT Teaching Artists is certainly doable as well and will help cut overall costs. So, here are the program costs:
Small Group (4- 7 Students)
2 DAT Teaching Artists - $245/student
4 DAT Teaching Artists - $395/student
Medium Group (8- 17 Students)
2 DAT Teaching Artists - $175/student
4 DAT Teaching Artists - $325/student
Large Group (18-27 Students)
2 DAT Teaching Artists - $100/student
4 DAT Teaching Artists - $200/student
Please feel free to ask about our need-based discounts.
Email Mary K. Redington, maryk@dramaticadventure.com, for more information.
NOTE: Our team of teaching artists are ready to travel to wherever your students are located. Our team's transportation costs are included for nearby locations (essentially between Washington D.C. and Boston). To find out if your location requires an additional cost, please contact us. Our team's lodging costs will also vary from location to location and may or may not be fully included in this cost, so please get in touch with us asap so that we can work out the complete details and give you the final price. Please contact our Executive Producer, Mary K. Redington - maryk@dramaticadventure.com, to get a quote.
INTERESTED?
If everything looks great and you are interested in having Dramatic Adventure Theatre workshop with your group of students, then please contact us today, info@dramaticadventure.com, and we will make all the necessary arrangements with you to set up the Next Stage Empowerment Workshops for your students. We look forward to hearing from you.
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