Session Block 2

Saturday, July 22nd, 1:15-2:30pm (EDT)

Network: Applied Theatre

MARCH: Dramatizing the Civil Rights Movement with Multilingual Learners

Session Chair: Chris Heller

Other Presenter(s): Raphael Peacock,  Albert Iturregui Elias

How can we teach Multilingual Learners about the history of the civil rights movement? Doesn't it involve too much vocabulary and prior knowledge? How can we get Multilingual Learners speaking with confidence? Aren't they shy and afraid to speak English in public? How do we engage deeply with difficult subject matter? Isn't the weight of it too overwhelming? Lincoln Center Theater's Learning English and Drama Project sought to tackle these questions and challenges by working with NYC high school students to embody the history lived by late civil rights activist and Georgia Congressman, John Lewis. This interactive workshop provides a structure to use with Multilingual Learners to engage with Lewis' life story as told in his graphic novel, March, Book One. Teaching artists Raphael Peacock and Albert Iturregui Elias will walk participants through a timeline of Lewis' early life, taking time to engage with language, gesture, and collaborative theatrical decision-making - all in a structure that invites students of all language backgrounds into the process. The workshop activities are flexibly designed as either an in-person or on-line structure and serve as a jumping off point for a longer residency exploring this text.

Network: Playwriting

"Can I Do That?" An Introduction to the Dramatists Guild Educator FAQ

Session Chair: Jessica Lit

Other Presenter(s): Mora Harris, TJ Young

Do you need licensing to perform a scene or monologue in an acting class? What about when parents are invited? What if you are mounting a production, but not charging admission? What are the parameters around making photocopies of a scene, monologue, or piece of music to distribute to students? What about if you want to make changes to a licensed script for a production; is that allowed, and if so, when? The Dramatists Guild answers these questions and more in a session centering around its new Educator FAQ, a complimentary guide to help educators across the country learn more about using play scripts in educational settings. www.dramatistsguild.com

Network: Professional Theatre

Social Justice Through a Mental Wellness Lens

Session Chair: Nicola Olsen

Presenters: Ashley Pippin, Chris Miller

This panel is a virtual pre-conference session that incorporates and gives voice, and value to those who deserve equal rights, opportunities, and treatment in theatre through the mental wellness lens. Through a conversation with a diverse group of panelists, attendees will leave inspired to engage in mental wellness education and advocacy efforts through theatre arts, with particular attention on social justice issues.