The group of teens in the C Street Project have been meeting every Thursday night since October developing their craft in visual and performing arts; led by Theatre Artist Melissa Briggs and Visual Artist Suzanne Joyal. Connecting to the Creative San Rafael project, students decided to use the quote by Isabel Allende “Today’s girls are tomorrow’s women—and leaders” to inspire their work in both visual arts and in performance.
Each student is developing a very personal monologue inspired by their own life and where tomorrow will take them inspired by Isabel’s quote. They are learning theater skills to devise & perform their monologues for an audience, and using the monologue to inspire their visual art. Students are learning a variety of drawing and painting techniques that they can use as they develop their murals for the A Street Garage. (Their murals will wrap the 8 pillars facing C Street!)
Last night in rehearsals students worked especially carefully on “the moment before”: How do you begin a performance on stage? Who are you speaking to? What do you want people to know? What is your objective? What is in your way? What actions do you take to overcome those obstacles? How do you capture an audiences attention and hold it. Students spent the evening rehearsing how to begin their monologues, where to look, how to breathe, they even incorporated stage combat technique in a pratfall that kicks off one student’s piece. With targeted directing, personal attention and a few months of solid ‘elements of theatre’ instruction even the most timid members of the group rocked the stage in rehearsal.
Quotes from the evening:
“It’s like you found a treasure box with a key and unlocked it”; “Go away food, but not too far”(a life from the comedic monologue by the picky eater), “I don’t need permission to live my life”; “Stop being racist” (for the quiet girl who showed her rage to the racist PE teacher); “Give me answers” (for the quiet girl facing many issues in her early teen years)
Student’s reflection vocabulary: Transformation, Sweat, Deep, Intense, Gestures, Empowered, Growing in Confidence, Conscience, WHY?
For information about the audition/portfolio review to become a part of C Street Project. CLICK HERE.
