1. Content: What is the issue, need, idea or opportunity addressed by this project?
The play addressed marginalized people of color from history and the recognition or lack thereof that they got for what they did/went through, and the connection it holds to issues of race, gender, class and politics. And the project at whole was an opportunity for youth to develop their own lens of how they experience these figures from history, their own connection to them, their own opinion of them, and taking the power back to empower themselves and their voices through the characters.
2. Form: What medium and techniques were used to embody the content?
A lot of techniques from Theater of the Oppressed, where the youth were involved in writing the script through games and exercises in the rehearsal space. They used the character of the joker and chorus for example, which question the plot and can even change it. Moreover they used popular song, dance and humor to access the audience in a non threatening way, that made the content more accessible.
3. Context: What are the circumstances and setting that frame our understanding of this project?
The history of the topics in correlation with the demographic of the youth they were staging it with.
4. Stakeholders: Who can affect or be affected by this project?
The youth that are involved by taking part in a piece that empowers their voices, independent and critical thinking. The audience members coming to view the piece, can learn also historical facts, but also become empowered by seeing the youth speak up in a way that is so honest and authentic, as well as gain new perspectives through the new lenses that the youth offer. The writer can be affected as well, by allowing an open dialogue with the actors and listening to what they have to say and their experiences.
5. Audience or communities engaged: For whom and/or with whom was this project created?
This project was created through the CAP program with youth from east LA, a mainly Latino demographic ages 13-17, and was set to perform in Plaza de la Raza and Redcat theater.
6. Engagement strategies: How were the stakeholders, audiences, and community members engaged in this project? How were the goals of the project advanced?
Through the character of the joker and the chorus they engaged in a open dialogue with the audience. This advanced the goal of encouraging the community to participate in a political discourse and voice their ideas, since they literally asked them questions about what they would do, if put in that situation. Moreover they performed the piece not only in Redcat (which is geared to a very specific audience) but in the plaza as well, which allowed them to engage more of the community members as audience members as well, and not gear the show to an audience of a specific privileged theater going sect of society.
7. Resources: What tangible or intangible resources were used to pursue the project's goals?
Tangible resources were the historical contexts, learning about these historical figures and it was achieved. She used the youth themselves and their stories as a resource, which ended up being a very tangible resource since they were all very active participants, understood the messages that were being portrayed and enjoyed bringing in their original voices.
8. Goal: What are the project's objectives?
the objectives were to create a piece that will offer structure to the youth but at the same time allow them to create a piece about something they are passionate about, help facilitate a dialogue with them on these issues, learn collectively as a group and empower them and their identities. The goal was to begin a dialogue among the audience as well and provoke their opinions and thought process.
9. Outcomes: What were the results and the impact of this project? Did they match the goals?
One of the results were accusations of the UPSET! team for putting on their own biases onto the youth, and not really allowing them to speak their own mind. If this is true, on a certain level that contradicts the goal of empowering independent thinking and voicing their thoughts. However because they explicitly used the youth's words throughout the piece, and made all the youth play both the "bad" and "good" characters, it resulted in these teens also seeing the human side of the "bad", find sympathy, and understand the complexity of the situation. This broadened their view and their discourse which matched the goals of the project.
10. Values: What were this project's guiding values and/or core beliefs?
To allow the youth to create and lead the piece themselves, not speak for them, but to let them speak through the piece.
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