The Essential Question that guided our projects’ focus was:
Why is theater important as an art form and what sets it apart as a way to communicate ideas and concepts to the wider world?
Covid has served as a reminder to ISF of the importance of our purpose in the community, because what is a theater organization with no audience? The closures and isolation clearly illustrated what sets theater apart from other art-the sparks that ignite between audience and actors during live theater, the connections made-that invite inspiration, laughter, embarrassment, dislike, and even annoyance.
ISF actors, after a long separation from students, were able to travel to schools all around the State, performing for kids much like in pre-pandemic days. Both the audiences and actor are changed though by their experiences of the last few years.
Some students, remembering the normality of past tours, excitedly greeted the actors. So many students approached the tour companies daily, it became clear this was not an isolated feeling. These kids seemed hungry to share their recollections, to find connection, and to express themselves to a receptive company of actors. It was moving to see the impact these past tours had on students and to get a glimpse of what it must have been like for them in these challenging times.
Some students had never even experienced a play and learned in real time what it mean to be an audience member.
At the conclusion of the project, students responded to questions related to the identified Standards:
Much of the interaction between students and actors happened during the Q & A time or later in the surveys students and teachers completed. When asked questions like, “What makes theater art?” Many students reference the excitement and magic that only comes when actors are in front of an audience acting out a story and that seeing the performance brought the words of the script to life.
We also encouraged kids to dig deeper into each play by asking questions in the surveys like, “Which characters they related to?” Or “What makes a play different than reading a story?”
(The character I related to most was)…
“The father because he was always giving people grief like my own dad.”
7th Grader, Nez Perce Middle School
“I related to Beatrice most because she and I have the same spirit.”
11 Grader, Meridian Academy
Your opinions about the performance…
“I expected it to be old and not 80’s tech for the designs and the outfits. I was so shocked when I walked in and saw all of those colors!”
9th Grader, Buhl High
What makes a play different than reading it?…
`I get to hear the expressions and feelings that the actors had but in the book, it is hard to understand the character’s feelings`
8th Grader, South Fremont Jr. High
Impact
ISF is lucky to receive feedback through surveys and direct emails from teachers and students. Some samples:
“Our students live in a 90% poverty-stricken town, many of these students have never been to a play or been exposed to any kind of literature. Having you come to our schools and help to expose them in a different form then from a teacher, lets them see things that are possible.”
Amy Brownell with Westside Elementary-Payette
“Living in a rural area or is hard to get students to good quality theatrical productions. this program is huge!”
Joe Campbell, NEZ Perce School District
Sometimes we have stories from actors like this one from Tehreem Chaudry, an actor with Shakespearience:
“We were able to take our production to Juniper Hills this year, after a two-year hiatus, and during the talkback we had a student in this Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections school facility ask if a kid could STILL become an actor and work professionally, even if they had a criminal record. It was moving to think about the tours being a bright bit of hope this kid might have about being able to change his life going forward and perhaps make choices that could illuminate his path to success in the future. To be a part of that was moving.”
Reflection
ISF knows that without support from our community and ICA, these school tours would not be possible. We learned that despite another challenging year, showing up for kids during troubling times, offering close human connections while creating art can be a very powerful experience especially if kids feel isolated and unseen. The tours actors have countless moments where students and teachers approached them, visibly moved to be seeing them in person once again, asking if they remembered them, holding up banners of welcome and support. If ever there was a time where we understood the true impact of the program it is now, after three solid years of Covid 19 in the community.
ISF has two recommendations for organizations looking to complete similar projects. First, schedule your event at schools with time embedded to interact with even the shyest kid-the ones that might be too nervous to ask their questions in front of a large audience Our actors have been approached even up to the final moment they are on campus. Secondly, develop an anonymous survey that helps provide useful information on ways you might improve your program.
Some Examples of survey responses:
“Reading a Shakespeare play is like super boring and watching one kind of helps my brain understand it better.”
9th Grader, Nez Perce High School
“It was better than I expected because I thought I would only slightly enjoy but I really loved it. The actors were amazing.”
9th Grader, Meridian Academy
