I oversee the Theatre Department at The Expression Academy, a Middle School in the South Bronx. The population is exclusively African-American, Latin-American, and West African. Finding appropriate material for the Middle School demographic is generally a challenge. Sometimes it's by sheer luck that I find the right piece at the right time. My students are very picky. If the work doesn't engage them, they will check out (and sometimes even when it does). Often I am asked, either individually or as part of a discussion group, about plays for African-American or Latino students. Being that this is the population I serve, and the fact that I am African-American, one would naturally expect me to be a resource, if not an expert, on the topic. While I do maintain a collection of plays from different cultures, most of these works are written for adult actors, on adult topics, for adult audiences. They are great classroom resources, but most of them are too advanced for full production in a Middle School as I have no desire to direct, or even watch, a Middle School production of A Raisin in the Sun, Fences, Anna in the Tropics, or Ruined. Even plays that are written to target high schools are often inappropriate in theme for my students. Often when material is written for urban teenagers, they are written as Theatre pieces, rather than plays: presentations attempting to make a point rather than tell a story.
I haven't been particularly successful in finding material that reflects my community. Only Smoldering Fires by Kermit Frazier (Dramatic Publishing) really worked for my school. I learned very early that I could not look for plays along those guidelines if I wanted to achieve my ultimate goal, which is to expose my students to good literature through the Theatre. What makes Theatre relevant to my community is actually the universality, rather than the specificity of the literature.
Everyone loves a great story. What makes a story great is not necessarily that it mirrors one's life experiences, but that the characters are rich and the circumstances are compelling enough that one can become engrossed in them and find one's own truth in the literature. When students are able to do so organically, rather than it being imposed on them, they expand exponentially as performers and thinkers. How can I expect them not to be literal or cliché when I as the Teacher/Director operate on such a premise?
If I ask my students what their favorite movies or books are, the responses would show a wide range of interests. They're at a stage where their tastes and sensibilities are becoming more sophisticated, but they still maintain a great deal of innocence and puerility. In this respect, they are no different from Middle School students of any demographic. They like fantasy, adventure, romance, comedy. They like SciFi and Vampire stories, but they also like cartoons and comic books. What they don't like is to be talked down to or preached at. Sure, a story can have a social message, but it also has to have a story with complex characters, rather than just functional archetypes.
Classic literature has been an invaluable resource for my department. Robert Thomas Noll's adaptation of Oliver Twist (Dramatic Publishing) was a worthwhile challenge. Yes, the Nancy character can be controversial, but the theme and characters were very relevant to my students and we were able to go deeper and find our own truths in the story. The success of our final product is debatable, but the teaching and learning process that went into it was invaluable.
I have also had success with contemporary literature.This year we are producing Rodman Philbrick's stage adaptation of Freak, the Mighty. This heroic story has been a staple in my English classes for most of my career. Students love the tale of unlikely friends, and the diverse and intriguing supporting characters. This play is not a perfect adaptation, but he offers it for production in schools royalty free. The story is still in tact, though particular moments have lost their potency and could be fleshed out a bit. Because the children and I are so familiar with the literature, we are able to fill those moments so that they meet the author's original intent. Philbrick originally collaborated with a middle school teacher on this script. It might be worthwhile for more Theatre teachers to get in contact with authors and see if they can adapt other literary works for Middle School Theatre.
Essentially, we should look to provide the best educational experiences and opportunities through Theatre for our students. Students have to have a thorough understanding of, and appreciation for the material they perform. All the same, Theatre should broaden the knowledge and perspectives of those involved: primarily the actors, but additionally the director, designers, and audience. If we seek out literature that is enriching, challenging, and engaging, we don't need to create an artificial sense of inclusion in our departments. Great literature is universal, and, therefore multicultural.
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