Updated 7.26.23
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE | 16
American cultural narratives are dominated by Whiteness , special attention is paid to interrupting Whiteness , however , this approach will be valuable to anyone wishing to incorporate socially-conscious , anti-oppressive methods into their classroom and theatre spaces . In a safe and supportive environment , workshop participants will work collaboratively to test out the new analysis questions with various scripts and discuss implications and possibilities for our existing pedagogical and artistic practices .
Multi-sensory devising for autistic and otherwise disabled young audiences Track : Applied Theatre Presenters : Rachel Hilbert Location : Crowne Plaza – Yosemite – Third Floor
Seesaw Theatre is a student organization at Northwestern University that organizes workshops and creates theatrical experiences for neurodivergent young audiences in the Evanston and Chicagoland areas . Our work is focused on creating multi-sensory theatre that is tailored to our autistic and otherwise disabled audiences . Through our session , we hope participants will be able to have a hands-on experience of our process of creating multi-sensory theatre .
Skill-building for Young Directors Track : High School Presenter : Carolyn German Location : The 5 th Avenue Theatre – Studio B
How can student directors gain the skills they need to work with their student-actor peers in ways that serve them both ? Join this workshop that offers a quick , low-stakes opportunity for student directors to practice communicating their vision with actors , while it invites the director to stretch creatively . We start with a curated open scene , but add specific parameters that will frame the possibilities in new light , and encourage new thinking for the director . The approach fosters an engaging opportunity for the participating actors , too : they will have a chance to hone the skills of taking direction and trying bold choices . Educators can easily replicate this activity in the classroom , providing more students with the chance to explore the director ' s role . All participants will have a chance to respond to the session ' s activities using the presenter ' s specific Reflective Process .
Two Truths and a Lie : Challenging Perceptions Through Verbatim Performance Track : Applied Theatre , College / University Presenter : Carmen Meyers Location : Crowne Plaza – Glacier / Sequoia – Lobby Level
How does one determine what is lie and what is truth in today ' s fast-paced world of Twitter sound bites and cancel culture ? Two Truths and a Lie is a one-woman , verbatim documentary play * that addresses how theatre can serve as a springboard for dialogue regarding polarized perceptions of the 2016 and 2020 elections . This new verbatim documentary form interlaces my connection with a few of the conservative and liberal women I interviewed in 2019 around their response to " What are your thoughts about the 2020 election ?" and incorporating the game , Two Truths and a Lie to help illuminate the information we use to determine truth . This live performance challenges and disrupts our implicit biases and questions whether audiences are willing to enter into these conversations amidst continued feelings of intense anger . * Verbatim documentary theatre has been referred to in various terms over the years : fact-based theatre , verbatim theatre , documentary theatre , theatre of the real , testimonial theatre , oral history performance , performed ethnography , and ethnodrama / ethnotheatre . The form and practice I am using are based on the work of award-winning playwright and actor , Anna Deavere Smith , and Joe Salvatore , Clinical Professor of Educational Theatre at New York University , Steinhardt . The artist works from a research question and conducts interviews . The interviews are transcribed in a specific form that captures the participants vocal and gestural patterns . The artist then arranges sections from various participants ' interviews into a performance script based on emerging themes . The actor studies these patterns carefully and performs the script verbatim , word for word , to the best of their ability .