Drama Free!
Theatre Arts and Education Program at Greenburgh Eleven
What is Drama Free!
Drama Free! is a comprehensive theatre arts and education program, led by professionally trained actor and Greenburgh Eleven graduate, Shabaya Clark, designed to help young people use “Drama” to break “Free!” from life’s issues and develop a positive and empowering outlet to create new possibilities, engage in creative expression, artistic genius, and foster character development within the scope of theatre arts.
The targeted population is made up of youth in grades 7-12 who are considered underserved, at-risk and placed in residential care facility housing underserved youth from ages seven to twenty-one. This program will serve as an alternative to the students engaging in wayward acts inside/outside of school. The Drama Free! Theatre Arts and Education Program will allow for youth to explore their untapped talents and abilities. Consequentially, the program will serve as a vehicle to support autonomy, boost self-esteem and foster a sense of collaboration and hope among our student population. The Theatre Arts and Education program will impact the lives of our learners, all of whom are students who are striving to overcome a multitude of challenges from post-traumatic stress disorders, homelessness and/or some who a faced with a potpourri of classified disabilities.
Class Instruction & Curriculum
Beginning at the start of the 2018 school year, Shabaya Clark will lead 3 theatre workshops per week, with an average of 10 students per class.
Each workshop is designed to cultivate a learner’s ability to self-express, communicate, explore feelings and emotions, work through life situations and discover worlds outside of their own lives, which will catalyze the exploration of creating new possibilities and opportunities.
Sample Class Curriculum
Class #1 / Student Intro & Ice Breaker Exercise exploring ENERGY – How to bring a certain energy into an atmosphere and transfer it onto someone else.Class #2 / Exploring AWARENESS – What is happening in the environment? How does that impact senses, movement, emotions and response.
Class #3 / RECIPROCATION – How do you give back what you received?
Class #4 / ROLE PLAY - Learners will read scenes from famed playwrights, such as August Wilson and Tennessee Williams, and explore themes and how characters deal with life situations.
Class #5 / SPECIAL GUESTS – Clark will invite professional actors as well as those working behind the scenes (stage manager, lighting director, etc.) to talk about careers in acting.
Class #6 / FIELD TRIP TO BROADWAY SHOW – Learners will have an opportunity to attend a Wednesday matinee Broadway performance, go backstage and meet the performers.
Class #7 / ORIGINAL WORKS – Learners will be encouraged to practice and perform their own original works, whether it be spoken word poetry, monologue or a drama scene.
Classes
#8-16 / REHEARSAL FOR A PLAY- Students will work on and rehearse a play (TBD), which they will perform in front of a live audience of family, friends and community members.
Benefits & Life Skills Developed from DRAMA FREE! Program Participation
- How to Channel Negative Energy and Circumstances
- How to Dream and Create New Possibilities
- How to Become and Independent Thinker / Overcome Influence of Peer Pressure
- How to Work Through Anger & Pain
- Discover the Consequences of Actions and Choices
- How to Feel Sympathy and Empathy for Others
- How to Negotiate without Violence
- How to Develop Interpersonal and Communications Skills
- How to be Fully Self-Expressed
- Writing Skills
- Focus and Discipline
- Conflict Resolution
- Learning How to Work on a Project – from Start to Finish
- Teamwork