What a Riot - Caleb Wildman

"Were community and human relations prioritized over professional training? Yes" (18).

This was one of the most profound things that I took of this piece. I really appreciate that although there was end goal that they were striving for, it was more about the process of making the play. It was more important for the teens in the community to be making the decisions and learning about the histories of minorities than it was just for them to put on a show. This to me is really what it means to do community based work.

As for how the playwright actually formatted the show, I have mixed feelings. The Joker System and how it is structured in the selections given really seems like it would take away from the reality that the events of the show are about. I feel like if an audience is forced to make the decision on whether or not an event was real, they will tend to choose that it is a work of fiction, especially when it is unfavorable. In this matter, it really takes away from what is being portrayed.

Comments

Jeremy Griffith - The Roof is on Fire

1. CONTEXT: What were the circumstances that framed the meaning and process of this project? There are many minority teens in low-income, low-opportunity areas who have unheard voices. Their self-esteem isn't cultivated and all of their portrayal in the media is negative. 2. CONTENT: What was the issue, need, idea or opportunity addressed by this project? Teen voices were unheard, opinions of them were based on negative media stereotypes, and many of them had very poor self-esteem. 3: FORM: What is the medium that was used to address or embody the content? Immersive theatre in the form of car-conversations that audience members could eavesdrop on. 4. STAKEHOLDERS: Which are the groups or individuals that were invested in the project? The teenagers were very invested because of their desire to free their voices. The adults who helped were invested because they wanted to help these kids start to change the narrative. And the d...

Mind Map

What a Riot - Bri Pattillo

I like the Theater of the Oppressed methodology of the Joker. It sort of reminded me of El Pachuco in “Zoot Suit”, like this narrator commenting on all the action. I thought the Joker methodology was a good way to introduce a Theater of the Oppressed tactic into the piece. A lot of the Theater of the Oppressed options that we read about last week have an element of questioning within in them, but I think the Joker was a good one to use with young people. It was nice and cool that she was able to include the students’ actual questions into the play. I did think her approach was rather problematic. She highlighted the problem herself and posed the question, “To whom and to what is the author beholden when writing a play for a specified population that has been invited to contribute to the playwriting process?” My problem was her answer, when she said that the students didn’t understand all of the references or language in the play. I don’t...

Arts and Community Engagement 2018

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