~Inobe Schutzman's "What a Riot”

Inobe~

Schutzman's "What a Riot” was definitely drama therapy and social theater at its finest. It offered the students a choice, an opportunity to tell their stories, share their opinions, express their feelings and solve problems all at the same time as they explored the lives of Rodney King and Claudette Colvin. I found it very therapeutic reading about their process and felt the collaboration portion of the process very powerful. This method allowed the student's interpersonal relationships to be enriched. They could get lost in the characters, lines, and the stories while learning more about themselves and the choices they may have made if placed on either side of history as Rodney or Claudette.

The chorus and joker role was brilliant. It helped move to the story along making hard conversations about race, justice and being black in America in the 50’s and 90’s possible with empathy, so it seemed. I will research this piece and work more closely. The theater is not my métier, but I found this approach very interesting. I’m intrigued and will read more about Schutzman’s work.

Comments

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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