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~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.

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