Hai.
This week at school we’ve been focusing on perfecting the first act of the musical. We are singing louder, smoothing out transitions, and finally delivering lines off book.
At home I’ve continued writing. As of right now, I’ve gotten down all my observations and some synthesis with my research. By the end of next week, I would like to put into writing all my notes on all the scholarly texts I read on psychology and drama.
My CMT advisor gave me a new project: interviews. I came up with a series of questions for CMT staff, teachers, and students. Some of my inquiries include:
What has been your experience with theatre? How did you come to participate in drama? How has drama influenced you? Have you found anything in the theatre that you might have not found or learned elsewhere?
On Thursday I interviewed four staff members who had begun acting at a very young age (3-10 years old). According to them, drama programs gave them safe spaces as children, secure environments in which they could express themselves and also learn how to be team players as they shouldered the responsibility of working towards a goal that was bigger than their individual selves. They also mentioned that through acting, they were able to become more open to other people’s opinions, more adaptive to social situations, more comfortable with public speaking, and more focused in their work ethic. Essentially, their testimony was very supportive of the theory that drama can influence kids in such a way that they may improve their self confidence, empathy skills, and academic standing.
I’m going to continue interviews next week, when I will be speaking to some of the CMT campers and parents. Check in next Friday to see what they say!