The Act Out Ensemble, under the direction of Sayeeda Carter, will meet for its Summer Series four Fridays in July. The courtyard at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts is center stage from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. July 5, 12, and 19. The finale on July 26 will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Carter is the drama, speech and debate educator at the St.Croix Educational Complex High School. Her adult group is well-known for its expertise in using theater for social change.
CMCARTS Artist-in-Residence Selentia Moore is working with island youths for the months of June and July. Moore is a theater practitioner in Atlanta, GA and will share her experience and will co-facilitate the adult workshops with Carter in the Act Out Ensemble summer series.
Theater of the Oppressed and Forum Theater describes the series. Participants will explore theater: engaging narratives and community dialogue.
Carter invites the community to join the adult series for an immersive journey through four unique workshops. Each session is crafted to blend storytelling, improvisation, journaling, forum theater techniques, and expressive movement.
“The series offers participants a dynamic platform to develop their communication skills and explore community problem-solving,” Carter said.
“We are looking for people to feel the need for social justice, sovereignty, and more equitable solutions to the problems we are facing locally. There are issues that exist globally that affect us. The problems are not limited to a certain small corner of the globe. We see greed and selfishness all moving on the wrong side of history,” Carter told the Source.
Workshop 1, July 5: Story Circles and Improvisation
Discover the power of storytelling and spontaneity as we delve into the art of story circles and improvisation. Participants will learn to craft narratives, explore diverse perspectives, and unleash their creativity in a supported environment with the use of interactive exercises and collaborative games.
Special guest: Ariela Hayes, Arise and Love and Light
Workshop 2, July 12: Journaling and Forum Theater Techniques
Participants will harness the introspective tool of journaling to deepen character development and narrative arcs. Building on the foundation, forum theater techniques will empower individuals to actively engage in community issues, foster discussions, and explore innovative solutions through role-playing and interactive scenarios.
Special Guest: Mattice Haynes, The Black Mecca Project
Workshop 3, July 19: Movement and Community Action
Special Guests: Paloma McGregor, (dancer, choreographer) NYC/STX Angela’s Pulse, Nina Angela Mercer, DC (playwright, actor, activist).
Workshop 4, July 26: Theater of the Oppressed Open Mic and Conscious Reggae Party
Building upon the work in the first three sessions, the fourth workshop explores more of Augusta Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed – a transformative method for addressing community change. Participants will showcase their collective creations through interactive performances, highlighting issues and solutions identified throughout the workshops.
Open Mic.
Participation is not necessary for all workshops, but it’s recommended that folks do all four. There is a larger benefit from the entire series, Carter said.
“Improvisation exercises will be based on the participant’s sharing on individual, family and community levels. It’s important that folks come with an understanding of what is being offered and how they can contribute,” she said.
“Some people will see theater as sitting down and being entertained. This is the kind of theater that is based on what the audience [participants] bring. One’s life experience is vital to the contribution one can make in the ‘Theater of the Oppressed.’ Everyone has something to share,” Carter told the Source.
“This work of rising art and activism is beyond these shores,” Carter said. “We are using the call of our ancestors who have done this work before us. We use it all as a way to come together and discuss what it means to be free,” Carter continued.
“This is exciting to me as a series for ‘Act Out Ensemble’ to be making these inroads and these connections; it is a special opportunity for me,” Carter shared.
“It’s affirming that the museum wants a cross-cultural experience. I have high hopes that a majority of folks will join the workshops, Carter said. It’s limited to 30 participants. These are big ideas; we will be talking about identity, about power relations, about being sovereign,” Carter continued.
“The ideal person for the workshops is someone who does want to engage. We are not leaning toward a performance, but attempting to teach more of a process with this type of theater,” said Carter.
The workshops are on four Fridays: July 5, 12, 19, and 26.
Taken individually, the cost is $20 per workshop.
Four workshops for non-members of CMCARTS are $45 in total.
Four workshops for members of CMCARTS are $30 in total.
For more information and to join the workshops:
cmcarts.org
340-772-2622
