This week’s Tag Team class was incredible. We discussed the theme for our play – Keeping the Dream Alive: Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream for a better world – and we started to think about how to create a play inspired by Dr. King.
We started with an overview of Dr. King’s words and works, and discussed the Civil Rights Movement as a whole — Segregation, Rosa Parks, the Freedom Riders, and all the young people involved in the marches for freedom. We read parts of King’s “Mountaintop” speech, and discussed the boycotts and strikes that King led. And we discussed how serious this theme is – the life and death realities of institutionalized racism.
We discussed the main tenets of King’s dream, and decided they were:
- Kindness: that people treat each other with kindness and respect, regardless of skin color, race, religion, background, language, or cultural differences.
- Equality: that all people have equal rights to take part in democracy through voting and peaceful protests.
- Non-violence: that civil disobedience can lead to change.
- Peace: that all people live free from violence.
- Justice: that unjust/unfair laws like segregation be overturned.
- Diversity: that people with different skin colors, cultures, backgrounds, races, and religions be accepted and valued. It is GOOD that not everyone is the same!
- One person (or a small group of people) CAN make a difference to fight injustice by standing up for what is right and by organizing others to do the same! Children CAN make a difference too – thousands of children were involved in the marches and protests that King organized.
Next, we asked the kids to think about the following:
- If you could write a note to Dr. King, what would you say? If he were alive today, do you think he would be happy with how things are?
- What injustices do you see in your daily life or community?
- How does his dream live on today? What is YOUR dream? How can our MAP play CELEBRATE Dr. King’s dream?
The discussion that ensued was powerful and important.
Dr. King’s dream always inspired his actions, so we decided to create a play about how a dream for social change can inspire positive actions to make the world a better place for all.
The kids decided upon the three characters that will populate their play. I won’t give them away here. Sorry. You’ll just have to wait!
Each child will be responsible for writing one of the six scenes. I’m so excited for you to see what the kids come up with!
At next week’s class, the fabulous Joe Wilson Jr., company member at Trinity Rep and MAP board member, will be performing Dr. King’s Dream speech for the kids. We are thrilled and honored.
See you at the show! January 27-29th. For reservations, call: 401-331-7007.