After learning playwriting basics, each child is teamed with an adult director/dramaturge and two adult actors. They write a short play specifically for their actors. The shows are open to the general public and tickets are free.
This time, in addition to teaming each with a dramaturge/director-and-two-actors trio, we ask the children to introduce a third, “cameo” character into each of the plays. A single adult actor plays all of the cameo roles.
Children brainstorm together as teams. At the Playwriting Weekend, they collaborate to write a full-length play. To keep things especially interesting, every time the scene changes, the actors playing the three characters change as well.
Each child partners with an adult actor. The two ultimately co-star in a play based on a storyline developed by the younger playwright that they write together. The added twist: neither knows which of them will be playing which character until after the play is completed!
Each Friday after-school we welcome guest artists to lead workshops in various theatrical and artistic genres, from puppetry to improv, from hip-hop to sonnet-writing. Our Fun Friday students works with Clubhouse Instructor Moira Costigan-Carraher to create a supportive, enriching community.
Our newest program invites MAP playwrights who have completed our five playwriting programs and are in their teens to work with our Teen Voices Director, Nicole Maynard, devising original plays through improvisation and writing, and taking field trips to see local theatre.