Double Dose of Drama…Providence College and Brown University Perform For JSEC Students

On Friday, March 24th, Providence College visited the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex to assist the Health Classes to take on many teen related issues.   James Calitri, who is the Theatrical Director at PC, worked with Mr. Moreau to develop a lesson plan that was interactive, fun, engaging, and memorable.  Once developed, revised, and structured it was showtime!  James brought 8 PC student actors with him and the presentation/performance consisted of:

1. PC actors acting out a teen issue related scenario acted out and attempting to resolve in an issue in a negative way

2. After this they hit rewind, and replayed the same scenario and resolved the issue with a positive conflict resolution

3. Students then reflected on both scenarios and reactions

Following this the actors split up and broke students into 3 groups, and had the students come up with their own scenario related to teen issues and repeated the same role play that the actors did in the original performance.  Once each group had come up with their issue, practiced, they came back to the main stage and actually acted out each scenario.  It was fun, interactive, and each group sent a strong message to the other groups and taught them how to positive resolve conflicts in school, how vaping is very unhealthy, and how rumors can do a lot of damage in high school.

PC then wrapped up the day with a really fun activity where any student could jump in.  They set up 4 chairs and played a game where students could rotate in and out of the car as long as they joined into a crazy acting activity.  JSEC students were laughing, enjoying themselves, and learning throughout the entire presentation.   Providence College promised to return to JSEC next year.     Upon departing JSEC, Mr. Calitri reflected back making the statement: “This was one of the most powerful and influential presentation our students have ever performed, it’s great to see that acting can have such an effect on how students can look at real world issues in a positive way”.

In addition to Providence College visiting JSEC had the Brown-Trinity Consortium Theatre visit our JSEC students.  JSEC students were treated to a professional acting performance and a closer look at the world of theater this week.  The Brown-Trinity Consortium actors came to JSEC on Thursday present a theater workshop with students from all grades.  Mr. Q, our librarian, arranged for the acting group to come to JSEC for both a performance and the theater workshop.  The performers are actors in a Theater Masters’ program at Brown in partnership with Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence.  They performed an original play, The Taming of Hamlet, a take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Taming of the Shrew, on Friday.  Students had a blast playing theater games on Thursday while also learning the storyline of Hamlet to better understand the play.  And, on Friday they were entertained by the actors who performed a lively version of Hamlet, complete with sound, lights and acting all performed in the school library.  Students in attendance were chosen by their ELA teachers, but all students were invited.