Every year, a handful of ASSITEJ/USA members are selected to receive Ann Shaw Fellowships (formerly known as an Observership). These funds allow them to travel to other states and countries to observe, participate and learn from others in the field. Applications for the 2005 Ann Shaw Fellowships are due at the end of December 2004. For more information, visit the assitej-usa.org website.

Rachel Briley r_briley@uncg.edu: Professor University of North Carolina at Greensboro

I arrived in the airport in Stockholm and was met with the most gracious welcome. I actually arrived having no place to stay because my original plans fell through – so as I approached the telephone booth, I took out my travel book on Stockholm (which I had read and re-read on the flight over) and located the number of what appeared to be a very cool hotel: the Art Hotel. The description read: a hotel intended for artists, located in the central section of the city. Rates and hours to accommodate artists. What could be better? A hotel with rates and hours to accommodate artists? Did that mean it was close to free and open 24 hours? I had to find out. So I picked up the phone and called. Gunilla, the owner, answered. She was kind, thoughtful, and incredibly helpful. Did they have any rooms available? “Well,” she replied, “you are an American. I do not know if we have enough space to accommodate you. There is only one room left – and it is very small. The bathroom is down the hall.” No worries – I’m small, I said. I’ve lived out of a backpack, and I love small things. I have a collection of miniature teapots. It was a done deal.

It all started in Philadelphia two years ago. I met Lisa Hugoson, the artistic director of Tyst Teater (translated: Silent Theatre) at the ASSITEJ conference there and we formed a connection that has lasted since. That connection inspired me to apply for an Ann Shaw Fellowship to explore her work and the work of her colleagues at Tyst, a deaf theatre company in Stockholm.

I traveled to Sweden this summer where I had the opportunity to participate in various proceedings at the theatre -- rehearsals, interviews, workshops, and performances. The guiding question that focused all of my inquiry was: What elements of visual theatre cross linguistic and cultural boundaries?

One of the most unique opportunities I had was to take part in a project called the Uganda Project. The Uganda Project focused on a three-week intensive with ten deaf individuals from Uganda who came to Tyst to learn about visual theatre. I attended meetings and rehearsals with all of the Ugandans and a deaf Swedish company member. We rehearsed intensely for six hours each day and then often met after rehearsal to discuss the challenges of founding a deaf theatre in Uganda. It was mind-blowing to see into the lives of people who live so differently than I do; who have so much less and make so much more of what they have. I felt particularly privileged to observe the ensemble as it grew and strengthened throughout my stay. These are people I will stay connected with for the rest of my life.

I interviewed directors who all had different takes on creating work for deaf audiences. Some of the directors used manual and spoken language in their work, while others used no language at all. It was fascinating to peer into the minds of these very different artists as they explored the phenomenon of creating work that is first seen, and then heard. Attending rehearsals allowed me to see in action what was articulated in word. I was also thrilled to interview the deaf Swedish actors – their perceptions of the way the different directors work was fascinating and provided further insight into creating accessible theatre.

Having the opportunity to observe rehearsals, talk with actors, facilitate activities, and experience performances was astounding. This experience would never have been possible without the support of the Ann Shaw Fellowship. I simply cannot express how incredible this experience was – and how deeply I appreciate the support from ASSITEJ. Thank you.

Gillian McNally mcnally@peopleslight.org: Resident Teaching Artist People’s Light and Theatre Company

I was lucky enough this summer to feel a part of my life come full circle. Seven years ago, a dear friend and mentor told me about Carol North’s professional development program called Reaching All Learners Through the Arts (RALTA) with Metro Theater Company in St. Louis. This five-day intensive program, held at the Missouri Historical Museum in the heart of St. Louis, allows teachers to experience arts-based learning through drama, music, movement, and visual art. All of this arts-based learning is supported by Dawna Markova’s Personal Thinking Patterns theory. The description of the program illuminated a bright light in my head that has never dimmed. Now I am the Resident Teaching Artist at People’s Light and Theatre Company and direct a program called The Teacher and Curriculum Project, a professional development program for teachers in the greater Philadelphia area. I was lucky enough this year to be the recipient of the Ann Shaw Fellowship through ASSITEJ/USA and I finally got to see the program that inspired my professional goals.

After observing Carol, I left feeling inspired and affirmed that this is exactly the kind of work I could do well. The following is a list of a few things I will take away and implement in my programming at People’s Light:

1. Learner-Centered Approach: Carol did not set herself up to be the “expert” of arts-based education; instead she placed herself as a facilitator of ideas. She invited a former student of RALTA to guest teach a visual art unit. Carol allowed the teachers to conduct sample lessons, and used the process of self-reflection to discuss strengths and possible choices to try in the future. Most importantly, Carol created a safe place where teachers could take risks and engage in their own personal arts experiences. On the last day for example, each of us had to find a person or an object in the museum and create a piece of writing from its point of view. When we (myself included) read these aloud to the group, many of us had tears welling up in our eyes.

2. Theoretical Underpinnings: Personal Thinking Patterns is a model that compares learning to breathing: a constant cycle of inhaling and exhaling. Each person inhales and exhales through three channels: auditory, kinesthetic and visual. Learning my personal thinking pattern was the most important personal growth experience of the week. For teachers, I think it is important that we understand our own tendencies and are aware that we need to address students who may learn in different ways. To create teachers who are advocates for arts integration in schools, it is essential that there be theoretical foundations to our work. It allows teachers to justify arts-based learning as essential, not extra curricular.

3. Connection to the Larger Community: The week began with a member from the St. Louis school board framing the week by advocating for the importance of arts-based learning, stressing the importance personal connection and emotion can have on literacy and learning. Each day, music from all over the world was used for exercises. Two tables crammed full of resource books, ranging from creative drama to children’s literature were available for teachers’ use all week. The entire program took place at the History Museum in Forest Park, which is the place that everyone claims as their own in St. Louis.

Receiving the Ann Shaw Fellowship allowed me to not only take home some very practical tools to incorporate into my programming, but it also allowed me that precious opportunity to become an engaged learner again. I came back to work feeling revitalized and reconnected to the light bulb that was illuminated in my head seven years ago.

Sharon DeMark sdemark@childrenstheater.org: Director of Education The Children's Theatre Company

In the fall of 2005, The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis will unveil its new building. This $27 million dollar addition includes a second stage, new shop and rehearsal space, additional offices and a six-room education wing. Currently our education classes and production opportunities are held in three studios that we share with all other departments for meetings, rehearsals, parties, etc. With that much new dedicated space, the education department is deep into planning how to best serve the community. The Ann Shaw Fellowship has allowed me to travel to both Bank Street College of Education and the Abrons Art Center at Henry Street Settlement in New York this summer to add to this research.

Bank Street College’s national program emphasizes educating the whole child which reflects our work in CTC’s Theatre Arts Training. Much of my time at the College was spent with John Regis, Drama Instructor in the School for Children, Bank Street’s model school for children 3 to 13 years old. During the summer he leads a Shakespeare program where, in three weeks, the children produce a full Shakespearean play. This summer they were working on The Tempest. Over the years, John has seen how Shakespeare gets children excited about learning. They love the drama, the fight scenes, even the Shakespearean insults. He has found no other playwright that does this for children. In our summer program at CTC, we have experimented with Shakespeare as a thematic structure for some of our weeklong camps. Last summer the children explored A Midsummer Night’s Dream while this summer they created music dance and scenes around The Tempest (coincidentally). But we haven’t gone as far as having 8-12 year olds fully stage a Shakespeare production, as does Bank Street. With our new space, we’ll have more opportunities to create new programming and so anything is possible.

Henry Street Settlement House is a neighborhood-based social service agency that has been in existence since 1893. Along with more traditional services such as healthcare and job training, Henry Street also runs the Abrons Arts Center in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. At Abrons, I met with Jonathan Ward, Director of Theater. He works with a diverse group of teens in both producing extant scripts as well as in the creation of their own work. I was very interested in their 10-minute play project that puts teams of teens together to create original work (as opposed to individual playwrights). I observed some young people rehearsing their production of The Ash Girl, an adaptation of the Cinderella story by Timberlake Wertenbaker. I also met with Susan Fleminger, the Deputy Director of the Art Center, who works mainly in visual arts and in arts partnerships with local schools.

Later this year I plan to go to the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in St. Louis. COCA has increased their programs dramatically over the past few years and in just reading about their work, I already see how we can learn from their success.

Next > ASSITEJ-USA e-zine created by and for emerging TYA professionals

Check-in With Some 2004 Ann Shaw Fellows

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