Readers’ Theater is a new project formulated by the youth staff at Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative. The project’s mission is to entertain a wide range of people through theater, and to educate its audience on relevant social issues and current data that affects our country. Readers’ Theater also aims to depict vivid scenarios of how said issues positively or negatively affect our society. Readers’ Theater shows also seek to offer spectators solutions to the problems discussed, and/or motivate those in attendance to ponder on questions of how to prevent these dilemmas from taking place on a daily basis. Readers’ Theater serves as a forum of discussion as well, for those involved in the project and for individuals coming to the shows. The purpose of this is to bring greater awareness of these issues to everyone regardless of color, religion, class, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, creed, etc.
The ultimate goal is to get its audience more engaged in discussions on these obstacles in our country and to prompt everyone to have the desire to take necessary action when confronted with these problems in their everyday life. Readers’ Theater’s first piece was on discrimination and hatred that is present in our communities, particularly on the basis of sexual orientation. It took place Thursday, March 10th, 2011 from seven o’clock p.m. to eight o’clock p.m. at Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative. The event was originally created by Shawntai Brown and it starred: Adelita Gallegos, Corrina Hinton, Domonique Essix, Brianna Washington, and Devonnte DeJarnette. The production also discussed issues on domestic violence in cases where the man is violent towards the woman, and instances where the woman inflicts pain on the man. Lastly, it presented scenarios where the presence of bullying is evident.
Within the production, Don’t Hate or Discriminate, each topic contained a problematic situation in which the characters first negatively reacted to the issue. Then, after coming to the realization that their actions were wrong and detrimental, the characters experienced a change of heart, and responded proactively to the circumstance by reconciling their differences with the individuals being discriminated against. The second time they concluded the scenes posing a viable solution. Lakira DeJarnette was present for the event Don’t Hate or Discriminate, and she stated that she viewed the show in a positive light. “I thought that the show provided a motivational message and proved to be relevant with a variety of people in the community.” DeJarnette said. “I thought Don’t Hate or Discriminate effectively articulated its message without being offensive.” DeJarnette said. She added that she felt the piece completely served the purpose that it set out to, although, DeJarnette expresses that more group participation would have made the show more lively and interactive.
Aquair Muhammad was another person in the audience, who viewed Don’t Hate or Discriminate as an overall success. “I felt that the event was very entertaining, informative, creative, and insightful. Muhammad said. He also feels that the project had an integral message for young people, and that others could learn a lot from it. “Others can learn how to respond to conversations where these issues present, recognize that the issues are not ok at any time, and that they’re intolerable.” Muhammad said. Don’t Hate or Discriminate debuted as the premier event of the Readers’ Theater project. There will be subsequent events such as this every month at Fire Historical and Cultural Collaborative. The next Readers’ Theater event is going to tackle issues on race. However, the date and times for next month’s event is undecided as of now.
The ultimate goal is to get its audience more engaged in discussions on these obstacles in our country and to prompt everyone to have the desire to take necessary action when confronted with these problems in their everyday life. Readers’ Theater’s first piece was on discrimination and hatred that is present in our communities, particularly on the basis of sexual orientation. It took place Thursday, March 10th, 2011 from seven o’clock p.m. to eight o’clock p.m. at Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative. The event was originally created by Shawntai Brown and it starred: Adelita Gallegos, Corrina Hinton, Domonique Essix, Brianna Washington, and Devonnte DeJarnette. The production also discussed issues on domestic violence in cases where the man is violent towards the woman, and instances where the woman inflicts pain on the man. Lastly, it presented scenarios where the presence of bullying is evident.
Within the production, Don’t Hate or Discriminate, each topic contained a problematic situation in which the characters first negatively reacted to the issue. Then, after coming to the realization that their actions were wrong and detrimental, the characters experienced a change of heart, and responded proactively to the circumstance by reconciling their differences with the individuals being discriminated against. The second time they concluded the scenes posing a viable solution. Lakira DeJarnette was present for the event Don’t Hate or Discriminate, and she stated that she viewed the show in a positive light. “I thought that the show provided a motivational message and proved to be relevant with a variety of people in the community.” DeJarnette said. “I thought Don’t Hate or Discriminate effectively articulated its message without being offensive.” DeJarnette said. She added that she felt the piece completely served the purpose that it set out to, although, DeJarnette expresses that more group participation would have made the show more lively and interactive.
Aquair Muhammad was another person in the audience, who viewed Don’t Hate or Discriminate as an overall success. “I felt that the event was very entertaining, informative, creative, and insightful. Muhammad said. He also feels that the project had an integral message for young people, and that others could learn a lot from it. “Others can learn how to respond to conversations where these issues present, recognize that the issues are not ok at any time, and that they’re intolerable.” Muhammad said. Don’t Hate or Discriminate debuted as the premier event of the Readers’ Theater project. There will be subsequent events such as this every month at Fire Historical and Cultural Collaborative. The next Readers’ Theater event is going to tackle issues on race. However, the date and times for next month’s event is undecided as of now.
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