MAY
11

Giving Them Wings and a Voice

By Lorraine Thompson 

Lorraine Thompson currently is the head of the Drama Department at Athens Academy in Athens, Georgia.  Her bachelor’s degree in Education is from Auburn University of Montgomery, and her Masters in Fine Arts in Theatre is from the University of Georgia.  She enjoys spending her summer months working as an actress. 

Ever faced a hostile room, a rough crowd, or a tough audience?  You know a room where every face conveys the same message, “I don’t know who you are, who you think you are or what you think you are doing.  And I don’t care to find out.  You and all you have to say is a waste of my time.”  This was the start of my summer a few years back.  I had accepted a volunteer position as a storyteller for a girl’s camp.  The girls ranged in age from 6-16.  In addition to my class, there was horseback riding, singing, crafts, swimming, writing, and individual and group therapy sessions.  You see this camp was not your run of the mill summer camp.  It was a camp for girls that had been sexually abused.  Each of these girls had a horrific personal story.  My challenge was to help them open up and share.  With the younger students I focused on creating performance pieces from folktales with strong female characters.  I went a different direction with the older campers.  I wanted them to take stock and create their own performance piece using their stories, thoughts, and opinions as the source material.  I wanted them to own it.  This process can be used for any group of people and for any theme.

My first class activities were not well received.  I was met with a tall, thick, wall of rolling eyes and bad attitudes.  I definitely had my work cut out for me!  After a day of improv games, I shifted into games with storytelling at the core.  We played the game where you go around the circle telling a story one word at a time.  We played Story Orchestra where you only add to the story when the conductor motions for you to.  Then we moved into drawing a picture of a real event and sharing your art work and the story behind it.  Slowly, I won their trust.  It was now time to start putting together our piece.

• I asked each girl to tell me a word that meant something to them.  Not everyone was willing to share, so we moved forward with the input received.  The words communicated to me were:  Sanctuary, Happiness, Walls, Trust, and Communication.
• I asked if anyone had any other words to add to our list.  They all agreed that these words resonated with each person.  We then put the words in an order that ended with the most important word last.  Their order was Trust, Sanctuary, Walls, Communication, and Happiness.
• Our next task was for each camper to write a definition of each word.  We shared our definitions and the stories behind them.
• The girls were then asked to choose two of these words that meant the most to them and to write a personal story that identified with each word.  This was an emotionally charged time for my group of angry, hurt campers.
• I typed a rough draft of the piece.  I listed a word, and then all the definitions listed for that word, and then the stories.  I typed everything given to me and made copies for all the campers in my group.
• We read the draft.  They were amazed to see their words typed onto the page.  I asked their opinions on our work to date.  They decided that all the definitions should be included unless the writer would prefer it not.  I agreed.
• They then decided that the personal stories would be told after the definitions.  They discussed each story and then they selected the ones they felt fit the best.  I was amazed at how sensitive and open they had become during this process.  Telling their story as a group and as an individual was important to them.
• I typed up draft two and made more copies.  They made more edits.
• I typed the final copy.  We read it.  They were so proud of what they had accomplished.  They appreciated the power of their words.
• We began rehearsals.  They decided they would all be seated in a row of chairs with their heads down.  They would raise their heads when they spoke.  Those sharing their stories would stand.  Scripts could be used.
• We rehearsed and rehearsed.  We were ready.

All of the stories were to be performed for the guardians, care-takers, parents, staff, and other campers on the last day of camp.  My older campers were set to end the performance.  As they began, voices wavered but soon gained strength.  Volume increased and heads rose to look their audience in the eye.  No one stirred or made a sound as my girls shared their collective story.  Their eyes were no longer hostile, daring, or angry.  They were proud and some brimming with tears.  They stood beacons of strength for the younger girls.  The audience listened in awe.  These young women had found their voices, earned their wings, and they were soaring.  Theatre can do this.

This process can be successfully used with any group of students and with any theme that they feel is of value.  Theatre is not meant as just a source of entertainment.  It is also the home of self expression.  Theatre at its best helps its children to fly.

Here is a copy of “Our Story:  Trust, Sanctuary, Walls, Communication, and Happiness.”
The names have been changed.