Educational Work

 

In addition to devising new pieces of theatre, educational outreach is an important part of our mission. Artistic Director George Bajalia works with Global Voices Initiative in Chicago to pair high school students in Chicago with students in Casablanca and Tangier. George works with the students in Chicago Public School's Arabic program to write and rehearse Modern Standard Arabic plays, while BTP affiliated artists in Tangier work with Moroccan students to write English language plays. Such efforts provide continuous cultural collaboration between students in both cities, while also providing opportunities for theatre-interested youth to gain experience in theatre devising.

 

Each project also involves its own educational components. For example, while on the ground in Tangier, Morocco, the project team worked with community members from the American Language Center to provide theatre education opportunities and seminars on English-language literature and American culture. These initiatives included: extracurricular conversation groups, homework help, an English/French/Arabic seminar on Romeo and Juliet in contemporary culture, and Global Voices Initiative hosted conferences between Moroccan artists and high school students in Chicago who study the Arabic language and culture. We feel that these initiatives are an integral part of being “in the field” devising a show, and a way a giving back to the community with whom we are collaborating.