On Saturday, November 18th, eleven students in LAMusArt’s new Drama program, Playmaking, visited Studio City for a fun-filled day of games, swimming, food, and of course, writing plays. Play Day occurs after the initial seven weeks of the ten week program, where students learn the fundamentals of playwriting during weekly group classes. The program culminates in each student writing an original play and song for professional adult actors to perform.
On Play Day, each student is paired with an adult director/dramaturge who acts as their mentor, guiding them through the creative writing process and asking them questions to stimulate their imaginations. Every student receives one-on-one time with their adult to challenge their ideas and help their work come to life.
“I loved it all! I loved my partner. She was so cool! I loved it because it really made me think and bring out my imagination. I loved that I was able to make a play,” said ten year old, Natalia Rosales, who was partnered with Alejandra Cisneros, a National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Leadership Institute Fellow for 2017. Cisneros will be directing Rosales’ play, The Fashion Disaster.
Many talented adult artists joined LAMusArt for Play Day, lending their expertise and guidance throughout the eight hour day. Adult dramaturges included Judy Chaikin, Sarah Cho, the aforementioned Cisneros, Patricia Garza, Anton Handel, Luke Kanter, Maria Pasquarelli, Nathan Singh, Pia Shah, Armando Torres Pina, and Ashley Wellman.
Since Play Day, Playmaking students have spent their weekly lessons watching their completed, original plays come to life through the rehearsal process. On Monday, December 4th, their work will be given a full production at the Scene Dock Theater at the University of Southern California. This performance, entitled FIRST CLASS: THE INAUGURAL PLAYS, will mark the first-ever production of Playmaking by LAMusArt. The next Playmaking session at LAMusArt is slated for Spring 2018.
For more information on FIRST CLASS: THE INAUGURAL PLAYS, and TICKETS click here.
Playmaking is sponsored in part by the Awesome Foundation and the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation, along with key supporters at the USC School of Dramatic Arts.
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